Link to download rules
https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:7953c211-2e46-3462-bd8d-2785c13b0db5
Bassinators Angler Traveling Series
Official Rules Effective March 3, 2022
1. INTERPRETATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF RULES
Interpretation and enforcement of these rules will be left exclusively to the tournament director and or Board of Director approval. Decisions of the tournament director are final in all matters and are not subject to appeal.
A. Reporting Rule Violations – Each contestant, coach, and boat captain agree to report any rule violation to the tournament director immediately upon discovery of the violation. Failure to report violations may be cause for disqualification.
B. Penalties – The violation of any tournament rule may result in, but is not limited to, weight or length loss, the loss of weight or length up to a particular time in the tournament day, the loss of weight or length for the entire day, the loss of the heaviest or longest one-day catch, the loss of the heaviest or longest fish for the day, disqualification from the entire tournament, or ineligibility to participate in future tournaments.
C. Protests – Protests are to be made by contacting the Tournament Director, within 1 hour of the check-in time of the final flight of each tournament day, Director will require a written complaint.
2. PARTICIPATION AND ELIGIBILITY Participation is open to all students in grades 2- 8. Anglers must be in 8th grade or less on date of B.A.T.S. TOC.
A student is considered in the next immediate grade once they have completed the academic requirements and final exams in the current grade. A. Team Designation – Each team will consist of two student contestants. Contestants must have the signature of a parent or legal guardian before participating this signature will only be required once for the year.
B. Membership – Contestants must be The Bass Federation (TBF) Junior members. At their discretion, tournament officials may determine that additional entry fee is required for some tournaments. Members must be in good standing with their club or school team. Contestants must fish with their local school team if there is one, schools can combine to create one team if approved by B.A.T.S. If local school does not have a team a club may be created at the TBF site and students added into that club, or contestants can fish with another school team if they are invited. We will follow intent, and that is we do not want contestants jumping teams or working to create a super team. Tournament Officials will have final say.
C. Laws and Regulations – Contestants must have in their possession a valid fishing license for the waters they fish if required by law. Random checks may be conducted at each tournament. Failure to provide proof of a valid fishing license within a reasonable amount of time when requested by the tournament director will result in disqualification for that day and any preceding days in which the license was required for the tournament. Contestants are required to follow all applicable federal, state, and local regulations and laws. Any violation of such regulations and laws may result in disqualification from the tournament.
D. Number of Teams – Each tournament may have a maximum number of teams resulting from applicable federal, state, and local regulations and laws, or by designation of the tournament director. Tournament entries will be determined on a first come, first-serve basis based on receipt of tournament applications.
1) There is no limit to the number of teams accepted into a tournament from each school or club.
2) Accepted teams will be confirmed and notified via e-mail prior to each tournament.
3) Tournament officials reserve the right to reject any application to compete for any reason whatsoever.
3. PURCHASING OF INFORMATION The purchasing of, or bartering for, information about locating or catching fish on tournament waters, including but not limited to GPS waypoints (other than through commercially available sources) and the hiring of fishing guide services is not permitted by contestants, coaches, boat captains, or anyone working on a team’s behalf within 10 days of the start of any tournament. Violation of this rule may result in disqualification.
4. OFF-LIMITS, PRACTICE, AND COMPETITION
A. Off-Limits Time Period – Each tournament may have an off-limits time-period as designated by the tournament director. Off-limits time periods will be communicated to tournament applicants prior to the beginning of any such time-period.
B. Off-Water – Contestants must be off the water at 6pm the night before the event.
C. Off-Limits Locations – Each tournament may have off-limits locations as designated by the tournament director or in rule 12.
D. Practice Time Period – Each tournament may have a practice time-period as designated by the tournament director. Practice time-period will be communicated to tournament applicants prior to the beginning of any such time-period.
E. Registration Time Period and Location – Each tournament may have an onsite or remote registration time-period as designated by the tournament director or in rule 5.
