B.A.M. Tournament Rules

1. RULE CHANGES: These rules shall remain in effect and unchanged throughout the current tournament year unless specifically superseded by state or local law. Interpretation and enforcement of these rules shall be left exclusively to the tournament director.
2. PARTICIPATION/ELIGIBILITY: Only current members of the BAM are eligible to fish in any BAM event.
   Anglers wishing to participate in BAM events may do so at any time prior to the start of an event. At least one team member must be 18 years of age or older to participate, however, if both members of a team are under the age of eighteen, then they must present written permission from a parent or legal guardian. The BAM reserves the right to deny participation to anyone at any time.
3. LIABILITY INSURANCE: All members must carry a minimum of $100,000 of liability insurance on any boat they might use during an BAM Tournament Event. Failure to do so or reporting of false information will result in disqualification. Anglers must provide proof of insurance upon request.
4. SAFETY: Safe boating conduct must be observed at all times while engaged in BAM sanctioned events and all boats must have a full complement of safety gear as required by USCG regulation. Any time the internal combustion motor is on both participants must have a USCG approved PFD on and securely fastened. Operators must have the kill switch armed with lanyard firmly secured to the operator.  Tournament days may be shortened or canceled due to unsafe weather or any conditions that would endanger the safety of the competitors. The decision to shorten or cancel tournament days will be determined by the Tournament Director.
5. ALCOHOL/DRUGS: Participants will refrain from the use of alcohol and or drugs during the course of the tournament event. Participants that are discovered to be using or under the influence of alcohol or drugs during an event will be immediately disqualified. The tournament event is not officially over until the close of scales.  This prohibition does not extend to the use of prescribed medications for ongoing medical issues.
6. BOATS AND MOTORS: Motors may not exceed the horsepower rating on the BIA plate for those boats
   meeting BIA standards, nor any manufacturer’s plate affixed in lieu of BIA ratings. All boats used in BAM events must be equipped with a functioning kill switch as well as aerated live wells capable of sustaining a full tournament limit during the event. Participants who operate a boat & motor with “tiller steering” shall also have a kill switch lanyard when applicable.
7. SPORTSMANSHIP: Participants in BAM events are expected to follow the highest standards of courtesy, safety, angling etiquette and adherence to game and fish laws . If an angler or team is found to have not conducted themselves accordingly, disqualification form the event and BAM may result.
8. TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT: All fish must be caught alive and in a conventional sporting manner using one rod which may not exceed eight (8) foot in length (measured butt to tip). Intentionally snagging fish is not permitted. Only artificial lures may be used, live and or prepared bait is not allowed, the only exception being “pork rinds” or its equivalent. Trolling with the aid of the internal combustion or electric trolling motor is not permitted. Communication devices such as cell phones, marine radios or CB’s may only be used for emergency purposes or contacting the director. After checking in and near the weigh in location, a courtesy board will be provided which will be the same as the official board used for the event.
9. POLYGRAPH: Anyone participating in a BAM tournament will be subject to a polygraph exam and or voice stress analysis if requested by the tournament officials. Examiner’s decision must be accepted without appeal.  Entrants understand that the failure of such test or refusal to take the test will disqualify them from the tournament.
10. CALSSIC OFF-LIMITS: Tournament waters are off limits After 3:00 pm on Friday September 8th, 2023.
11. PERMITTED FISHING WATERS: All angling activities must be done from a previously inspected boat. No fishing will be allowed within 50-yards of another competitor’s boat which was first anchored or tied, with its trolling motor stowed out of the water, without the anchored boats permission. An anchored boat is a boat held in a stable position by a line attached to a weight or by a Power-Pole with the trolling motor in the up position. Absolutely no hole-setting or holding of a fishing spot, this will not be tolerated. Competitors may not exit their boat to facilitate access to “other” waters. Tournament directors will determine, and announce, all off-limit areas.
12. NO-WAKE: Boats will not pass another’s competitors’ boat in any no-wake zones at any time during
    tournament hours except for boats that may be changing course within the zone, boats which have stopped or are engaged in fishing activities.
13. OFFICIAL CHECKPOINTS: Teams must depart and return from a specified point by boat unless otherwise noted. Teams arriving late will be disqualified. In case of an emergency (I.E. Motor Failed) a team may bring their fish back in a competitor’s boat but there must be at least one member from each team present when checking in. All fishing must cease upon checking in, disqualification will result for fishing after checking in.
