Midwest Bassmasters Tournament Rules

Tournaments:  Tournament dues will be $ 70  dollars annually.  Most of this goes to paying your dues to the B.A.S.S. Federation,  and to the B.A.S.S. State Federation. 

Eightt scheduled tournaments will be held yearly in the months of March through October on the third Sunday of each month at lakes within a 250-mile radius of Wichita.  Only one lake per year may be picked that is outside the 250-mile radius.  The Tournament Committee shall determine the order in which the chosen lakes are fished and may change the dates we fish them with respect to holidays and holidays and Kansas Bass Chapter Federation tournament dates only.  The dates chosen by the tournament committee shall be approved by a simple majority vote of those members who have paid their dues and who are present at the February meeting.  If the tournament committee’s presented schedule does not pass by a simple majority vote, then the tournament dates will be voted on by the membership on a month-to-month basis, until a final tournament schedule is determined.  This will require only a simple majority vote.  After the dates have been approved by the membership, a 2/3 majority vote will be required to change the date of any tournament.    Any questions regarding tournament rules and locations will be decided by the Tournament Committee and those decisions will be final.  Tournaments will run from safe light and last at least 8 hours.  Boaters must honor other contestants established fishing locations by not pulling in on them.  A distance of 50 feet will be maintained if pulling in behind and 100 yards if pulling in front of an established fishing direction unless other agreements are made by all four contestants.

Tournament Prizes: For each tournament we collect 10$ a person. .Cash prizes will be awarded from the club treasury from tournament dues with 100% payback.  Participant’s share will be as follows: First place is 70 %, Second place is 30% .  In the event that no fish are caught, the prize money will carry over to the following tournament and will be added to that prize money and will be distributed with the same percentage rates.  Any prize money not paid out on the last tournament of the year will revert back to the club treasury and will not be disbursed as prize money.  Tournament ties will be decided in favor of the team with the least number of fish.   If a tie still exists, the team with largest fish by weight will win.  If a tie still exists, the team with the longest fish will win.

Big Bass of the Tournament: We also usually have a big bass of the day pot which is another $10 per person (optional but most everyone participates). 

Points System:  Points for the final standings of the year are currently not being practiced but have in the past.  

Species of Fish:  Points will be awarded for the following species of fish: Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass and Spotted (Kentucky) Bass.

Pre-Tournament Meetings: A pre-tournament meeting will be held on site prior to blast off.  All anglers are required to attend.  Blast off order will be drawn at the previous regular chapter meeting, with the boats represented getting the upper part of the blast off order.  Boats not represented will be drawn by the officers and will be in the latter part of the blast off order.  Blast off site and weigh in site will be established at the pre-tournament meeting.  Any angler/team that was not in attendance must contact an officer to be briefed on the meeting contents prior to blast off.  Any team arriving after blast off must locate a participating boat for a livewell check and to be briefed on meeting contents prior to beginning their fishing.

Legal Length Limits: Tournaments will be one of two categories: (a) Partner Fish or (b) Paper Fish.

a.     Partner fished lakes will honor the prevailing length limit but fish less than 12 inches will not be considered for weigh in.  The creel limit for each team in a partner-fished lake will be 5 fish.  A single member may fish alone and weigh in 5 fish.  Fish shorter than the prevailing length limit or 12 inches, which ever is relevant, that is brought in for weighing will be cause for a penalty of one point and two pounds and loss of the fish.  Any angler may request two members of the Tournament Committee to give him a courtesy measurement prior to bringing a questionable fish to the scales.  If the fish is determined to be of legal length, that team will bring their catch to the scales immediately and will not be subject to another measurement.  If it is found to be short, it must be returned to the water immediately and the team will not be penalized.

b.     Paper fished lakes will be predominate, especially when the prevailing length limit is 18 inches or more.    Paper fished tournaments will allow teams to list a maximum of 5 fish.  A single member may list 5 fish. Only fish over 12 inches will be counted for weigh-in.  At the preceding regular meeting, partners will draw for a different fishing companion.  The companion will be responsible for measuring and logging the other angler’s fish.  Big bass of the year cannot qualify on paper but will be allowed to win the big bass of the day.  Big bass of the year must be a legal length fish weighed individually at a tournament.

Weigh-In: The weigh-in will be conducted by the officers and/or tournament committee members of the club.  Any team in a partner fish tournament, or team member in a paper fish tournament that is late to weigh-in will be penalized one pound per minute up to 10 minutes.  After ten minutes the team/team members will be disqualified.  Anglers will be penalized 1 pound for each dead fish brought to the scales.

Preservation of Fish: All boats must be equipped with operating aerated live wells.  All live fish will be returned to the water as soon as possible after weigh-in.

Single Member in Tournament: One angler may fish alone in a boat but only as a last resort.  An angler may fish with another club member but must keep fish separate.  Last minute problems with single team members on paper-fished lakes will be dealt with on site.

Tackle and Method of Fishing: Only one rod and reel may be in use by each contestant at any one time, and each cast must be completed before another is made.  Only artificial lures may be used, no live bait or prepared bait.  Pork rind trailers and scents may be used with artificial lures.  All areas that can be legally fished are open to contestants.  All fishing must be conducted from the boat. A contestant may not leave his boat to help gain access to other water.  Trolling with the combustion outboard is prohibited.

Fishing License: A valid fishing license is required.

Safety: A Coast Guard approved life vest will be worn and fastened while the combustion outboard is in operation.  A kill switch is mandatory and will be attached to the driver during the tournament competition.  Boating safety and courtesy are stressed at all times.  The Tournament Committee will make all decisions on changes due to weather.

Pro’s Pointer: The top 3 finishing teams at a tournament shall share their strategy and tactics at the next regular club meeting.

Alternates:  Alternate members may pair up and fish as a team in club tournaments, provided they have not been selected as an alternate for an existing team in that tournament.  In the case that on alternate desires to fish and cannot find another alternate to pair up with, that alternate may fish the tournament as a single person team, provided they pay the full tourney fee.  The team or individual would be required to pay the fees at at the meeting prior to the tournament they wish to participate in and would be eligible to receive the payout for that tournament.  They would not, however, accumulate points for the end of the year payout.  Tournament points will be awarded to permanent teams based on the order they finish in regard to other permanent teams.

 The above tournament rules have been approved by members present on the XX day of February 200x. Signatures of Tournament Committee Members: