CPR Tournament Photos: What the Judge Needs to See
Beer League Fishing Co. • Updated October 7, 2026.
A judge needs clear evidence of the fish and its measurement, plus the event identifier when required. Build the photo around the proof your event asks for: a qualifying board, the correct fish position, readable measurement marks and an unobstructed identifier. Make the picture easy to judge. Missing or unclear evidence can cost length or leave a catch unscorable.
General CPR preparation comes first. The event-specific examples below use the October 2026 Monster Month official rules. They describe that event, not permanent Beer League requirements. Before entering any event, open its Fishing Chaos listing and read the linked official rules and updates.
CPR is a record of the catch
Catch-photo-release (CPR) tournaments use a photograph to verify the catch before release. Check your event’s board, fish orientation, mouth, tail, identifier and submission rules before fishing. The steps below explain what to prepare and show, with October 2026 Monster Month examples clearly identified. Other events may use different requirements.
1. Use a board that qualifies
Monster Month requires a rigid board with one solid measuring surface, a fixed vertical bump at zero and readable inch markings. It must be non-folding, non-collapsible, non-retractable and non-expandable, accurate, undamaged and long enough for the entire fish. Quarter-inch marks are recommended; smaller increments are acceptable. The event does not require one exclusive brand. A soft tape or mat, folding or hinged board, sticker alone, or flat ruler without a bump will not meet these rules. If your board is unusual or its accuracy is unclear, ask Beer League before using it.
2. Show the mouth touching the bump
Place the bass head left and tail right, lying naturally on the board. Close its mouth completely, with the upper and lower jaws together. The front of the closed mouth must visibly touch the vertical bump. The judge needs to see both the mouth and that contact point. Monster Month applies at least a quarter-inch deduction for any visible mouth opening. That is the minimum, not a guaranteed maximum penalty. A larger deduction or disqualification can apply under the rules. Covering the mouth so it cannot be verified can also cost the catch.
3. Keep your hands clear and the tail visible
The recommended hand position is on the body behind the head or gill plate. Keep fingers clear of the mouth, nose, bump contact, tail tip, relevant measurement marks and identifier. The tail may be naturally spread or slightly pinched for Monster Month. Do not pull, stretch, bend, twist, fold or otherwise manipulate the fish to gain length. If a hand slightly pinches the tail, its exact end and the measurement marks must remain visible. The longest clearly visible point of a properly positioned tail determines length.
4. Show the required identifier
Follow your event’s identifier instructions. October 2026 Monster Month requires the correct physical identifier to be readable in every Best Five, Tank, Dink and additional verification photo. An identifier in the first image does not cover an identifier-free second image. Keep it clear of hands, water, weeds and gear. Do not add it to a photo afterward.
5. Check the actual image before release
Take the picture as close to directly overhead as reasonably possible. Include the whole fish, bump, completely closed mouth, nose contact, entire tail, relevant inch marks and identifier. Check for blur, glare, dark shadows and anything covering the measurement. Do this efficiently and handle the fish safely. A clearly visible tail does not rescue a hidden mouth. A perfect identifier does not rescue unreadable marks. Each part supplies different proof. Review the photo you actually captured, not just the camera view you intended to capture.
6. Keep the original and verify the upload
For Beer League events, submit through Fishing Chaos and follow the selected event’s location-services, original-photo and upload-deadline requirements. Confirm successful submission; a photo sitting on your phone is not an uploaded entry. October 2026 Monster Month requires location services for verification and original photos retained until results are final. It prohibits screenshots in place of original catch photos, reused or another angler’s photos, false timestamps or GPS, added identifiers, altered measurements and AI-generated or AI-altered catch images. Normal camera processing that preserves the actual scene is allowed under those rules. Editing cannot repair missing evidence.
October 2026 example: Tank and Dink proof
For Monster Month's Tank Award, the entire fish must be visible head to tail, hanging freely from a functioning scale and touching nothing that supports its weight. Show the readable scale weight and identifier. Board length alone cannot prove a Tank entry. For Dink, show the entire fish on a qualifying board, with nose-to-bump contact, tail, readable marks and identifier. Dink length rounds up to the next quarter inch when between marks; main Best Five bass length rounds down. These are separate awards and do not change the five-bass total.
The quick check
Before you fish: qualifying board, required identifier, charged phone and the current rules. Before you submit: correct fish position, visible mouth and bump contact, clear tail and marks, readable identifier if required, original photo retained and upload confirmed. Use the first-tournament checklist to prepare your setup and the best-five scoring guide to understand a length total. Then choose an event and read its official rules. Fish your water. Find your people.