F. Equipment Operation after Registration – Testing or operation of equipment on tournament waters after the start of onsite or remote registration is permitted only with prior approval from the tournament director.
G. Competition Time Period – Tournament hours are 7am – 1pm
H. Coaches and Boat Captains – During competition, the contestants must be accompanied by a boat captain. A boat captain must be at least 19 years old. Boat Captains are not allowed to fish. The tournament director may provide additional rules to coaches and boat captains. All the rules in this document and coach/boat captain rules must be followed.
I. Contestant Team – During competition, a student angler is not allowed to fish without his/her partner unless the boat captain is a parent, guardian or family member over the age of 19, or a parent, guardian or family member above the age of 18 is accompanying in the boat as an observer.
J. Participation by Boat Captains – During practice boat captains may fish, net fish, tie knots, and otherwise provide advice and assistance to contestants as needed. During competition boat captains may assist with netting fish. During competition, boat captains may not fish or tie knots. The tournament director will determine the amount of other advice and assistance that is permitted by boat captains during competition.
K. Soliciting and/or Receiving Information – During practice or competition, contestants, coaches, and boat captains may not purchase information about locating or catching fish on tournament waters. During competition contestants may consult with each other on the water, but may not use electronic devices such as phones, tablets or marine band radios to do so.
L. Placing of Fish Attractors – During practice and competition, contestants, coaches, and boat captains may not place brush or other physical fish attractors, including chum of any kind, in tournament waters.
M. Flying over Tournament Waters – During practice and competition, flights over tournament waters (other than a ticketed commercial airline), including drones, are not permitted.
N. Withdrawing from Competition – If a special circumstance arises that inhibits a contestant’s ability to compete, the tournament director may allow the contestant to withdraw from competition and maintain the length or weight caught to that point.
O. Equipment Failure or Emergency During Competition – In the event of equipment failure or emergency during competition, the tournament director must be notified as soon as it is safe to do so.
1) Check-in – If arrangements can be made for backup equipment the team may be allowed to continue if tournament Director is notified and agrees. If they are unable to continue their current weight or length registered with the tournament App will be counted at that time.
P. Underwater Cameras and Viewing Devices – During competition, no underwater cameras, viewing devices, cones, or homemade devices may be used to locate or observe fish during the tournament.
5. PRE-TOURNAMENT MANDATORY MEETING
For each contestant team, it is mandatory that at least one of the contestants and their boat captain attend the entire pretournament in person meetings at the time set forth in the tournament confirmation unless prior approval is received from the tournament director. Contestants or boat captains that are not present for the pre-tournament in person or online meeting may be removed from the tournament.
6. Take-Off and Return
A. Take-Off – Boats will be allowed to launch from any ramp on the designated waters and proceed to their fishing location before the 7am start time. At 7am the boat captain will notify the anglers it is time to start fishing.
B. Return – Contestants must stop fishing at 1pm.
C. Board of directors will be at a designated ramp with prizes. That ramp will be emailed and posted on facebook.
D. Photos – All photos must be entered into the app by 1pm, or contact must be made with a tournament official before 12:30pm to assist with photos.
7. SAFETY
Safe boating and safe boat conduct must be always observed by contestants, and boat captains.
A. COVID-19 – Each team is responsible to follow DNR and MN Health Department guidance. Contestants may use all ramps across the lake and must again practice social distancing at the ramps. And most importantly if you are feeling ill or have been ill, please stay home for the safety of others.
B. Personal Flotation Devices (PFD) – Youth Under 10 yo must wear life jacket while in boat the whole tournament. all youth anglers and boat captain on the water is required to wear a fastened, U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device anytime the combustion engine is running from morning boat launch until check-in each day of the tournament. Inflatable PFD’s are NOT allowed as an acceptable flotation device for Youth Anglers participating in any of the Bassinators Angler Traveling Series events. Youth anglers 11 and older and boat captains can remove life jackets when main motor is shut off.
