Rankings & Skill FAQ

National Rank uses actual catch weight. Skill scoring compares catches with state species records, then percentile compares participating anglers. Neither measures every aspect of fishing ability.

Add the full recorded weights of your ten heaviest eligible, verified bass caught that year. Start with one fish and build toward ten. Example: 10 + 9 + 8 + 7 + 7 + 6 + 6 + 5 + 5 + 5 = 68 lb. An 8 lb catch replaces a 5 lb fish, raising the total to 71 lb. An additional 2 lb fish leaves it unchanged.

No. Any weight can count toward this general annual ranking if all other eligibility requirements are met. Separate contests may have different minimums. The previously announced 2026 top-ten largemouth contest had a five-pound minimum; its terms must be reconciled or kept separate before launch.

Compare full, unrounded total weights first. If equal, compare biggest bass, then second biggest, continuing through the selected ten. If the totals and every selected fish weight match, anglers share the same National Rank. For example, two anglers tied for second both show Tied for second, and the next angler is fourth. They occupy two places, so there is no separate third-place rank.

Guided and live-bait catches do not count toward either National Rank or skill scoring. For catches made during 2026, both public and private water qualify, and an unanswered water declaration does not block eligibility. For catches made in 2027 and later, the catch must be explicitly marked as caught in public water; private water is excluded and an unanswered water declaration stays on hold. Apply this transition by the local catch year, not upload year. Eligible catches require verification.

Current Bassmaster Elite, MLF Bass Pro Tour, and NPFL anglers are excluded from amateur standings. Eligibility returns after 12 months from the last qualifying professional event. Earlier eligible amateur catches are retained when an angler turns professional during the year. Local tournaments, BFL, Opens, and Toyota Series alone do not disqualify an angler. Fishing guides have separate standings; guided and live-bait catches remain excluded.

Largemouth, smallmouth, spotted (also called Kentucky), Alabama, and Guadalupe bass are approved for inclusion once species support is available. These are distinct black bass species, not all largemouth.

Travel alone earns no bonus. National Rank uses actual weight regardless of location. Skill scoring uses the state where the fish was caught, whether you live there or visit.

Catch points = recorded weight divided by the approved record for that state and species, multiplied by 100. Use matching weight units. With hypothetical records, 5 lb divided by 20 lb earns 25 points; 5 lb divided by 10 lb earns 50 points. This measures relative size, not the actual probability or difficulty of catching the fish.

Add your ten highest-scoring eligible catches for the year and divide by ten. Empty slots count as zero. Three catches worth 80 points each give 240 / 10 = 24. Adding a 40-point catch raises the score to 28. Ten catches worth 50 each give 50. National Rank and skill scoring can use different sets of ten fish.

No. An eligible fish fills an empty slot or replaces a lower-scoring catch. Once ten slots are filled, a smaller or lower-scoring additional catch leaves the relevant score unchanged.

No. It is a benchmark. A qualifying 10.5 lb catch against an applicable 10 lb record earns 105 catch points. The annual score may exceed 100. This does not itself establish official state-record recognition. Percentile remains within 0 to 100.

No. Lock each catch to the approved state species record in effect on its catch date. A later record does not reduce those points. Corrections to erroneous data require a separate review policy.

The catch can count toward National Rank by weight but waits for an approved benchmark before earning skill points. Look for official state sources first; admins may approve a manual benchmark when none is found. Label admin-approved benchmarks accurately. Added or corrected benchmarks flag waiting or affected catches for review, without automatically rescoring locked catches or reopening finalized years.

No. A score of 50 does not mean the 50th percentile. The Top percentage is calculated as (number of eligible anglers with a strictly higher skill score + 1) divided by the eligible participant count, multiplied by 100. Tied skill scores receive the same result. Example: among 100 eligible anglers, if one has a higher score than yours, you show Top 2%. We will also display the participant count. With ten eligible anglers, a sole leader shows Top 10%. If every participant has exactly the same skill score, show All participants tied instead of a Top percentage. Fractional Top percentages round upward to two decimal places so standing is never overstated.

Only anglers with at least one eligible, verified catch that year. Accounts without one show TBD. Handling anglers whose catches all await benchmarks still needs a final rule.

Rankings use full recorded precision and round only for display. For example, 5.51 decimal pounds beats 5.50 decimal pounds, although both round to 5 lb 8 oz when shown to the nearest ounce. The planned weight information indicator will show the recorded weight and units.

No. 6 lb 12 oz equals 6.75 decimal pounds, not 6.12 decimal pounds. Preserve the units and precision the scale shows. Do not invent extra precision. Ranking calculations must not round intermediate values.

Use the local date and time at the location where the fish was caught to determine its catch year. A fish caught before local midnight on December 31 belongs to that year, even if it is already January 1 in another time zone. A December 30, 2026 catch uploaded January 3, 2027 belongs to 2026 if submitted by the deadline.

Annual entries close January 3 of the following year at 11:59 p.m. Central Time (America/Chicago), using one submission cutoff nationwide. For 2026 catches, complete entries must be submitted by January 3, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. Central Time. This replaces the previous January 14 deadline. Verification may finish afterward for complete entries submitted on time.

A complete on-time submission can count after approval. Finish reviewing on-time entries before finalizing standings. The evidence required for an entry to qualify as complete still needs a published definition.

The catch may remain on your profile but cannot change finalized annual standings or awards. Submitting on time is part of qualifying.

Yes. Each year starts fresh. Finalized results remain permanently on the profile, for example 2026: Top 2%, and 2027: TBD before a qualifying catch. During an open year, percentile can change when other anglers submit catches even if your own score stays the same.

Approved state-species benchmarks are listed on the annual standings page with weights, record holders, catch dates, and source links. Benchmarks for additional states and species will be added after review; missing benchmarks do not receive invented scores.

Small-group presentation; benchmark-pending participants; duplicate uploads and repeat captures; corrections, fraud and appeals after finalization; complete evidence requirements; border-water state assignment; uncertain species and hybrids; guide and live-bait definitions; historical record effective dates; and compatibility with existing contest terms. The Top percentage formula, equal skill-score ties, all-participants-tied wording, and shared National Rank with skipped places are now agreed. The January 3 submission cutoff at 11:59 p.m. Central Time and use of the catch location’s local time to determine the catch year are also agreed.