1. ELIGIBILITY:

Participation in Canadian Bass Anglers Federation (CBAF) events is limited to members of the CBAF that are 14 years of age and older. (Participants under the age of 18 must have written parental/guardian consent).

2. FORMAT:

All CBAF Bass events will be in a team format where boaters and non-boaters are matched through a random draw prior to the tournament. In the event a non-boater does not draw a boater for a tournament that non-boater shall be drawn with the first available boater in the next tournament that he/she registers for. In the event of a “no show” a non-boater that is left without a boater may be given a full refund, or if space permits may fish on another entrant’s boat. A boater that is left without a non-boater may be given a full refund.

3. FISHING LICENCES:

All anglers competing in any CBAF event must possess a current full fishing license (Conservation Licenses are not adequate) for the area in which the tournament will be held.

4. PROOF OF BOAT INSURANCE:

Anglers must provide the CBAF with all boat information including horsepower, size, make, insurance policy number and expiry date. All boats must be covered with minimum liability coverage of $1,000,000.00. THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE.

5. TOURNAMENT FEES AND PAYBACKS:

For CBAF joined events the fees and paybacks are as follows:

  •  Entry fee – $60.00 per boater $40.00 per non-boater
  •  90% Payback
  •  Payback split 75% boater and 25% non-boater
  •  Included $10.00 per team Big Fish Pool – 100% payback

6. PRE-TOURNAMENT PRACTICE:

Tournament Pre-fishing is allowed until 6pm the day before the tournament. All federal and provincialfishery and boating regulations must be obeyed during practice and competition. All tournament rules apply during pre-fish – no exceptions (this includes Life Jacket Rules).

7. COMPETITION HOURS:

Competition hours are from 7:00am till 3:00pm or as determined by Tournament Director. All tournament rules are in effect until after your fish are weighed in.

8. BOAT INSPECTIONS AND CHECK-IN:

All competitors’ boats must check-in with the tournament director no later than 15 minutes before the start of each tournament. If you do not check in by then, you will be checked in and sent out after all the other checked in participants are blasted off. Tournament officials mayinspect boats, safety equipment and their contents, at any time during the day.Fish found in the live well before the tournament starts will be released and will result in immediate disqualification for the day. Fishing is prohibited once you have checked in at the end of the day. You must approach the check in boat at the end of the day to confirm your arrival. In the case of mechanical failure only one member of the team needs to be present providing they are brought to the check-in in another competitor’s boat.Boats with mechanical failure are not required to be present in order for the team to be checked-in on time. With the exception of cases of mechanical breakdown or medical emergencies, anglers/teams will not be permitted to check-in/weigh-in early. Decisions will be the Tournament Directors responsibility.

9. START PROCEDURE:

You are expected to prepare to leave as per the directions of the Tournament Director. Teams may be started as a group or in designatedorder as determined by the Tournament Director. You can only leave once you are released if you leave before you may be disqualified.

10. CHECK-IN AND WEIGH-IN PROCEDURES:

Teams must check in with a Tournament Official at the conclusion of their fishing day even if they leave the water early. Payment of costs incurred by CBAF as a result of search efforts due to a Team leaving tournament waters without checking in will be the responsibility of the Team. Every effort must be made to ensure the highest survival rate for fish caught during CBAF events. To maximize survival rates the weigh-in procedure must be followed, anglers must not remove their fish from the live well prior to being given an official weigh in container.

11. TOURNAMENT WATERS:

All waters legally accessible by boat from the lake proper are deemed tournament waters, unless specified by the tournament director.

Locking will not be permitted.

Fishing is prohibited within 150 feet of another competitor’s boat which was already anchored with the trolling motor up without the anchored boat’s permission. This does not apply if other tournament boats were there first this only applies if the anchored boat was on the spot first with no other Tournament boats on that spot prior to dropping the anchor and leaving the trolling motor in the stored position. Permission may not be granted to any team at the exclusion of any other team.

While anchored the trolling motor must be out of the water.

No hole sitting by a non-competitor to aid a tournament participant will be allowed.

During fishing hours, boats must remain 150 feet apart at all times except in the case of an emergency.

All angling must be done from the boat. No angling shall be permitted within 100 yards of any Ministry nets.

12. COMPETITORS MUST REMAIN IN BOATS:

In the case of an emergency it is permissible for competitors and their fish, to be removed from their boat to the boat of another competitor or official rescue boat for the sole purpose of transporting the other competitor and their fish back to the weigh-in.

