Mr Bass Rules

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2025 MR BASS 0F ARKANSAS TOURNAMENT RULES

1. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE ENTRY OF ANY APPLICANT AT OUR DISCRETION.

2. PARTICIPANTS, ELIGIBILTY & REGISTRATION: PARTICIPATION IN EACH TOURNAMENT IS OPEN TO ALL MEMBERS IN GOOD STANDING. ANGLERS CAN JOIN AT TRADER BILLS, SOUTHERN REEL OUTFITTERS OR ONLINE BY ENCLOSING A $100.00 MEMBERSHIP FEE PER ANGLER. ENTRY FEE IS $300.00 PER QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT. THE CHAMPIONSHIP HAS A $300.00 ENTRY FEE ALSO. YOU WILL NOT AUTOMATICALLY QUALIFY FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP UNLESS YOU ARE PAYING FOR ALL TOURNAMENTS. WE ACCEPT ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS WITH A $10.00 PER TOURNAMENT HANDLING FEE. ANGLERS MUST BE REGISTERED BY THE WEDNESDAY BEFORE EACH TOURNAMENT BY 11:59 PM OR WILL ALSO BE CHARGED A $25.00 LATE FEE. IF AN ANGLER DID NOT ATTEND THE FIRST MANDATORY MEETING & WANTS TO FISH A MID SEASON EVENT, THE ANGLER MUST ATTEND A MANDATORY 1 HOUR ORIENTATION. EACH PARTICIPANT MUST COMPLETE A MEMBERSHIP FORM/LIABILITY FORM, ENTRY FORM, AND A W-9 TAX FORM TO BE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE.

3. SAFETY: SAFE BOATING WILL BE OBSERVED AT ALL TIMES. EACH PARTICIPANT IS REQUIRED TO WEAR A FASTENED U.S. COAST GUARD APPROVED LIFE PRESERVER ANYTIME THE BOAT IS ON PLANE. ALL BOATS MUST BE EQUIPPED WITH A KILL SWITCH.

4. SPORTSMANSHIP AND CODE OF CONDUCT: MR BASS HAS THE RIGHT TO REFUSE or DISQUALIFY ANY PARTICIPANT TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY MR BASS TOURNAMENTS. ALL PARTICIPANTS ARE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF SPORTSMANSHIP AND CONSERVATION. Anglers participating in any MR BASS event shall observe this code of conduct and the applicable rules for the specific event in which they are participating. Anglers and family members of anglers shall, at all times, conduct themselves in a professional manner that demonstrates integrity, honor and respect toward fellow competitors, tournament staff and the general public and does not reflect unfavorably on MR BASS, its members, officers, representatives, tournaments, or sponsors. This includes social media of all kinds. Integrity, honor and the respect for others for all members, family and the MR BASS’S organization will be strictly upheld. MR BASS reserves the right to make all judgment calls on negative actions and all decisions are final. Anglers have the right to make a complaint or grievance, but must be done in writing and within 5 minutes of the closing of the scales during a tournament. No fishing information may be purchased, bartered, solicited the week of the tournament.

5. BOAT AND MOTOR REGULATIONS: EACH BOAT MUST MEET ALL U.S. COAST GUARD AND STATE REGULATIONS.

6. PERMITED FISHING LOCATIONS: PARTICIPANTS MAY FISH ANYWHERE ACCESSIBLE BY BOAT, NO OFF LIMITS.

7. PERMITTED FISHING METHODS: ALL BASS MUST BE CAUGHT IN A CONVENTIONAL SPORTING MANNER. ONLY ARTIFICIAL LURES OR PORK TRAILERS MAY BE USED. NO BAITING ALLOWED. POSSESSION LIMIT IS LAKE LIMIT RULE.

8. TOURNAMENT HOURS: FISHERMEN WILL BE ALLOWED TO LAUNCH THEIR BOAT FROM ANY PUBLIC RAMP 1 HOUR BEFORE SUNRISE. THEY CAN THEN IDLE UNTIL 30 MINUTES BEFORE SUNRISE, THEN RUN ON PLANE TO THEIR STARTING SPOT. AT SUNRISE THEY CAN START FISHING. ALL STARTING TIMES WILL BE SPECIFIED BEFORE THE TOURNAMENT. AT 3:00 PM THEY MUST HAVE THERE LINES OUT OF THE WATER. THE WEIGH IN CHECK IN CUT OFF TIME WILL BE 3:30PM. NO ONE WILL BE ALLOWED TO CHECK IN AND WEIGH AFTER 3:30 PM. BOATS CAN BE TRAILERED TO THE WEIGH IN SITE. IN CASE OF FOG A BOAT SPEED LIMIT OF 30 MPH WILL BE IN EFFECT. UNDER HEAVY FOG WITH VERY LITTLE VISIBILITY THE DIRECTOR MAY CALL FOR A DELAY. YOU MUST CHECK MR. BASS FACEBOOK PAGE FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND POST.

ANGLERS MAY NOT TRAILER DURING THE DAY TO A DIFFERENT SPOT AND THEN LAUNCH AGAIN TO FISH. YOU MAY LAUNCH ONE TIME TO TAKE OFF AND YOU MAY COME BY BOAT TO WEIGH IN OR TRAILER TO WEIGH IN. IF YOU BREAK DOWN DURING THE DAY AND HAVE TO TAKE OUT AND RE-LAUNCH YOU MUST FIRST CALL THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR.

