1. Rule Changes:These rules will remain unchanged during 2022.

The decisions of the tournament director are final. It is the

responsibility of each contestant to familiarize themselves with and

abide by all rules.

 

2. Eligibility of Competitors:The tournament will not be open to a

competitor who has: 1) Declined or failed a polygraph screening in a

previous tournament or refused to allow a tournament appointed

observer or media boat in a tournament trail or previous tournament. 2)

Been barred from a tournament trail or a previous tournament. 3)

Conviction of a felony in the last 36 months or still on probation. In

case of any miss conduct or not complying with the standards set forth

above in rule #2, BNB/VBT shall have the right to refuse any

application, or to deny a confirmed application by returning the entire

entry fee of a previously accepted application or to disqualify a

contestant.

 

3. Participation and Entry Fees: Pick your partner or fish alone.

Participation in the Blue Otter Bass N Bash tournament is open to

anglers with a valid Tennessee in/out state fishing license. At least one

team member must be 18 years in age or older. Entry fee $180.00 per

boat.

 

4. Registration:A properly completed entry form and entry fee must

be paid no later than safe light day of tournament. Boat numbers will

be randomly drawn at 8pm at the conclusion of the registration

meeting. After the drawing, the boat numbers will be posted on the

Blue Otter Bass N Bash event page. If conditions arise, which preclude

participation in a tournament where you have paid an entry fee, you

may transfer or request a refund of your entry, as long as BNB/VBT is

notified by 6 pm local time Saturday, the day before the tournament.

The burden of notification lies solely with contestants.

 

5. Pretournament practice:No off-limits

 

6. Safety:Safe boating will be always observed during competition

hours. Each contestant is required to wear a chest like life preserver

any time the combustion engine is in operation. All boats must be

equipped with an emergency shut off device, which must be attached

to the driver's body whenever the combustion engine is in operation.

During the official tournament hours, a competitor may not use

communication devices such as cellular telephones, marine radios,

walkie talkies, etc. for the purpose of gathering or relaying information

concerning fishing locations, techniques, lures, etc. Mobile

communication devices can be used in emergency situations.

 

7. Sportsmanship: All teams are expected to follow high standards

of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety, and conservation. At no time during

tournament hours are any alcoholic beverages or drugs, other than

prescriptions, allowed in the boat or consumed. Any violation of this

rule (7) may be deemed cause for disqualification.

 

8. Boat and Horsepower regulations: All boats must be a

minimum of 15ft. in length. All boats must be equipped with an

emergency shut-off device. Each boat must have all required U.S.

Coast guard safety equipment. Boats must contain a properly aerated

live-well space to maintain a live limit catch. Each boat must have a

U.S. Coastguard Horsepower rating plate attached by manufacturer.

The horsepower of the outboard engine must not exceed the rating

specified on this plate. By signing the entry form, each contestant

agrees to submit his boat and/or motor to an inspection by factory

trained personnel. Falsifying information on entry forms will be cause

for disqualification and loss of entry fee.

 

9. Permitted Fishing Methods:No trolling, no long lining with

either the combustion engine or trolling motor. All state and local laws,

concerning lures, must be followed. All bass must be caught live in a

conventional manner. Only artificial lures may be used with the

exception of pork trailers. Only one rod per contestant may be used at

a time. Sight fish must be caught inside the mouth, no snagging.

 

10. Permitted fishing locations: Locking is not permitted.

Contestants may fish anywhere on tournament waters accessible by

boat except areas designated as off-limits of no fishing by local, state,

federal, or tournament officials. There will be no fishing within forty

yards of another contestant's anchored boat (trolling motor up). During

competition, contestants may not obtain or receive assistance or follow

a non-competitor’s boat for purpose of locating fish. Hole sitting is

prohibited.

 

11. Equipment Failure or Emergency: In the event of equipment

failure or emergency, there will be only two permitted methods of

returning to the official check-in: 1) both partners remaining in their

boat and being towed by water or, 2) by one partner entering the boat

of another BNB/VBT tournament contestant. Under these two

conditions, catches may be counted (normal penalties apply, dead fish,

late penalty, etc.) No tournament boat may be loaded on the trailer

before the weighing of fish, except first gaining permission from the

tournament director. If a team must violate any part of this rule due to

emergency, or for any reason, their catch for that day will not be

counted.

 

12. Official Checkpoints:there will be only one official checkpoint

for boat check-in the morning and check that afternoon. Failure to go

through either will result in disqualification. All fishing must cease upon

check-in. No culling after check-in.

 

13. Scoring:Scoring will be determined by the pounds and ounces

of each team's catch. Only largemouth, spotted, or smallmouth bass

are accepted species. The limit will be five (5) unless the state or lake

limit is less, in which case, the state or lake limit will prevail. At no time

should contestants possess more than the tournament limit. Any team

who possesses more than the tournament limit will have their catch

culled to the tournament limit beginning with the largest fish. The

official length limit for bass will be set at tournament director’s

discretion. Penalty for short fish will be loss of fish plus one pound

penalty off total weight for each short fish. Each team's catch must be

presented in an official weigh-in bag. Bass may not be stringed or

placed in cull nets at any time during the tournament

 

14. Live Fish:(4) ounces will be deducted from total weight only for

each dead bass presented for weigh-in. Only one dead fish per boat to

be weighed.

 

15. Late Penalty:Teams that are not at the official check-in area at

the appointed time be penalized at one (1) pound per minute deducted

from the total weight, including any

weight to be counted toward big bass award. Any contestant more than

fifteen (15) minutes late will lose credit for that day's catch.

 

16. Ties:In case of ties, positions will be resolved by combining the

awards and dividing equally.

 

17. Polygraph:All contestants, winners, and non-winners, are

subject to a polygraph test. Penalties resulting from polygraph will be

determined by tournament director. Failure to submit to a polygraph

test will result in immediate disqualification. All participants are subject

to an observer or media personnel at any time for any reason. No

Exceptions.