1. PARTICIPANTS AND ELIGIBILITY

Participation in each tournament is open to all angling teams in good standing with the Maine Bass Challenge (MBC) Tournament Staff.  Entry fees for each event will be $80.00, which includes the lunker pool (see new rule below).  $10 of each entry fee will be paid into the Points Championship pot to be awarded at the last event and split between the top seven teams (see rules below).  There are no membership fees.  MBC will remain 90%+ pay back trail for 2012!.

a.    LAUNCH and REMOVING BOATS: All boats must go throw an inspection to include a live well check and weed check prior to entering the tournament lake and after the event has completed.  Starting positions will be determined by either a drawing of all participants or a random number assignment by a computer just before the closing of the pre-tournament meeting.  One participant must be at the captains meeting in the beginning of each event.

Boat owners are in violation of Maine State Law if they pull a boat from tournament waters with fish in their live wells.  No boat owners are allowed under any circumstances to pull boats from tournament waters with fish in the live wells.

2. INSURANCE & LIABILITY

It is the sole responsibility of the boat owner to carry and have proof of adequate public liability insurance covering them and passengers. All boat owners must carry insurance liability in excess of $100,000 to participate in any MBC tournament.  Tournament staff has the right to ask for proof of insurance at any time and all teams will be required to present their insurance information when they initially register. All contestants are required to sign a waiver absolving the tournament organizers, tournament sponsors, co-sponsors and their employees from any responsibility for any damage or personal injury sustained as a result of their participation in the tournament or related activities. Contestants are required to have in their possession and provide proof of insurance on demand by the tournament director. All participants agree to hold harmless Maine Bass Challenge, officers, directors and agents.

3. SAFETY

Boating safety must be observed at all times during practice and competition. A U.S. Coast Guard approved life preserver must be on and fastened anytime the combustible engine is operative until the boat is trailered and the kill switch lanyard must be attached to the driver during competition day. It is suggested that this be practiced during any practice day, but will be enforced only on competition day. A violation during a competition will result in a disqualification.

a.    For safety reasons anglers must be in the cockpit section of the boat while the combustible engine is in gear.  The only two exceptions is for beaching a boat or leaving a beach position, or to assist in navigating a water way.  It IS NOT an exception to be standing in any part of the bow section or stern section of a boat while the combustible engine is operative for the search of fish or to improve your fishing position.  A violation during a competition will result in a disqualification.

b.    PASSING ON PLAIN and the WATER SAFETY ZONE: Boat Captains are asked to use great caution when passing another boat on the water!  Maine State Law reads as follows:

ð Water Safety Zone: means the area of water within 200 feet of any shoreline, whether the shoreline of the mainland or of an island.

ð Watercraft may not be operated at a speed greater than headway speed while within the water safety zone or within a marina or an approved anchorage in coastal or inland waters except while actively fishing. "Headway speed" means the minimum speed necessary to maintain steerage and control of the watercraft while the watercraft is moving. The operator of any watercraft must operate at a reasonable and prudent speed for existing conditions and regulate the speed of a watercraft so as to avoid danger, injury or unnecessary inconvenience in any manner to other watercraft and their occupants, whether anchored or under way. The operator must consider the effect of the wash or wave created by their watercraft to waterfront piers, floats or other property or shorelines.

ð Reckless Operation of a Watercraft: It is illegal to operate any watercraft, water ski, surfboard or similar device in such a way as to recklessly create a substantial risk of serious bodily injury to another person.  

4. SPORTSMANSHIP

All teams are expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety, and conservation. Any team who displays poor sportsmanship, violates these rules, or any Department of Fish and Game, state or local laws, or brings unfavorable publicity to the sport of bass fishing is subject to disqualification upon the tournament director’s discretion. MBC reserves the right to cancel membership at anytime. MBC reserves the right to refuse service to anyone. The tournament director’s decision is final.

5. BOATS AND MOTORS

There is a 250 horsepower limit for all vessels!  All other boats will not be able to fish and teams entering a boat which are improper powered will forfeit that days entry fees and prize eligibility.

6. TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT

All fish must be caught in a legal sporting manner. Intentional snagging of fish will not be allowed and will be subject to disqualification. Trolling with the aid of combustion or electric motors is not permitted. Only artificial lures may be used. No live bait or prepared bait is permitted with the exception of pork rinds or mammals hide. Liquid fish attractants are allowed. Eligible fish for the tournaments are smallmouth or largemouth bass that are a minimum of 12 inches or more in length.  Only one (1) rod per angler may be used at any one time. Other rods may be in the boat and ready for use, however, every cast and retrieve must be completed before another cast is made. The official measuring board for MBC is the Golden Rule (flat board). 

7. PROTEST

All protests must be submitted verbally and then in writing no later than 15 minutes after the tournament officials close the scales. This means once the tournament is over, it’s over. You must have at least one witness to confirm the violation other than your partner. The Tournament Director will hear protests and the decisions of the Tournament Director will be final.  You may however use photographs with date stamps….i.e. cell phones to assist in your protest in lieu of a second party, boat.  The director’s decision will be final based upon the additional information provided.

8. SUBSTITUTION RULE

9. OFFICIAL BOATS

Official boats, including but not limited to our tournament staff boats, will be on the lake for boat inspection and observation during tournament hours. Each team is required to cooperate with all requests.  The MBC will provide a starter boat for each event.

10. SCORING

Each team may weigh-in five (5) fish per day with a minimum of 12 inches in length (or per I&FW permit or lake rules). Fish will be measured on a Golden Rule (flat board) with the mouth closed. A penalty of .50 per dead fish will be deducted from the total weight. Any team bringing more than five (5) fish to the scales will loss there largest fish for that weigh-in. Tournament standings will be determined by the total weight for the competition days of the tournament. Only largemouth or smallmouth bass will be scored. Any team weighing in a fish shorter than the legal tournament length will lose that that fish for that weigh-in. Each team is required to leave from and return to a specified checkpoint. Any team returning to the checkpoint late will be penalized at the rate of one (1) pound per minute up to 15 minutes. After 15 minutes no weight will be allowed. Once you hand your fish to the weigh master, the bass will be weighed and the contestant(s) are done for the day. You must mark your big fish before you get to the scales (preferably with culling balls).  You are responsible for letting the weigh master know if you are interested in weighing in a big bass for the event.

a.    PRIZE PAYOUT: Prize money will be awarded following the weigh in at each tournament. One place will be paid out per 5 teams entered. Big bass will be paid out to the largest live bass caught and weighed-in.  Teams are responsible for identifying one bass as their Big Bass when they are weighing in.  Tournament Staff can’t help in identify the Big Fish.  Winners are responsible for any and all taxes on any moneys or prizes won.

11. CULLING FISH

It is the responsibility of each team to keep no more than a maximum of a legal limit for the particular lake you are fishing in a live well. If more than the legal limit is present in the live well during the event you will be subject to disqualification. You can cull a dead fish.  You cannot cull a fish after checking in at the end of the event.  

12. PERMITTED FISHING WATERS

All fishing must be done from a previously inspected boat. Boats may not be trailered to and from weigh-in during tournament hours unless under the direction of the tournament director. No fishing is allowed within 25 yards of a non-anchored tournament boat without that boat’s permission unless specified during the tournament meeting by the tournament director. No fishing is allowed within 50 yards of another anchored or tied tournament boat with the trolling motor out of the water without the anchored boat’s permission. Both team partners must fish from the same boat. Only contestants may be in the boat during the tournament hours unless arranged with the tournament director prior to the start of the event. Having a non-contestant sit in a hole for you (save your spot) will not be tolerated. Contestants cannot leave a boat to land a fish. Navigable waters are the only waters to be fished during the tournament. Contestants must be able to drive the boat into the fishing area without getting out of the boat. The practice of restricting the natural movement of fish by any means such as, but not limited to, the use of nets, tanks, or dams will not be tolerated and will result in disqualification. Restricting the access to waters normally accessible by all anglers, by any means such as, but not limited to the falling of trees or the construction of obstructions will not be allowed and will result in disqualification.

13. GUIDES

Guides are allowed to fish in any and all tournaments provided a tournament contestant does not hire them to fish. Guides are not to be hired by contestants to scout or pre-fish prior to any tournament.

14. REGISTRATION

Contestants that register by mail only must be in by 12 p.m. Friday prior to the tournament. Fishing hours and checkpoints will be disclosed at the registration/start. It is each team’s responsibility to obtain this information from the tournament director. Starting position will be determined on a number draw. 

