Ride the Bull (RTB) XV, billed as the world's largest kayak fishing tournament, returns to Grand Isle, Louisiana, on August 28-29, marking the event's 15th anniversary. Presented by CCA Louisiana (Coastal Conservation Association of Louisiana), the two-day event draws hundreds of kayak anglers to Caminada Pass for a 100% catch-and-release competition targeting bull redfish — Louisiana's iconic, hard-fighting inshore gamefish.
Ride the Bull traces its roots to Grand Isle charter captains Danny and Kristen Wray, who founded the tournament and later passed it into CCA Louisiana's stewardship. Their famous sign-off, "Peace, Love, and Redfish," is still an integral part of the tournament vibe.
"I fished Ride the Bull as a competitor years before I ever took this job, so I know firsthand how special this tournament already was," said Ryan Page, Tournament Director of Ride the Bull. "Danny and Kristen Wray built something incredible on this island long before CCA took the reins, and our job every year since has been to honor what they started and keep it growing."
A Weekend Built Like a Festival
Friday, August 28, opens the event with FREE kayak demos from Bonafide and Garmin at 3 p.m., a boiled shrimp dinner included with entry at 5 p.m., and the tournament's Captain's Meeting at 7 p.m. — followed by a live set from Honey Island Swamp Band, itself marking 20 years together, from 8 to 10 p.m. under the Bridge Side Marina pavilion.
Saturday, August 29, is tournament day. After a mandatory Rules & Safety Meeting at both Bridge Side Marina and Wake Side Marina, anglers launch into Caminada Pass on a shotgun start and fish until lines-out at 2 PM that afternoon. Registration and a live leaderboard run through FishingChaos.com, letting family and fans follow the action from anywhere.
Beyond the competition, RTB has grown into a full-blown festival on the water, with kayak demos, vendor booths, costumes, and an island atmosphere alongside the fishing.
A Record Prize Table
This year's prize table is the richest in tournament history, with more than $18,000 in prizes from presenting sponsors Bonafide Kayaks, Garmin Marine, Academy Sports + Outdoors, The Backpacker, YakPower, and Bazooka. First place wins "The Ultimate Rig" — a fully rigged Bonafide kayak paired with a Garmin FORCE trolling motor and ECHOMAP GPS unit, a complete YakPower electronics and rigging package, and a Bazooka speaker. Prizes run ten places deep, plus dedicated Ladies, Youth, and Team divisions.
Anglers can also enter Tackle Palooza, donating one new tackle item at the registration desk for a chance to win the entire collected haul.
Conservation at the Center
Every bull redfish caught during Ride the Bull is weighed, photographed, and then released. A few years ago, bull redfish collected at the tournament became brood stock for Louisiana's first redfish restocking program, also sponsored by CCA — meaning some of the very fish landed at RTB have gone on to help repopulate the state's coastal waters. More information on the statewide restocking program will be announced very soon.
Media Access
Media are welcome at Friday night's pre-party and Saturday's shotgun start through the weigh-ins at Bridge Side and Wake Side Marinas in Grand Isle. Interviews with Tournament Director Ryan Page can be arranged in advance, and event artwork and photography are available on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Ridethebull
About CCA Louisiana
CCA Louisiana is the state chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association, a nonprofit founded in 1983 by a small group of concerned coastal anglers. Today the organization includes roughly 25,000 members and volunteers across Louisiana's coastal parishes and has been instrumental in major conservation wins, including banning gill nets in state waters and establishing redfish as a protected gamefish. CCA Louisiana continues that mission today through habitat restoration, advocacy, and events like Ride the Bull.
About Ride the Bull
Ride the Bull is an annual, 100% catch-and-release kayak fishing tournament presented by CCA Louisiana, fishing exclusively in Caminada Pass out of Grand Isle, Louisiana. Now in its 15th year, RTB is billed as the world's largest kayak fishing tournament, blending competitive fishing with live music, community, and a conservation mission tied to Louisiana's first redfish restocking program.
Registration & Info:FishingChaos.com | www.ccalouisiana.com/ridethebull
Follow along: #RideTheBull #RTB2026 #PeaceLoveAndRedfish #CCALouisiana