BILL DANCE GIANT BASS OPEN

365/24/7 TOURNAMENT RULES

The Mission of the Bill Dance Giant Bass Open Nationwide Virtual Tournament is to make competitive bass fishing fun, affordable, accessible and give everyone the opportunity to compete for cash and prizes all year long. With this format every cast you make could earn you cash or prizes. Whether you’re a bank fisherman, fish from a kayak, a jon boat, or a bass boat, all it takes is one cast! 

Fishing will begin on July 16, 2025 and Grand Prize winners for year number 1 will be announced on July 31, 2026. Monthly winners will be announced at the end of each month. Annual Membership cost is $44.99 and is good for one year from date of purchase.

ENROLLMENT & PARTICIPATION

• All fish submitted into the tournament must be caught on a public waterway (no private lakes and/or ponds) using artificial lures only. No Live Bait Allowed.

• To register, each participant must create a Fishing Chaos profile and join the Bill Dance Giant Bass Open Nationwide membership which includes a tournament entry ticket. Your membership will be valid for 1 year from the date of purchase.

• All participants must possess a valid fishing permit and comply with all fishing regulations applicable in the state where they are fishing.

• This contest is open to the public. Pro’s that fish the Bassmaster Elite Series, Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour or the NPFL are allowed to fish, but will not qualify for the end of the year Grand Prizes or be eligible to fish the no entry fee Championship. There is no minimum age requirement; however, all participants under the age of 18 must comply with the event participation requirements outlined in the Agreement and Release of Liability section of this agreement.

FORMAT

There will be two divisions in each region; length and weight. You must decide when you register if you want to compete in the length or weight division. Your membership is valid for 12 months from your date of purchase. Anglers will be fishing to join the Bill Dance Giant Bass Club. Each region will have a threshold length and weight. All anglers that enter a fish larger than the threshold length or weight will go in a drawing each month for a chance to win cash prizes monthly, and you will receive a Bill Dance Giant Bass Club Collectors coin in the mail. Anglers will also be competing for the longest fish and heaviest fish by region for grand prizes that will be awarded on an annual basis. Once we reach 50K anglers we will host an in-person no entry fee Championship on a Bill Dance Signature Lake in Tennessee with a minimum payout of $100,000. The anglers that submit the 5 biggest individual fish by length and the 5 biggest individual fish by weight from every state will be invited to fish the Championship event.

PRIZES

Anyone could win. Just for registering there will be a random draw prize. Based on the number of anglers competing at the end of the first year will determine the prize. For example, if we have 50K anglers competing at the end of the year, the draw prize will be an F-150 and a 21’ Fiberglass boat. Anglers are competing to join the Bill Dance Giant Bass Club. There will be a target threshold length and weight by region. All anglers that submit a bass that is above the target threshold will receive a Bill Dance Giant Bass Club collector coin and go into monthly drawings by region where a winner will be selected from each region and division for cash prizes.

REGIONS

• Central – ND, SD, NE, KS, OK, MN, IA, MO, AR, IL, WI, MI, IN, OH

• Northeast – PA, NY, VT, NH, ME, MA, RI, CT, NJ, DE, MD, WV, VA

• Southeast – LA, MS, AL, GA, SC, NC, KY, TN

• West – NM, AZ, NV, OR, WA, ID, MT, WY, CO, UT, HI, AK

• Big 3 – CA, TX, FL

CATEGORIES

• Length: Fish must be measured on an approved measuring board as specified under Submitting Catches.

• Weight: Fish must be weighed on a digital scale as specified under Submitting Catches.

MINIMUM LENGTH AND WEIGHT

Any submission that meets the minimum requirements (4lbs or 18”) will be accepted but won’t be eligible for the Bill Dance Giant Bass Club. Every fish you submit is an additional entry into the grand prize drawing at the end of the year. Below is the length and weight minimum requirements to join the Bill Dance Giant Bass Club.

• Length – Southeast: 22”, Northeast: 21”, Central: 21”, West 21”, Big 3 (nationwide): 24”

• Weight – Southeast: 7 LBS, Northeast: 5 ½ Lbs, Central: 5 ½ Lbs, West: 5 ½ Lbs, Big 3 (Natiowide): 9 Lbs

APPROVED MEASURING DEVICES

Measuring devices must be of the “bump board” style, featuring a vertical lip on the left side to securely position the tip of the fish’s mouth. Measurement markings must be clearly visible in inches. If the board displays only whole inches, the scoreable measurement must be rounded down to the nearest inch.

Boards with 1/4-inch measurement increments are recommended for accuracy.

Tape measures are not valid for official measurements.

Collapsible, foldable, and expandable measuring devices are not allowed.

