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Official Bass-N-Bucks Tournament Rules and Regulations
(Updated 11/15/12)
(Updated 11/15/12)
TRAILERING: Contestants will be allowed to trailer at all Bass-N-Bucks (BNB) tournament lakes, to help minimize the ramp traffic at the registration check in sites, keep angler fishing times equal, and allow anglers to return to the weigh in sites by water, when possible, or, to trailer back when they desire. Sam Rayburn Spring Division Only: The BNB staff will conduct a survey on December 1, 2012, during the weigh in, to determine if the participating anglers want to do a numbered start or stay with trailering for the remainder of the tournaments. The rules will be updated after the survey for the remainder of the tournaments.
RULE CHANGES: Great effort, study and research have gone into the formation of these rules. In the event of a rule violation, the Tournament Director (TD) may impose such sanctions as they deem appropriate, including, without limitation, disqualification, and forfeiture of prizes, entry fees, and prohibition from participation in subsequent tournaments. The decision of the TD is final.
PARTICIPATION and ELIGIBILITY: Anyone that has been disqualified from any fishing tournament must inform the TD before entering a BNB tournament (being disqualified from a previous tournament does not automatically prevent entry). Participation in BNB tournaments are open to contestants who are 16 years of age or older. A wavier must be signed by a parent or guardian for contestants under the age of 16. The BNB TD will reserve the right to refuse or disqualify entries. During tournament hours, every boat must have Boat Liability Insurance with effective dates (for the tournament date). There is no minimum, but you must have coverage. These will be polygraph questions.
PRE- FISHING, FISH LOCATING and POLYGRAPH: Each tournament has an off limits period from midnight until the posted start time on the day of the tournament. This is the only off limits time period. Start, stop, and weigh in cut off times are posted on the BNB web site (www.bassnbucks.com) on the Monday prior to the tournament date. Contestants can also contact the BNB TD by phone, email, or at the registration check in location. Pre-fishing may be done on any day prior to the tournament day. During the tournament hours, contestants may not have the assistance or advice of anyone for the purpose of locating or catching bass, other than from another contestant in the tournament. No one is permitted to “hole sit” for contestants. Communication devices may be used in the event of an emergency or for reasons other than catching or locating bass. By entering a BNB tournament, each contestant agrees to abide by all BNB contest rules, and all federal, state, and local laws. All contestants are subject to a polygraph examination, which may be administered to winners, randomly, or in the event of a protest, or they will risk disqualification.
OFFICIAL DESIGNATED OBSERVER and OR FILM PERSON(S): BNB may request that an observer and/or film crew is allowed to follow or ride in a contestant’s boat during tournament hours. The contestant(s), by submitting the entry form, agree to let BNB use any film, photos, audio and or written accounts of the activities during the BNB tournament, weigh in, and award presentations for reasons relevant to the BNB and Bud Light Trail (BLT) programs.
SAFETY and CANCELATION: Safe boating conduct must be observed at all times by tournament contestants. During tournament hours, each contestant is required to wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved life preserver anytime the combustion engine is in gear. The preserver must be strapped, snapped, or zippered securely and maintained in that condition until the contestant reaches their fishing location and the combustion engine is no longer in gear. The TD may cancel and reschedule the tournament based on severe weather or other factors that might endanger the safety of the contestants. Contestants will be notified about tournament rescheduling on the BNB web site and through the Bud Light Trail (BLT) E-newsletter. It is the contestants’ responsibility to check the web site and/or E-newsletter.
SPORTSMANSHIP, FISH ALTERATIONS, or CHEATING: Contestants 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. During all tournament/contest hours, no contestant shall use alcohol or drugs other than those prescribed by a physician. This will be grounds for immediate disqualification. Maximum courtesy must be practiced at all times, especially in the vicinity of any other boaters. Alteration of a fish from its natural state is prohibited during a contest. The adding of weights, modifying fish tails, or any other method used to alter fish length or weight, stuffing foreign substance(s) into the fish, or other alterations, is prohibited during a contest. It will be the contestant’s responsibility to notify the TD of hooks, weighted hooks, etc., left inside the fish before the fish is weighed, or they risk disqualification.
TACKLE, EQUIPMENT and LANDING FISH: Dip nets are allowed and team members may land each other’s catch. Vinyl or rubber coated nets are recommended. Only artificial lures may be used. No “live bait” or prepared bait will be permitted, with the exception of pork strips, rinds, etc. Only one rod and one reel may be used, with bait in the water, by each contestant at any one time. All bass must be caught live and in a conventional sporting manner. Anyone guilty of snatching or snagging visible fish will be disqualified. All visible or bedding fish must be hooked inside the mouth. No gaffing or grippers may be used to land fish. During tournament hours, contestants cannot leave the boat to land or spot fish, but may leave the boat to retrieve a bait or for other necessary reasons.
HORSEPOWER REGULATIONS: No motors may exceed the maximum Coast Guard rating. This rule is to prevent an altered or factory motor from exceeding the boats horsepower rating.
BOAT MOTOR AND BREAKDOWNS: For the safety of all, boats must be equipped with some type of ignition kill switch. This device must be attached to the driver any time the combustion engine is operating. All boats must be 15 feet or more in length. Jet drive or air boats are prohibited. Raised platform or decks higher than the gunnels are prohibited. An electric trolling motor may be used for positioning only. Trolling for the purposes of fishing is prohibited. Only manufacturer approved gas tanks are permitted. Stick steering boats are prohibited. In the event of a break down, contestants may contact another contestant to bring their catch back to weigh in. One contestant from the disabled boat must accompany the catch back to the weigh in. Contestants may contact the TD by phone or wave down other boaters to ask for assistance. However, the contestants’ disabled boat catch must be brought back to the weigh in location by another tournament contestants’ boat either trailered or by water before the weigh in cut off time.
BASIC BOAT EQUIPMENT: Contestants’ boats must have all required safety equipment. In addition, it must have a functional bilge pump and live well space, properly aerated, to adequately maintain a limit catch of bass.
PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS: All contestants may only fish on the tournament lake specified on their entry form. Anglers can only fish in tournament lake water that is accessible by boat from the dam (the main lake). No fishing within 25 yards of another contestant’s boat which was first anchored or secured in a fixed position with the trolling motor out of the water. BNB contestants must be at least 25 yards away from all tournament contestants when the trolling motor is down. All such boats are required to advise any other contestant of being too close. Contestants cannot use this rule in boat lanes or other narrow passages to block passage to commonly fished areas. All angling must be done from the contestants’ boat. Contestants cannot leave their boat to make the boat more accessible to fishing waters. Contestants must observe all posted Federal, State and local off limits areas.
START AND STOP FISHING TIMES: Official time will be set to match cell phone network time (we understand there can be a small discrepancy between providers- the purpose of this rule is to allow all contestants the same amount of fishing time. If you have any questions regarding official times, please contact the TD). Contestants who are posted on the BNB web site as early entries may leave their launch sites on the tournament day at any time prior to the start fishing time. All contestants may start fishing at the official “Start Time” (posted on the BNB web site one week prior to the tournament date, and given at morning registration, based off of “Safe Light” - we caution contestants to be careful if they choose to travel on the water before safe light!). Contestants who are registering on the morning of the tournament will get their boat number, start, stop, and weigh in cut off time at the registration location beginning at 5:00 AM. All contestants must stop fishing (have their bait out of the water) by 3:00 PM, and be checked in, with their catch, by a BNB tournament official at the official weigh in line, before 4:00 PM. The TD can extend the weigh in cut off time, if they feel it is necessary. Contestants will check in at weigh in location with their assigned boat number. Contestants will be disqualified if they do not check in, with their catch; by 4:00 PM, unless extended by the TD. Polygraph questions will be asked regarding start and stop fishing times.
