University of Arkansas

Bass Team

Official Qualifier Rules

Official Rules

·         Interpretation and enforcement of these rules shall be left exclusively to the President and in the event of his or her absence the Vice President will assume the role. In the event of a rule violation the President may impose such sanctions as deemed appropriate by them, including without limitation, disqualification, and forfeiture of prizes and or points.

·         Points will be awarded after the weigh in.

·         There is no dead water time teams are allowed to practice as much as wanted.

·         Tournament hours will be from safe light until a time appointed by the president.

·         Starting positions will be determined by a drawing prior to the event.

·         There is no limit to the amount of subs you can have, but each sub must be a member of the team.

·         Subs that are not on the team, but wish to fish must pay $30 to join the team in the middle of the year.

·         Safe boating conduct must be observed at all times. Each competitor is required to wear a Coast Guard approved life vest, securely fastened, at all times while the boat is being propelled by the combustion engine. Furthermore a kill switch must be fastened to the driver anytime the combustion engine is propelling the boat. Failure to do so is grounds for disqualification of the offending team’s catch. Running lights must be operational and turned on a the blast-off of each tournament. Each competitor’s boat must be equipped with a livewell system capable of keeping a tournament limit of bass alive.

·         Each contestant is expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, and conversation. NO TEAM MAY FISH WITHIN 50 YARDS OF ANY OTHER BOAT WHICH IS ANCHORED WITH THE TROLLING MOTOR UP, FURTHERMORE NO TEAM MAY FISH WITHIN 25 YARDS OF ANY OTHER BOAT WITHOUT THE OTHER TEAM’S PERMISSION. PERMISSION MAY NOT BE GRANTED TO ANY TEAM AT THE EXCLUSION OF ANY OTHER. No hole sitting by a non-competitor to aid a tournament participant will be allowed. Violators will have their catch disqualified.

·         Only artificial baits may be used. No live or cut bait is permitted (pork baits are permitted). All bass must be caught alive in a legal and sporting manner. No snagging. Each competitor may only use 1 rod at a time. No more than 1 line in the water at a time. Trolling with the combustion motor is not permitted. No competitor may leave their boat to catch or land a fish.

·         All participants are required to abide by all state and federal laws and game regulations. Any participant who consumes, or is under the influence of alcoholic beverages, stimulants, or depressants during any event will have their catch disqualified. (Prescribed medications taken per doctor’s instructions are ecluded.)

·         A limit of five fish may be weighed in (unless determined otherwise before the tournament due to fishing conditions). Minimum length will be determined by state laws (Beaver is 12” for spot and 15” for smallmouth and largemouth). Lengths will be measured on a “Will-e-Go flat” ruler. A SHORT FISH BROUGHT TO THE SCALES WILL NOT BE WEIGHED, AND WILL RESULT IN A 2 LB PENALTY. DEAD FISH WILL BE PENALIZED ½ LB. The dead fish penalty will also apply to any fish weighed as a Big Fish if that fish is dead. ALL CULLING MUST BE DONE ON THE LAKE BEFORE WEIGH IN TIME!; no team may have more than the tournament limit in the livewell at any time during the tournament, with the exception of dead fish.

·         Competitors shall remain with their partners in the boat at all times during the tournament except in the event of sickness or brief excursions for “nature calling”, severe storm or other hazard. Competitors may leave the boat to dislodge it, but only to return the boat the direction it came from. If for any reason either or both team members decide to leave the tournament waters early, bother members shall bear full responsibility for notifying the tournament official. If one team member leaves the water early, he/she may not return and resume fishing. However, his/her partner may continue fishing for the remainder of the tournament. In case of a breakdown, one partner may return with fish by another team or boat while the other partner is permitted to stay with the disabled boat.

·         Competitors who are not checked in at the official weigh in time will be penalized a pound per minute late starting at 5 minutes after official weigh time. You are given a 5 minute grace period. All fishing must be done at official weigh time. The grace period is in place for engine trouble, dead batteries, etc. You have an extra 5 minutes to get in. At 5 minutes 1 second you will be deducted a pound and a pound every minute after that.

·         Weighing of fish must be done on official tournament scale. If you have to leave early you must find the president or vice president to weigh your fish.

·         You must check in both the morning and weigh. If a team arrives after launch then they’re bag will not be weighed.

·         Points will be awarded for placement. See points sheet.

·         All discrepancy’s must be resolved before weigh in is concluded. If you see someone break the rules you must tell an officer before weigh inn concludes.

·         Inclement weather: teams will NOT be punished by a late penalty if they take shelter on the bank due to severe weather.