Which rod pays for which fish
For the $20,000 promotional payout, your species has to match your rod series. A flathead on a Big Cat Fever counts. A flathead on a Striper Stealth doesn't.
Striped bass
PAYS ON 14 SPECIES · FRESH + SALT
All 3 catfish, striped bass, northern pike + 9 saltwater species
PAYS ON 14 SPECIES
All 3 catfish, striped bass, northern pike + 9 saltwater species
PAYS ON 4 SPECIES
White & black crappie, shellcracker, bluegill
HOW TO CLAIM IT
4 steps from the bite to the payout
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01
THE DAY OF THE CATCH
Catch it
Land a fish you believe beats your state's current record, on a CTF rod or gear. Snap the photo with the fish and the rod or gear clearly in it.
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02
WITHIN 48 HOURS
Tell us
Call us at (984) 234-9634 or email legal@catchthefever.com with your Initial Notice: the species and your rod series. If you call, please also email legal@catchthefever.com within the same 48 hours so we have your notice in writing.
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03
WITHIN 30 DAYS
Get it certified
Apply to your state agency (DNR, Fish & Game, Parks & Wildlife) and get your catch certified in writing as the new state record by weight.
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04
WITHIN 10 DAYS OF CERTIFICATION
Send your entry
Mail or email your full entry to legal@catchthefever.com. We review every entry against the official rules and let you know the outcome.
Send your entry
Mail or email your full entry to legal@catchthefever.com. We review every entry against the official rules and let you know the outcome.
WHAT GOES IN YOUR ENTRY
A copy of your Initial Notice
A copy of your State Record certification
Photo(s) of you holding the fish with the CTF rod clearly visible
Your statement that the fish was caught on an official CTF rod
Got a question? Let's talk
Call usBEFORE YOU CAST
The rules that actually matter

WHO CAN ENTER
Legal U.S. residents (incl. D.C.), 18 or older. Puerto Rico and U.S. territories, CTF employees and their families aren't eligible.
WHEN IT COUNTS
The fish must be caught during the promotion period: January 1, 2027 to December 31, 2027.
WHERE YOU FISH
Public waters of the 50 states, including their territorial waters and the Gulf. No private, pay-to-fish, hatchery or sanctuary waters.
WHICH RECORDS
You have to beat an existing record your state has kept for at least 3 years. Vacant or blank records don't count.
FIRST ONE WINS
One promotional payout per year, to the first entry that fully meets the rules. $20,000.
FISH IT RIGHT
Follow your state's catch-and-release rules. Winners sign an eligibility affidavit and handle their own taxes.
Anglers who broke it
You could be next.

Zakk Royce · North Carolina

Joey Baird · North Carolina

Tyler Harmon · West Virginia
Got questions?
Do I need a CTF rod to enter?
Yes. Your record has to be caught on an official CTF rod, and your species has to match your rod series.
How do I send the Initial Notice?
Call (984) 234-9634 or email legal@catchthefever.com within 48 hours. If you call, follow up by email to legal@catchthefever.com within the same 48 hours.
Official Rules & Regulations
Catch The Fever Outdoors, LLC: The CTF State Record Promotional Payout: The promotion (defined below) is intended for the United States only, and will be governed by U.S. Law. Do not enter if you are not eligible or if you are located outside the United States at the time of entry. Void wherever prohibited. Participation in the promotion is subject to these official rules at all times.
01Promotion Sponsor
The CTF State Record Promotional Payout (the “Promotion”) is sponsored by Catch the Fever Outdoors, LLC, with its principal place of business located at 50 Virgilina Road, Suite C, Roxboro, NC 27573 (“Sponsor”). The Sponsor and its advertising, sales promotion, legal, and all other service agencies involved with the development, production, implementation, administration, or fulfillment of the Promotion are collectively the “Promotion Entities”. You understand that you are providing information to Sponsor only. By entering or participating in the Promotion, each Entrant (defined below) accepts and agrees to be bound by these official Promotion rules (these “Official Rules”). The website that these Official Rules are posted to or other digital medium is called a “Site” for purposes of these Official Rules.
