CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — For the 4th year in a row, the Bill Dance Giant Bass Open tournament comes to Chickamauga Lake this weekend (May 2-3, 2026).
This is a bass tournament with a couple of twists. First, it is for amateurs only. Professional fishing guides or professional tournament anglers are not allowed. Secondly, rather than prizes for the highest cumulative weight, this is a “big bass format,” event where the biggest bass wins for the tournament AND for each of the 14 hourly weigh-in periods over the 2-day event.
That means you don’t have to catch a lot of bass, you’re just fishing for one big one.
First place (biggest bass) overall wins a new Bass Tracker Classic XL (worth $18,995),” said spokesperson Shane Frazier. “And then there is more than $50,000 in hourly payouts…