1) RULES: The following rules shall apply to the Arkansas Bass Federation Nation Tournament. These rules will be interpreted solely by the tournament Committee and all decisions are final. A. These rules may be changed by the Arkansas Bass Federation Nation Board at any time upon notice by the ABFN Board to its members, which notice may be published on the ABFN web site at www.arkansasbass.org Interpretation and enforcement so these rules shall be left exclusively to the Tournament Director or his/her designate at a tournament. In the event of such a rules violation the Tournament Director or rules committee may impose such sanctions as deemed appropriate by them, including without limitation, disqualification, forfeiture of prizes, entry fee and prohibition from participation in future tournaments.
2) TOURNAMENT JUDGES: The judges shall consist of the Tournament Director and two more Executive Board Members. The Tournament judges will be responsible for the weigh-in and for resolving any disputes. Any violation not filed by contestant may be brought before the Tournament judges by the Tournament Director.
3) PARTICIPANTS AND ELIGIBILITY: Participation in Federation tournaments shall be by invitation only to those chapters of the Federation who has been declared eligible. Chapter's participation in the Championship Tournament shall be by a two, four, or six-man team. Each team must be comprised of an equal number of "Boaters" and "Non-Boaters". Each team may have an alternate, accompany and prefish with the team. Alternate must be present at pairings to qualify to fish. After the official start of the tournament an alternate may serve as a replacement angler for any tournament participant having to withdraw from the tournament. Any Alternate entering the tournament as a replacement angler will have their daily weight counted toward making the state team. An alternate's daily weight will only be added to their team’s total weight if he/she is recognized by the Tournament Director as a valid team member.
A. The application is to be completed by the chapter concerned, and together with the entry fee and copies of each boater's current enforce liability policy ($300,000 minimum) mailed to the address designated in the Directive. Please note all entrants must have a current B.A.S.S. membership, and be listed on the current club roster of the team of which the contestant is fishing with.
B, At the time the team captain signs the entry form at registration all team members listed will be official participants of this tournament. Failure to show up for pairing will be treated as if one has vacated the tournament early and will be subject to a 1 year suspension. Registration of the chapter team and all contestants on each team is mandatory. Registration will be accomplished by the designated team captain for all team members. Registration shall be at times and places prescribed in the schedule of events. Failure to register during the prescribed hours shall result in a penalty of one pound per man taken from the first day's catch for the team.
4) PRE-TOURNAMENT PRACTICE and COMPETITION: There shall be no designated pre-tournament practice days or off-limits periods proceeding tournament days.
A. Testing of engines after the weigh-in is only allowed with permission from the Tournament Director.
B. No competitor may buy or barter a fishing location from any other competitor for use during any competition day.
C. During the official competition days of the tournament, a competitor may not use a CB radio, a VHF marine band radio, a cellular phone, or any other type of communications device for the purpose of locating of catching fish. Competitors are permitted to transmit by radio, telephone, or any other type of communication device, only in the event of an emergency. If so equipped, competitors may listen to marine band weather information.
D A designated tournament official must be granted access to the competitor's boat at any time during the official practice or competition days. Failure to grant such access may result in immediate disqualification.
E Each competitor agrees to report to the Tournament Director any violation or infraction of any tournament rules. Failure to report violations, or suggestions to another competitor that they violated these rules, or false verification of weigh-in forms, will be cause for disqualification.
F By his/her signature on the official entry form, each competitor agrees to submit to a polygraph examination and abide by its conclusion should he/she be accused of any rule violation. The Tournament Director, rules committee, or such person designated by the Tournament Director, shall have sole discretion to determine the need for a polygraph examination. The Tournament Director or his/her designee shall be responsible for selecting an independent expert to administer and interpret the results and establishing, in consultation with the expert administrator, the scope of the questions which may be asked during the polygraph examination. The Tournament Director, or his/her designee, shall attempt to have the location of such polygraph examination as close in proximity to the angler's permanent address, or such other mutually convenient location as possible. The competitor shall make himself/herself available and the location selected by the Tournament Director and shall cooperate in all respects with any such examination. Anglers taking a polygraph examination may be responsible for any and all costs incurred.
5) ENTRY FEES: OFFICIAL ENTRY FORMS (COLOR FORM) - Eight forms have been provided. The forms must be fully completed by team members, assembled at the chapter level, and turned in during registration by the team captain. Remember to keep your color forms. Final completion of the form and its turn-in shall constitute individual registration and indicate that individuals will be available for the Tournament. Should alternate members accompany the team, they must also complete the form. "Alternate" should be indicated at the top of the form. At turn-in, all entry forms must be complete and reflect any last-minute changes in team composition. Any boater changes: individuals must present a copy of current boater's liability policy with the entry form. Entry form must be complete with SS#. Also, we need an e-mail address from at least one member of each club.