C. Ignition Shutoff – All boats must be equipped with an emergency ignition-shutoff device that must be securely attached to the driver’s body whenever the combustion engine is running.
D. Seating – All persons in a tournament boat shall remain seated in a manufacturer-recommended on-plane seating location with a driver behind the steering wheel or at the tiller in full control of the boat whenever it is on plane, or the combustion engine is running and in gear. Sitting on pedestal seats while the combustion engine is in operation and in gear is not permitted.
E. Driving – Only boat captains are permitted to drive the boat when the combustion engine is running. The contestants may not drive the boat when the combustion engine is running, except for loading and unloading or in case of emergency.
C. Unsafe Weather or Water Conditions – At the discretion of the tournament director, tournament days may be shortened, postponed, or canceled due to unsafe weather or water conditions. Contestants, and boat captains may leave their boat and seek shelter in bad weather or when danger is imminent.
D. Boating Safety Course – It is recommended, but not required, that each contestant successfully complete a boating safety course when the age allows.
E. Speed Limits – The tournament director may impose boat speed limits during a tournament to account for weather conditions, comply with federal, state, or local limits, or as otherwise deemed necessary. Speed limit restrictions and areas covered by the speed limit are at the discretion of the tournament director.
8. SPORTSMANSHIP AND CODE OF CONDUCT All contestants, coaches and boat captains are required to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, and conservation and to conduct themselves in a manner that will be a credit to themselves, tournament affiliates, tournament sponsors, the school the team is representing, and the sport of fishing. Conduct not complying with these standards includes, but is not limited to, the following:
• Violation of, or failure to comply with, any of the rules for Bassinators Angler Traveling Series.
• Consumption and/or possession of alcoholic beverages or any kind of mind-altering substance during registration, the pretournament meeting, or during tournament hours extending through the check-in procedure.
• Abuse of, or addiction to, mind-altering substances.
• Conviction of a felony within the past 36 months.
• Suspension/disqualification, probation or ban from any tournament or fishing organization.
• Any other words, conduct or actions reflecting unfavorably upon efforts to promote safety, sportsmanship, fair competition, and compliance with tournament rules, or which fail to comply with the standards and rules defined by the Bassinators Angler Traveling Series .
• In case of any conduct not complying with the standards outlined above, tournament officials have the right to refuse an application to compete, to deny a confirmed application to compete, to disqualify a contestant, or impose any penalty outlined in rule 1.
9. BOAT OPERATION
A. Trolling Motor Operation – Contestants, and boat captains may operate the trolling motor during qualifying or open tournaments. Boat captains have the right to take control of the trolling motor at any time if safety or equipment is at risk.
B. Assistance from Boat Captains – Boat captains may provide assistance, including information about locating and catching fish, but are not permitted to fish during competition.
C. Mobile Communication Devices – Contestants, and boat captains 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, to communicate with the tournament director or officials, or to communicate with tournament media staff. Contestants, and boat captains may use smart phones and/or tablets during tournament hours for GPS, mapping, weather, power generation, tidal charts, personal fishing notes and related data. Smart phones and/or tablets may also be used by the boat captain, to publish social media updates. We encourage boat captains to publish updates and photos on social media. We discourage boat captains from using any information they may see on social media to the advantage of the youth anglers.
D. Abandoning Boat – Abandoning a boat and leaving it adrift without proper tie-off or anchoring may result in disqualification of that day’s length or weight.
10. BOAT AND HORSEPOWER REGULATION All boats must be propeller-driven and a minimum of 14 feet in length. Each boat must have all required U.S. Coast Guard safety equipment. A. Maximum Capacities – Each boat must have a clearly legible “Maximum Capacities” (or comparably titled) placard that includes a maximum horsepower rating affixed to the boat by the manufacturer. The horsepower of the outboard engine must not exceed the maximum horsepower capacity specified on this placard. Falsifying information on entry forms or altering the horsepower numbers on the motor or rating placard will be cause for disqualification from the tournament and may result in ineligibility to compete in future Bassinators A ngler Traveling Series tournaments.