02Eligibility
The Promotion is open to legal residents of the United States and the District of Columbia, excluding residents of Puerto Rico and United States territories and possessions, who are eighteen (18) years of age or older at time of entry (each an “Entrant” or “you”). The Promotion is void outside the United States and where prohibited by law. Employees of the Promotion Entities and the members of their immediate families (defined for these Official Rules as spouses, parents, children, siblings, and each of their respective spouses, regardless of where they reside) or individuals living in the same household (whether related or not) of any of the above are not eligible to participate.
03Promotion Period
The Promotion commences at 12:01 am Eastern Time (“ET”) on January 1, 2027 and ends at 11:59 pm ET on December 31, 2027 (“Promotion Period”). All Entries must be submitted to the Sponsor during the Promotion Period. Sponsor’s computer is the official time keeping device for this Promotion.
04Promotion Category
An Entrant may participate in the Promotion in the following category (the “Promotion Category”), though only one Promotional Payout will be awarded per Promotion Category during the Promotion Period:
Rod Category
Entrant must use an official fishing rod sold by Sponsor or one of its authorized retailers (“Official Rod”) and catch one (1) of the “Eligible Species” from the list below that qualifies as a State Record by weight. The Eligible Species list below is subdivided by one of five “Rod Series” that reflect the Official Rod that an Entrant must use to catch a particular Eligible Species (for example, you may catch a Flathead Catfish with the Big Cat Fever Rod, but not a Striper Stealth Rod). The first Entrant during the Promotion Period to complete the foregoing and who fully complies with these Official Rules (including all winner verification requirements) will be eligible to receive the Rod Category Promotional Payout (defined below).
Eligible Species list for Rod Category and authorized Rod Series
Big Cat Fever Rod Series:
- Arkansas Blue Catfish: (Ictalurus furcatus)
- Flathead Catfish: (Pylodictis olivaris)
- Channel Catfish: (Ictalurus punctatus)
Striper Stealth Rod Series:
- Striped Bass: (Morone saxa)
Ravix Rod Series:
- Arkansas Blue Catfish: (Ictalurus furcatus)
- Flathead Catfish: (Pylodictis olivaris)
- Channel Catfish: (Ictalurus punctatus)
- BlueFin Tuna: (Thunnus thynnus)
- Blue Marlin: (Makaira nigricans)
- Northern Pike: (Esox lucius)
- Dolphin Fish: (Mahi-Mahi/ Coryphaena hippurus)
- King Mackerel: (Scomberomorus cavalla)
- California Halibut: (Paralichthys californicus)
- Striped Bass: (Morone saxa)
- Cobia: (Rachycentron Canadum)
- Wahoo: (Acanthomcybium Solandri)
- Spanish Mackerel: (Scomberomorus Maculatus)
- Red Fish: (Sciaenops Ocelltus)
Hellcat & Hellcat Revenge Rod Series:
- Arkansas Blue Catfish: (Ictalurus furcatus)
- Flathead Catfish: (Pylodictis olivaris)
- Channel Catfish: (Ictalurus punctatus)
- BlueFin Tuna: (Thunnus thynnus)
- Blue Marlin: (Makaira nigricans)
- Northern Pike: (Esox lucius)
- Dolphin Fish: (Mahi-Mahi/ Coryphaena hippurus)
- King Mackerel: (Scomberomorus cavalla)
- California Halibut: (Paralichthys californicus)
- Striped Bass: (Morone saxa)
- Cobia: (Rachycentron Canadum)
- Wahoo: (Acanthomcybium Solandri)
- Spanish Mackerel: (Scomberomorus Maculatus)
- Red Fish: (Sciaenops Ocelltus)
Precision Rod Series:
- White Crappie: (Pomoxis annularis)
- Black Crappie: (Pomoxis nigromaculatus)
- Redear Sunfish “Shellcracker”: (Lepomis Microlophus)
- Bluegill: (Lepomis Macrochirus)
05How To Participate
