Tournament
Rules
How we run the Summer Slam — format, scoring, gear, and what counts on tournament day. Read it before launch.
Format & scoring
- Catch-photo-release, scored on TourneyX by total length. Standings update live during the event.
- 12" minimum length to count.
- The tournament identifier code must be visible in every photo submitted to TourneyX. The code is released at 6:00 PM the night before each event.
- Specialty formats (like Soft Plastics Only at Bartlett) are listed on each event below and on the schedule — read them before you pack your box.
Measuring boards
KETCH Co. measuring boards and YakAttack boards are the only boards allowed. Fish are laid on the board, mouth closed, for the photo.
- Cracked mouth: −¼" deduction.
- Mouth wide open: −1" penalty.
Membership
AZ Kayak Summer Slam membership is required to compete. Membership is $25 for the season and includes a Summer Slam t-shirt. You must be a member before the tournament. Pay by PayPal to sales@sdcustomshirts.com, or fill out and sign the form on the Membership page.
Entry & payouts
- Standard entry — $30: fun fishing and bragging rights. Top 3 receive a plaque.
- Money category — +$50 ($80 total): required to be in the running for the $5,000 Championship prize.
- Big Bass — $500: paid every event to the biggest bass, whether you're fun fishing or in the money.
Series Championship Points
This is a points series. Points earned at every stop accumulate across the season and are posted on our Standings page, updated after every event. The top 20 in the final standings qualify for the Championship at Lake Havasu on September 26–27, 2026, where $5,000 cash is awarded to the winner.
Captains meeting & safety
- The captains meeting is virtual and includes important details — please watch it.
- Launch and take out at public access points only.
- A worn PFD is required any time you're on the water. Directors may delay or cancel for weather.
- Respect other anglers, other lake users, and the fishery. Cheating means a lifetime ban.
Release of liability
Participant agrees to hold AZ Kayak Summer Slam and its successors, assignees, licensees, partners, dealers, employees and volunteer staff harmless for any liability from any injury or damage arising from the participation of this event.
Specialty formats this season
Some stops restrict what you can throw. Here's the full list — these are also stamped on the schedule.
Soft plastics only — your main bait must be a soft plastic (drop shot, wacky rig, swimbait, Texas rig, and the like). A bait that only uses a soft plastic as a trailer does not count.
Tournament details: -Anglers must fish on Roosevelt lake and launch and take out at public access points. This is a hollow body Frogs only tournament, which means your main bait must be a hollow body frog of some sort. Some examples are standard hollow body frog, popping hollow body frog, flapping frog, etc.. -KETCH Co measuring boards and Yakattack boards are the only ones allowed -AZ Kayak Summer Slam membership is required to compete. If you already paid for membership, you are set. It's a one time fee. The cost is $25 and a Summer Slam t-shirt will be given to you. You must be a member before the tournament and is paypable on paypal to sales@sdcustomshirts.com -Tournament identifier code must be visible in every picture submitted to TourneyX. If a fish's mouth is cracked a deduction of 1/4" will be subtracted, if the mouth is wide open it will be a 1" penalty. Minimum of 12" fish. Identifier code will be released at 6:00pm the night before each event begins. - Captains meeting will be virtual, there will be important details included in the meeting so please view it. Launch time will be 4:00AM and lines out at 12:00pm, all submissions due in by 12:30pm Last photo/Lines out is 11:59:59am Standard entry fee of $30 is for fun fishing and bragging rights where top 3 will receive a plaque. Money entry is an additional $50 ($80 total) TO ENTER FOR YOUR CHANCE AT THE $5000 YOU MUST ENTER THE MONEY CATEGORY ALL PARTICIPANTS WILL BE IN THE HUNT FOR BIG BASS WHICH PAYS OUT $500(REGARDLESS OF IF YOU ARE FUN FISHING OR IN THE MONEY) in the event of a tie, the tiebreaker will be the timestamp on the photo of earliest fish caught If the tournament ends in a tie, we will go off of big fish if competitors have the same size big fish we will go to the second biggest fish all the way down until the fifth fish RELEASE OF LIABILITY: Participant agrees to hold AZ KAYAK SUMMER SLAM and its successors, assignees, licensees, partners, dealers, employees and volunteer staff harmless for any liability from any injury or damage arising from the participation of this event.
Jigs only — your bait must be a jig (flipping jig, swim jig, football jig, finesse jig, hair jig). Trailers are allowed, but the lure has to be a jig. No standalone soft plastics, no spinnerbaits, no crankbaits.