B. Platforms – Fishing platforms must be factory-installed equipment. No portable platforms may be used in tournament
C. Fuel and Fuel Tanks – Fuel may be carried only in factory-installed (built-in) fuel tanks or auxiliary fuel tanks that are securely strapped or otherwise fastened to the boat. Any additional fuel used during the tournament day must be purchased from a retail facility open to the public and pumped through a hose with a nozzle.
D. Inspection – By submitting or signing a tournament entry form, contestants, and boat captains agree to submit their boat and/or motor to an inspection by tournament officials at any time during practice or competition.
11. PERMITTED AND NON-PERMITTED FISHING METHODS Fishing is defined as having a lure attached to a line and a rod and reel with the rod in hand. Only ONE fishing rod may be used at a time.
A. Catching of Fish – 12 inch minimum on all Bass.
All fish must be caught alive in a conventional sporting manner. All fish caught while sight-fishing must be hooked inside the mouth and immediately shown to the boat captain for verification.
B. Lures – All lures must adhere to state regulations. Only artificial lures may be used, except for pork trailers and biodegradable soft baits. No live bait is permitted.
C. Umbrella Rigs – Alabama rigs are ok to use, but MN rules apply.
D. Trolling – Trolling as a method of fishing is strictly prohibited. Trolling is defined as operating any combustion engine to extend a cast or lengthen a retrieve or using any mechanical propulsion device to move the boat as the sole means of imparting action to the lure.
E. Fishing Under Power – Contestants are not allowed to fish at any time when the combustion engine is running. Power fishing from dock to dock, through no wake zones or channels are prohibited.
12. PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS AND BOUNDARIES
A. Boundaries – Teams may fish anywhere on tournament waters within the boundaries defined by the tournament director that are available to the public and accessible by boat except areas designated as “off-limits,” “no boats,” “keep out,” “restricted,” “no trespassing” or “no fishing” (or similar language or markings intended to restrict public access) by tournament officials, commercial property owners and/or local, state or federal officials.
B. Fishing and Travel via Boat – All fishing must be conducted from the boat. At no time may a contestant, or boat captain leave the boat to land a fish or to make the boat more accessible to fishing waters. The boat must remain in the tournament waters during the tournament day. Teams must always remain together and within sight of their boat captain until check-in. The momentary condition of being out of sight of each other for restroom breaks is permitted. No fishing will be permitted during bathroom breaks.
C. Removal of Barriers – The cutting of trees, bushes and/or logs after the start of a tournament and/or the removal of official local, state, or federal barricades at any time to make an area more accessible by boat is strictly prohibited and may result in disqualification from the tournament. The use of cables, ropes, chains or any type of block and tackle system to maneuver a boat into fishing waters is strictly prohibited and will result in disqualification from the tournament.
13. TOURNAMENT FORMAT
Tournament format is Catch-Photo-Release (CPR). No fish will be brought to the check-in location or weigh-in stage.
A. CPR Procedures – The CPR procedures will be reviewed at the pre-tournament in person and/or online meeting. The general procedures are as follows:
• Catch the fish in accordance with the tournament rules.
• Open Fish Donkey App
• Take a picture Measuring the fish using a tournament-approved bump board, that captures the complete fish on the tournament-approved ruler, with the mouth of the fish closed, touching the bump board.
• Fish must be facing left, belly towards angler.
• Take 2nd picture of angler holding fish.
• Hands cannot be in the mouth, under the gill, or covering the mouth or tail.
• Minimum length is 12” and fish are rounded down, if fish touches the 12” line, but does not make the 12 ¼”, it would be registered as 12”
• Record the fish using the Fish Donkey app. Verify that the picture is clear and can see the head, tail, and
B. Mobile Device Capabilities –
CPR format requires the use of a mobile device like a smart phone. Tournament officials will not provide mobile devices. It is recommended, but not required, to have multiple smart phones in the boat for backup purposes. Contestants, and boat captains must supply their own mobile device that is capable of the following:
• Installing the Fish Donkey App.