If you have a good faith belief that you have caught a State Record from the Eligible Species list under the Promotion Category above, you must promptly (but in no event later than 48 hours) notify Sponsor through a preliminary notice by phone at (984) 234-9634 or by email to legal@catchthefever.com indicating your belief and intent to submit an Entry (“Initial Notice”). If the Initial Notice is given by phone, the Entrant must also send it by email to legal@catchthefever.com within the same 48 hours. The Initial Notice must indicate what Promotion Category you will submit an Entry under, the Eligible Species, and (specifically for the Rod Category) the Rod Series. You must keep and retain a copy of the Initial Notice for your records and for submission of an Entry (below). Following submission of your Initial Notice, you must promptly (but in no event later than thirty (30) days, except as authorized by Sponsor in writing) secure an individual state record certification via application through your individual state Department of Natural Resources; Fish and Game Division; Parks and Wildlife Agency or other similar government agency responsible for certifying state record fish (“Authority”). Once your Eligible Species catch has been certified in writing by an Authority as the new state record fish by weight (a “State Record”) you must promptly (but in no event later than ten (10) days from the time of State Record certification) notify Sponsor by mail to the address in Section 01 or by email to legal@catchthefever.com including the following (all of which, once submitted, shall be your “Entry”):
- A copy of the Initial Notice;
- A copy of the State Record certification;
- One or more photo(s) that show the following in a clearly visible format you using an Official Rod in plain view (each must be clear and distinguishable in the photo) while simultaneously (within the same photo) holding, cradling, netting, or otherwise demonstrating your possession of the State Record;
- If you are submitting for the Rod Category, your State Record must have been caught using an Official Rod and you must attest to that in your Entry.
Once an Entry is received by Sponsor, Sponsor will evaluate the contents of the Entry, in totality and with relation to these Official Rules, and make a decision in its sole discretion as to whether the Entry meets the requirements to receive a Promotional Payout.
06Exclusions And Conditions
No Promotional Payout will be awarded to any Entrant presenting a State Record that has been caught other than during the Promotion Period. To be eligible for a new State Record, a State Record for the Eligible Species must currently exist and the official State Record keeping authority for the corresponding state must have been maintaining record status for the Eligible Species for a minimum period of three (3) years prior to the submission of any new State Record qualifier. No “vacant” or “blank” records are eligible for the Promotional Payout. All fish must be caught in “Eligible Waters”. Eligible Waters for State Record consideration shall consist of waters of the fifty (50) United States, including territorial waters of each, where the species are indigenous and in which the general public have absolute free and unlimited access. The Gulf of America is included, subject to individual states’ territorial waters and their respective designated boundaries. Fish caught in or from private waters, illegal “off limit” waters, hatchery or hatchery aquaculture facilities, private “pay to fish” waters or “waters of sanctuaries” are not eligible for the Promotion. You must observe all state and local rules and regulations regarding catch and release. Further, you must observe all industry guidelines and ethics regarding catch and release. If you catch a fish from the Eligible Species list with an Official Rod, you must check whether the Eligible Species and the corresponding Rod Category require the fish to be released alive.
