These rules and regulations are the official rules of the Big Bite Challenge Championship;

1. Participants acknowledge and agree they have reviewed, understand and will abide by all rules.
2. All local state and federal laws will apply at all times during event hours.
3. All local state, Coastguard, Parks and Wildlife and federal boating and fishing regulations shall apply at all times.
4. In the event there is a discrepancy between the printed version of the rules and the digital version of the rules, the rules posted on the official website at the time of the event shall prevail.

Event Participation and Eligibility;

1. To qualify for the entry-fee FREE Championship event an angler must be a top 5 monthly finisher in 2023 Big Bite Challenge.
2. The Championship event will be a team event with a 3-fish limit, Location TBD.
3. For the Championship event to be entry-fee FREE a team must consist of 2 qualifying anglers. With ONE qualifying angler and a partner of his/her choice entry fee will be $150.Partner must be submitted by Jan 15th, 2024 to be eligible. Monthly qualified anglers may opt to fish by themselves entry-fee free. Qualified Anglers must register 10 days prior to the event via email.
4.  Team Captain will receive a 1099 at the end of the season if winnings are over $599.00. Checks are no longer valid if not cashed within 90 days.
5. Participants less than 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or adult with written parental permission.
6. Participants under 18 years of age cannot participate alone for this event.
7. Anyone who has failed a polygraph examination and/or been disqualified for fraudulent actions in connection with any fishing tournament are not eligible to complete.
8. Boat owners must carry a minimum of $100,000.00 in liability insurance on their boat. Proof of insurance may be asked for at any time.
9. Event officials reserve the right to refuse anyone at their sole discretion.

Entry Fee and Check-in;

 

1. All Teams must come to check-in before take off and get live wells checked.
2. There will be no refunds or transfer of the entry fee unless the event is cancelled in advance.
3. Tournament will be held regardless of weather. Participants are responsible for their own safety.
4. Tournament could be postponed, and the date of the tournament rescheduled due to reasons beyond our control. No refunds given with event postponement.
5. Payment of entry fee constitutes a representation by each participant that he/she has read and understands the rules and the participant will abide by such rules and the decisions and/or staff.

Interpretation and Discipline;

1. Participants agree to abide by the rules and any decisions of the tournament director and/or staff.
2. Interpretation and enforcement of the rules shall be left to the sole and exclusive discretion of the tournament director and/or staff. NO EXCEPTIONS.

Safety;

1. Participants are aware he/she is participating in a physical activity in the sport of fishing that may be dangerous or cause injury.
2. Big Bite Challenge, 5 Fish productions and joining sponsors assume no responsibility for accident/injury to participants and equipment while participating in this event.
3. Participants assume all responsibility for personal health, safety and equipment.
4. No alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs allowed during the event.
5. All boats must be equipped with some type of emergency ignition cut off device (kill switch) and be in working order.
6. All boats must have a working live well with aeration.
7. US Coastguard approved life jackets are required for each person on board the boat during competition when the boat is on plane.
8. Safe boat conduct must be observed at all times by all participants.
9. Running lights must be on and functioning if you are on the water before safe light.

Permitted Fishing Area and Hours;

1. All fish must be caught on and within the official designated event waters during official event time.
2. All fish must be caught on rod and reel.
3. All fish must be caught on artificial lures (Alabama rigs and/or Pig-chunk may be used)
4. Participants may only have one line in the water at a time.
5. Permitted fishing areas are anywhere on tournament water available to the public and accessible by boat except areas designated as off limits or no fishing by local, state or federal officials.
6. No fishing allowed within 100 yards of the official weigh in site.
7. No fishing within 50 yards of a marina gas pump.
8. You may not leave your boat to land any fish, retrieve any lure, or gain access to any water.
9. No participant or non-participant may hold a fishing location for any other participant at any time.
10. Official start time will be 9;00am, official weigh-in will be 4:00pm.
11. All participants are required to attend check-in and get their live wells checked.