• Maintain battery life for the duration of the tournament.
C. Tournament-Approved Rulers –
Please make sure to get one of these approved rulers. The Hog Trough with the black lines was easy to see the tail, and cradles the fish a bit, you just need to take a fine tip black marker and put a line where the base of the bump board and ruler are. This makes it easier to see that the mouth is touching the bump board. There is some rebranding of the Hog Trough ruler like Yeti, which is fine but we recommend that all the marks are in black so we can see them. It is the angler’s responsibility to have a ruler and photo that we can see 1/4 marks, if we can’t read anything it will be tossed. All fish will have to be measured on approved rulers listed below, Get them now! • Hog Trough reasonably priced, easiest to see with pictures (Make sure to get the one with the black lines), Scheels Aluminum Board reasonably priced, good markings, Scheels Plastic Board reasonably priced, (If you use this board please color all the lines in with a black fine tip permanent marker), Ketch Board expensive, easy to see with pictures I like the candy apple red to see better, Lund Aluminum Ruler, easy to see comes with many of the Lund boats, Judge Ruler, medium price is what AIM Walleye circuit uses for CRR, available at Thorne Bros or a Twin Cities Walleye Club Ruler. If you have an older Judge Ruler, I recommend coloring lines black or white to make them easier to see. All pictures submitted to the FishDonkey app on an unapproved ruler will be rejected.
D. Photographs –The photo must capture the ruler, along with the mouth closed and tail of the fish pinched on the tournament-approved ruler with lines visible in the picture. If the measurement of the fish cannot be determined from the picture, for any reason, if the photo is not with an approved ruler, then the entry will be disqualified and not counted toward the team’s catch. It is the responsibility of the contestants to ensure the fish is photographed properly. If you cannot read the measurement to the 1/4 inch, with head and tail visible in one photo, we certainly cannot either.
1) Tournament Judges will make all calls, if there is a formal protest filed on a fish that was rejected/approved the Tournament Director will be brought in for the final say.
2) Tournament officials reserve the right to examine the metadata of any photo image to confirm the validity of the photo. Photos with edited or missing/altered metadata may be disallowed at the discretion of tournament officials, and penalties may be assessed.
3) All photos must be entered into the FishDonkey app before 1:00pm. If a contestant cannot get the photos into the App, they must contact a tournament official before 12:30 to assist.
E. Same Fish Caught Multiple Times – In the instance when the same fish is caught multiple times, only the first CPR recording of that fish will count toward the team’s bag. Intentional measuring and recording of the same fish are prohibited.
F. Multiple Fish at Same Time – In the instance when two or more fish are caught at the same time, the CPR process requires that one fish must be measured, photographed, recorded, and released as quickly as possible before next fish can be processed.
G. Livewell Usage –Using a livewell for any reason is strictly prohibited unless prior consent is obtained from the tournament director. If there is proof of a fish being put in the livewell without tournament director’s consent, a penalty will be assessed up to and including disqualification.
1) Holding Fish at Side of Boat – A contestant may hold a fish at the side of the boat, or in a net to prepare for the CRR process or to revive a fish. During this time the contestant whose fish is retained must cease fishing immediately and cannot resume fishing until the fish is returned to tournament waters.
2) If Consent is Given – If the tournament director is contacted and consent is given, the contestant whose fish is retained in a livewell must cease fishing immediately and cannot resume fishing until the fish is returned to tournament waters.
14. SCORING Scoring is determined by the length of each team’s catch during each tournament, each fish’s length is converted to weight using the FishDonkey app. Copies of the conversion chart are available via request.
A. Species – The tournament director will designate the allowable species for each tournament and communicate those species to contestants, coaches, and boat captains before or during the pre-tournament meeting.
B. Minimum Size – A scorable bass is any bass caught that is 12” or longer. A bass caught that measures less than 12” shall be deemed “un-scorable.” 1) Length will be the sole determining factor for a bass being scorable or un-scorable.
