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These rules will be strictly enforced! 

• No alcohol or drugs permitted during tournament hours. Offenses will be determined by law enforcement and can result in immediate disqualification. 

• All disqualifications will result in a complete forfeit of the entry fee and potential prizes. 

• Each team participant must have proper state(s) fishing license. 

• Each boat must have proper registration. 

• Each participant is responsible for knowing the laws of the state you plan to fish. Each state’s laws are different and must be examined on a state-by-state basis. 

• The winner of the CAJUN 8 LIMITED tournament will be decided based on the total weight of the heaviest 8 fish shot during tournament hours. Fish can be any legal species that are not deemed sport fish. Teams are responsible for having their heaviest 8 fish separated before weighing them in to aid in time efficiency. Cajun 8 will provide a culling section upon arrival at the weigh-in.  

• Sport fish include catfish, bass, crappie, paddlefish, sunfish, perch, trout, salmon, and pike. Any questionable fish will be determined by Indiana Conservation Officers. 

• There will be an optional BIG FISH cash pot with a 100% payout. The winner of the big fish pot will be the team that enters the heaviest fish during the tournament weigh in. The cash prize will be awarded to the team captain of the team that shoots the biggest fish. Team distribution is subject to each team. This can be any legal species that is not deemed a sport fish. 

• There will also be prizes for The Big 6, with winners in six categories determined by weight: Biggest Silver Carp, Biggest Bighead Carp, Biggest Grass Carp, Biggest Buffalo Carp, Biggest Common Carp, and Biggest Gar. The current leader for each category will be displayed, and if you have a fish that you believe will overtake the leader, please keep it separate in your boat for the single-fish weigh-in. Fish entered in The Big 6 do not have to be included in your 8 fish tournament weight. For example, if you shoot eight Bighead Carp over 30 lbs. each but also shoot a 15 lb. Gar, you can enter the Gar in the Biggest Gar category while still using your eight Bighead Carp for your total tournament weight.

• The Big Fish cash pot winner, by default, will also win its corresponding category in the Big 6. 

• All fish must be taken from a boat, no wading, walking the bank, or swimming for safety reasons. 

• The boat that leaves the tournament must be the same boat that returns to weigh in. Boats will be noted at check-in. No exceptions.

• The tournament host and sponsors are not responsible for any accidents or lost property. 

• Teams may have up to 4 people. Only registered team members may be on the boat while on the water. Any additional boat passenger must be pre-approved by the tournament committee, have a reason to be onboard (videographer, photographer, etc.), and cannot participate in any fishing activities (shooting, gaffing, spotlighting, driving, etc.) 

• All team members must be present at team registration and at team weigh-in. By registering, participants acknowledge and accept all tournament rules and regulations. 

• Boundaries include all public waters connected to a public boat launch. 

• Registration will close once the tournament reaches capacity. If spots remain, on-site registration will be available until 2:00 PM on tournament day, August 2, 2025. Any team not registered by this deadline will not be allowed to participate.

•  The tournament check-in starts at 1:00 PM CST on August 2nd, 2025.

• All teams MUST be on site and checked in no later than 4pm CST on August 2nd, 2025. The captain’s meeting will take place at 4:30pm CST and boats will be released immediately after.

• Weigh in will begin at 6:00 am CST on August 3rd, 2025. 

• Weigh-in will end at 7:00 am CST sharp on August 3rd, 2025. All teams must be in line to weigh-in by 7:00 am CST. Any team that is not in line to be weighed by 7:00 am CST will be disqualified from the tournament. No exceptions. 

• Each boat should have proper safety equipment. Including proper running lights, fire extinguisher, horn/whistle, life jacket for each person on the boat, one throwable life preserver, and minimum 20’ of rope. Each person on the boat should wear a coast guard approved life jacket any time the boat is on plane. It is suggested that at least one cell phone is always on board. Local emergency phone numbers will be available at tournament registration. 

