This tournament is open to all persons who are registered Bass Anglers United members. Any adult choosing a minor as a partner assumes full responsibility for the minor. Contestants may fish alone or have no more than 2 people per boat.

Each tournament is $125 including the Championship Challenge. To qualify for the Championship Challenge, anglers must fish both tournaments in a single division.

1. SAFETY
Safe boating must be observed at all times. Each competitor is required to wear a Coast Guard-approved life preserver any time the combustion engine is running. All boats are required to have emergency engine shutoff switch and they must be attached to the driver any time the gas engine is running. Running lights must be operational and on during the times required by State regulations.

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. Tournament waters may also be restricted at any time because of bad weather.

2. REGISTRATION
Competitors must read and sign a “Registration and Release Liability” form. Qualifying day and starting positions will be assigned by a random draw from all entries. Day of tournament registration will be closed 1 hour prior to tournament rules meeting – No Exceptions.

3. PRACTICE
All Tournament waters off limits after 3:00pm prior to the day of the tournament.

4. REGISTRATION AND WEIGH IN!
Tournament registration will be submitted via U.S. Mail and at launch site. All pre-registrations must be received 5 days prior to the tournament. Weigh-in time will be at the launch site at (Time-TBD). At least one member from each team must be present at registration.

(B) TOURNAMENT RULES MEETING.
A mandatory rules meeting will be conducted at the launch site 30 minutes prior to launch. At least one member from each team must attend the meeting. Any team not present will not be permitted to compete in the Tournament.

5. BOAT CHECK
All boats must be put in at designated launch site and go through a boat check.

6. TOURNAMENT HOURS
Tournament hours will be from safe light to (Time-TBD). local time. We reserve the right to assign flights and change hours, if necessary. There will be an official check-in boat.

7. PROTESTS
Any competitor filing a protest must do so in writing by (THE END OF WEIGH-IN). The Tournament directors will rule on any protests and their decisions will be final. All contestants agree to abide by the decisions of the Tournament directors.

8. SPORTSMANSHIP
All competitors are required to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy and conservation. No alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs will be allowed during the pre-tournament meeting and during the tournament hours, including the weigh-in. Violators will be disqualified.

9. PERMITTED FISHING METHODS
All bass must be caught live in a conventional sporting manner. Only artificial lures may be used with the exception of pork trailers. Only one fishing rod (not to exceed 8 feet in length) may be used at a time. Trolling as a method of fishing is prohibited. All participants must have a fishing license for the water in which they intend to compete. COMPETITORS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CHANGE PARTNERS AT ANY TIME DURING THE TOURNAMENT.

10. PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS
Fishing locations will be communicated at the rules meeting prior to launch. No fishing within 50 yards of a refueling dock of a marina or within 50 yards of another competitor’s boat which is anchored with the trolling motor up. No fishing is allowed in areas that are designated as “Off Limits” or “No Fishing” by local officials.

11. EQUIPMENT FAILURE or EMERGENCY
In the event of equipment failure or emergency, there are only two methods of returning to the official check-in: (1) By both partners Remaining in their boat and being towed in by water, or (2) by one partner entering the boat of another tournament contestant with their fish. Under these two conditions, catches may be counted (normal penalties apply such as dead fish, late penalty, etc.) If a team must violate any part of this rule due to an emergency or any other reason, the catch will not be counted.

12. 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 checkpoints by boat. Both competitors must remain in the boat at all times except in case of dire emergency. In such an emergency, 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, contestants are allowed to leave the boat upon which all fishing must cease until 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 designee. Towing boats on trailers during tournament hours is prohibited, except by the direction of tournament officials.
13. SCORING/QUALIFYING: Due to the Tournament format of the 2 tournament qualifier in one of the three divisions no substitute anglers will be allowed!

Scoring will be determined by the weight (in pounds and ounces) of each team’s catch; only Largemouth, Smallmouth, and Spotted Bass will be weighed. The limit will be 5 fish per boat. The official length limit is established by state rules. Fish will be measured on a flat (golden rule) board with mouth closed and by moving tail side-to-side. There will be a 1-pound penalty assessed for each short fish and the short fish removed from the creel. Culling must begin as soon as the sixth legal fish is caught. Any boat found to have more than the 5-fish limit will be disqualified. All fish will be released. DEAD FISH: 1/2-pound will be deducted from the total weight for each dead fish weighed in. The 1/2-pound rule also applies to the Big Bass Competition. It is the competitor’s responsibility to have their fish weigh for any Big Fish awards.

14. LATE PENALTY
Failure to report to the official check-in point on time will result in a 1 pound per minute penalty; after 15 minutes, the entire weight will be lost.

15. TIES
In case of ties, positions will be resolved by largest bass.

16. LIABILITY INSURANCE
All members must carry a minimum of $100,000 of liability insurance on any boat they might use during the Bass Anglers United Tournament. Failure to do so or reporting of false information will result in disqualification. Participants must include the company name and either the policy number or the name of the agent binding the coverage on the entry form for each tournament.

17. CAMERA RELEASE
Contestants grant Bass Anglers United, tournament officials, and sponsors the unconditional right to use their names, voice, photographic likeness and biographical information for video/audio production, promotions, and/or articles and press releases, and shall not be entitled to receive any royalties or other compensation in connection with such use.

18. REFUNDS
Refunds will be given based on individual circumstances.

19. TRITON GOLD QUALIFICATION
The owner of the boat must be the registered owner of record at Triton Boat Company, L.P.(Triton Boats) and have a valid State registration for the Triton Boat, in their name and from their state of residency. Anglers who are sponsored by Triton Boats and cannot meet the above qualifications are not eligible to fish as a boat owner. Please visit the Triton Boats website to review all Triton Gold qualifications.

20. RULES INTERPRETATION
Interpretation of these rules will be left exclusively to the Tournament directors. The decision of the directors will be final in all matters.