OFFICIAL REGISTRATION & WEIGH IN LOCATION: Official registration sites will be noted on the BNB web site and a tournament official will be there by 5:00 AM on the morning of every tournament for late registration. There will be only one official weigh in location and a tournament official will be there by 10:00 AM (at the latest), and will accept contestants’ catches until the 4:00 PM weigh in cut off time. Teams can call the TD to arrange an earlier weigh in time. All contestants must be registered to obtain a boat number and to get start fishing, stop fishing, and weigh in cut off information. Boat numbers will be assigned in the order received by mail and online first, and then resumed on the morning of the tournament at the tournament registration location. BNB early entries received by mail, post marked by Monday before the tournament, and online credit card entries received by Friday at 5:00 PM before the tournament, may get their information prior to the tournament date off of the BNB web site and do not have to come by the morning registration location. Tournament officials suggest early entry contestants and online credit card contestants print a copy of their information or write it down. Contestants will need their assigned boat numbers at the weigh in. If a contestant mailed, or submitted online, their paid entry, but are not posted on the BNB web site before the tournament date, the contestants can call the TD to resolve the situation. If the situation cannot be resolved with proof of paid entry, before the Monday post marked date or Thursday online cutoff date, the contestant(s) must come to the registration location on the morning of the tournament and complete registration. BNB officials will work diligently to investigate the cause of the situation, and to find a resolution at the tournament registration, or as soon as possible at a later date. BNB contestants who enter the BNB tournament on the morning of the tournament will be charged an additional $10 late fee per team.
REMOTE OR OFF LAKE REGISTRATION AND WEIGH IN LOCATIONS: BNB may use remote or off lake registration and weigh in sites for some tournaments. The same registration and weigh-in procedures will apply. The registration and weigh in site will be posted on the BNB website.
FISH CARE: The contestants should weigh in, as soon as possible, upon returning to the weigh in site. To ensure live release of the fish, please do not wait to the last minute to enter the weigh in line. All fish will be put in chemically treated, aerated tanks and returned to the tournament lake at the conclusion of the weigh in. Contestants may use their own weigh bags or get one to use at the weigh in location. Fish will be taken from the weigh bag by a tournament official and placed in a mesh bag to be weighed.
SCORING AND DEAD FISH PENALTY: Contestants’ standings and final winners will be determined by only the contestants’ team catch weights on tournament days. Weights will be documented in decimal pounds to the nearest one hundredth of a pound. Only Largemouth, Smallmouth, and Spotted Bass will be weighed. The limit shall be five (5) bass per day. At no time shall a team have more than five (5) bass in the live well. Culling is allowed. State law does not allow culling of a dead fish. Only bass 14” or larger, measured from closed mouth to squeezed tail by the TD or tournament official, will be allowed. A courtesy measuring board will be available at the weigh in site for contestants to check their fish before weighing in. If a short or slot fish is measured by a tournament official at the weigh in, a five (5) pound penalty will be subtracted and the short or slot fish will not be weighed. There will be a 0.50 pound penalty for each dead fish presented at the weigh in.
SCORING AND DEAD FISH PENALTY - LAKE FORK EXEMPTION: The BNB program will allow all bass caught less than 16" on Lake Fork to be weighed in. There will be no minimum size requirement on Lake Fork, as stated in the BNB rules for all other team tournaments.
TIES: In case of a tie, all cash money will be split between the contestants involved. In the event of a tie where a boat or other prize is awarded that cannot be split, the contestant(s) with the largest bass will be awarded the prize. If this is not possible, the TD will flip a coin and the winner will be awarded the prize.
PROTESTS: All protests must be signed and submitted in writing within 10 minutes of the final weigh in time.
PRIZES: All prizes and angler results will be posted on the BNB web site. Pay out schedules and angler prizes are determined by the number of paid entries and sponsor participation. Contestants who are eligible for prize money should not leave the weigh in location before the weigh in is completed without notifying the TD. The Prize money will be handed out at the conclusion of the weigh in and polygraph examinations.
SUBSTITUTIONS: AOY Standings (total weight and the number of division events fished) only accumulate as a two person team, however, either member may fish alone to represent the team if one team member is unable to fish a tournament. There are no substitute team members allowed for AOY Standings; If a change in partner does occur, this represents a new team with a new AOY Standings. Special circumstances will be considered on a case by case basis (partner moves out of state, becomes ill, etc.). Each team’s AOY Standings and number of division events fished will be kept on file to allow all teams to maintain their AOY Standings in the event that teams reunite. Any team may fish any tournament within a division and add to their AOY Standings in that division. Once Championship qualifications are met, all BNB division qualifiers may enter all BLT and BNB Region Championship tournaments for that year.
