THE BOUNTY CHALLENGE

FILL THE CAN. CLAIM THE BOUNTY.

October 24, 2026 | Shellman Bluff, Georgia

The Bounty Challenge is a one-day, mixed-species offshore fishing tournament where strategy is everything. Teams may target any legal, in-season fish, excluding billfish, and bring their eligible catch back to the official Bounty Can.

Pack it however you want. Make every pound count.

The team with the heaviest combined eligible catch placed inside the official Bounty Can claims the championship.

1. TOURNAMENT FORMAT

  • One-day offshore fishing tournament

  • Maximum of seven (7) registered adult anglers per boat

  • All anglers actively fishing and contributing eligible fish to the tournament must be registered with the team

  • Any legal, in-season fish may be entered, excluding billfish

  • Heaviest combined eligible catch wins

  • All fish counting toward a team's overall tournament weight must be placed inside the official 44-gallon Bounty Can

  • Teams may arrange and rearrange their eligible fish inside the can however they choose

  • Teams are not required to completely fill the can

  • Fish may extend above the top of the Bounty Can

  • Only fish meeting all tournament rules and verification requirements will be eligible to count toward a team's official Bounty weight

RED SNAPPER DIVISION

The Bounty Challenge is scheduled with the hope that the recreational Red Snapper season will be open on October 24, 2026.

If recreational Red Snapper harvest is legally open within applicable tournament waters on the tournament date, The Bounty Challenge will also include a Red Snapper Division.

The Red Snapper Division will only be activated after the applicable 2026 recreational Red Snapper season has been officially announced and Reel Coastal Events has confirmed that harvest is legally permitted on the tournament date.

IF THE RED SNAPPER DIVISION IS ACTIVATED:

  • Red Snapper may be entered as part of a team's eligible Bounty Can catch, subject to all applicable regulations.

  • A separate Heaviest Red Snapper competition will be held.

  • All Red Snapper entered must comply with applicable size, bag, possession, season, and harvest regulations.

  • Red Snapper must satisfy all Bounty Challenge catch and photo verification requirements.

  • All Red Snapper must be legally harvested in waters open to recreational Red Snapper fishing.

  • Additional Red Snapper Division entry, payout, and award information will be announced once the 2026 season is officially confirmed.

If recreational Red Snapper harvest is not legally open on October 24, 2026, Red Snapper will not be eligible for the Bounty Can, official weigh-in, Red Snapper Division, or any tournament award.

Reel Coastal Events will announce the official status of the Red Snapper Division once the applicable 2026 season dates and regulations have been confirmed.

2. FISHING REGULATIONS

All fish entered into The Bounty Challenge must comply with all applicable state and federal fishing regulations, including current seasons, size limits, bag limits, possession limits, and applicable fishing methods.

It is the sole responsibility of each team to know and comply with all fishing laws and regulations applicable to the waters being fished.

Tournament rules do not supersede state or federal law. Any fish determined to have been illegally caught, possessed, or transported will be disqualified.

Billfish are not eligible for entry into The Bounty Challenge.

NO LIVE CHUMMING

Live chumming is strictly prohibited.

No live bait may be intentionally released, thrown, scattered, or deployed into the water for the purpose of attracting or holding fish.

Live bait may be used when properly rigged to a hook and actively fished as bait.

3. FISHING HOURS & CHECK-IN

TOURNAMENT FISHING BEGINS — 12:00 AM

There will be no shotgun start for The Bounty Challenge.

Teams may depart from any legal inlet and begin tournament fishing at any time at or after 12:00 AM on October 24, 2026.

There is no designated Lines In time.

No fish caught or hooked prior to 12:00 AM on October 24, 2026, may be entered into the tournament, any Calcutta, or any additional Division.

NO DESIGNATED LINES OUT

There will be no designated Lines Out time.

Teams may continue fishing at their discretion but are responsible for allowing sufficient time to return to the official weigh-in and complete check-in by the tournament deadline.

WEIGH-IN CHECK-IN DEADLINE — 6:30 PM

All teams wishing to weigh fish must be officially checked in at the designated weigh-in location no later than 6:30 PM.

Teams may arrive at the official weigh-in by boat or by car.

Any team arriving or attempting to check in after 6:30 PM will not be eligible to weigh its catch.

The Tournament Director's official time will determine all tournament deadlines.

4. TOURNAMENT VERIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

LEAVING INLET GPS VERIFICATION

Each team must record a continuous video while leaving its chosen inlet on tournament day.

The video must clearly show:

  • The vessel's GPS screen

  • The current date

  • The current time

  • The vessel's GPS coordinates

  • The team's official tournament boat number

  • The vessel actively leaving the inlet

The tournament boat number must be clearly visible and identifiable in the video.

This verification is required regardless of what time at or after 12:00 AM the team chooses to leave the inlet.

Teams are responsible for retaining the original video and providing it to tournament officials upon request.

Failure to provide satisfactory departure verification may result in disqualification.