Suggested measuring boards:

• Ketch board

• Hawg Trough

• Cabela’s Aluminum Fish Measuring Board (available at Cabela’s)

• Check-It Stik (available at Academy Sports)

• Gator Grip Golden Rule Measuring Board (available at Bass Pro, Academy Sports)

Suggested Digital Scales (Scales must be digital and can either be pounds and ounces or to the hundredth of an ounce:

• Rapala Digital

• Bubba

• Accu-Cull

• Breknell

SUBMITTING CATCHES

• Permitted species: Black Bass (including largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, shoal bass, and meanmouth bass).
   

• Minimum length/ weight to qualify for the Bill Dance Giant Bass Club: Length – Southeast: 22”, Northeast: 21”, Central: 21”, West 21”, Big 3 (nationwide): 24”

• Weight – Southeast: 7 LBS, Northeast: 5 ½ Lbs, Central: 5 ½ Lbs, West: 5 ½ Lbs, Big 3 (Natiowide): 9 Lbs

All Anglers that submit a fish larger than the above sizes by region will enter the Bill Dance Giant Bass Club.

Anglers may submit fish smaller than the threshold weight or length to gain an extra entry into the year end grand prize random draw for each fish recorded. 

THE MINIMUM SIZE IS 4 LBS OR 18” TO BE COUNTED TOWARDS AN ADDITIONAL ENTRY INTO THE YEAR END RAFFLE.
 

• Submission requirements for length:
   

• Catches must be caught by the registered angler and show the identifier code in the photo.

• Catches must be submitted via the Fishing Chaos mobile app. The photo must show the fish lying straight on an approved measuring board, with its mouth closed and touching the “bump” end of the board, and its tail lying flat.

• The “Zero End” of the measuring board must be positioned to the left of the person measuring the fish.

• The belly of the fish must face down toward the person measuring.

• The entire fish must be in the photo.

• Mouth cannot be covered.

• The fish’s mouth must be fully closed in the photo; violations may result in a 1/4 to 1 inch deduction at the judge’s discretion.

• Submission requirements for weight:

• Catches must be caught by the registered angler and show the identifier code in the photo.

• Catches must be submitted via the Fishing Chaos mobile app. The photo must show the entire scale and entire fish, either left or right side, no belly or back photos.

• Hand cannot touch the fish clip.  Keep hand on the scale body.

• Weight must be clearly visible in photo.  

• Weight must be in lbs and hundredths of a pound.  (Ex 5.36 lbs.) 

Any submissions not meeting these guidelines will be rejected and will not count as a valid entry.

WINNER COMMUNICATION

The prize winner will be notified by phone, email, or through the Fishing Chaos app messenger approximately fourteen (14) days after submissions and results have been verified by the Event Operations Staff. If the potential winner cannot be reached within five (5) days of the initial contact attempt, the Sponsor reserves the right to select an alternate winner from the remaining eligible entries.

The selected prize winner will be required to complete and return affidavits, release forms, tax documentation, or other materials as requested at the sole discretion of the Sponsor. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in disqualification and forfeiture of the prize, at the Sponsor’s sole discretion.

To be eligible to receive a prize, winners must have a valid mailing address or email address on file with the Sponsor, or must provide such contact information upon request during the entry process. If a participant fails to provide complete or accurate contact information, or is otherwise deemed ineligible by the Sponsor, they may be disqualified and an alternate winner may be selected.

PRIZE RESTRICTIONS

Non-cash prizes are non-transferable and may not be assigned, substituted, or redeemed for cash, except with the prior written consent of the Sponsor. All terms and conditions posted on the Sponsor’s website, including those governing the use of its web and media platforms, are hereby incorporated by reference.

The prize winner is solely responsible for all applicable federal, state, and local taxes, including any taxes imposed on income, in connection with the prize and its fair market value.

In the event of a tie for a grand prize winner, the angler who submitted the first fish will be the winner.

ALL PRIZES ARE AWARDED “AS IS” WITHOUT ANY GUARANTEE.
The Sponsor and its related entities expressly disclaim all warranties, whether express or implied, including, but not limited to, any implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.

All prize details are at the sole discretion of the Sponsor. Any costs or expenses associated with the acceptance and use of the prize that are not expressly stated as being provided are the sole responsibility of the winner.

POLYGRAPH ADMINISTRATION

The Bill Dance Giant Bass Open Virtual Fishing Tournament reserves the right to require any participant to submit to a polygraph examination as part of its tournament operations. By registering for this event, each participant acknowledges and agrees to the following:

• Participants agree to submit to a polygraph examination conducted by a third-party administrator and to provide truthful and honest responses, as determined by the third-party polygraph examiner.
   