RULE CHANGES: Great effort, study and research have gone into the formation of these rules. In the event of a rule violation, the Tournament Director (TD) may impose such sanctions as they deem appropriate, including, without limitation, disqualification, and forfeiture of prizes, entry fees, and prohibition from participation in subsequent tournaments. The decision of the TD is final.
PARTICIPATION and ELIGIBILITY: Anyone that has been disqualified from any fishing tournament must inform the TD before entering a BNB tournament (being disqualified from a previous tournament does not automatically prevent entry). Participation in BNB tournaments are open to contestants who are 16 years of age or older. A wavier must be signed by a parent or guardian for contestants under the age of 16. The BNB TD will reserve the right to refuse or disqualify entries. During tournament hours, every boat must have Boat Liability Insurance with effective dates (for the tournament date). There is no minimum, but you must have coverage. These will be polygraph questions.
PRE- FISHING, FISH LOCATING and POLYGRAPH: Each tournament has an off limits period from midnight until the posted start time on the day of the tournament. This is the only off limits time period. Start, stop, and weigh in cut off times are posted on the BNB web site (www.bassnbucks.com) on the Monday prior to the tournament date. Contestants can also contact the BNB TD by phone, email, or at the registration check in location. Pre-fishing may be done on any day prior to the tournament day. During the tournament hours, contestants may not have the assistance or advice of anyone for the purpose of locating or catching bass, other than from another contestant in the tournament. No one is permitted to “hole sit” for contestants. Communication devices may be used in the event of an emergency or for reasons other than catching or locating bass. By entering a BNB tournament, each contestant agrees to abide by all BNB contest rules, and all federal, state, and local laws. All contestants are subject to a polygraph examination, which may be administered to winners, randomly, or in the event of a protest, or they will risk disqualification.
OFFICIAL DESIGNATED OBSERVER and OR FILM PERSON(S): BNB may request that an observer and/or film crew is allowed to follow or ride in a contestant’s boat during tournament hours. The contestant(s), by submitting the entry form, agree to let BNB use any film, photos, audio and or written accounts of the activities during the BNB tournament, weigh in, and award presentations for reasons relevant to the BNB and Bud Light Trail (BLT) programs.
SAFETY and CANCELATION: Safe boating conduct must be observed at all times by tournament contestants. During tournament hours, each contestant is required to wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved life preserver anytime the combustion engine is in gear. The preserver must be strapped, snapped, or zippered securely and maintained in that condition until the contestant reaches their fishing location and the combustion engine is no longer in gear. The TD may cancel and reschedule the tournament based on severe weather or other factors that might endanger the safety of the contestants. Contestants will be notified about tournament rescheduling on the BNB web site and through the Bud Light Trail (BLT) E-newsletter. It is the contestants’ responsibility to check the web site and/or E-newsletter.
SPORTSMANSHIP, FISH ALTERATIONS, or CHEATING: Contestants 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. During all tournament/contest hours, no contestant shall use alcohol or drugs other than those prescribed by a physician. This will be grounds for immediate disqualification. Maximum courtesy must be practiced at all times, especially in the vicinity of any other boaters. Alteration of a fish from its natural state is prohibited during a contest. The adding of weights, modifying fish tails, or any other method used to alter fish length or weight, stuffing foreign substance(s) into the fish, or other alterations, is prohibited during a contest. It will be the contestant’s responsibility to notify the TD of hooks, weighted hooks, etc., left inside the fish before the fish is weighed, or they risk disqualification.