07Entry Submission Guidelines
If the Entry does not contain all necessary information as described in these Official Rules, the Entry will not be counted. Please be certain to follow all directions provided in these Official Rules. All winning Entrants must execute an Affidavit of Eligibility and Liability Release prior to receiving their Promotional Payout. If an Entrant fails or refuses to sign and return such affidavit, or any and all other contract and tax documents within ten (10) days of notification of winner status, such Entrant may be disqualified from the Promotion. The Promotion Entities assume no responsibility for any damage to an Entrant or any other person’s computer system which is occasioned by accessing the Site hosting these Official Rules or otherwise participating in the Promotion. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Sponsor is not responsible for incomplete, illegible, misdirected, misprinted, late, lost, damaged, stolen, or incorrect postage on the Initial Notice or any Entry or other Promotion notifications; or for lost, interrupted, inaccessible or unavailable networks, servers, satellites, Internet Service Providers, websites, or other connections; or for miscommunications, failed, jumbled scrambled, delayed or misdirected computer, telephone or cable transmissions; or for any technical malfunctions, failures, or difficulties, printing errors, clerical, typographical or other error in the offering or announcement of the Promotion or in any Promotion notification documents, or other errors of any kind or nature; or for the incorrect or inaccurate capture of information, or the failure to capture any information. If, for any reason, the Promotion is not capable of running as planned due to causes beyond the control of Sponsor which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of this Promotion, Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify, suspend or extend the Promotion. Any attempt by an Entrant or any other individual to deliberately damage or undermine the legitimate operation of the Promotion, or to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person in connection with the Promotion, is in violation of criminal and civil laws and should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify the applicable individual and seek damages and other remedies from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. Any attempt by any Entrant to enter the same Entry more than one time per Promotion Period by using any method will disqualify the Entrant. Sponsor reserves the right to reject any Entries that do not comply with these Official Rules. An Entry must not be under any restriction, contractual or otherwise, that will prevent Sponsor’s use, as described herein, of the Entry. Entrant acknowledges, agrees and warrants that, nothing in the Entry infringes on any copyrights, confidential information, trade secrets, trademarks or any other intellectual property rights belonging to any other Entrant or entity, or violates any Entrant’s rights of privacy or publicity, and that all necessary releases and permissions have been secured. By submitting an Entry in connection with the Promotion, an Entrant hereby agrees that Sponsor may contact him or her via private message, email or phone regarding his or her submission. Sponsor reserves the right, in connection with any Entry received and verification of compliance with these Official Rules, to require an Entrant to complete a polygraph examination to the satisfaction of Sponsor. Entrant may be required to sign a normal and customary waiver as required by the polygraph examiner and must present the conclusive results of the polygraph examination to Sponsor no later than thirty (30) days after the examination. Failure of any Entrant to comply with the above “Entry Submission Guidelines” and “Entry Restrictions,” as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion may result in disqualification of that Entrant. Without limitation, Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any Entries that, in Sponsor’s sole discretion, refers, depicts or in any way reflects negatively upon the Sponsor, the Promotion, or any other Entrant or entity, or does not comply with these Official Rules, or if Sponsor receives notification about any potential infringements or breaches of law or any other reason as set forth herein.
08Sponsor's Use Of Entries
By submitting any Entry in connection with the Promotion, each Entrant hereby assigns to Sponsor, for zero compensation, all intellectual property and other rights in and to his or her Entry, which rights include, without limitation, the Sponsor’s unrestricted right to use, publish, edit, modify, translate, reproduce, distribute and make available to the public worldwide in all print and electronic media (now or hereafter existing) without time limitation in any manner Sponsor deems appropriate, and the right to include his or her name and likeness in connection with the foregoing uses. Each Entrant agrees and understands that his or her Entry may be made available to the public, including without limitation, on the Internet. Accordingly, Sponsor does not guarantee any confidentiality with respect to any of the Entries. By participating in the Promotion, in addition to any other grants which may be granted in any other agreement entered into between Sponsor and any Entrant in the Promotion, each Entrant hereby irrevocably grants Sponsor and its designees and their respective successors, assigns and licensees, the sole right to use such Entrant’s name, likeness, and biographical information and any media pertaining to the official State Record Fish, in any and all media for any purpose, including without limitation, advertising and promotional purposes, and hereby releases the Promotion Entities from any liability with respect thereto.
