Tournament Rules

1. ENTRY FEES / MEMBERSHIP FEE
Entry fee for all regular season qualifying tournaments is $160.00 ( includes $10.00 big fish or lunker pot ) The entry fee for the two day Fall Classic Championship ( FCC ) is $220.00 and includes the $10.00 lunker pot for each day. Each participant shall pay a one time $40.00 membership fee per year. The membership fee covers all divisions. Youth anglers under age 18 for the entire tournament season fishing with an adult are not required to pay a membership fee. All members and youths are eligible to receive any and all sponsorship promotional items throughout the year as they become available.

Tournament officials shall have the right to refuse any application, or to deny a confirmed application, by returning the entry fee of a previously accepted application.

2. PRIZE PAYOUTS
All regular season events will have a payout based on one place paid per 5 boats entered. There is one lunker pot paid per regular season event. A lunker pot will be paid for each day of the 2-day Fall Classic. Paid places may be added in the fall classic. Each participant is responsible for reporting all winnings.

3. LAUNCH SEQUENCE
Starting positions are based on the order in which entry fees are received. This also applies to DAY ONE of the Fall Classic events. Day Two launch sequence of each Fall Classic event will be in the order of Day One standings from top to bottom.

4. FALL CLASSIC CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFYING
The top 25 teams based on total weight from the regular season events per division will qualify for the Fall Classic Championship for that specific division. Teams fishing 7 of 10 regular season events within a division qualify for that division's Fall Classic Championship. Teams fishing 12 total events from two divisions qualify for those two Fall Classics or teams fishing 15 total events from three divisions qualify for all three Fall Classics.

5. SCORING / STANDINGS / RESULTS / TIES
Tournament results and standings are based on the total weight of largemouth and smallmouth bass caught legally and weighed in officially. Teams may weigh a maximum or limit of 5 fish per day per event. At no time can a team have more than 6 fish in the live well. Once a team catches the sixth fish, one partner must immediately stop fishing and begin culling down to the five fish limit. All culling must be done on the water and not at the weigh-in area or marina. No culling is allowed after a team has checked in. Length requirements will vary from fishery to fishery depending on the time of year. Anglers are required to know the size requirements depending on state and local game laws. All size requirements will be clearly announced at each event but it is the responsibility of each team member to know these size requirements. The penalty for attempting to weigh an illegal fish is a one pound deduction from the net weight of the entire catch and the loss of the illegal fish. Dead fish penalty shall be ¼ lbs. ( 4 ounces ) per dead fish. The dead fish penalty will also apply to big fish. A team may qualify only one dead fish per year for the lunker pot. Once the bag of fish is handed to LAPR officials for weigh in no fish may be added or subtracted from the catch. If a team brings six or more fish to the scales that team will be disqualified and their catch results for that event will be 0 pounds. If there is a tie for total weight the prize money for the places tied for will be combined and divided equally. Big fish ties will also have prize money divided equally between those teams that are tied.

6. LATE PENALTY
Competitors not back at the official check in or weigh in site on time will be penalized one pound per minute late up to ten minutes. After ten minutes the team will be disqualified and their total weight for that event will be 0 pounds.

7. TEAMS / PARTNERS / SUBSTITUTES
A team shall consist of one or two anglers. One angler teams may fish the entire series alone and they are required to pay the full entry fee per event. A team may have 2 official designated substitutes per season and substitutes may fish a maximum of 4 regular season events. The same substitute(s) is allowed to fish the Fall Classic. Substitutes are required to pay a $10.00 substitute fee per event. Substitutes may fish with either partner. If a team substitutes more than four times during the regular season that team will lose all previous weight gained and begin to add weight from that event until the end of the regular season. Anglers may fish alone to retain weight. Death and severe illness or accident may be brought to the attention of LAPR officials for partner change approval. Military deployment and / or transfers will also be considered. Partner disagreements are not grounds for official partnership changes. Prior to forming an official team an angler can be a substitute. If an angler is on an established team in a division that angler cannot be a substitute in the same division but that same angler may be a substitute in another division. Permanent partner changes can only be made upon approval by LAPR officials.

8. TACKLE AND FISHING METHODS
Only artificial baits may be used except pork chunks or strips. All bass must be caught in a sporting manner. When site fishing the fish must be hooked inside the mouth. No snagging or chumming. No live bait may be in a competitor's boat at any time during tournament hours. Anglers may use or fish with only 1 rod and reel at a time. No trolling with the big motor. No rods over 8 feet in length may be used during competition. No competitor may leave the boat to land or catch a fish. Push poles are allowed to navigate the boat if a team so chooses.

9. SPORTSMANSHIP
Each competitor is expected to follow the highest standards of sportsmanship and courtesy. No boat may fish within 50 yards of another competitor who was first anchored with the trolling motor up. Furthermore, no competitor may fish within 25 yards of another competitor without the permission of the other team. Permission shall not be granted to one team at the exclusion of another. Fighting and confrontation will not be tolerated and may result in immediate disqualification for all involved and a permanent ban from the series. No hole sitting by a non-competitor to aid a competing team. Use of any other person or 2-way communicating devices such as cell phones, pagers, CBs etc., intending to aide in locating or catching fish, is strictly prohibited.

10. SAFETY
Safe boating conduct must be observed at all times. Each competitor must wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved life vest, suspenders or belt securely fastened anytime the boat is on PLANE and failing to do so will result in immediate disqualification and forfeiture of all entry fees and prize money. When slowly idling between spots anglers have the option of wearing or not wearing their life vest. Tournament days may be shortened or canceled due to severe weather or any conditions that would endanger the safety of the competitors and / or staff. All decisions will be made by the Tournament Director and will be final.

11. BOATS
All boats must be equipped with a live well system capable of keeping a limit of fish alive. Each boat must also be equipped with a bilge pump and kill switch. Engines cannot exceed the horsepower rating of the boat.

12. STATE LAWS AND REGULATIONS
All competitors are to abide by all local, state, federal and wildlife laws. Competitors are required to have any and all fishing licenses and / or permits for any specific area they are fishing. It is the total responsibility of all competitors to have all of their safety equipment up to date and in working order. We realize that minor issues do arise and we will deal with any issue accordingly with the possibility of a one time warning occurring. All issues will be dealt with in a prudent, reasonable and fair manner by the tournament director. No alcoholic beverages or drugs may be consumed at any time during the tournament or weigh-in. Prescription medication may be taken if under a doctor's order.

13. OFF LIMITS AREAS
Off limit areas are anywhere prohibited by local, state or federal regulations. Other off limit areas may be present and put in place for safety reasons. Competitors are to have a clear understanding of any off limits areas. Competitors ticketed for fishing in an off limits area will be disqualified for that specific day and their weight will be 0 pounds for that day.

14. EMERGENCIES
Competitors shall not leave the boat except in emergencies. Sickness, severe storms, nature calls etc. are deemed emergencies. If your boat breaks down you may ride back with your fish with anyone willing to help while the other partner stays with the disabled boat. Every effort possible is to be made to keep fish alive in this situation. You may be towed in by anyone. Any penalties will still apply. You must return to the weigh-in site by boat. If you must trailer your boat back to the weigh-in site your catch will be disallowed and you will receive 0 pounds for the day.

15. PROTESTS / POLYGRAPHS
Any protest must be submitted in writing to the tournament director within 15 minutes of scale closing. LAPR officials reserve the right to ask a competitor to submit to a polygraph exam at any time. Failure to do so will result in immediate disqualification with all entry fees and prize money being forfeited.

16. LIABILITY INSURANCE
All boaters must carry liability insurance at all times. Failure to do so will result in immediate disqualification. It is the responsibility of any boat owning competitor to have and to keep this insurance up to date during any and all LAPR events.

17. LIABILITY / CAMERA RELEASE
By signing an official entry form you agree to assume all risk associated with the tournament and to release and indemnify the Lake Anna and Potomac River Bass Series officials, sponsors, advertisers, directors, employees and hosts from any and all damages, claims, demands and expenses relating to any injury of any person or persons including yourself and to damages of any property which you may sustain or which you may cause while participating in any LAPR event. You also grant the LAPR Bass Series sponsors, and hosts the unconditional use of your name, voice or photographic likeness for use in any video, audio or print media and our press releases. You understand that you shall not be entitled to any monies, royalties or other compensation in connection with such use.

18. RULES INTERPRETATION
Interpretation of these rules will be left up to the tournament director. Infraction of any rule may result in immediate disqualification of the specific day's catch and forfeiture of any and all entry fees, prize money and or prizes. The decision of LAPR officials are final.

19. MISCELLANEOUS
Please understand that acts of war, terrorism, civil unrest, natural disasters and severe weather may cause the series to adjust payouts and schedules if necessary.