Race information and rules.

a. Official name of the competition: BIG5Challenge (“competition”, “B5Ch”).

b. Number of teams: 26, each team must have at least 2 and at most 3 anglers.

c. Each team may fish with 4 rods.

d. Competition type: carp competition for the 5 heaviest fish.

e. Scoring fish: carp and grass carp (amur) from 4 kg.

f. Method of fishing: boat delivery, max. 2 boats per team.

g. Entry fee: CZK 40,000.

h. Prize pool: more than CZK 750,000.

i. Competition time: 11 Oct 2026 17:00 – 16 Oct 2026 09:00.

j. On-site registration: 11 Oct 2026 09:00 – 11:30.

k. Venue: Union fishery 411 033 – KAČÁK 4 (Turyňský rybník).

l. Opening ceremony: Restaurant RACEK, Srby 23, Tuchlovice 273 02.

m. Official website: www.big5challenge.cz

n. Official Facebook: www.fb.com/big5challenge

o. Official Instagram: www.instagram.com/big5challenge

p. Official YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/big5challenge

a. Registration of competition teams will take place online in two phases on the official event website.

  1. From 22.10.2025 to 31.10.2025 – private registration for participants of the 2025 edition.

  2. From 1.11.2025 – public registration for all other interested teams.

b. Payment of the first part of the entry fee in the amount of 20,000 CZK.

  1. Teams with priority registration rights must pay the first part of the entry fee no later than 5.11.2025 based on a proforma invoice, otherwise they lose their priority.

  2. Teams from public registration must pay the first part of the entry fee within 10 days after registration based on the issued proforma invoice.

c. The remaining part of the entry fee of 20,000 CZK must be paid based on a proforma invoice no later than 30.6.2026.

d. Competitor registration before the start of the event: 11.10.2026 9:00 – 11:30.

e. Group photo of all participants: 11.10.2026 11:45 – 12:00.

f. Opening ceremony and peg draw: 11.10.2026 12:00 – 13:00.

g. Transfer of teams to fishing pegs: 11.10.2026 from 13:00.

h. Start of the competition: 11.10.2026 at 17:00.

i. End of the competition: 16.10.2026 at 9:00.

j. Closing ceremony, announcement of winners and prize giving: 16.10.2026 at 13:00.

k. Deregistration of teams from the competition: 16.10.2026 14:00 – 15:00.

a. Only 2–3-member teams can register for the competition.

b. Each team member must be at least 18 years old.

c. At least two members must hold a valid fishing licence and permit valid for the Central Bohemian Angling Union area.

d. If a competitor does not hold a licence, the organizer can provide a guest permit for a fee of CZK 1 000.

e. The entry fee for the competition is CZK 40 000 per team.

f. Registration is done electronically via the form on the official website. A confirmation of successful registration will appear after submission.

g. According to the schedule, teams will be contacted by email in the order of registration and asked to pay the first part of the entry fee (CZK 20 000). Failure to pay on time results in cancellation of the registration and the slot will be offered to another team.

h. After payment of the first part, the team will appear on the official start list.

i. The remaining CZK 20 000 must be paid no later than 30 June 2026. Teams that fail to pay will be excluded; the first payment will be refunded minus CZK 1 500 administrative fee.

j. If a team withdraws after 30 June 2026, CZK 20 000 will be deducted from the refund. If the team finds a replacement team that pays the full fee, the full amount will be refunded.

k. Team name or composition changes are allowed until 15 September 2026.

a. Registration will take place according to the competition schedule (see section 2).

b. All team members must be present for both registration and check-out after the competition.

c. During registration, each participant’s identity and validity of their fishing licence and permit will be verified.

d. Each participant must personally sign the registration form, confirming that they have read and accepted the competition rules, will follow the referees’ decisions and agree to the publication of photos and videos taken during the event.

e. During registration, one team member will draw a number determining the order in which the team will draw its peg.

f. If a team does not appear in full composition at the registration within the given time, it loses the right to participate without any refund of the entry fee.

g. Each team must pay a cash deposit of CZK 6 000 for the GPS units during registration.

h. The deposit will be refunded during check-out upon return of the GPS units.

a. The entire course of the competition will be supervised by the head referee.

b. During the event, three pairs of referees will be available to weigh the catches.

a. The water area will be divided into two competition sectors.

b. Each sector will contain 13 fishing pegs.

c. Each peg will be defined by four GPS points provided to the teams after the draw.

d. GPS points will be marked on the bank by signs and on the water by buoys.

e. The buoy is for orientation only and has reflective elements. Attaching lights to the buoy is prohibited. If the buoy moves due to weather or other reasons, the referee must be informed, and it can be repositioned only with their supervision.

f. Each team will also receive a GPS point designating the area for their base, marked with a sign. The camp may be built only within ±15 m of this point.

g. Each team must keep its area clean. All waste, including cigarette butts, must be placed in bags and handed to the organizer after the competition.

h. For sanitary purposes, teams must use portable toilets provided by the organizer or their own chemical toilets.

i. Open fires are strictly prohibited. Gas stoves and grills are allowed.

j. Parking vehicles at fishing spots is forbidden. After unloading, vehicles must be parked in designated areas.

k. Only team members and organizers may stay at the peg. Visitors are allowed only from dawn to dusk.

l. Participants must not block pathways or restrict movement of organizers or public.

m. Dogs are allowed but must not disturb others.

n. Peg drawing will take place in two rounds.

o. In the first round, teams draw the order of selection.

p. In the second round, during the opening ceremony, teams draw their specific peg.

q. Drawn pegs cannot be exchanged or returned.

a. Fishing is done with 4 rods, each equipped with one safety rig and a single hook (barbed hooks are allowed). Braided main lines are allowed only when using a shock leader of at least 10 m.

b. Rigs may be placed only within the area defined by the four GPS points of the peg. Daily inspections will be carried out by the head referee on randomly selected teams.

c. Backleads must be used on all rods.

d. The bait must be placed separately from the hook.

e. Except for in-line leads, the use of lead weights is prohibited.

f. Only boilies and pellets may be used as bait or feed. The use of live bait or particle feed is forbidden. Coating pastes and powder dips are allowed.

g. The total amount of bait is limited to 60 kg per team for the entire event. This will be checked during the peg handover.

h. Feeding is allowed only from a boat or with a throwing stick. Spombing is strictly forbidden!

i. At least one team member with a valid fishing license must always be present on the bank.

j. Fishing is non-stop with approval from the Czech Fishing Union.

k. Every licensed member must record attendance in the permit daily at midnight according to regulations.

l. A team member without a valid permit may not actively fish or enter the boat.

m. Each team may mark their fishing area with a maximum of four marker poles, which must be removed after the event.

n. After catching a fish, the referee must be immediately contacted for weighing and photographing. The rod can only be recast after the fish has been released under supervision.

o. Fish retention is allowed only in floating slings until the referee arrives. Each team must have 2 floating slings – checked during peg handover.

p. Weighing will take place 24 hours a day.

q. Casting immediately after landing a fish is considered a violation and will result in a yellow card (6-hour fishing ban).

r. Fish hooked before the end of the event must be reported immediately and landed within 15 minutes after the end.

a. During the competition, inflatable fishing boats may be used for bait delivery (bait boats are prohibited).

b. Each team may have a maximum of two boats.

c. Boat length must be between 220 cm and 350 cm.

d. Only electric motors or oars are allowed (combustion engines are prohibited).

e. Every boat must be equipped with a light visible from all directions or two side lights, active from dusk till dawn.

f. Each boat must have a towing rope (≥ 5 m), a container for bailing water, a mat for safely transporting fish, and an anchor for freeing snagged lines.

g. Each team member authorized to fish must have a life jacket. The organizer may make their use mandatory depending on weather. Waders on boats are permitted.

h. Before the start, all boats and equipment will be checked. Teams failing the inspection will not be allowed to deliver bait.

i. A GPS tracker will be installed in each approved boat. Any tampering with it will result in immediate disqualification.

j. Boats may only operate within their designated peg area. Crossing boundaries = yellow card (6 h ban), repeat = disqualification.

k. Boats may only enter the water after the competition begins. Violations = yellow card.

l. Unused boats must be safely anchored at the bank.

m. In adverse weather, the organizer may prohibit boat use.

a. The organizer will provide 24/7 weighing of fish during the competition.

b. All team members must actively cooperate during weighing and photographing.

c. After landing a fish, the team must immediately contact the assigned marshal.

d. The fish must be kept in a floating weigh sling until the marshal arrives.

e. If a team repeatedly calls a marshal for a non-scoring fish / fish that does not improve their result, the next scoring fish may be refused.

f. Each team must have a weighing tripod and a cradle mat – checked during boat inspection.

g. Weighing is carried out using the organizer’s scales and sling.

h. The weighing must be witnessed by the marshal, one angler from the team and one angler from the neighbouring team.

i. The marshal will document the fish and send it online to the catch system.

j. The team will receive an email notification for every recorded fish.

k. The catch will also be written down in the paper catch sheet and signed.

l. After weighing, the fish is to be released immediately and safely under the marshal’s supervision.

a. Only CARP and GRASS CARP from 4 kg count.

b. The overall winner is the team with the highest total weight of its best 5 scoring fish.

c. If there is a tie, the heaviest single fish decides.

d. If still tied, the team that caught this fish earlier wins.

Total value of cash, material prizes and vouchers will exceed CZK 750,000.

a. Overall ranking – teams placed 1st–3rd are not eligible for sector prizes.

  1st place: CZK 230,000 + prizes + cups + diplomas

  2nd place: CZK 105,000 + prizes + cups + diplomas

  3rd place: CZK 55,000 + prizes + cups + diplomas

b. Sector prizes:

  1st place: CZK 45,000 + sector sponsor voucher + cups + diplomas

  2nd place: sponsor voucher + material prizes + cups + diplomas

  3rd place: sponsor voucher + material prizes + cups + diplomas

c. Biggest fish of the competition (mirror/scaly separately): CZK 18,000 + voucher + awards

d. First scoring fish: material prizes, diplomas

e. Daily biggest fish: sponsor voucher (can be won only once per team)

f. Prizes for non-placed teams: drawn from all non-awarded teams, presence required.

a. If a team witnesses a rule violation, it should be documented (video/photo).

b. A protest may be filed no later than 15 minutes after the end of the competition to the head marshal.

c. A protest requires a deposit of CZK 1,000.

d. If the protest is justified, the deposit is returned; otherwise it is forfeited.

a. Yellow card – 6-hour fishing ban. For violation of the rules.

b. Red card – disqualification. Only the head marshal may issue it for serious or repeated violation.

c. Excessive alcohol consumption or disturbing other teams = yellow, repeated = red.

d. Disqualification means all results are annulled and the team must leave the peg.

e. Leaving a dirty peg – organizer may retain the deposit as cleaning compensation.

a. The organizer is not liable for any damage to property or injury.

b. All participants take part at their own risk.

a. All participants shall cooperate with the media team and allow interviews, photos and video.

b. By signing the registration form, participants agree to the publication of these materials.

a. Anything not expressly allowed in these rules is considered prohibited.

b. The organizer reserves the right to amend the rules until 15 Sept 2026.

Race Director – Michal Plichta

Head of Organizing Team – Jan Michl

Head Marshal – Karel Nechvátal