Mr. Bass of Arkansas Pro-Am Official Tournament Rules
Great effort, study and research have gone into the formulation of these rules. The following rules of
this Tournament will remain unchanged. Interpretation of these rules shall be left exclusively to the
Tournament Director.
PARTICIPANTS AND ELIGIBILITY: Participation in this tournament is by invitation only and open only to
members of MBOA who are 16 years of age or older. Proof of age to the satisfaction of tournament
officials is responsibility of prospective competitor. A properly completed and signed official application
form and the entrance fee MUST BE RECEIVED AT MBOA PRO-AM HEADQUARTERS NO LATER THAN
6:00 P.M. THURSDAY, PRIOR TO TOURNAMENT DATE UNLESS PRIOR ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN
MADE WITH THE DIRECTOR. The Tournament officials reserve the right to discontinue acceptance of
applications prior to deadline and also the right to extend the acceptance date. Refund of entrance fee
will be made only if PROPER notification is made to MBOA PRO-AM Headquarters prior to the deadline.
A sponsor may pay the entry fee. WHILE ON THE LAKE DURING THE TOURNAMENT, A COMPETITOR
MAY NOT SOLICIT THE ADVICE OF ANYONE (Other than another contestant). NO OFF LIMITS. Each
competitor agrees to report to Tournament Officials any violation or infraction of these Tournament
rules. The failure to report violations or suggestions to violate these rules, or false verification of
weigh-in forms will be cause for disqualification. EACH COMPETITOR AGREES TO SUBMIT BY HIS
SIGNATURE ON THIS DOCUMENT, TO A POLYGRAPH TEST SHOULD HE BE ACCUSED OF ANY
RULE VIOLATION. The administration and interpretation of the polygraph test shall be solely the
responsibility of the Tournament officials, and its agents.
REGISTRATION AND PAIRING OF CONTESTANTS: Each competitor must register in person at the time
and place described on the schedule of events. Two contestants will be assigned to each boat by open
draw. All Pro contestants must be present at the pre-tournament meeting on Saturday night. Only the
tournament director may allow any change in this rule. (Amateur contestants, with permission from the
tournament officials may be allowed to miss the pairings). It shall be the responsibility of each partner to
appear at a mutually agreed upon location with sufficient time remaining to check out at the official
check-point and start on time. Tournament officials shall have no responsibility for finding missing
partners. It is suggested that a minimum of 30 minutes is required for preparation to depart to the
check-out point. When two contestants check out at the beginning of the day, they must stay together
and within sight of each other's catch throughout the day until the weigh-in is completed. A contestant
must not allow any bass caught by him to be counted on the score of another contestant. In such a
case, both contestants shall be disqualified from this tournament and from all future tournaments
conducted by MBOA PRO-AM.
SAFETY: Safe boating conduct must be observed at all times by all tournament competitors. Each
competitor is required to wear Coast Guard approved chest-type life preserver. This preserver must be
worn any time the combustion engine is operating. The preserver must be strapped, snapped or
zippered securely and maintained in that condition until the competitor reaches his fishing location and
the combustion engine is shut off. Violation of this rule shall be reason for immediate disqualification.
Boats must be equipped with fire extinguisher and kill switch.
SPORTSMANSHIP: Competitors in MBOA PRO-AM 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. Drunkenness by any competitor during the
Tournament will not be tolerated and shall be cause for automatic disqualification for this and all future
MBOA PRO-AM tournaments. Maximum courtesy must be practiced at all times, especially with regard to
boating and angling in the vicinity of non-competitors who may be on tournament waters. Any act of a
competitor which reflects unfavorably upon MBOA's effort to promote fisheries conservation, clean
waters, and courtesy shall be reason for immediate disqualification. No alcoholic beverages or other
stimulants or depressants, prescription or otherwise, shall be allowed in the boats or at the weigh-in.
TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT: Only artificial lures may be used. No "live bait" or "prepared bait" will be
permitted, with the exception of pork strips, rinds, etc. Only ONE casting, spin-casting or spinning rod
and reel not to exceed 8 feet in length may be used at any one time. All other types prohibited. Other
rigs as specified above may be in boat ready for use, however only ONE is permitted in use at any given
time. All bass must be caught live and in a conventional sporting manner.
