How it works

CPR stands for Catch, Photo, Release. In almost all CPR tournaments, length rather than weight is the basis for scoring each competitor’s catch.

Basically, one catches a bass, lays it on an approved measuring board, and takes a photo using a digital camera or smart phone. The photo is then uploaded using either a web browser or app to a web-based Tournament Management System (“TMS”).

The fish is dropped back in the water, unharmed, after having been photographed. Because handling and time out of water are minimal, the mortality rate for CPR tournaments is a tiny fraction of that of conventional weight-based tournaments where fish are transported in holding tanks and bags.

The TMS displays each event’s photos on a website leader board. As successive fish are caught and photos uploaded, photos of shorter fish are replaced (“culled”), so only the highest-scoring fish remain at the end. The number of fish per competition can vary from one to five or more per day, depending on the event rules.

At the end of competition time, the cumulative length of bass beside each competitor’s name on the leader board determines their ranking.