2026 Tournament Rules

It is the sole responsibility of each participant to be familiar with and follow these rules. These rules take precedence over any other printed CBA information.

1B. There are no restrictions on any electronic technology.

1C. Using a cell phone to give or receive any kind of fishing information is strictly prohibited and can result in disqualification.

1D. Polygraph. The CBA may require a polygraph test be taken and passed, in the opinion of the polygraph operator and CBA officials, before any points or prizes are awarded. Polygraphs may be given at random to any registered participant.

All CBA tournaments are based on a 5 fish limit by boat weight (team or individual).

1st place gets 100 points, 2nd place gets 99 points, and so on.

If you miss a tournament, you get the same points as your partner if your partner fishes alone, as long as your team has fished every tournament together. You can get points for a missed tournament no more than two times a season.

Your six highest point finishes count toward the point standings.

Cash prizes go to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in the points race. There is also a cash prize for the highest finishing youth in the points race.

Two big fish prizes are paid each tournament: one for the biggest largemouth, and one for the biggest smallmouth or spotted bass.

It is an optional $20 per boat side pot. A dead fish cannot win big fish.

Regular tournament ties are decided by a coin flip or by agreeing to split the prize.

A tie for the Classic winner is decided by a fish-off.

A tie for the points championship between separate boats goes to the team with the most total weight from the regular season tournaments used for their point total.

All bass must be caught in a sporting manner and kept in an aerated live well. All fish brought to the weigh-in become the property of the CBA.

When you catch your sixth fish, you must cull down to five. Culling bags are not allowed. No more than five bass may be brought to the scales.

Trolling is not allowed. Spooling and long-lining are allowed only with the trolling motor. If the trolling motor blade is running, your reel must be in free spool. You cannot use the trolling motor to help your bait dive deeper.

Culling dead fish is not allowed. Culling at the dock is not allowed. Any sight fish must be hooked inside the mouth.

All fish are measured with the mouth closed.

A. Largemouth bass: at least 15 inches long.

B. Smallmouth and spotted bass: at least 12 inches long. Only two smallmouth 16 inches or longer may be weighed with two anglers in the boat. With one angler, only one smallmouth 16 inches or longer may be weighed.

D. Short fish: if a short fish is brought to the scales, your whole catch is disqualified. A courtesy board is available to check your fish if you ask.

E. Dead fish: no more than one dead fish can be weighed, with a half-pound (0.50) penalty. If more than one dead fish is brought to the scales, only the live fish and the biggest dead fish will be weighed.

Each participant pays a one-time $60 yearly process fee and buys a processing card at the start of the season. Write your process number on the registration card for every tournament. You can fish with a partner or alone.

Blue Team: $200 per tournament. Process fee required.

Youth Team: $150 per tournament. Process fee required. The youth must stay in the boat during tournament hours unless there is an emergency. To fish as a youth team, one partner must be currently in high school or younger.

White Card Team: $200 per tournament. No process fee required. Not eligible for the points race or any season prizes or awards.

There is a short safety meeting just before take-off at every CBA event.

Everyone must wear a Coast Guard approved life jacket whenever the big motor is running. The driver's kill switch must be attached to their life jacket whenever the big motor is running. Every boat must have working running lights. Life jackets stay on until the tournament is over.

In night tournaments, running lights must stay on at all times. Every boat must be able to show proof of liability insurance at any time.

The officers may cancel, postpone or delay a blast-off for weather or emergencies.

Any safety violation means immediate disqualification.

Only artificial lures, including pork trailers, may be used. No live bait. Only one rod per person may be in use at any time.

The Alabama-Tennessee umbrella rig follows state rules: unlimited wires, but only three hooks total on the rig.

The CBA has zero tolerance for umbrella rig violations. Anyone caught, seen or suspected of breaking this rule will be polygraphed. Anyone proven guilty can be banned from all CBA events for 2026.

No competitor may do anything to give themselves an unfair advantage over other competitors. Using cell phones to give or receive fishing information or locations during tournament hours is strictly prohibited.

Anyone causing trouble at a tournament could be disqualified for the rest of the season.

Fishing is allowed on Chickamauga, Watts Bar and Nickajack waters that all tournament boats can reach.

Stay 50 feet away from a tournament boat that got there first and is anchored (trolling motor in the water or power poles down). All boats must stay 50 feet apart, except during a lock-through, an emergency, or passing to get into a creek or slough.

Your boat must stay in tournament waters, and everyone must stay in the boat, except in a real emergency or breakdown. You cannot get out of the boat to land a fish or get a lure back. Getting gas is allowed.

An angler from a broken-down boat may bring their fish back in another tournament boat. All fish must come back to the CBA weigh-in site by tournament boat.

Before start, every boat must pass the blast-off dock with the live well open, running lights on and kill switch attached for a boat check. Be in the water before the start. Tournaments start just after first light. If you aren't ready, you go after the boats that are.

Check-in starts on the dock 15 minutes before the end of tournament hours. If you take your boat out of the water early, you must check in at the dock during check-in time and stay in the parking lot until then for your fish to count. Fish stay in the live well until you check in. Any boat not checked in, or late, is disqualified.

If your boat breaks down during tournament hours, you may switch boats if you follow these steps:

1. Tell a tournament official you are switching boats.
2. Have your live well checked before and after you switch.
3. An official can check your boat before and after. Another tournament angler can check it before the switch, but an official or an angler from a different tournament boat must check it after the switch, before you start fishing again.
4. Tell an official the names of the anglers who checked your boat before you start fishing again.

Tournament officials:

All protests must be in writing and turned in within 15 minutes after the last fish are weighed. CBA officials will review it, and their decision is final.

No alcohol or illegal drugs are allowed during any tournament.

All state and federal laws on safety and off-limits areas must be followed at every tournament.

All decisions and instructions from CBA tournament officials are final.

Registration opens the Friday of the week before each tournament. The sign-up deadline is 5:00 PM Thursday before the tournament.

Late entries, including Pay at Ramp, are accepted up to 30 minutes before the start. Any changes to your entry form must be reported to officials at least 15 minutes before the start.

You must fish at least six tournament months to be eligible for the Classic. Point totals are based on your six highest finishes. Eligible anglers may team up with another eligible angler for the Classic, even if they weren't partners during the season.

There are three ways to get into the Classic:

1. Be on one of the top 15 teams in the final 2026 point standings.
2. Win one of the 2026 open point tournaments and fish at least six tournament months.
3. Fish at least six tournament months and pay the Classic entry: $200 for Blue Teams, $150 for Youth Teams.

Each way includes an optional $20 per boat, per day big fish side pot.

CBA officials may refuse anyone entry to CBA events at their sole discretion. Entry fees are not refunded.

Any disruption during tournament hours, blast-off or weigh-in that keeps officials from running the tournament in an orderly way will result in disqualification from that event, and possibly the rest of the season.

A CBA official may board any tournament boat at any time during tournament hours.

Boats leave in the numbered order assigned when you signed up. Swapping numbers is not allowed. No passing other tournament boats until you reach the mouth of the park at the river.

Officers may delay the start for weather or emergencies.

Tournaments are open to all ages. Anglers under 16 must be with an adult.

Anyone born after January 1, 1989 must have proof of completing a Tennessee boating safety course.

Every boat must have liability insurance, with proof on board. It will be checked at random. You must be able to prove your age to officials.

Every participant must sign a copy of the rules.

One place is paid for every 5 paid entries. For example, 60 paid entries pays 12 places.

First place at every regular season event is at least $2,000.

Each team may use an alternate in one event during the season. The alternate must buy a $60 membership card before that tournament.

A one-time partner change for the season is allowed only in extreme circumstances, and CBA officers approve it case by case.

Absent partners and alternates must be declared at registration and written on the registration card.