14. SCORING: Teams must cull down to their limit of 5 fish before returning to the official ramp site. The 5 fish must measure a minimum of 14 inches*, mouth closed, tail compressed (*local/state limit applies). Teams presenting more than a tournament limit shall be disqualified. Dead fish presented for weight will receive a 8-ounce (0.500) deduction from total weight. Tournament standings will be determined by total weight of all competition days. Only largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass will be scored. Teams presenting fish for weight, and which are subsequently determined to be “short”, shall be penalized the weight of the short fish PLUS the big fish of the sack.
15. BIG BASS: Competitors may choose only one bass out of their bag as an entry into the “big bass side pot/s”.  You may weigh 2 bass at the Classic if we have 2 bass pots.  You cannot weight a dead fish in as big bass. Big bass must be alive.
16. TIES: In the event of a tie at the event, big bass will be the deciding factor. In cases of a big bass tie, then The money will be split.
17. FISH RELEASE: All fish caught and weighed in at an BAM event must be released at the official weigh in location. Failing to release your fish at the official release location will result in an automatic disqualification.
18. PROTESTS/DISQUALIFICATION: Directors must be notified of all protest before close of scales. Protests also, must be submitted in writing within 10 minutes of the closing of the scales. A “protest committee” consisting of three (3) fellow anglers, randomly drawn by the tournament director will address all protests.  Teams disqualified from individual events will still receive show-up points.
19. CONSERVATION: In support of conversation, no penetrating cull can be used. This will result in immediate disqualification of that event.
20. SUBSTITUTIONS: Up to 2 substitutions may be used during the regular season if one team member fishes with the sub. A sub could participate in the classic if they had previously fished at least one half of the regular events in one specific division. Teams with a member who unexpectedly cannot attend the classic may utilize a sub from the division qualified from first, if none are available, then a sub from another division may be used. Exceptions to this rule maybe made by the executive director in cases of death, disability, employment status, or military duties. *No subs will be allowed in the One-on-One Divisions.
21. TEAMS: Teams must be declared at the first event fished in any one specific division by either member of the team. If both members of the team are present for any event in a specific division that they have declared themselves as a team they must fish together for their points to count towards their total team points. Members of a team that decide to fish apart during the same event in a specific division where they have declared themselves as a team no points will be awarded to the original declared team.
22. DIVISION’S POINT CHAMPIONS: Points Champions of each division will be determined based on all
    tournaments fished in that division.
23. CLASSIC QUALIFIERS: You must fish 10 of 12 on the 12-tournament series or 5 of 6 on the 6-tournament series in one division to qualify for that year classic. Exception to that rule that may apply is if a division cancels for inclement weather and does not make up a tournament.
24. ONE ON ONE QUALIFIERS: Championship qualifiers for the One-on-One Championship will be based on all 6 events or all events scheduled for that division.  Any angler competing in 5 of 6 events One on One division will automatically qualify for the championship.
25. BUY IN: Anglers and teams will be allowed to buy into any BAM event during the regular season. Entry fees must be giving to the director before the start of the event to be counted. These entry fees will go into the tournament payout. Anglers/teams who buy into an event will receive show up points.
26. CLASSIC TAKE OFF: 1st Day will be by luck of the DRAW. 2nd Day will be in REVERSE of day one.  All staff members will go out at the end of first flight and will have to be in 15 to 30 min. early each day.
27. DIRECTORS: Tournament directors have the right to deny anyone entry from any and or all BAM tournaments.
28. PRO/GUIDE EXCLUSIONS: Individuals’ serving as licensed guides or are paid for guiding on tournament waters within the pre-ceding 30-day period are not eligible to participate in events held on those waters for tournaments.
29. CLASSIC BAD WEATHER: Classic is a 2-day tournament but due to a bad weather day can and will be 1-day tournament.
30. POINT SYSTEM: Point system based on year-to-date standings only. Point system with 50 points for 1st place. 49 points for 2 nd place on down by weight if you do not catch a legal fish, you will 10 points from the last place that caught fish. (Example) 1st place = 50 points – 2nd place = 49 points - 3rd place = 48 points 4th place = 47 points 5th place did not catch a fish -10 point from the last place that caught  fish = 37 point. 6 tournament Division will double in point Will start at 100 points. Will be -20 point from the last place from the last place that cough fish. Point system for One ON One will start at 50 points.  Bam angler of the year is based on all tournaments fished with in all bam events. BAM Team Angler of the year is based on all Tournament fished with in BAM as a team.
31. LATE PENALTY: Immediate disqualification. You must be in sight of the launch and or / director and off plain and not fishing.