FISH PHOTO VERIFICATION

Every fish entered into the Bounty Can or any applicable species Calcutta or Division must be documented by photo.

Immediately after a fish is legally landed and once the fish is on the deck of the boat, the team must take a clear photo showing:

  • The entire fish

  • The team's official tournament boat number clearly visible in the photo

Fish do not need to be measured for tournament photo verification.

It is the responsibility of each team to ensure every fish retained is legal under all applicable state and federal size, season, bag, possession, and harvest regulations.

The required photo must be taken before the fish is iced, boxed, placed in a cooler, or otherwise stored.

Fish photographed only after being placed in a fish box, cooler, or other storage area will not satisfy the tournament verification requirement.

PHOTO TIMESTAMP REQUIREMENT

Every required fish photo must have an accurate and verifiable original timestamp corresponding to when the photograph was taken.

Teams must retain the original photo file on the device used to take the photograph and must provide the original file to tournament officials upon request.

Altered, edited, manipulated, or otherwise inaccurate timestamps will not be accepted.

Screenshots or other copies that prevent tournament officials from verifying the original photo information may be rejected.

Any photo with a timestamp that cannot be reasonably verified by tournament officials may result in the fish being disqualified.

Teams are responsible for retaining all required original photos until tournament results have been declared official.

Failure to provide satisfactory photo verification may result in the fish being disqualified from the team's overall Bounty weight and any applicable Calcutta or Division.

5. TOURNAMENT BOUNDARIES

NO GEOGRAPHIC FISHING BOUNDARIES

Teams may fish in any legal United States waters while participating in The Bounty Challenge.

Teams may not leave United States waters while participating in the tournament.

Teams may depart from any legal inlet.

All fishing must comply with the laws and regulations applicable to the waters being fished.

6. CAPTAIN'S MEETING

October 23, 2026
6:00 PM
The Salty Cowboy
Shellman Bluff, Georgia

The Captain's Meeting will take place the evening before tournament fishing.

Tournament procedures, rules, weigh-in requirements, Calcuttas, verification procedures, and other important tournament information will be reviewed at the meeting.

At least one representative from each registered team must attend the Captain's Meeting unless otherwise approved by the Tournament Director.

7. OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN

Official Weigh-In Location — TO BE ANNOUNCED

The official weigh-in location will be announced by Reel Coastal Events prior to tournament fishing.

Teams may transport their eligible catch to the official weigh-in by boat or by car.

All teams wishing to weigh must be officially checked in at the designated weigh-in location no later than 6:30 PM.

OFFICIAL BOUNTY CAN

Each team will select which eligible fish it wishes to place inside the official 44-gallon Bounty Can.

Teams may arrange and rearrange their eligible fish inside the can however they choose before their official weight is recorded.

Teams are not required to completely fill the Bounty Can.

There is no lid requirement.

Fish may extend above the top of the Bounty Can.

Only eligible fish placed within the Bounty Can at the time of official weighing will count toward the team's official tournament weight.

All eligible fish placed within the Bounty Can will be weighed together. The combined weight of those fish will constitute the team's official Bounty weight.

The team with the highest official Bounty weight will be declared the Overall Champion.

CONDITION OF FISH AT WEIGH-IN

All fish entered into the Bounty Can, a species Calcutta, or any additional Division must be brought to the official weigh-in whole and in their natural condition.

Fish may not be gutted, headed, filleted, cut, mutilated, drained, or otherwise altered in any manner that could affect the fish's official weight prior to being weighed.

Fish may be iced and properly stored after the required tournament verification photo has been taken.

Tournament officials reserve the right to inspect any fish presented for weigh-in.

Any fish showing evidence of alteration, added weight, foreign material, or manipulation intended to increase or otherwise affect its weight may be disqualified.

8. ENTRY FEE, REGISTRATION & REFUNDS

$350 PER BOAT

The Main Tournament entry fee is $350 per boat.

Entry includes participation in the Main Tournament for a maximum of seven (7) registered anglers per boat.

Registration must be completed online.

Tournament entry fees and optional Calcutta fees will be collected at the Captain's Meeting on October 23, 2026.

All optional Calcuttas and additional Divisions are separate from the base tournament entry unless specifically stated otherwise.

REFUND POLICY

If Reel Coastal Events determines that weather conditions are not feasible for tournament fishing and the tournament is canceled, all tournament entry fees and Calcutta fees paid will be fully refunded.

A minimum of 10 boats is required for The Bounty Challenge to take place.

If fewer than 10 boats participate and the tournament is canceled, all tournament entry fees and Calcutta fees paid will be fully refunded.

9. MAIN TOURNAMENT PAYOUT

BASED ON 25 BOATS

25 Boats × $350 = $8,750

The entire base entry pool will be paid back through the Main Tournament payout.

Place Payout
1st Place $3,100
2nd Place $1,850
3rd Place $1,350
4th Place $1,000
5th Place $800
6th Place $650
TOTAL $8,750

Payouts are based on a 25-boat field and are subject to adjustment based on the final number of participating boats.