• Scouting is allowed. No bows, arrows, nets, gigs, or gaffs are allowed in any boat 24 hours prior to the start of the tournament. Violators will be disqualified.  

• All fish weighed must be shot with a bow and arrow. At least one arrow hole must be producible on each fish. 

• No nets or gigs will be allowed in any boats. Single hook gaffs are allowed for landing shot fish. 

• No baiting, chumming, shocking, or flashing fish. 

• Any violation of state or federal law will result in immediate disqualification. 

• Any tournament participant may be selected for a random lie detector test. The team captain of the first-place team will be required to take a lie detector test.

• Each team may only weigh fish that were shot by members of their team, from their boat, in the allotted time of the tournament. No teaming up and no transferring fish from one boat to another. Violators will result in disqualification of both teams. 

• All teams will use Cajun Barrels for weigh-in. Weigh-in procedures will be supervised by Cajun Tournament Staff.

•  Scooping water into the fish while transferring to weigh in barrel is prohibited, violators will be subject to disqualification.

• Adding extra water to weigh in barrels will result in disqualification.

• Adding anything to the fish in effort to increase the weight of the fish is prohibited, violators will be disqualified and additionally banned from all future Cajun 8 tournaments.

• Fish disposal is available at weigh in. All fish shot during the tournament will be accepted in the fish disposal provided. 

• Any accusation of cheating or law-breaking must be presented with a $200 protest fee and evidence of the violation. Evidence of violation must be in the form of video, photo, or proof of citation. Upon review of the evidence of the violation, if the tournament committee concludes cheating or law-breaking has occurred, the accused team will be disqualified and the team making the accusation will be returned the protest fee. If it is decided that the accused team has not cheated or broken any laws, the protest fee will be forfeited, and the accusing team will be disqualified.  

• All participants will respect the rights of non-participants on or around the public waters on which the tournament is to be held. Please be courteous and polite to all people encountered. If the tournament committee is notified of disorderly conduct from any team, that team will be disqualified at the discretion of the tournament committee. 

• All decisions of the Cajun Tournament Committee will be final. 

• Indiana Conservation Officers will be on site and conducting Random Boat Inspections and providing answers to questions about local laws and regulations. 

• Failure to comply with tournament rules will result in disqualification. Violators will also be subject to banishment from future Cajun 8 tournaments.

• The Cajun tournament committee reserves the right to change and enforce the rules and regulations as they deem necessary to provide and preserve a safe tournament experience. They reserve the right to deny or disqualify any team at any time and for any reason they see fit. 

• Any physical altercations (fighting) during tournament hours will result in immediate disqualification and banishment from future Cajun Bowfishing events. 

• Any team involved in poor sportsmanship (cursing, arguing, yelling, etc.) or inappropriate behavior will be either warned or disqualified at the tournament committee’s discretion. 

• Teams must be respectful of other teams on the water. No crowding, harassing, or “owning a spot” while on the water. 

• In the case of a tie, the winner will be the team that arrived to weigh in first. 

• Cajun Bowfishing reserves the right to use all photos, videos, and tournament paraphernalia for future branding, advertisement, and marketing. 

• No passing is allowed in the Parking Lot of the tournament grounds other than organized by a tournament official. Unauthorized passing will result in the team being delayed in release.

• Vehicles should proceed cautiously and at a safe speed when released. Violators will be disqualified for leaving in an inappropriate manner. 

• Cajun Bowfishing reserves the right to take measurements and photos of any fish entered into the tournament for possible displays and mounts. The fish that wins the Big Fish Pot may become property of Cajun Bowfishing. 

• Parking will be assigned by zones depending on order of registration. Each team will be assigned to a zone and must leave their vehicle/boat in their parked position from registration to departure. If you need to leave the tournament grounds during registration hours, please arrange to have a non-trailered passenger vehicle for transportation. 

• Any Boat Launch fees are the responsibility of the participating team and are not covered under the tournament entry fees. 

• Employees of Cajun Bowfishing or Escalade Sports are not eligible to participate in the tournament in any form.