No angling is permitted to a team once a competitor has been allowed on board. Both teams must immediately stop fishing.

Boats must remain within tournament waters during competition hours.

No competitors may step on shore except to take shelter in the case of hazardous weather and/or lake conditions endangering the lives of the competitors.

Washrooms and/or Facilities may be used at marinas, but one competitor must remain on the boat and may not fish in the absence of their partner. CBAF Tournament Regulations.

13. ONLY ARTIFICIAL LURES MAY BE USED:

No “live bait” or “prepared bait” is permitted, with the exception of pork strips and rind. Liquid fish attractants may be used. Trolling with the aid of the combustion engine is prohibited.

14. TRANSPORTING OF FISH:

Teams may not have more than five fish in the boat live well when underway with the combustion engine during competition hours. Teams presenting more than the allowable limit of 5 fish for weigh in will have their largest fish culled and an additional .50lbs penalty applied. Once fish have been presented to be weighed-in no additional fish may be brought to the scales.

15. STOCKING OF FISH:

Transporting bass for the purpose of stocking an area for a future tournament during the tournament season is prohibited. Possession of live bass during official pre-fishing hours is prohibited.

16. COMMUNICATION:

Competitors may not use cellular phones, radios or any other device to communicate or receive any fishing related information during a tournament. Cellular phones or radio communication devices are to be used for emergency purposes only.

17. EQUIPMENT:

All fish must be caught in a legal sporting manner on a rod and reel.

Only one (1) rod may be used at any one time, per person. Other rods may be in the boat and ready for use, however, every cast and retrieve must be completed before another cast is made.

Rods may not exceed eight feet in length.

The use of electronic tagged fish tracking equipment is not allowed in practice or competition.

Underwater viewing systems will be allowed during all practice periods. They will NOT be allowed in the boats for usage during tournament hours.

A landing net may be used.

This includes pre fish and also water that allow more than one rod per angler (USA, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario) only one rod may be used per angler at a time no exceptions.

18. LATE PENALTY:

Minus .50 lb per minute (or any portion thereof) late, up to a maximum of 15 minutes at which time the entire days catch will be disqualified.

For example, 15 seconds late = 1 minute penalty (.50 lb)
1 minute 5 seconds late = 2 minute penalty (1.00 lb.)

19. AERATED LIVEWELLS AND FISH CARE:

All boats must be equipped with a fully operational live well large enough to sustain a tournament limit of fish in releasable condition.

It is recommended that live wells be maintained at full level with aerators on manual. Tournament officials shall have the sole responsibility for determining whether aeration and capacity is proper and adequate. Dead fish will result in a penalty of .50 lb. per fish; a dead fish may NOT be “Big Fish”. The Tournament Director or his designate shall have sole authority in assessing status of bass and applying penalties.

20. CULLING:

Only non-invasive clip type culling systems may be used; modified piercing (safety pin) type systems must have the safety pins removed to be eligible. Immediate disqualification will result if a piercing type system is found in a contestants’ possession. Previously caught fish with evidence of piercing must be brought to the Tournament Directors attention prior to weigh-in.

21. FIZZING:

All fish that require fizzing must be fizzed immediately. The need for fizzing may not be evident right away; it could take up to ten orfifteen minutes for the air bladder to expand and the fish to float sideways or upside-down. As soon as this occurs the fish must be fizzed in order to prevent further stress to the fish. Fish presented for weigh-in that require fizzing will result in a .50 lb. penalty per fish.

22. SIZE AND LIMITS:

A maximum of five BASS per day, per team may be presented for official weighing. Minimum size is 12 inches measured with the fish’s mouth closed, from the tip of the lower jaw to the longest point on the tail with the tail closed. Bass measuring less than the minimum allowable length are ineligible and .50lb. per fish shall be deducted from the balance of the team’s weight. A courtesy measurement may be approved by the Tournament Director or his designate prior to presentation for weighing without penalty. Live well contents other than LARGEMOUTH AND SMALLMOUTH BASS are not allowed to be presented for weigh-in (i.e. No item(s) regurgitated by the angler’s fish during the day).

23. ANGLER CODE OF CONDUCT:

Anglers participating in any CBAF sanctioned event shall use their best efforts to demonstrate professionalism, sportsmanlike conduct, and integrity in support of the sport of fishing.

24. SPORTSMANSHIP:

Competitors in CBAF tournaments are expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety and conservation. Any infraction of these fundamental sporting principles may be deemed cause for disqualification.

  •  Use of alcohol or drugs (other than those purchased over-the-counter or prescribed by a licensed physician) by any competitor during the official practice or during the tournament will not be tolerated and shall be cause for automatic disqualification from this and all future CBAF tournaments. No alcoholic beverages or other stimulants or depressants, prescription or otherwise, shall be allowed in the boats during practice or competition.
  •  Maximum courtesy must be practiced at all times, especially with regard to boating and angling in the vicinity of competitors and noncompetitors who may be on tournament waters. Any act of a competitor which reflects unfavourably upon efforts to promote fisheries conservation, clean waters and courtesy, shall be reason for disqualification.
  •  All competitors are bound by the prevailing statutes and regulations of the various jurisdictions within which they fish.
  •  Chemical substance addiction or abuse, conviction of crimes involving moral turpitude, or other conduct reflecting unfavourably upon efforts to promote safety, sportsmanship, fair competition and compliance with tournament rules shall be grounds for rejecting any application for participation and/or for disqualification after circumstances are reviewed by the Tournament Director.

25. SAFETY:

Safe boat conduct must be observed at all times by competitors. During the practice and competition, each competitor must wear an approved chest-type life preserver or inflatable PFD (this device must meet safety compliance with all Federal and Provincial laws). This preserver must be worn at all times the combustion engine is operating. This preserver must be strapped, snapped or zippered securely and maintained in that condition until the combustion engine is shut off. Violation of this rule shall be reason for disqualification.Tournament officials have the right to delay, shorten or cancel the start of an official tournament day because of bad weather or other factors that would endanger the safety of the competitors. Tournament waters may also be restricted at any time because of bad weather.

26. BOAT EQUIPMENT:

Boats must be equipped with an operational ignition kill switch and be attached to the drivers’ body when the combustion engine is operating.

Boats must be 14 feet or more in length or at the discretion of the Tournament Director in order to ensure safety. Canoes are not permitted.

All Federal and Provincial fisheries and boating regulations are in effect.

27. HORSEPOWER:

Maximum horsepower for all outboards and inboards must not exceed the limitations that are set by the manufacturers rating plate. Changing or altering standard factory parts of your motor to increase the horsepower over the factory horsepower rating is forbidden.

28. OFFICIAL PROTEST:

Protests must pertain to specific rules violations. Competitors wishing to make an official protest must do so in writing and be presented to the Tournament Director immediately before weighing their fish at the weigh-in area. If the protest is not filed before the protestor weighs their fish, the protest WILL NOT BE VALID. Protests will be heard by the tournament director ONLY, at such time and in such manner as the tournament director determines. All decisions of the tournament director shall be final and binding. Failure to abide by the official protest procedures will forever bar the angler from making the protest.

29. SCORING:

Tournament standings, auxiliary awards and final winners shall be determined on a pure weight basis less applicable penalty. No other species may be retained except for any damaged fish of which officials must be notified.

30. TIES:

Tied teams will pool the two places and split the funds equally. Points will be awarded to the tied teams based on the higher position. In the event of a tie for big fish the money shall be split evenly between the tied anglers, dead fish can not qualify for big fish.

31.BOAT OPERATION AND EXPENSE:

In view of the high cost of operating and maintaining a tournament bass boat and tow vehicle, the non-boater must share the cost of gas and oil for the boat as well as any launch ramp fees and/or toll fees on tournament day. Where possible the non boater and boater should travel together to keep costs down. CBAF Tournament Regulations

32. TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR:

Interpretations and enforcement of the rules shall be left exclusively to the Tournament Director. In the event of a rule violation, the decision of the Tournament Director shall be final in all matters. If the tournament director can not attend a tournament he/she will appoint a member of the tournament committee, or executive as Acting Tournament Director for that event.

The tournament director has the discretion to:

  •  Disqualify competitors for any violation of the tournament rules without a refund.
  •  Cancel or postpone the tournament in the case of bad weather.
  •  Make changes in tournament procedures.

33. TOURNAMENT REGULATION CHANGES:

The CBAF executive committee reserves the right to have the final decision on any issue pertaining to the rules and regulations. Any changes
to the rules must be made submitted to the CBAF executive committee in writing and be voted on by all members.

Canadian Bass Anglers Federation – Protest Form

Protesting Angler: Protested Angler:

Witness: Witness:

Description of incident:

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Signed: Date & Time: