2026 Rules

May 2-3 2026
| 7:00am-7:00AM
Thunder Ridge Nature Arena | Ridgedale, MO | Big fish & big 20 format

May 2-3 2026
7:00am-7:00AM
Thunder Ridge Nature Arena - Ridgedale, MO
Big fish & big 20 format

Read Carefully These Rules will be STRICTLY ENFORCED!

Last Modified January 19, 2026

Questions? Contact 1-800-443-7100

Tournament officials reserve the right to add Red Zones up to the day of competition if problems arise.
No fishing within 100 yards of public boat ramps, swim beaches, campgrounds, or marinas.

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Tournament officials reserve the right to add Red Zones up to the day of competition if problems arise.

No fishing within 100 yards of public boat ramps, swim beaches, campgrounds, or marinas.

Boat Rules

  1. Each team must have proper boat registration papers and registration numbers.
  2. Each boat must have the following safety equipment: running lights, fire extinguisher, one throwable life preserver, horn or whistle, and lifejackets for everyone on board.
  3. Everyone in the boat must wear a Coast Guard approved life jacket anytime the boat is on plane.
  4. All boats will be subjected to a random inspection by tournament officials 24 hours prior to and until the end of the tournament and weigh in.
  5. Random boats will be checked by tournament officials Friday up until 6PM and only then will a boat be allowed to leave the tournament site.
  6. TEAMS MAY USE MULTIPLE BOATS FOR THE EVENT BUT ONLY ONE BOAT MAY BE ON THE WATER AT A TIME- Boats must take off and return from Thunder Ridge.
  7. Each participating team is required to carry $100,000 in liability insurance on boat being used. Proof of insurance is required for review by tournament officials.
  8. All boats must be in compliance with all state and federal regulations pertaining to watercraft.

Tournament Rules

  1. Registration is based on individual and  allows participation in all hourly fish weigh ins, and the big 20 total weigh for overall championship.
  2. Teams can be from 1 - 4 people
  3. At least one individual on the vessel must be using the Fishing Chaos app during the event for live tracking of hourly weights and other tournament information.
  4. Hourly weigh ins will be from four (4) official locations and proceed as scheduled starting at 8am the morning and evening of the event. Participants may weigh in at any official location during weigh in hours
  5. Hourly fish submissions are based on individuals, with an individual winner for each. Fish submitted during the hourly weights can be reused in the Big 20 final weight.
  6. Individuals may weigh in one (1) fish per hourly weigh in, and fish must be weighed on the lake which they are caught.
  7. When participating in the hourly weigh in, the individual MUST declare upon arrival what hour which they are wishing to weigh in for, but they cannot weigh in before the hour starts. Once declared, the designation cannot change.
  8. Hourly big fish winners will be the largest fish/species weighed in from all 4 official weigh in locations during that official hour. Species include: Buffalo, Common Carp, Grass Carp, Silver Carp, Big Head Carp, Long Nose Gar and Suckers.
  9. Participants may use multiple boats during the tournament but may only use one boat at a time., and all boats must take off and return from Thunder Ridge.
  10. The overall champion of the tournament will be decided upon the total weight of the largest twenty (20) fish. The team must determine what twenty (20) fish they wish to submit, and any hourly submissions can be added to the overall twenty (20) weight. No fish may be counted more than once toward the final aggregate weight. The number of fish allowed in the final weigh-in is twenty (20) fish.
  11. Teams participating in the Big 20 weigh in will be responsible for having their biggest twenty (20) fish, separate and ready for weigh in on the final morning.
  12. Overall event big fish will be determined as the largest hourly fish submitted per species and any fish submitted at final weigh in.
  13. Teams may launch at 6am May 2nd, and may not begin fishing until 7am. Teams will have 24hrs to fish with Weigh in beginning at 6am on May 3rd.
  14. All team members will be subject to a lie detector test.
  15. All fishermen wanting to participate in the Big 20 must make the official weigh in time at 8am at Thunder Ridge. Failure to do so will result in disqualification and forfeiture or entry fee. No grace period will be allowed. Official time is kept by the officials at the tournament site. You must be on site on or before official ending time at 8am May 2nd.
  16. The decisions of the tournament officials will be FINAL!! Failure to comply with Tournament Rules will result in disqualification, and the entry fee will be FORFEITED!
  17. Anyone chosen to take lie detector test must pass it to be eligible for money or prizes.
  18. All participants must check out prior to leaving the tournament.
  19. Tournament hosts and sponsors will not be responsible for accidents or lost property.
  20. NO AUTOMATIC REFUNDS OF ENTRY FEES: Notice of intent to cancel registration must be received 72 hours in advance of tournament date. Fees or any portion of fees refunded will be the decision of tournament officials, and will be based on the reason of cancellation.
  21. Fish disposal will be handled by tournament officials.
  22. TIES: In case of a tie, the winner will be the team with the most fish weighed. If the tie continues, then the team with the biggest fish will win. If the tie still exists, then the winner will be determined by a coin toss. Any ties during the hourly weigh in will be determined by the angler who weighed in first.
  23. Alcoholic beverages are PROHIBITED during tournament hours, and during the Sunday weigh in.

Fishing Regulations

    1. Two, three, or four persons per team, one team per boat. Each person in the boat must be a paid contestant of the tournament and abide by all tournament rules and regulations. It is the contestant's sole responsibility to review the official rules prior to the start of the tournament. Entry into the event either online or in person represents acceptance of all tournament rules and regulations. (No passengers, with the exception of videographers/ media cleared by tournament officials).
    2. Scouting may be conducted up until May 1 at 3pm. Any boat on the water prior to the start of the tournament will be DISQUALIFIED!!!
    3. Each team member must have proper state fishing licenses.
    4. No wading (for safety reasons). Bows must remain in boat.
    5. Any violation of any state law, DOT, or Fish & Game Department Regulations will automatically disqualify the participants from the tournament. It is the angler’s responsibility to know all state and local fishing regulations and off limit Red zone areas.
    6. No game fish may be shot during tournament hours. Alligator Gar, Catfish and Spoonbill will NOT be allowed to weigh-in or dispose of on-site. There will be questions on the lie detector test. Most common fish weighed include: Common Carp, Grass Carp, Silver Carp, Bighead Carp, Buffalo, Long Nose Gar, and suckers.
    7. SEE MAP.
    8. No baiting or chumming of fish.
    9. Fish entries must be taken with bow (compound, recurve, longbow, or crossbow) and a single-point arrow only. All fish must be taken outside of the boat by bow including Silver Carp.
    10. No arrows with explosives or other shocking devices allowed.
    11. All arrows must have a line attached to it for retrieval.
    12. No dip nets or gigs will be allowed in the boats. Gaff hooks with a single hook and total length of no more than 7 feet will be allowed for landing shot fish.
    13. Trailering from official tournament site is allowed to any public boat ramp on approved tournament bodies of water.
    14. Teams may not cross dry land or cross levees.
    15. For safety reasons, a team may drop off equipment and/or fish barrels provided that ALL team members leave the tournament site and ALL team members and their fish return for the weigh-in.
    16. Suspected transferring of fish between teams will result in the disqualification of all teams involved. No fish may be transferred from one team's boat to another team FOR ANY REASON!
    17. No unsportsmanlike conduct will be tolerated. Teams must keep a respectable distance between boats; no crowding and no "owning" a fishing spot.
    18. All participants will respect the rights and privacy of all non-participants on or around the water. Please be courteous and polite and avoid congested and populated areas.
    19. Restricted RED ZONE areas are enforced for this tournament. NO SCOUTING OR FISHING INSIDE THE RED ZONES ALLOWED for 7 DAYS PRIOR to and DURING tournament. Violators will be disqualified—NO QUESTIONS! Know where these areas are-it is your responsibility! Tournament officials reserve the right to add Red Zones up to the day of competition if problems arise. When launching in a RED ZONE only use navigational lights and idle only (no fishing lights).
    20. Teams must adhere to all state “no boating” areas and all regulations pertaining to the use of watercraft on WMAs or PFAs.
    21. Teams must adhere to all state and local "No Bowfishing areas".
    22. No fishing within 100 yards of public boat ramps, swim beaches, campgrounds, or marinas.
    23. Airboats and Fishing with fans are permitted, except on Table Rock.
    24. Teams can travel to any official public boat ramp on Table Rock or Bull Shoals. Must launch at a public boat ramp. Teams may not cross dry land or levees.
    25. On state border waters, teams may fish where it is legal to do so with a state issued Fishing License.

state record jack pot

state record
jack pot

Must be one of these species to win $10,000: a certified MO or AR State Record Grass Carp, Common Carp, Buffalo or Long Nose Gar during tournament hours.
BAA state records not recognized. Must be recognized by Missouri Department of Conservation or Arkansas Fish & Game.

TRACKER BOAT CONTINGENCY

TRACKER BOAT
CONTINGENCY

Eligible Participants. Any bowfishing team in the Bass Pro Shops U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship, who own and bowfish out of a Tracker during the tournament are eligible to win. Finish in the top 5 in a TRACKER Bowfishing Boat and get paid. First place: $10,000; Second through fifth: $1,000. The captain must show proof of ownership.

Boat Giveaway

All teams pre-registered will be automatically entered into a drawing for a TRACKER Grizzly 2072 Sportsman with Mercury 150XL Motor and Custom Trailer. Retail value $44,995. Drawing for the boat will take place immediately following weigh-in. Must be present to win.

TRACKER BowFishing Package Image

*Tournament officials reserve the right to revise the rules as needed.

The U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship is the nation’s premier competitive bowfishing event, drawing elite bowfishermen from across the United States to compete for over $100,000 in cash and prizes. Held at Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Missouri, this nationally recognized bowfishing tournament features an all-new format with hourly weigh-ins, a Big 20 final, live leaderboards, and 24 hours of fishing across Table Rock Lake and Bull Shoals Lake.

Presented by Bass Pro Shops and Tracker Boats, the U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship combines high-stakes competition with entertainment, conservation, and community. With individual and team entry options, major giveaways, exclusive competitor gear, and a festival-style atmosphere, the event has become one of the largest and most anticipated bowfishing tournaments in the world.

Registration for the 2026 U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship opens February 2, 2026. Whether you’re competing for the title or attending as a fan, experience the ultimate bowfishing event in the Ozarks and be part of a championship that defines the sport.