6) SAFETY: No drugs (except prescribed) or alcohol will be allowed during tournament hours or weigh-in and will result in disqualification if such a determination is made by the Tournament Committee.
A Kill switch, lights, aerated live well(s) and life jackets will be checked prior to tournament start. Coast Guard approved chest-type life jackets must be worn when the combustion engine is operating. Violation of this rule shall be reason for disqualification.
B Tournament officials have the right to delay, shorten or cancel the start of an official tournament day because of bad weather or other factors that would endanger the safety of the competitors.
C ABFN reserves the right to impose speed limits during the tournament hours. Weather or not to impose speed limits and any area covered by the speed limit shall be left exclusively to t.he discretion of the Tournament Director.
D In the event of an emergency situation, competitors should call 911 first and then notify tournament officials.
E Competitors are allowed to leave the boat and seek safe shelter in bad weather where danger may be imminent.
7) SPORTSMANSHIP: Competitors are expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety and conservation. Any infraction of these fundamental sporting principles may be deemed cause for disqualification.
A Use of alcohol or drugs (other than those purchased over the counter or prescribed by a licensed physician) by any competitor during official practice or during the tournament, will not be tolerated and shall be cause for automatic disqualification from this and all future ABFN tournaments.
B Maximum courtesy must be practiced at all times, especially with regard to boating and angling in the vicinity of non-competitors who may be on tournament waters. Any act of a competitor which reflects unfavorably upon efforts to promote conservation, clean waters and courtesy shall be reason for disqualification.
C All competitors are bound by the prevailing statutes and regulations of the state in which they fish. Competitors are responsible for research of fishing and boating regulations.
8) TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT: Only artificial bait or biodegradable artificial lures may be used. No live bait or prepared bait may be used other than pork or pork-like baits. No trolling is permitted. No “live bait” or “prepared bait” will be permitted during official practice and competition, with the exception of pork strips or rinds. Only ONE casting, spin-casting or spinning rod (8-foot maximum length from butt of handle to rod tip) and reel may be used at any one time. Other rigs as specified above may be in boat ready for use; however, only ONE is permitted in use at any given time. All bass must be caught live and in a conventional sporting manner. Anyone guilty of snatching or snagging visible fish will have his/her catch disqualified. When visually fishing for bedding bass, to be counted as a legal fish all bass must be hooked inside the mouth and must be verified by your partner before being unhooked
9) HORSEPOWER REGULATIONS: MAXIMUM HORSEPOWER FOR ALL OUTBOARD MOTORBOATS USED IN OFFICIAL TOURNAMENT PRACTICE AND IN TOURNAMENT COMPETITION WILL BE 250 HP. Horsepower cannot exceed the limitations set by the U.S. Coast Guard. When required, each boat MUST have a U.S. Coast Guard horsepower rating plate attached to the boat by the manufacturer. The horsepower of the outboard engine must NOT exceed the rating specified on this plate or the horsepower maximum set by BASS. Each competitor agrees to submit, by his/her signature on the official entry form, the boat and outboard motor used in the tournament to an inspection by factory- trained personnel, if there is any reason to suspect the horsepower is in excess of the rating. Normal maintenance of engines is allowed. Changing or altering standard factory parts of a competitor’s engine to increase the horsepower over the factory horsepower rating is forbidden, and will result in disqualification. Falsifying information on entry forms or altering the horsepower-rating numbers on the engine is also cause for immediate disqualification from ABFN tournaments. Posted speed limits must be observed and all boats must be operated in a safe manner.
10) BOAT AND MOTOR: For the safety of all competitors, ALL BOATS MUST BE EQUIPPED WITH AN APPROVED TYPE OF OPERABLE IGNITION KILL SWITCH. This ignition-kill device must be attached to the driver’s body any time the combustion engine is operating. Anytime the combustion engine is operating and in gear, there must be a driver in the driver’s seat in full control of the boat. Fishing boats that are 16 feet or more in length may be used. Any raised platform or decks cannot be higher than the gunnel of the boat. Standing on the outboard or seats while fishing is not allowed. An electric trolling motor may be used for slow maneuvering; however, trolling as a method of fishing is prohibited. All BLADDER tanks and any other type of AUXILLARY gas tanks that are not installed by the boat manufacturer are prohibited. Additional gas tanks that are factory options and installed by a manufacturer’s authorized dealer are permitted. Boats that do not have factory-installed gas tanks are restricted to a maximum of 18 gallons of gasoline in tanks that meet U.S. Coast Guard regulations. Gas tanks must be properly secured or strapped in a boat. During the official practice and during the tournament, no portable gas tanks or containers capable of holding gasoline can be placed anywhere on the tournament waters or shoreline for use by any tournament competitor. No “barges” or similar craft will be permitted. NO BOAT EQUIPPED WITH “STICK STEERING” SHALL BE PERMITTED TO BE USED DURING THE OFFICIAL PRACTICE OR DURING THE TOURNAMENT BY ANY COMPETITOR. “Stick steering” shall be as defined by the Tournament Director.