• Refusal to take a polygraph examination for any reason will result in immediate disqualification from the Event.
   

• Any participant currently taking medication must inform the polygraph examiner prior to the examination.
   

• Any participant who is determined—through the polygraph examination and/or by Event Officials—to be intoxicated or under the influence of illegal drugs at the time of the examination, or who is otherwise found to be in violation of tournament rules, may be disqualified from this Event and all future events.
   

• Participants acknowledge and agree that the Event Host may, at its sole discretion, disclose the results of the polygraph examination.
   

• By signing the Event entry form, completing required documentation, or registering online, each participant agrees to undergo a polygraph examination administered by a third-party administrator. Participants agree to be bound by the findings of the examiner, including determinations regarding the honesty and truthfulness of responses.
   

• Participants must successfully pass the polygraph examination to remain eligible for prizes and placement. Failure to do so will result in removal from the competition.

Participation Agreement & Liability Waiver
Bill Dance Giant Bass Open Virtual Fishing Tournament

All rules are subject to change by the staff at any time.

This Agreement applies to each Event in which I participate. By participating, I represent and agree to the following:

• I will participate in the Event in a lawful, safe, and reasonable manner.
   

• I will respect the Event Staff by listening to and following their instructions—whether addressed to the group or to me individually.
   

• I understand that I will be in violation of this Agreement if I engage in behavior such as (but not limited to): being disrespectful, disruptive, or disorderly; using profanity; using, possessing, or being under the influence of alcohol or drugs (whether legal or illegal); posing a danger to myself or others; or engaging in behavior that is offensive, demeaning, or unsafe—each as determined solely by Event Staff.
   

• Any Staff member has the authority to remove me from the Event if I violate this Agreement.
   

• This Agreement applies to all activities associated with the Event, even when I am not directly engaged in Event activities.
   

• I affirm that I am at least 18 years of age or, if higher, the age of majority in the State where the Event is held.
   

• If I am under 18, I understand that I must be supervised at all times during the competition by a parent, legal guardian, or adult designee. A parent or legal guardian must execute this waiver and release on my behalf, and accept any prize, including responsibility for associated tax requirements.
   

• I understand that I am solely responsible for any and all taxes, fees, or expenses associated with the acceptance, receipt, or use of any prizes awarded during the Event. By participating, I agree to comply with all tax reporting and payment obligations. The Event Host shall not be responsible for any taxes, fees, or penalties incurred by participants as a result of participation or prize acceptance. This provision shall survive the termination or expiration of the Bill Dance Giant Open Virtual Fishing Tournament.
   

• I acknowledge and agree that the Event Host reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to modify, suspend, or terminate the BILL DANCE GIANT BASS OPEN VIRTUAL Fishing Tournament and its terms and conditions at any time, for any reason, without prior notice or liability to participants. In such an event, the Event Host may, at its discretion, award prizes based on eligible entries received prior to the modification or termination. The Event Host shall not be liable for any losses or damages resulting from these actions. This provision shall survive the conclusion of the Event.
   

• I consent to the Event Host’s use of any photographs, video, or other images of me for promotional, commercial, or other purposes—including use in print, television, online, or on social media—without compensation.
   

• I understand that participation in the Event involves inherent risks, including but not limited to, sickness, emotional or physical injury, serious injury, death, and damage or loss of personal property. Risks may include drowning, accidents involving weapons (if applicable), and health hazards due to weather or terrain conditions. Some risks may be unknown or unforeseeable. I acknowledge that the Event Host and Staff are not responsible for the actions, omissions, or negligence of other participants. I accept all risks, including the risk of illness (e.g., viruses) from other participants, Staff, or shared equipment/facilities.
   

• I fully waive and release the Event Host and its Staff from any and all liability, including claims, suits, or actions for injury, illness, death, property loss or damage, or any other losses or damages. This includes claims related to medical treatment provided by the Event Host or Staff, facility conditions, and any negligence or misconduct by Staff or participants. I understand this is a full and complete waiver of legal rights. This waiver is in addition to any other waiver or release I have provided.
   

• This Agreement is binding upon me and my heirs, executors, administrators, and legal representatives.
   

• This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State in which the Event is held.
   

• If any portion of this Agreement is deemed invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect. Any invalid term shall be revised to the minimum extent necessary to be enforceable.
   

• I understand that by participating in the BILL DANCE GIANT BASS OPEN VIRTUAL Fishing Tournament, I acknowledge that I have read, understood, and agreed to all terms stated in this Agreement, including the rules and release of liability.
   

• I waive any right to a jury trial with respect to any claim related to this Agreement.