TACKLE, EQUIPMENT and LANDING FISH: Dip nets are allowed and team members may land each other’s catch. Vinyl or rubber coated nets are recommended. Only artificial lures may be used. No “live bait” or prepared bait will be permitted, with the exception of pork strips, rinds, etc. Only one rod and one reel may be used, with bait in the water, by each contestant at any one time. All bass must be caught live and in a conventional sporting manner. Anyone guilty of snatching or snagging visible fish will be disqualified. All visible or bedding fish must be hooked inside the mouth. No gaffing or grippers may be used to land fish. During tournament hours, contestants cannot leave the boat to land or spot fish, but may leave the boat to retrieve a bait or for other necessary reasons.
HORSEPOWER REGULATIONS: No motors may exceed the maximum Coast Guard rating. This rule is to prevent an altered or factory motor from exceeding the boats horsepower rating.
BOAT MOTOR AND BREAKDOWNS: For the safety of all, boats must be equipped with some type of ignition kill switch. This device must be attached to the driver any time the combustion engine is operating. All boats must be 15 feet or more in length. Jet drive or air boats are prohibited. Raised platform or decks higher than the gunnels are prohibited. An electric trolling motor may be used for positioning only. Trolling for the purposes of fishing is prohibited. Only manufacturer approved gas tanks are permitted. Stick steering boats are prohibited. In the event of a break down, contestants may contact another contestant to bring their catch back to weigh in. One contestant from the disabled boat must accompany the catch back to the weigh in. Contestants may contact the TD by phone or wave down other boaters to ask for assistance. However, the contestants’ disabled boat catch must be brought back to the weigh in location by another tournament contestants’ boat either trailered or by water before the weigh in cut off time.
BASIC BOAT EQUIPMENT: Contestants’ boats must have all required safety equipment. In addition, it must have a functional bilge pump and live well space, properly aerated, to adequately maintain a limit catch of bass.
PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS: All contestants may only fish on the tournament lake specified on their entry form. Anglers can only fish in tournament lake water that is accessible by boat from the dam (the main lake). No fishing within 25 yards of another contestant’s boat which was first anchored or secured in a fixed position with the trolling motor out of the water. BNB contestants must be at least 25 yards away from all tournament contestants when the trolling motor is down. All such boats are required to advise any other contestant of being too close. Contestants cannot use this rule in boat lanes or other narrow passages to block passage to commonly fished areas. All angling must be done from the contestants’ boat. Contestants cannot leave their boat to make the boat more accessible to fishing waters. Contestants must observe all posted Federal, State and local off limits areas.
START AND STOP FISHING TIMES: Official time will be set to match cell phone network time (we understand there can be a small discrepancy between providers- the purpose of this rule is to allow all contestants the same amount of fishing time. If you have any questions regarding official times, please contact the TD). Contestants who are posted on the BNB web site as early entries may leave their launch sites on the tournament day at any time prior to the start fishing time. All contestants may start fishing at the official “Start Time” (posted on the BNB web site one week prior to the tournament date, and given at morning registration, based off of “Safe Light” - we caution contestants to be careful if they choose to travel on the water before safe light!). Contestants who are registering on the morning of the tournament will get their boat number, start, stop, and weigh in cut off time at the registration location beginning at 5:00 AM. All contestants must stop fishing (have their bait out of the water) by 3:00 PM, and be checked in, with their catch, by a BNB tournament official at the official weigh in line, before 4:00 PM. The TD can extend the weigh in cut off time, if they feel it is necessary. Contestants will check in at weigh in location with their assigned boat number. Contestants will be disqualified if they do not check in, with their catch; by 4:00 PM, unless extended by the TD. Polygraph questions will be asked regarding start and stop fishing times.