9. TOURNAMENT SCORING: IF YOU CHECK IN LATE YOUR WEIGHT WILL BE ZEROED FOR THE DAY. ONLY LARGEMOUTH, SMALLMOUTH AND SPOTTED BASS WILL BE ACCEPTED. THERE WILL BE A 5 FISH LIMIT PER PERSON ON EVERY LAKE. THE OFFICIAL LENGTH FOR BASS WILL BE 12 INCHES, OR THE LAKE LIMIT. THE LENGTH LIMIT WILL BE THE SAME LENGTH FOR ALL WEIGHABLE FISH FOR EACH LAKE (12” FOR KENTUCKIES, 12” FOR LARGEMOUTH”) IF AN ANGLER PRESENTS A FISH THAT FAILS TO MEASURE, THE FISH WILL BE RELEASED AND ANGLER WILL BE PENALIZED 1 POUND FOR EACH FISH FAILING TO MEASURE. EACH ANGLERS CATCH MUST BE PRESENTED IN WATER FILLED WEIGH-IN BAG WITH AMPLE ROOM FOR THE FISH. ONLY ONE DEAD FISH WILL BE ALLOWED FOR WEIGH-IN, AND ANGLERS WILL RECEIVE A .50 LB PENALTY FOR THE DEAD FISH. AFTER AN ANGLER’S CATCH IS WEIGHED, ANGLERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PUTTING THEIR LIVE FISH BACK INTO THE LAKE. IF AN ANGLER DOES NOT, THEY WILL LOSE THEIR POINTS FOR THE DAY.

10. TIES: IN CASE OF TIES, POSITIONS WILL BE RESOLVED BY COMBINING THE AWARDS AND POINTS AND DIVIDED EQUALLY. WHEN PRIZES CANNOT BE DIVIDED, THE WINNER WILL BE DECIDED BY A COIN TOSS.

11. LIABILITY INSURANCE: ALL PARTICIPATING TEAMS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE LIABILITY INSURANCE AS DESCRIBED BY ARKANSAS LAW.

12. SCORING & QUALIFICATION: AN ANGLER’S SCORE WILL BE THE WEIGHT OF THEIR CATCH PLUS POINTS, FIRST RECEIVING 200 POINTS, SECOND RECEIVING 199, ETC. AND 50 PARTICIPATION POINTS. AN ANGLER WILL AUTOMATICALLY QUALIFY FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP IF HE/SHE FISHES OR PAYS AN ENTRY TO ALL FOUR REGULAR SEASON EVENTS. AN ANGLER CAN QUALIFY BY FISHING THREE REGULAR SEASON EVENTS AND BEING IN THE TOP FIFTY PERCENT OF THE FIELD IN POINTS.

AOY WILL BE DECIDED BASED ON NO DROPPED TOURNAMENTS. ALL TOURNAMENTS WILL COUNT.

THERE WILL BE A 10% HOLD BACK FROM EACH TOURNAMENT THAT WILL GO INTO THE CHAMPIONSHIP PAYOUT.

13. ALCOHOL OR DRUGS: THERE IS NO ALCOHOL OR ILLEGAL DRUGS ALLOWED DURING TOURNAMENT HOURS.

14. PROTEST: A FIVE-PERSON FISHERMAN’S COMMITTEE WILL BE ELECTED TO REPRESENT THE FISHERMAN’S INTEREST. ANY AND ALL PROTEST MUST BE PRESENTED IN WRITING WITHIN 5 MINUTES OF COMPLETION OF WEIGH-IN.

15. AN ANGLER CANNOT WIN 1ST & 2ND BIG BASS IN ONE TOURNAMENT.

16. CONTESTANTS MAY NOT USE MOBILE COMMUNICATION DEVICES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, CELL PHONES, TABLETS, MARINE RADIOS, WALKIE-TALKIES, CBs, ETC., TO COMMUNICATE WITH ANYONE ABOUT LOCATING OR CATCHING FISH ON TOURNAMENT WATERS DURING TOURNAMENT HOURS. MOBILE COMMUNICATION DEVICES MAY BE USED DURING TOURNAMENT HOURS TO COMMUNICATE WITH LOCKMASTERS ABOUT LOCKING OR TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR. BOATERS MAY USE SMART PHONES AND/OR TABLETS DURING TOURNAMENT HOURS FOR GPS, MAPPING, WEATHER, POWER GENERATION, BARGE TRAFFIC UPDATES, PERSONAL FISHING NOTES AND RELATED DATA. AT NOT TIME DURING TOURNAMENT HOURS MAY CONTESTANTS READ OR DISCUSS SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS FROM OTHER CONTESTANTS.

17. EACH COMPETITOR AGREES TO SUBMIT TO POLYGRAPH TEST. THE ADMINISTRATION AND INTERPRETATION OF A POLYGRAPH TEST SHALL BE SOLELY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE TOURNAMENT OFFICIALS, AND ITS AGENT. VIOLATION OF RULES OR A FAILURE OF POLYGRAPH WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION.