Trout Challenge 2025

CPS TOURNAMENT RULES (CATCH, PHOTO, SUBMIT)

TourneyX PRO is the official app and tournament scoring method for Bayou Coast CPS Tournaments. It is available for Apple iOS and Android operating system smartphones. Make sure to download the PRO version as it is the only one that works for BCKFC tournaments. For more information on how to use the TourneyX PRO app you can visit TourneyX Help, or TourneyX Youtube for video tutorials.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

• A three-digit tournament identifier code will be released in the TourneyX Pro the night before the tournament. This identifier must be clearly visible in every photo (e.g., written on a card or on your hand).
• Photos of fish must be submitted within the stated submission window for this tournament.
• Pictures will only be accepted if they include original metadata which contains GPS coordinates. Bayou Coast retains all metadata information which may be reviewed by a single designated tournament director in the event of a valid location or time-based protest as spelled out later in the rules.
• The fish must be on a tournament approved measuring device, the body centered between the rails, and alive.
• Caught fish must be photographed before your next cast. This means an angler must bring a caught fish into their kayak and take a picture before they begin fishing again. A fish that the tournament directors suspect is dead due to being out of the water too long may be rejected. Examples of issues that may result in a disqualified fish are faded color, no slime coat, shriveled tail, etc.
• Record all lengths in 0.25" increments. If the tail does not clearly reach a measurement line, round down to the nearest quarter-inch.
• For any species with a stated maximum length, the longest acceptable submission is 0.25" less than that maximum. For example, if the maximum length is 30", the longest fish you may submit is 29.75". Any fish touching or crossing the maximum length line will not be accepted.
• You can submit as many fish as you would like. TourneyX will automatically cull them for you. However, you can only submit one picture of each fish to be judged. In the event that a submitted fish picture is denied, you can request that the judge review another picture(s) of the same fish. It is smart to take multiple pictures of each fish before releasing to make sure you get a good one.

ALLOWED MEASURING BOARDS

These measuring boards must be clean, with all lines and numbers clearly visible so judges can accurately verify your submissions.

• Ketch Boards: All models are accepted, except the hinged 48” model.
• Check-It Stik Kayak Elite Series: This specific model only will be accepted.

PHOTO REQUIREMENTS

• The 3-digit tournament identifier code must be visible in the picture (written on a card or the back of your hand).
• The fish must be facing to the left with the tail to the right and the belly of the fish facing the angler.
• The nose must be pressed up against the post of the measuring device. Please ensure that shadows do not obscure the nose and post. If the judge cannot see that the nose is clearly up against the post, the angler will face a 0.5” length deduction.
• If the tail is not obviously touching or crossing a measurement line, it will be rounded down to the next lower quarter inch length.
• There may be no lures or fish retaining tools in the fish’s mouth for the picture or the angler will face a 0.5” length reduction.
• No other tools, devices, materials etc. may be touching or under the fish for any reason.
• The mouth, eye, and edge of tail must be visible for the picture to be accepted, with the tail flat on the measuring board. The angler is not allowed to place their hand or fingers under the gill plate of the fish.
• The top lobe of the tail of your fish must be inside the boundaries of your board. If using a Check It-Stik, the top lobe must be over the lines on the flat (bottom) portion of your board, and not over the slanted lip on the sides. Judges will make their best attempt to score the length of the fish in relation to visible numbers and lines which the tail clearly crosses.
• The picture must be taken overhead and not at an extreme angle.
• If the judge deems your picture to be inauthentic or otherwise too problematic to accept, it will be rejected. Appeals may be made to the tournament directors as described below in the protests section. All submissions are subject to final review by the tournament director. If the tournament director overrules the judge on a submission, the angler will have the opportunity to submit another picture of the same fish or a replacement fish before the standings are finalized.

FISH SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

• REDFISH

  Anglers may not manipulate oversized redfish to appear shorter than the stated tournament maximum. Any attempt, or suspicion of attempt, to do so will result is disqualification of the fish and potentially the angler.

• SPECKLED TROUT / FLOUNDER

  The mouth must be entirely closed with the nose pressed firmly against the post of an angler’s measuring board. If the mouth is open at all, a 0.5” length deduction will be taken.

POST TOURNAMENT DATA DELETION

Following completion of the tournament and awards ceremony, anglers may make a formal written request that their entry is deleted from TourneyX. Doing so will delete all of the fish pictures, metadata, GPS, and statistics from the angler’s TourneyX account. This means these pictures/metadata/GPS will no longer be accessible to anyone including the angler or tournament directors. This is a permanent irreversible decision. Making this request will not disqualify the angler from qualifying for awards in this tournament.

ANGLER OF THE YEAR / CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFICATION

The top 15 anglers on the leaderboard of Trout Challenge are eligible for qualification to the 2025 BCKFC Championship. To fully qualify, an angler must be a paid club member in good standing with BCKFC and have paid entry to at least two 2025 Championship Series tournaments or have purchased the 2025 BCKFC Season Pass.

Points are awarded for Angler of the Year at each tournament with 1st receiving 300 points, 2nd receiving 299 points, 3rd receiving 298 points, and so on down the line. To receive points, an angler must weigh in at least a single legal fish and be a BCKFC member in good standing. The Angler of the Year points total represents the 4 qualifying tournaments plus the BCKFC Championship, less a drop of the worst placing tournament for each individual angler.

At the end of all 4 qualifying tournaments, at least the top 2 anglers in angler of the year points (who had not qualified on the podium) will gain entry to the championship via wildcard. If there are still less than 40 anglers qualified for the championship after the initial 2 wildcards are earned, more wildcard places may be awarded to the next highest Angler of the Year points earners (who had not qualified on the podium) so that a minimum of 40 anglers qualify for the championship.