BIG CRAPPIE CHALLENGE
EVENT INFORMATION
Big Crappie Challenge – Midwest Fish Tournaments
THE BIG CRAPPIE CHALLENGE...YOUR HOME OF THE $50,000 $50,000 $50,000 CRAPPIE!
EVENT/REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Lake of the Ozarks, MO: March 28-29, 2026
Hours: 7am-3pm each day
Entry Fee (per angler)
$150/one day
$200/two days
Anglers 17 & younger at the time of the tournament are half off the adult entry fee.
HOW TO ENTER:
ONLINE: CLICK HERE TO ENTER ONLINE
MAIL: CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD ENTRY FORM
(mail in entries must be postmarked on or before March 16th)
IN PERSON REGISTRATION:
Friday, March 27th – Register in person at the Grand Glaize State Park (PB2) from 12pm-7pm.
Grand Glaize State Park
711 Public Beach Road
Osage Beach, MO 65065
Saturday, March 28th & Sunday, March 29th
Register in person at all weigh-in stations from 6am-8am
You can also register at all Fitz Fishing Tackle & Supplies locations at Lake of the Ozarks until 5pm on Friday, March 27th.
Enter now to receive a free $25 AFTCO Gift Card and an AFTCO/Big Crappie Challenge cap (available to the first 1,000 entries)
Gift Card & Cap can be picked up on Friday, March 27th, at the Grand Glaize State Park in Osage Beach, MO, from 12-7pm.
BIG CRAPPIE CHALLENGE PAYOUTS
$50,000 – GRAND PRIZE
$10,000 – 2nd Place Overall
$5,000 – 3rd Place Overall
BI-HOURLY PAYOUT AMOUNTS (EACH TIME SLOT)
160 Bi-Hourly Payouts (20 places paid at each time slot below)
7am-9am / 9:01am-11am / 11:01am-1pm / 1:01pm-3pm
1st: $1,000
2nd: $900
3rd: $800
4th: $700
5th: $600
6th: $500
7th: $400
8th: $375
9th: $350
10th: $325
11th: $300
12th: $275
13th: $250
14th: $250
15th: $225
16th: $225
17th: $200
18th: $200
19th: $200
20th: $200
WIN A NEW BOAT, COURTESY OF SURDYKE YAMAHA & G3 BOATS
All contestants will be included in a drawing to win a 2026 G3 Boat Package ($33,999 retail value)
Drawing will be held at the Big Crappie Challenge Awards Ceremony on Sunday, March 29th.
(You DO NOT need to be present to win)
BIG CRAPPIE CHALLENGE - BONUS T-SHIRT
If your crappie drops one spot out of the money in any time slot (21st place) you win $150. You must have your 2026 Big Crappie Challenge Bonus T-Shirt in your possession when weighing in. Bonus T-Shirts are $15.
Where to purchase Bonus T-Shirts:
> Grand Glaize State Park (PB2) – Friday, March 27th, from 12pm-7pm
Grand Glaize State Park (PB2)
711 Public Beach Road
Osage Beach, MO 65065
> Fitz Fishing Tackle & Supplies at Lake of the Ozarks – Wednesday, March 25th until 5pm on Friday, March 27th (quantities & sizes will be limited at each store)
EARLY BIRD DRAWING: WIN YOUR SHARE OF $2,000 IN EARLY BIRD CASH!
Enter by midnight on Monday, March 16th, for your chance to win 1 of 8 $250 Early Bird draw prizes. You must enter online by midnight on Monday, March 16th, or have your mail-in entry postmarked no later than March 16th to be included in this drawing.
Early Bird Drawing will take place at the Awards Ceremony on Sunday, March 29th.
YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE PRESENT TO WIN
Purchase a Slabz Crappie Rod from February 14th until March 27th, take 1st place in any time slot in the Big Crappie Challenge, and win $150!
If you happen to catch the BIGGEST CRAPPIE of the event, you’ll take home an ADDITIONAL $1,000!
Visit them at www.slabzcrappie.com
EXACT WEIGHT PRIZES
The first 1.50 lb. crappie weighed in, each day of the event, wins $200, courtesy of Ol’ Blue Tackle
The first 1.25 lb. crappie weighed in, each day of the event, wins a Pro Tungsten jig head pack (50 per pack)
WEIGH-IN STATIONS
The Big Crappie Challenge offers 6 weigh-in stations to accommodate the anglers, so you’re never to far to get your BIG CRAPPIE to the scales!
WEIGH-IN STATIONS:
Alhonna Resort
Grand Glaize State Park (PB2)
Ivy Bend Resort
Point Randall Resort
Red Oak Resort
Surdyke Yamaha Port 20
BIG CRAPPIE CHALLENGE - AWARDS CEREMONY
The Big Crappie Challenge Awards Ceremony will take place at the Grand Glaize State Park in Osage Beach, MO, starting around 4:00pm on Sunday, March 29th. Anglers can pick up their time slot checks, watch the trophy presentations and the $50,000 champion be crowned, as well as the drawings for the Surdyke Yamaha/G3 Boat and Early Bird prizes.
QUICK NOTES
- Official first cast time is 7:00am each day.
- Running lights are mandatory if you are on the water before sunrise.
- Life jackets & kill switches must be worn & used any time the combustion motor is running.
- No fishing is allowed after 7pm on Friday/Saturday night until official first cast time on Saturday/Sunday morning.
- There is no official take-off point, you can launch/take-off from anywhere on Lake of the Ozarks.
- You must come to weigh-in by water, no bank/dock fishing allowed in this event.
- You cannot trailer your boat once you have launched for the day (excluding safety/health/mechanical issues) Please notify a Tournament Official at 314-591-4578 or 314-327-4771 if a situation arises.
- Each angler is allowed to weigh-in (1) crappie per time slot.
- Polygraph and/or CVSA tests are mandatory and will be administered to the top 3 overall winners of this event. Random polygraph/cvsa tests will also be given throughout the event at the weigh-in stations.
- Please read and understand all rules prior to fishing this event.
BIG CRAPPIE CHALLENGE - OFFICIAL RULES:
2026 SCHEDULE
LAKE OF THE OZARKS, MO
MARCH 28-29, 2026
2026 ENTRY FEES
1 DAY – $150.00 / PER ANGLER
2 DAYS – $200.00 / PER ANGLER
Anglers 17 & younger at the time of the tournament are half off the entry fee listed above.