09Promotional Payout
Sponsor will award one (1) promotional payout amounting to $20,000.00 USD to the person that conclusively wins the Rod Category (the “Rod Category Promotional Payout”). Each of the foregoing is individually and collectively considered the “Promotional Payout” for these Official Rules. Sponsor will award only one (1) Promotional Payout per Promotion Category. In no event will Sponsor award more than $20,000.00 USD during any Promotion Period. Promotional Payout winners, if any, shall be solely responsible for all federal, state or local taxes, and the reporting consequences thereof, and for any other fees and costs associated with the applicable Promotional Payout.
10Disclaimer Of Warranty
EVERYTHING ON THE PROMOTION ENTITIES’ SITE AND ALL OTHER MATERIALS ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO THIS PROMOTION IS PROVIDED “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. FURTHER, THE PROMOTION ENTITIES MAKE NO REPRESENTATION THAT THE PROMOTION MATERIALS ARE APPROPRIATE OR AVAILABLE FOR USE AT ALL LOCATIONS AT ALL TIMES. IT IS ENTRANT’S RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT ACCESSING ANY OF THE PROMOTION ENTITIES’ SITES AND ENTERING THE PROMOTION IS LEGAL AND NOT PROHIBITED BY THE LAWS OF THE JURISDICTION IN WHICH ENTRANT IS A CITIZEN.
11Indemnification
By entering, you agree that Promotion Entities are indemnified, released and held harmless by you from any and all liability, for any damages, injuries, or losses of any kind to person(s), including death, or property (including pets), arising directly or indirectly from the acceptance, possession, misuse or use of the Promotional Payout or your participation in the Promotion or any Promotion-related activity, in any way.
12Limitation Of Liability
The Promotion Entities are not responsible for and are hereby released from liability with respect to:
(a) any printing, typographical, mechanical, or other errors in the printing, the offering, or the administration of the Promotion or in the announcement of the Promotional Payout;
(b) lost, late, illegible, misdirected, or non-delivered entries or emails;
(c) any entries submitted in a manner that is not expressly allowed under these Official Rules;
(d) for lost, interrupted or unavailable satellite, network, server, Internet Service Provider, Site or other connections availability, accessibility or traffic congestion, or miscommunications, or failed computer, network, telephone, or cable hardware, software or lines, or technical failure, or jumbled, scrambled, delayed, or misdirected transmissions, or computer hardware or software malfunctions, failures or difficulties;
(e) other errors of any kind whether human, mechanical, electronic or network, or the incorrect or inaccurate capture of entry or other information or the failure to capture, or loss of, any such information;
(f) any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by Site users, or by any equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Promotion;
(g) any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect or delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to, or tampering with or hacking of any Site; or
(h) injury or damage to Entrant’s or any other person’s computer related to or resulting from participating in the Promotion or downloading or copying materials from or use of the Site.
IN NO EVENT WILL THE PROMOTION ENTITIES BE RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES OR LOSSES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ENTRANT’S PARTICIPATION IN THE PROMOTION. IN ANY EVENT, PROMOTION ENTITIES’ TOTAL LIABILITY UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS PROMOTION SHALL NOT EXCEED $100.00 USD.
13General Conditions
By entering, Entrants agree that all issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation, and enforceability of these Official Rules, Entrant’s rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of Sponsor in connection with the Promotion, will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of North Carolina without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules, and any matters or proceedings shall take place in the State of North Carolina. Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual it finds may be tampering with the entry process or operation of the Promotion or any associated Site, may be acting in violation of the terms of an associated Site or these Official Rules or may be acting in a non-sportsmanlike or disruptive manner, or with intent to threaten, abuse or harass any other person. If any provision(s) of these Official Rules are held to be invalid or unenforceable, all remaining provisions hereof will remain in full force and effect. A waiver of any provision(s) of these Official Rules must be in writing, and a waiver in one instance or provision shall not be considered a waiver of any other instance or provision.
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