OFFICIAL REGISTRATION & WEIGH IN LOCATION: Official registration sites will be noted on the BNB web site and a tournament official will be there by 5:00 AM on the morning of every tournament for late registration. There will be only one official weigh in location and a tournament official will be there by 10:00 AM (at the latest), and will accept contestants’ catches until the 4:00 PM weigh in cut off time. Teams can call the TD to arrange an earlier weigh in time. All contestants must be registered to obtain a boat number and to get start fishing, stop fishing, and weigh in cut off information. Boat numbers will be assigned in the order received by mail and online first, and then resumed on the morning of the tournament at the tournament registration location. BNB early entries received by mail, post marked by Monday before the tournament, and online credit card entries received by Friday at 5:00 PM before the tournament, may get their information prior to the tournament date off of the BNB web site and do not have to come by the morning registration location. Tournament officials suggest early entry contestants and online credit card contestants print a copy of their information or write it down. Contestants will need their assigned boat numbers at the weigh in. If a contestant mailed, or submitted online, their paid entry, but are not posted on the BNB web site before the tournament date, the contestants can call the TD to resolve the situation. If the situation cannot be resolved with proof of paid entry, before the Monday post marked date or Thursday online cutoff date, the contestant(s) must come to the registration location on the morning of the tournament and complete registration. BNB officials will work diligently to investigate the cause of the situation, and to find a resolution at the tournament registration, or as soon as possible at a later date. BNB contestants who enter the BNB tournament on the morning of the tournament will be charged an additional $10 late fee per team.
REMOTE OR OFF LAKE REGISTRATION AND WEIGH IN LOCATIONS: BNB may use remote or off lake registration and weigh in sites for some tournaments. The same registration and weigh-in procedures will apply. The registration and weigh in site will be posted on the BNB website.
FISH CARE: The contestants should weigh in, as soon as possible, upon returning to the weigh in site. To ensure live release of the fish, please do not wait to the last minute to enter the weigh in line. All fish will be put in chemically treated, aerated tanks and returned to the tournament lake at the conclusion of the weigh in. Contestants may use their own weigh bags or get one to use at the weigh in location. Fish will be taken from the weigh bag by a tournament official and placed in a mesh bag to be weighed.
SCORING AND DEAD FISH PENALTY: Contestants’ standings and final winners will be determined by only the contestants’ team catch weights on tournament days. Weights will be documented in decimal pounds to the nearest one hundredth of a pound. Only Largemouth, Smallmouth, and Spotted Bass will be weighed. The limit shall be five (5) bass per day. At no time shall a team have more than five (5) bass in the live well. Culling is allowed. State law does not allow culling of a dead fish. Only bass 14” or larger, measured from closed mouth to squeezed tail by the TD or tournament official, will be allowed. A courtesy measuring board will be available at the weigh in site for contestants to check their fish before weighing in. If a short or slot fish is measured by a tournament official at the weigh in, a five (5) pound penalty will be subtracted and the short or slot fish will not be weighed. There will be a 0.50 pound penalty for each dead fish presented at the weigh in.
SCORING AND DEAD FISH PENALTY - LAKE FORK EXEMPTION: The BNB program will allow all bass caught less than 16" on Lake Fork to be weighed in. There will be no minimum size requirement on Lake Fork, as stated in the BNB rules for all other team tournaments.
TIES: In case of a tie, all cash money will be split between the contestants involved. In the event of a tie where a boat or other prize is awarded that cannot be split, the contestant(s) with the largest bass will be awarded the prize. If this is not possible, the TD will flip a coin and the winner will be awarded the prize.
PROTESTS: All protests must be signed and submitted in writing within 10 minutes of the final weigh in time.
PRIZES: All prizes and angler results will be posted on the BNB web site. Pay out schedules and angler prizes are determined by the number of paid entries and sponsor participation. Contestants who are eligible for prize money should not leave the weigh in location before the weigh in is completed without notifying the TD. The Prize money will be handed out at the conclusion of the weigh in and polygraph examinations.
SUBSTITUTIONS: AOY Standings (total weight and the number of division events fished) only accumulate as a two person team, however, either member may fish alone to represent the team if one team member is unable to fish a tournament. There are no substitute team members allowed for AOY Standings; If a change in partner does occur, this represents a new team with a new AOY Standings. Special circumstances will be considered on a case by case basis (partner moves out of state, becomes ill, etc.). Each team’s AOY Standings and number of division events fished will be kept on file to allow all teams to maintain their AOY Standings in the event that teams reunite. Any team may fish any tournament within a division and add to their AOY Standings in that division. Once Championship qualifications are met, all BNB division qualifiers may enter all BLT and BNB Region Championship tournaments for that year.
