2023-24 Schedule and Rules!

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Dec 14th Henderson @ St. John's Astor (Butler Street Ramp)

(Tournament Entry $45 per angler)

Must be a current member of B.A.S.S. and have paid $60 club dues in order to participate!

*Guest may fish one tournament with an active member.  Guests must be members of B.A.S.S. 

All boats must show proof of insurance!

Tournament Rules 

1) There will be no minimum fish size. It is the participant’s responsibility to attain and sign a Black Bass Tournament Exemption Permit in his/her possession from take-off to release (after weigh-in) of the fish into the same body of water from which it was caught.
2) All Boats must have a working livewell capable of sustaining their catch.
3) Safe boating conduct must be observed at all times. Life vests must be worn when the boat is on plane and boat lights are required til after sunrise. No Alcoholic beverages permitted during tournament hours. The kill switch is recommended to be hooked up to the driver when the gas-powered motor is on and running.
4) No more than five fish per boat. Culling of dead fish is prohibited. Note on slot lakes you can only keep three fish per boat. There will be a 1/4lb penalty per dead fish. If that dead fish is big bass a 1/4lb will be deducted from big bass.
5) In the event of a tie. The angler/team that has a legal live limit will win the tie. In the result the anglers/teams that are both tied have legal live limits then the angler/team with the biggest bass will win the tie.
6) Only artificial baits shall be used.  Live Bait is Prohibited!  Also, only one pole per angler in the water at one time. Trolling as a method of fishing is prohibited. Culling of fish at the ramp is prohibited.
7) At least one angler in the boat must be 18yrs of age. All boats must return to the launch ramp by the given weigh in time. Late penalty is 1/4lb penalty per minute, after 15 minutes you will be disqualified. In the event of a break down, one or both anglers can return in another competitor's boat with their catch or be towed into the ramp by anyone available. All anglers must return to the ramp by water by the given weigh in time unless approved by the Tournament Director in the state of an emergency with the President being the final authority. If an angler leaves early, please text a club officer so that they are aware.
 8) No fishing within 50 yards of another contestant who has their trolling motor is the stowed position and is anchored. No fishing within 50 feet from a contestant with the trolling in the down position.
9) Protests must be received prior to payouts to the Tournament Director. Tournament Committee will vote and announce the final decision.
10) Any contestant receiving a fine or citation while fishing a tournament will be disqualified. All state and local laws as well as club rules must be complied with at all times. Any violation of club and or tournament rules may be grounds for disqualification.
11) Anyone arriving late to tournament take-off must call and inform a club officer. Additionally, the boater must find a club officer to have their live well checked.
12) Tournament Committee has the right to refuse any entry.

In the event a scheduled lake can't be used for the tournament the alternate lake will be used. If there is an emergency situation and the alternate lake also can't be used, then the tournament committee will meet and make the decision to postpone the tournament or move the tournament to another lake. This rule also applies to the classic.
 13) To fish the classic the boater and co-angler must fish at least 7 of the Marion County Bassmaster tournaments. Up to one tournament can be paid for in the event the club member can’t fish 7 tournaments. There must be a tournament on the schedule to be paid in on. Take off order for Day 1 of the Classic will be based on points, Day 2 will be based off of Day 1’s weights.
14) All boaters must show and maintain $300,000 liability insurance coverage on their boats in order to participate in tournaments.
15) Guests may come and fish one tournament by invite of a club member only (Lifetime) and must fish with a member of the club. Guests will not be required to pay dues, however they must be members of B.A.S.S. and have proper required insurance on their boats. They must pay tournament entry. 

16) Refunds. Once boat numbers begin to be called off at launch there will be no refunds of tournament entries. If you are experiencing any boat issues or issues of any kind and are at the tournament, but, choose not to fish or are unable to fish you must notify a club officer and/or the tournament director before boat numbers are called off in order to get a refund.
17) The Classic will be chosen in the following manner. The winner of each tournament will choose a lake from the schedule as their classic pick. That pick will go in a sealed envelope. At the last tournament prior to the classic all the envelopes will be opened and the majority of picks for a certain lake will be the Classic Location. In the result of a tie of Lake Picks then the club will vote between the Lake Picks that are tied and that will be deemed the Classic Location. The Lake Pick coming in second will be the alternate Classic Location.

18) Bass Nation Members from other clubs may join Marion County Bassmasters for the $5 Club Dues as long as their Bass Nation Dues are Current. Said member has from Nov until Feb to join the club for $5. Bass Nation Members from other clubs that wish to join after the Feb tournament must pay the complete $60 dues to Marion County Bassmasters and that money will go into the Classic Pot.

19) When participating in Marion County Bassmaster’s Club tournaments members will only be allowed to participate in the Marion County Club Tournament. It is prohibited to fish another tournament that may be in process on the same date at the same location for club members. The only exception to this rule is if there is a Bass Nation Tournament in process on the same date and location (meaning boat ramp) then members will be permitted to fish in both the club tournament and the Bass Nation event, however, club members must launch with Marion County Bassmasters and weigh in on Marion County Bassmaster’s scales first.