C. Tournament Limit – The tournament director will designate the number of fish that will be counted toward each team’s weight for the tournament. Unless otherwise noted, the limits below apply.
1) During qualifying or open tournaments, each team’s top 5 fish in length converted to weight will count toward the team’s cumulative weight for the tournament.
D. Tournament Places – Tournament places will be determined by the cumulative pounds and ounces of each team’s tournament limit.
15. TIES In the event of a tie in any tournament place, the tied teams’ individual tournament limit fish weights are compared, and the tie breaks in favor of the team with the heaviest single fish weight. If the heaviest single fish weights are the same across teams, then the second-heaviest single fish weights are compared, and so on. In the unlikely event that all single fish weights are identical across the tied teams, then then the tournament director will flip a coin to break the tie.
16. QUALIFYING FOR TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS
A Tournament of Champions (TOC) is planned to follow the tournament qualifying season. The top 25 percent of teams in each qualifying tournament will advance to the TOC. A team or angler cannot qualify more than once. Tournament officials will move down the tournament finishing order to achieve top 25 percent of new qualifying teams.
A. Team Designation for TOC – If a contestant fishes multiple qualifying events with different teammates, only the first team that qualifies can advance to the TOC. A contestant cannot qualify as a member of two different teams. Emergency on Day of TOC – In the event of a medical or family emergency on the day of the TOC, a contestant may be permitted to fish alone with a non-fishing observer. If the boat captain is a parent or guardian then any non-fishing observer over the age of 18 would be allowed, if the boat captain is not a parent or guardian, then the observer must be a parent, guardian or family member over the age of 18, and only with approval from the tournament director Take off order – Will be determined via a random draw. There will be a morning boat inspection and take off weather permitting for the TOC event.
18. LOGO DISPLAY AND MEDIA COVERAGE
Contestants, coaches, and boat captains may wear their own apparel. Tournament officials reserve the right, in their sole discretion, to prohibit any contestant, coach or boat captain’s apparel that is determined to be offensive. Media groups will be allowed to be in a boat with the anglers upon approval. Media is a publication, known media outlet, or recognized content creator that must be pre-approved by the board and tournament director. If there is media that will be in a boat the B.A.T.S. will notify anglers that they may see media personnel in a boat or moving from boat to boat.
19. ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO During all days of competition, all alcohol and tobacco logos are prohibited and may not be worn or displayed. Contestants are never permitted to consume alcohol. Coaches and boat captains, regardless of age, cannot consume or possess alcohol during tournament hours, including check-in, at any event. Contestants, coaches, and boat captains may not smoke or use tobacco products during tournament hours, including check-in, at any event.
20. TRUTH VERIFICATION TEST Contestants, coaches, and boat captains agree to submit, by entry into the tournament or signature on the tournament entry form, to a polygraph or voice stress analysis examination and to abide by its conclusion. Failure to pass an examination, or refusal to take an examination, will result in disqualification from the tournament, and could result in being banned from participation in any further events. Truth verification tests will be used at the sole discretion of tournament officials, and the determination of the meaning of the results will be made solely by tournament officials.
21. BOAT CAPTAIN INSURANCE Liability insurance with coverage in reasonable amounts is required on all boats used in Student Angler Tournament Trail tournaments. Proof of insurance must be with the boat being used and must cover all passengers in the boat. Random checks will be conducted. Failure to provide proof of insurance when requested by the tournament director may result in disqualification.
22. STUDENT ANGLER INSURANCE All youth Anglers participating in a Bassinators Angler Traveling Series event must be a current member of TBF JUNIOR Membership which provides the appropriate insurance.
23. QUALIFYING FOR TBF JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
- B.A.T.S. will advance a To be determined number of teams to the TBF JR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP based on how many unique teams B.A.T.S. has through out the season. 1 team to nationals for every 20 unique teams .
- Those teams will be chosen by the top positions the B.A.T.S. TOC.