16th Annual Sunset Bay Angler of the Day Kayak Fishing Challenge (SBAOTD) 2026
Schedule
Tue, 18 Aug, 2026 at 01:00 pm to Sun, 23 Aug, 2026 at 01:00 pm
UTC-07:00Location
Bastendorff Beach County Park | Coos Bay, OR
The Sunset Bay Angler of the Day Kayak Fishing Challenge is an annual human powered kayak only fishing competition held on the ocean near Coos Bay Oregon. This year is the 16th tournament set for Saturday, August 22nd, 2026.Pre-registration is required to compete by paying in advance to the email/PayPal account listed above. The tournament entry fee is $50. The first 40 contestants to pay their entry fee will receive a Captain's Bag at the Captains meeting on Friday evening. The registration cut-off will be at 50 competitors or a date determined by the event coordinators.
Stephen Hatler has reserved the Bastendorff County Park group site campground, 63377 Bastendorff Beach Road, Coos Bay, OR 97420. Arriving at 1:00 pm, Tuesday, August 18th and departing by 1:00 pm, Sunday, August 23rd. Confirmation of your campsite reservation will be made once we have received your payment along with your entry fee.
The Bastendorff group campsite reservation fee is $150 flat rate with payment made at time of reservation. Send your tournament entry & Bastendorff group campsite reservation fees to Erik's PayPal at [email protected]. New for this year we are now accepting Venmo at @SBAOTD. Alternative payment method can be made by emailing Erik at [email protected] to arrange sending a personal check or money order to his personal address.
SBAOTD 2026 Rules:
All participants must have registered with the event coordinators, signed the liability waiver and receive a poker chip to participate.
Compliance with all State and Federal game regulations is mandatory.
We have a perfect safety record and want to keep it that way. A US Coast Guard approved PFD, suitable immersion gear and flying a safety flag are mandatory. If you show up in street clothes you will be disqualified.
Radio communications are required. Marine VHF Channel 69 is the designated communication channel for the event and will be monitored by event staff ashore should an emergency arise. If you haven't fished Sunset Bay or the ocean before, find an experienced person with a radio and ask them to help you out and keep an eye on you.
The launch site is at Sunset Bay State Park. The tournament boundaries are from Baltimore Rock to the north down to the south end of Simpson Reef. The west boundary is out one mile offshore (depth of about 100 to 120 feet). If you can't make out landmarks, you're out too far.
The tournament starts at 6:00 AM, first light. https://sunrise-sunset.org/us/coos-bay-or/2026/8
The competition ends at 2:00 PM. Bring your largest fish of each species for official measurement at the check-in station in the picnic area closest to the launch. Your tournament catch is measured and recorded by tournament staff at the check-in station upon your return. All entries must be measured to qualify. You're welcome to observe the measurement of your catch, but staff will not have time to discuss tournament standings during check in, so please don't ask. Tournament standings will be posted at the awards ceremony.
You must check-in by 2:00 PM even if you are not measuring any fish. Be on time and stay in radio communication. Don't make us call the Coast Guard to search for you. Anyone not in line for check-in by 2:00 PM will be disqualified.
This is a point based competition with points per inch values assigned to each species. Bring your largest fish of each species for official measurement when you check in. The angler with the most points wins! This competition will test your skill as an angler as you have to target different species with different techniques to be successful.
https://www.eregulations.com/oregon/fishing/marine-zone
Point system:
Chinook 4 points - retention may be closed, regulations TBA
Coho 5 points - retention may be closed, regulations TBA (https://www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/salmon)
Greenling 10 points
Pacific Halibut 4 points - retention may be closed, regulations TBA (https://myodfw.com/pacific-halibut-sport-regulations)
Other Flatfish 8 points (including California Halibut)
Lingcod 5 points
Rockfish 8 points
Perch 12 points
Cabezon 7 points - retention may be closed, regulations TBA (https://myodfw.com/sport-bottomfish-seasons)
There are three winner categories:
1. Multi-species category: 1st, 2nd & 3rd place anglers with the most cumulative points.
2. Angler with the largest single fish (by length).
3. Tournament of Champions: Anglers who have placed 1st, 2nd or 3rd in previous year's multi-species contest will be eligible to compete in this category. Cumulative points for the largest perch and greenling will determine the winner of this category.
SBAOTD 2026 Agenda:
8/21 Friday, 5:00 pm - Captains meeting: Participants meet at the shelter in the Group Camp Gazebo at Bastendorff County Park. (NOT THE GAZEBO IN THE DAY USE AREA). Be here to check in for the tournament. This is where you will sign your waiver, get a poker chip and get your captain's bag. The tournament coordinators will have a few words with any last minute updates, and recognize our sponsors as well as answer any questions.
• Drawing tickets will be available for purchase. Tickets will also be available during the potluck prior to the awards ceremony. Tickets will be $1 each or 6 for $5. 100% of the money for this drawing will be donated to Heroes on the Water. Please open up your wallets and buy a lot of tickets, it goes to a great cause!
8/22 Saturday, 6:30 am - Be ready, tournament starts at first light.
• Sunset Bay boat launch area is officially open at sunrise. The gate will be closed and unlocked by park staff in the morning.
• Radio communication is required to participate. If you don't have a radio, fish with a buddy who does.
2:00 pm - Fish measure check-in ends. Don't be late!
• Bring your fish to be measured to the check-in station at the picnic area closest to the launch. All entries must be measured to qualify. You must check-in even if you are not measuring in any fish.
• You must have checked in your fish or be present (standing in line) at the fish measuring station at 2 pm or you will be disqualified.
• Don’t forget to turn in your poker chip for the drawing.
5:00 pm - Potluck
• Bring donated fish for the fish fry to the marked cooler located at the shelter in the group camp site at Bastendorff County Park. Please bring cleaned fillets only. The earlier the better! Please remember to keep your fish on ice for food safety and the quality of the eats! Fish cleaning stations are located at Bastendorff County Park, Sunset Bay State Park and at Charleston Marina.
• The potluck and fish fry will be in the Bastendorff County Park group camp shelter adjacent to the restrooms.
• This is a fish fry/taco feed. Bring a dish to contribute to the potluck- salad, side dish, desert, etc. The cooking will be coordinated and conducted by the usual crew of cooks. Volunteers for food prep & setup are welcome!
• Gluten free options are welcome will need to be clearly marked (battered fish, tortillas, etc.)
• Bring a lawn chair and your own beverages.
• Cleanup - the potluck area must be cleaned up prior to the commencement of the awards ceremony. Please take what you brought and help clean up and dispose of all trash in the appropriate bins.
6:00 pm - Awards Ceremony
• The awards ceremony will be presented by the event coordinators.
• Winners will be announced, contributing sponsors recognized for their donation & award photographs taken.
• The top 3 multi-species anglers will get their choice of a prize, then the angler with the largest fish, followed by the Tournament of Champions winner. After that, we start the drawing alternating between drawing a ticket, then a chip. You will receive a poker chip with a number on it when you sign the safety waiver, we will collect them after you sign. The top 5 winners in the 3 categories will not be eligible for a chip prize unless we have a second round of chip draws. We will draw tickets for prize packages until we run out of tickets. If there are prizes left after the tickets are drawn, we'll have a second round of chip draws until all the prizes are gone.
Good luck, be safe, have fun!
Where is it happening?
Bastendorff Beach County Park, Coos Bay, United States
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