11) BASIC BOAT EQUIPMENT: Every boat must have all required Coast Guard safety equipment as well as a functional bilge pump and LIVEWELL SPACE, PROPERLY AERATED, TO ADEQUATELY MAINTAIN ALIVE A LIMIT CATCH OF BASS BY BOTH COMPETITORS USING THE BOAT. ABFN recommends live wells be maintained at full level and recirculation on manual. Tournament officials shall have the sole responsibility for determining whether aeration and capacity is proper and adequate. Boaters must make a back seat available for non boaters each competition day.
12) BOAT IDENTIFICATION: Prior to each day’s start, each boat MUST be given an inspection check by a tournament official. Each day, each boat will be given a number, which MUST remain with the boat until turned in each day at the check-in. This number must be displayed upon the request of tournament officials, and turned in to the officials at each check-in.
13) BOAT OPERATION AND EXPENSE: A full discussion MUST be held between the two partners prior to a morning departure as to the schedule of boat operations. This schedule must permit each partner equal time to fish from the front of the boat and to operate the trolling motor, so as to afford each partner the opportunity to fish his/her selected waters an equal number of hours. Distance traveled to fishing locations must be considered in order not to deprive either partner fishing time while traveling to and from fishing waters. If a competitor waives the above rights, he/she shall retain the right to select the fishing waters for one-half the tournament day. Any competitor who, in the judgment of the officials, operates the boat in such a manner as to unfairly handicap his/her partner shall be disqualified. In view of the large expense involved in operating and maintaining a tournament bass boat, it is suggested that the non-boater partner share, at minimum, the cost of gas and oil for the competition day.
14) PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS: Tournament waters shall be established by the Tournament Director for each tournament. Each competitor must obtain this information from the BASS Federation Nation Department. Any water within these boundaries posted Off-Limits or No Fishing by state or federal agencies as well as the live-bass release area established by the Tournament Director will be OFF-LIMITS and will be announced at the Tournament Briefing. Only that water open to ALL public fishing will be considered tournament waters. All angling must be done from the boat. During official practice and competition, competitors wishing to change fish habitat by placing any object in the tournament waters may do so if such action does not violate state or federal regulations.
15) COMPETITORS MUST REMAIN IN BOAT: During the competition days, competitors must not depart the boat to land fish or to make the boat more accessible to fishing waters. Boats must remain in tournament waters during tournament days. Competitors must leave from and return to official checkpoint by boat. Both competitors must remain in boat at all times except in case of dire emergency or with permission from the Tournament Director. In such an emergency, or with permission from the Tournament Director, competitors may be removed from their boat to either A BOAT OPERATED BY OTHER COMPETITORS OR A RESCUE BOAT DESIGNATED BY THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR. Partners must remain together at all times, in sight of each other and each other’s catch under the conditions cited above, in order for their catch of that day to be scored in the tournament. In the event of a needed restroom break, competitors are allowed to leave the boat upon which all fishing must cease until the partners are back together in the boat. If a competitor violates any of the above conditions to contact a tournament official by phone or other means or to report an emergency or breakdown, both competitors must cease fishing at this point, and their catch must be verified by a tournament official in order to be counted in the tournament. If after the emergency situation is resolved by tournament officials and enough time is left for the competitors to resume fishing, a RESTART will be allowed and the competitors will continue and their catch will be counted. This applies only to dire emergency situations as determined by the Tournament Director or his/her designee. Towing boats on trailers during tournament hours is prohibited, except by the direction of tournament officials.
16) OFFICIAL CHECKPOINT: There shall be only one official point for check-out in the morning and check-in in the afternoon, which points shall be designated at the tournament briefing. At the time of check-out, all competitors and their boats shall be in full conformity with all rules set forth by the Tournament Director. At check-in, all boats shall identify themselves by means of the numbers described in Rule 12 and proceed immediately to the designated weigh-in area. Partners must stay together, and numbers must be turned in at check-in.
17) SCORING: Tournament standings, auxiliary awards and final winners shall be determined by the pound and ounce weight of each competitor’s catch during the competition days of the tournament. Only Largemouth, Smallmouth, Spotted, Redeye or Shoal bass will be weighed. The limit shall be 5 of the above species and varieties per day, unless otherwise specified by tournament officials. At no time shall a competitor have in his or her possession more than the tournament limit. Tournament officials will conduct checks for violation of this provision, and in the event a competitor has more than the above-described limits in possession, shall cull down to the limit described, beginning with the largest bass. The official length for bass shall be determined by the Tournament Director and announced at the tournament briefing. In most cases it will be the longest state limit covering the tournament waters. Only bass as described above which measure the official length or more on the longest straight line, shall be weighed. Bass presented for weigh-in which fail to measure the official length shall result in a penalty of 1 pound for each such bass, which penalty shall be deducted from the total score of the competitor. Any bass that appears to have been mangled, mashed, mauled or otherwise altered will be weighed and credited only at the discretion of tournament officials. After competitors check-in at the official checkpoint they MUST present all LEGAL fish in their possession to a tournament official to be counted, measured and weighed. Once a competitor’s catch is measured, counted and verified by a tournament official, that competitor may not return to the boat until their catch has been weighed and recorded. Bass must not be stringered at any time during the tournament. Culling tags or clips are allowed. Specially designed bags which increase survival rate will be furnished by the Tournament Director and must be used for the weigh-in.
18) CATCH AND RELEASE: CULLING OF DEAD BASS IS PROHIBITED. For each legal dead bass presented to weigh-in officials, the competitor shall be penalized the following, to be deducted from their daily score: 8 oz per dead Fish. The Tournament Director or his designees shall have sole authority for accessing penalty points.
19) LATE PENALTY: Competitors who are not in the official checkpoint area as described in Rule 16 at the appointed time shall be penalized at the rate of 1 pound per minute late to be deducted from the total weight of his/her catch that day, including any weight to be counted toward a “big bass award”. Any competitor more than 15 minutes late shall lose all credit for that day’s catch. There shall be no excuse for tardiness and in no case shall a competitor be allowed to make up “lost time.” After proper recognition at the check-in point, competitors will be allowed ample time to proceed to the weigh-in site; however, all fishing must cease upon check-in. After the tournament begins, fishing the tournament waters is prohibited except during the tournament hours. Exact starting and check-in times will be announced at the tournament briefing. It is each angler’s responsibility to confirm check-in times each day on the daily pairings.
20) TIES: In case of a tie for first-place team or for team champion, the following tie-breakers will be used in order: 1) The team or individual with the largest number of legal fish weighed in during the competition;
2) The team or individual with the largest number of legal LIVE fish weighed in during the competition;
3) The team or individual with the heaviest single-day catch during competition;
4) The team or individual with the second-heaviest single-day catch during competition. In the unlikely event that teams or team champions remain tied after these four tie-breakers are employed, then a flip of a coin will be used to determine the winner(s), and the money, if any, will be equally split. Ties for lesser positions shall be resolved by means selected by the Tournament Director.
21) PAIRING OF COMPETITORS: Two competitors will be assigned to each boat. Announcement of your first-day fishing partner shall be made at the tournament briefing, which MUST BE ATTENDED by each competitor. It shall be the responsibility of each partner to appear at a mutually agreed upon location with sufficient time remaining to check-out at the official checkpoint and start on time. Tournament officials shall have no responsibility for finding missing partners. The Tournament Director, at his/her sole discretion, may reassign partners prior to the morning take-off. It is suggested that a minimum of 30 minutes is required for preparation to depart to the check-out point. When two competitors check out at the beginning of the day, they must stay together and within sight of each other and each other’s catch throughout the day until the weigh-in; except in case of dire emergency (see Rule 15). A competitor must not allow any bass caught by him/her to be counted on the score of another competitor. In such a case, both competitors shall be disqualified from this tournament and from all future tournaments conducted by ABFN.
22) RULES VIOLATIONS & APPEALS COMMITTEE: An appeals committee will be established by ABFN, which shall be comprised of one ABFN employee not affiliated with the Tournament Department, and two anglers. Appeals must be sent in writing seven days from the date of ruling to the Tournament Director. If a competitor admits to a rule violation, he/she may not file an appeal of either the finding that he/she has violated the rules or the penalty imposed for the violation. Decisions of the appeals committee shall be final. Appeals of non-competition rulings must be presented in writing to ABFN within seven days of ruling for review and final decision to be determined by ABFN.
posted July 2009