Tournament, Weigh-in Rules and Regulations;

1. All bass weighed in will become the property of the event and will be released back into the lake alive if possible.
2. Team must come to weigh in by water at the Official Tournament site. After checked in, Teams may load their boat and then bring their fish to the scales.
3. Team members boat must be off pad and idling in past the off limits area to be considered in.
4. Official weigh in bags will be provided by BIG BITE CHALLENGE and all fish must come to the scales in the Official Bag. Bags are expected to be returned upon weighing.
5. Bass must be alive to be weighed in.  No dead fish will be accepted. Tournament Director will have final say in whether the fish is dead or alive.
6. All bass brought to the official weigh in stations must be in the Official weigh in bag supplied by BIG BITE CHALLENGE with adequate water. Do not bring a dry bag to the scales.  
7. Each Big Bass submitted for weigh in MUST be identified by placing an Official supplied Calcoast Fishing Clip-n-cull tag to the mouth.
8. Each Team is allowed to weigh only three fish total for the day.
9. If a Team brings more than three fish to the scales that Team is Disqualified from that event. 
10. Upon weighing fish, Anglers will be asked if they agree with the weight. If they do not, Anglers will be allowed one re-weigh and must take the second weight. 
11. Team's may only have six fish in possession in their live wells at any given time.
12. All fish must be a minimum of 14 inches, mouth closed with tail to touch the line. NO EXCEPTIONS
13. Only large mouth, small mouth, Kentucky spotted bass will be eligible to be weighed in.
14. Any artificially weighted bass will be disqualified and so will the participant. This participant may be subject to prosecution.
15. Any alteration of length or weight of a bass is prohibited, and the participant will be disqualified and banned from any future events and may be subject to prosecution.
16. Any questionable fish will be subject to inspection by a marine biologist, tournament director or similarly qualified expert.
17. Any artificially or preserved bass will be disqualified, and that participant will be subject to disqualification and prosecution under federal law.
18. Participants must have an operating live-well with aeration to keep their bass in.
19. Any participant caught cheating in any form or fashion will be subject to disqualification and prosecution under federal law.
20. All participants by entering this event hereby agree to allow their boat to be boarded and/or inspected by event officials at any time prior or during the event.

Ties;

1. Ties for overall aggregate limit weight and will be broken by Biggest Bass, In the event a tie still exists, both places will be combined, and monies split evenly.

Polygraph;

1. Participant's agree to submit to a polygraph.
2. Participant's agree to provide truthful and honest responses to be determined by the polygraph examiner.
3. Refusing to take a polygraph for any reason will be subject to immediate disqualification.
4. Any participant should notify the polygraph examiner prior to the polygraph examination of any medication or condition that could effect the outcome of the test.
5. Any participant's to be determined by the tournament director or polygraph examiner to be intoxicated or under the influence of any drug or alcohol during said time of polygraph examination will be subject to disqualification.
6. Participant's acknowledge and agree the event may disclose polygraph exam results.  Disclosure occurs at the sole discretion of Big Bite Challenge.
7. By his/her signature or online entry participant hereby agrees to all Big Bite Challenge rules.
8. At the sole discretion of the event director a polygraph test may be administered to any participant during or after the event.

Participants and Disputes

1. All protests and disputes related to any matter involving the rules and/or the event must be registered with the event director in writing within 15 minutes of the official closing of the scales.
2. After a protest has been submitted, the event staff decision is final, non-negotiable and not subject to further appeal.
3. The interpretation and enforcement of the rules will be the sole responsibility of the event director.

SPORTSMANSHIP;

All contestants are required to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy and conservation and to conduct themselves in a manner that will be a credit to themselves, to BBC, BBC sponsors.  Conduct not complying with these standards includes, but is not limited to, the following:

1.Violation of, or failure to comply with, any of the rules for the 2023 Big Bite Challenge

2. Suspension/disqualification, probation or ban from any tournament or fishing organization.

3. Boat operation in an unsafe or unsportsmanlike manner.

4. Violation of a posted no-wake area.

5. Publicly criticizing or questioning the integrity of BBC or BBC officials, including but not limited to BBC rules, policies and procedures.

6. Any other words, conduct or actions reflecting unfavorably upon efforts to promote safety, sportsmanship, fair competition and       compliance with tournament rules.

7.In case of any conduct not complying with the standards outlined above, BBC shall have the right to refuse an application to compete, to deny a confirmed application to compete by returning the entry fee, to disqualify a contestant or impose any penalty outlined  in the rules.