Final payouts will be announced after the final boat count is determined.

10. OPTIONAL CALCUTTAS

$100 EACH — COMPLETELY OPTIONAL

Teams may enter any or all available Calcuttas.

SPECIES CALCUTTAS

  1. Biggest King Mackerel — $100
  2. Biggest Wahoo — $100
  3. Biggest Dolphin (Mahi) — $100
  4. Biggest Cobia — $100
  5. Biggest Tuna — $100
  6. Biggest Amberjack — $100
  7. Biggest Grouper — $100
  8. Biggest Snapper — $100

Each Calcutta is $100 per boat and completely optional.

For Calcuttas identified by a general species category, including Tuna, Grouper, and Snapper, any legal and in-season species within that category is eligible, unless otherwise announced by the Tournament Director.

A team must be entered into the applicable Calcutta prior to the start of tournament fishing for its fish to be eligible for that Calcutta.

Fish entered into a species Calcutta must meet all tournament fishing, legal harvest, and verification requirements.

A fish does not have to be selected for the team's final Bounty Can to be eligible for a species Calcutta. However, the fish must be brought to the official weigh-in and weighed on the official tournament scale.

Calcutta payouts will be based solely on the number of boats entered into each individual Calcutta.

11. OFFICIAL WEIGHTS & TIEBREAKERS

The official tournament scale will determine all tournament weights.

The weight recorded by tournament officials will be considered the official weight of each fish and each team's combined Bounty weight.

OVERALL TOURNAMENT TIES

In the event of a tie in the Overall Tournament, the higher position will be awarded to the team that was officially checked in at the weigh-in location first.

SPECIES CALCUTTA & DIVISION TIES

In the event of an identical weight in a species Calcutta or Division, the higher position will be awarded to the fish belonging to the team that was officially checked in at the weigh-in location first.

12. WEATHER & TOURNAMENT CONDITIONS

The safety of each vessel, captain, crew member, and angler is the sole responsibility of the vessel's captain.

Each captain is responsible for determining whether conditions are safe for his or her vessel and crew.

Reel Coastal Events reserves the right to modify, postpone, shorten, or cancel tournament fishing due to severe weather, unsafe conditions, government restrictions, or other circumstances beyond the reasonable control of tournament officials.

If Reel Coastal Events determines weather conditions are not feasible and cancels the tournament, all tournament entry fees and Calcutta fees paid will be fully refunded.

The tournament requires a minimum of 10 participating boats. If the minimum is not met and the tournament is canceled, all tournament entry fees and Calcutta fees paid will be fully refunded.

Any official tournament schedule changes will be communicated to registered teams as soon as reasonably possible.

13. PROTESTS & RULE VIOLATIONS

Any protest regarding another team's catch, conduct, or compliance with tournament rules must be submitted directly to the Tournament Director within 30 minutes following the completion of the official weigh-in.

Tournament officials may request photographs, original photo files, videos, GPS information, vessel information, fishing equipment, or any other documentation reasonably necessary to investigate a protest or potential rule violation.

Knowingly submitting a false or frivolous protest may result in penalties or disqualification at the discretion of the Tournament Director.

All decisions made by the Tournament Director regarding protests, fish eligibility, rule interpretation, and tournament results are final.

14. SPORTSMANSHIP & RULE ENFORCEMENT

All participants are expected to conduct themselves in a safe, respectful, and sportsmanlike manner.

The Tournament Director reserves the right to inspect any fish, vessel, fishing equipment, GPS information, photographs, original photo files, videos, or other documentation reasonably necessary to verify compliance with tournament rules.

Any attempt to falsify tournament documentation, manipulate the weight of a fish, enter an ineligible fish, intentionally violate fishing regulations, alter verification timestamps, or otherwise gain an unfair advantage may result in immediate disqualification.

Refusal to provide requested tournament verification may result in disqualification.

Reel Coastal Events and the Tournament Director reserve the right to interpret these rules and make decisions regarding circumstances not specifically addressed herein in a manner consistent with the integrity and fairness of the tournament.

The Tournament Director's decisions regarding rule interpretation, fish eligibility, scoring, and tournament results are final.

15. RULE CHANGES & CLARIFICATIONS

Reel Coastal Events reserves the right to amend, clarify, or supplement these rules when reasonably necessary for tournament operations, participant safety, compliance with applicable law, or the fair administration of the tournament.

Any material rule changes made prior to tournament fishing will be communicated to registered teams.

Clarifications provided by the Tournament Director at the Captain's Meeting will be considered part of the official tournament rules.

16. CHAMPIONSHIP

The team with the heaviest combined eligible catch placed within the official Bounty Can will be crowned:

2026 THE BOUNTY CHALLENGE CHAMPIONS

In addition to the first-place cash payout, the winning team will receive the custom-painted:

2026 CHAMPIONSHIP BOUNTY CAN

The Championship Bounty Can will serve as the signature trophy of The Bounty Challenge, with a new championship can created for each tournament year.

FILL THE CAN. CLAIM THE BOUNTY.