15. PRACTICE FISHING

There are NO “OFF LIMITS” effective February 29, 2012.  You can fish the lake whenever the lake is open prior to the tournament. During the tournament, a competitor may not use a CB radio, a VHF marine band radio, a cellular phone, or any other type of communication device for the purpose of locating or catching fish. These devices may be used for emergency purposes only or family calls. During the competition day(s) a contestant must not have the assistance or advice from anyone to locate bass except from another contestant in this tournament. Failure to report violations or suggestions to violate these rules will be cause for disqualification. During a two day event the lake is off limits except during tournament hours.

16.  FISH TRANSPORT

Restricting natural movement of fish by any means such as but not limited to: use of nets, tanks or dams will result in immediate disqualification. Restricting access to waters normally accessible to anglers by any means such as but not limited to: felling of trees or placement of obstructions will result in disqualification. Effective immediately, February 29, 2012, it shall be illegal to “seed” an area with live or dead baitfish or any other type of chum for the purposes of conditioning or congregating fish populations.  Such action by participants or third parties acting on behalf of participants shall be grounds for disqualification. 

17. CONSERVATION

Conservation and safety is the primary concern of the MBC. Adequate live wells are mandatory on each boat and must provide adequate aeration to maintain fish in good condition.

18. WEIGH-IN

Any angler may request a one-time immediate "re-weigh" of their fish before leaving the scale area with their sack of fish.  Once a sack of fish has left the scale area, the angler loses his right to request a re-weigh and any request of that nature will be denied. The new “re-weigh” weight will be the final weight used for the event.

a.    LATE TO WEIGH-IN: There is no excuse for being late to the weigh-in.   Any contestants (and respective partners) caught returning to the check-in point after the official tournament deadline for their flight, will loss one pound per minute for after the official end time of the tournament.  After reach 15 minutes late, the team will be disqualified.  In the event that a team has engine problems, it is their responsibility to contact the Tournament Staff immediately on the Tournament Safety Phone immediately after the problem is identified.  It is up to the Tournament Staff to remove late penalties, in this case. A team can have their catch brought in by another boat, with the understanding that one of the team members is with the catch, has the weigh-in slip and has notified the Tournament Director when the engine problem OCCURED.

19. AWARDING POINTS

First place in each event will receive 100 points, 2nd place=99 points, etc. Twenty-five participation points will be awarded to all entrants. The team weighing the largest bass of the event will receive 5 additional points.  To qualify for the MBC Championship you must gain a minimum of 250 points. 

No points may be transferred from one team to another. 

a.    LUNKER WINNERS: The heaviest three live bass weighed during a tournament will split the lunker poll for that day.  1st largest will gain 50% of the pot, 2^nd largest will gain 30% of the pot and the remaining 20% will go to the 3^rd heaviest. 

b.    POINTS CHAMPIONSHIP: has been change to be an all cash give away.  At the end of the 2012 season the top seven teams with the most points will win Point Championship Cash.  Based on a sixty boat average Top Points getting team will receive $750, 2^nd = $500, 3^rd = $450, 4^th = $400, 5th = $350, 6^th = $300 and 7^th = $250.  In case of a tie for 1^st through 7^th  lunker fish weighed for the season will be the tie breaker.

20. ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND DRUGS

During tournament hours no contestant shall be under the influence of, or in possession of alcohol or any illegal substance in his or her boat. An infraction of this rule shall result in immediate disqualification for the offending party. No drugs other than prescription will be allowed in the boat or to be consumed while on the water.

21. TIE BREAKERS

If two teams have the same weight at the end of the tournament, the big fish will break the tie. Big fish must be marked prior to handing it to the weigh master. It is the angler’s responsibility to ask to weigh a big bass in at every event.  No one other than the weigh master or tournament official may handle the fish after the bag is handed to the weigh master.

22. TOURNAMENT PROTECTION

Any act or inflammatory statement by any contestant that, in the opinion of the Tournament Authority, is detrimental to the bass tournament, damaging to organized bass fishing, to MBC, or any of its staff, sponsors, or to permitting agencies or their officers (such as park rangers, fisheries biologists, or other officials), during the practice rounds or tournament, may result in the temporary or permanent suspension from all future MBC events. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH CONTESTANT to know these rules. A rules violation compromises the entire tournament field, not just your partner for the day.