B.RAD OUTDOORS BIG BASS BASH TOURNAMENT RULES:
ELIGIBILITY:
(a) All Local, State and Federal penal code laws shall apply at all times. (b) All Local, State, Coast Guard, and Federal boating regulations shall apply at all times.
(c) Each person in boat must be a paid contestant of the tournament and abide by all tournament rules and regulations. It is the contestant’s sole responsibility to review the official rules prior to the start of the tournament. Entry into the event either online or in person represents acceptance of all tournament rules and regulations.
(d) Non-contestants are not allowed in paid contestants’ boats at any time during official tournament hours. The only exception to this rule would be an official observer, tournament staff and/or a cameraman. Contestants may fish alone but tournament staff reserves the right to assign an official observer to the contestants’ boat.
(e) All bass caught by contestants fishing together will be disqualified if any contestants are found to be in violation of any tournament rules and regulations.
(f) Any contestants found to be in violation of any tournament rules and regulations will be subject to disqualification from the tournament and all future events.
REGISTRATION AND ENTRY FEE:
(a) Entry Fee(s) are $80 (per contestant) and must be paid before fishing. There will one designated registration place the morning of the tournament for contestants not already entered. Contestants may register by mail, online or at designated area on tournament day. (b) No refunds of entry fee(s).
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES:
(a) During tournament hours no alcoholic beverages are to be consumed by tournament contestant or allowed in contestant’s boat.
SAFETY (THE FOLLOWING IS MANDATORY):
(a) All boats must be equipped with some type of emergency kill switch on any remote steered outboard. The kill switch must be attached to boat operator at all times while the outboard main engine is in use. However, kill switches are not required on boats with hand-operated engines that were not manufactured with one.
(b) U.S. Coast Guard approved life jackets are required for each person on board. Life jackets must be worn and fastened while main engine is in use.
(c) No boat shall have a motor of higher horsepower than the approved Coast Guard maximum.
PERMITTED FISHING AREAS AND HOURS:
(a) Fish must be caught on the tournament lake during official tournament hours. (b) Contestants may leave from any launch site on tournament day, but you may not begin fishing until the official start time. (d) No one may leave his or her boat to fish or land a fish. (e) Hourly weigh-ins: 8:00-9:00 AM, 9:00-10:00 AM, 10:00-11:00 AM, 11:00 AM -12:00 PM, 12:00-1:00 PM, 1:00-2:00 PM and 2:00-3:00 PM. (f) Contestants must be in line at the bump tanks before the end of the respective hour for their weight to count.
TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT:
(a) All bass must be caught on artificial bait by casting only, no foul hooking. No trolling . Only one rod may be used at any one time by contestant. (b) No electronic tracking devices (implanted microchips) may be used to locate fish for tournament purposes (depth-finders and graph charts are the only exception.)
WEIGH-IN – SPORTSMANSHIP AND CONSERVATION:
(a) Sportsmanship, courtesy, safety and bass conservation is required from every participant. (b) All bass weighed in will become the property of the tournament and will be released back into the lake alive if possible. (c) Trailering a bass to weigh-in site during tournament hours is permissible. Any contestant whether trailering or not, shall be required to bring their boat and respective partner or partners, if any, with them to the official weigh in site for a boat inspection when weighing bass in any respective hour. (d) For conservation reasons, all bass brought to official weigh-in station must be in a weigh-in bag with adequate water. If a contestant does not have a weigh bag one will be provided by tournament staff. Fish must be alive to be weighed in. (e) Any artificially weighted or preserved bass will result in immediate disqualification and the contestant may be subject to prosecution under federal law. (f) Any questionable fish may be subject to inspection by a marine biologist or similarly qualified expert. (g) This is a big bass tournament (one bass). Only largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass will be weighed in. Specific lake minimums and/or slot requirements must be followed and it is the responsibility of the contestant to abide by all local, state, and federal rules for the host event lake(s). (h) No contestant may have more than five (5) bass in their possession at any time during official tournament hours. (i) In event there is a tie for the overall big bass, the money will be split evenly among tied contestants. (j) Only one fish per contestant may be weighed in each weigh-in time slot. (k) If sight fishing for bedding fish, all fish must be hooked in the mouth.
POLYGRAPH:
(a) Polygraph tests will be administered on a random basis and must be passed. A failed polygraph may be subject to disqualification from this and all future tournaments. (b) Each contestant, by signing the entry form or entering online, agrees to submit to a polygraph. Refusing a polygraph for any reason will result in immediate disqualification from this and all future tournaments. (c) Anyone taking medication should notify polygraph examiner prior to examination. (d) Any contestant determined by the polygraph examiner, law enforcement or tournament officials to be intoxicated or on any type of illegal drugs at the time said contestant is required to take the polygraph examination, will be disqualified from this and all future tournaments. (e) Any contestant found to be in possession of any illegal substance will be disqualified. (f) Any contestant attempting to manipulate the outcome of a tournament(s) or defraud the Big Bass Bash will be disqualified.
BOAT INSPECTION:
(a) All contestants, by entering this tournament(s), hereby agree to allow their boats to be boarded and inspected by tournament officials at any time during the tournament(s), to include, but not limited to, their boat registration, Coast Guard horsepower rating plate, live well, rod boxes, closed storage compartments, tackle boxes, life jackets, PFD’s and safety equipment. (b) The Big Bass Bash cooperates with local law enforcement, park rangers and fish/wildlife officers during our tournament events. If any contestant is found to be in violation of local, state or federal law during tournament hours, they will immediately be disqualified and subject to possible prosecution from law enforcement officials.
DECISIONS:
(a) All protests must be registered in writing with the Tournament Director within fifteen (15) minutes of the designated weigh-in. (b) The interpretation and enforcement of these rules will be the sole responsibility of the Tournament Director. Decisions of the Tournament Director, Tournament Staff are final in all matters and are not subject to appeal. In the event of a discrepancy between print or digital version of the rules, the official rules listed on the www.fishbbb.com website at the time of the event will prevail.
PHOTOGRAPHS:
(a) All pictures and/or videos recorded during the event will be the sole property of Big Bass Bash. (b) Pictures and/or videos of contestants may be used in future advertisements and/or trade shows.
COMING SOON TO A LAKE NEAR YOU