Twin Ports Bassmasters Tournament Rules

The purpose of these rules is to give club members and guests a working idea of how the club will conduct tournaments. The BASS rules have been modified slightly to meet local needs and wishes. Safety, fairness, enjoyment, and skill building are the goals.

1. The tournament director or weighmaster may inspect all boats before the start of any tournament. Life vests will be worn when the gas motor is running. Boats will display running lights during hours of darkness. Ignition kill switches will be worn by the operator of the boat when the gas motor is running. Tournament director or weighmaster has the right to disqualify any contestant for dangerous conduct while participating in club tournaments.

2. Boats and motors will be properly licensed and will carry all Coast Guard required safety equipment. No engine may exceed the BIA horsepower rating for the boat on which it is used. Each boat will have an aerated or recirculating livewell to maintain a live limit catch of bass by both contestants.

3. Tackle. Only artificial lures may be used. Pork strips and pork eels are permitted. Only one rod maybe used at a time. Extra rods and reels may be in the boat. Electric fishing aids may be used. No underwater camera fishing units are allowed during tournament hours. Fishing nets may be used when landing fish.

4. Pre-fishing rule. You may pre-fish a lake up to sundown one day before the tournament. After that the lake will be off limits to any activity. Exceptions will be on a case by case basis, brought to the attention of the club at the meeting prior.

5. Tournament hours. Tournament hours are 0700 to 1500 unless changed by the tournament director or weighmaster, possibly due to unforeseen severe weather.

6. Official check point. There will be only one checkout point in the morning and one checkin point in the afternoon. This will be designated at the club meeting before hand or if lake is changed because of unforeseen weather by tournament director or weighmaster. At the time of checkout, all competitors and their boats shall be in full compliance with all rules set forth by the club.

7. Partners. Partners are to be determined by lottery for each tournament. In the event of an odd man out situation, the member may fish alone. Each contestant is to meet his/her partner at least 15 minutes prior to start.

8. Boater costs. Non-boater will pay an expense fee of $25 to the boater to help with the cost of fuel. This will be a standard amount that will be paid unless an alternative method of sharing cost is mutually agreed upon by the fishing team. The boater and non-boater should discuss their planned fishing locations before the start of the tournament. If the non-boater wants to fish in a location that would cause extended travel time, the non-boater should in good faith give the boater more money to compensate him for the non­ boaters longer run.

9.No contestant shall be under the influence of an alcoholic, beverage or under the influence of drugs preceding or during the tournament. Exceptions will be prescribed medication.

10. Trolling is prohibited

11. While a contestant in the tournament you must have one foot in the boat (dry) at all times, unless retrieving a lure from a floating platform or dock.

12. Courtesy rules. All boats must follow applicable boating laws. Competitors should not touch boats for the purpose of fishing and should maintain a thirty (30) yard distance from each other. You may fish closer than that if there is a structure between you (reeds, pads, rice, etc.). A boat can control an area only if anchored and the trolling motor is up. You may not block access through channels, or other narrowed down areas. If a competitor is fishing with the trolling motor down, it is against the rules for anyone to come with 100 yards of him under full throttle operation. You cannot specifically or intentionally cut off a competitor from fishing an obvious point or structure. It is permissible to fish close to each other if there is a verbal agreement between both parties to do so. If traveling down the same weed line or shoreline in opposite direction towards each other, you may pass each other, courteously.

13. Weigh-in/Scoring. Tournament standings will be determined by the total weight of the fish, either largemouth and/or small mouth bass. There is an eight (6) fish limit per team. Team will weigh in their own fish. Fish will be measured with the mouth closed and the tail pinched. In the event of a tie the team entering the largest fish will receive top honors. Each dead fish will receive a four ounce deduction from total weight. Lateness to weigh-in is subject to disqualification. If a contestant has to leave the tournament for any reason a note will be left with the tournament director or weighmaster's vehicle that the contestant has left. Dead fish will not be culled ; they will be removed from the launce site, not into the lake. 

14. For purposes of scoring each member of a team will receive one half of the weight of the team's entered fish.Biggest fish in a bag will be credited to the catcher. Year end champions will be determined by combining the best five tourney weights of each fisherman.

15. Protests. Any protest regarding violations of tournament rules must be reported to the tournament director or weighmaster within fifteen (15) minutes of weigh-in.

16. Harassment. In the case of local boater or non-competitor harassment, make sure you are in the right and obtain any information from the boat, etc. We will turn this information into the local authorities. Don't get into a shouting match, etc., back off and we will pursue this through proper channels.

17. Boater and non-boater shall share the front of the boat with equal time unless an agreement of all parties in the same vessel. The boater has the right to pick which half of the time up front he wants. The boater has the authority to take possession of the front of the boat if either the boat or any participants are unsafe. The boater shall be the driver of the boat while underway with the main engine unless an agreement of all in same vessel.

18. It is the responsibility of the non boater for each tournament to contact their partner, by 6:00 p.m. on the Wednesday prior to each tournament. If for any reason the non-boater cannot confirm with his partner, they will notify the tournament director and he will be given a new partner.

19. If for any reason three people must fish from one boat, the tournament director will decide which boat will be used, by lottery and notify the boater. The new partner will be given the center position of the boat, unless agreed upon by all three partners.