BOAT AND MOTOR: Fishing boats may be used that are 14 feet or more in length. A small motor, gas
or electric, may be used for slow maneuvering. Trolling as a method of fishing is prohibited. No "Barges"
or similar cumbersome craft will be permitted. It having been determined that boats equipped with
"STICK STEERING" PRESENT GREATER THAN NORMAL SAFETY HAZARDS, NO BOAT SO
EQUIPPED SHALL BE PERMITTED TO BE USED DURING TOURNAMENT HOURS BY ANY
COMPETITOR WITH ENGINES OF 40 HP OR LARGER. The definition of "stick steering" shall be made
by the Tournament officials. The competitor may use his own boat and motor, if it is allowed under these
rules, or rent a boat and motor at the tournament site; such possible rental being the sole responsibility
of the competitor. A competitor answering affirmatively the question "Will you be entering as a Pro?" will
be expected to make that boat and motor available for tournament use by himself and his daily partner,
if so requested by tournament officials. Those answering the same question negatively will be presumed
not to have a boat and motor available and will be paired with one who does. Boat expenses are the
responsibility of the Pro.
PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS: Fishing on the tournament waters is permitted anywhere except:
within 50 yards of a marina gas pump; within 50 yards of another competitor's boat which was first
anchored. No such anchored boat shall permit selected competitors to fish within the 50-yard circle
claimed by him, to the exclusion of any other competitor. All angling must be done from the boat.
Competitors wishing to change fish habitat by placing any object in the tournament waters may do so if
such action does not violate state or federal regulations. Contestant must not depart boat to land fish.
Boat must remain in tournament waters during tournament day. Contestants must leave and return to
official check-point by boat. Both competitors must remain in boat at all times, except in case of dire
emergency (should a mechanical breakdown occur, another tournament contestant and one member
from the disabled boat may bring disabled boat's catch in). In such an emergency, competitors may be
removed from their boat to: a boat operated by other competitors; or a rescue boat so designated by
tournament officials. If a competitor must violate any of the above conditions, due to an emergency, or
any other reason, his catch of the day shall not be counted in the tournament. Trailering of boats during
tournament hours is prohibited.
OFFICIAL CHECKPOINT: There shall be only one official check-out in the morning, and check-in in the
afternoon, and this point shall be designated at the pairing of contestants. At the time of check-out, all
competitors and their boats shall be in full conformance with all rules set forth by tournament committee.
SCORING: Tournament standings, auxiliary awards and final winners shall be determined by the pound
of each competitor's catch. Only Largemouth, Spotted, Red Eye or Small-mouth Bass will be weighed.
The limit shall be 5 of the above species and varieties per day. At no time shall a competitor have in his
possession more than the limits described above. Tournament officials will conduct checks for violation
of this provision, and in the event a competitor has more than the above-described limits to possession,
shall cut the largest bass first, down to the limit described. Only bass as described above which meet
lake, river, or state limits, measured on a FLATBOARD, shall be presented for weigh-in. Short fish shall
accrue penalties at the rate of one pound for each such bass. This penalty shall be deducted from the
total score of the competitor. Any bass that appears to have been mangled, mashed, mauled or
otherwise altered will be weighed an credited only at the discretion of tournament officials. Each
competitor must present his catch to the weigh-in officials, and the weight of his catch must be certified
by the signature of his partner of that day. After the competitor has delivered his catch to the
weighmaster, he may not touch said catch until weigh-in procedure is completed. If the tournament
waters have a slot limit present, MBOA PRO-AM will run the slot.
PRO-AM RULES: Contestants will be guaranteed entry in each tournament after being placed with a
corresponding Pro or Amateur entrant. MBOA PRO-AM will only accept individual entries (i.e., Pro only)
and will guarantee entry when a corresponding entrant is found. Tournament officials may use
"observers" in case of sickness, emergency or disqualification in order to maintain an adequate number
of Pros and Amateurs. The Pro shall have complete control of boat operation and waters to be fished.
However, the Pro shall not operate the boat in such a manner as to deliberately handicap the Amateur.
In order that all Amateur entrants receive fair treatment, they will all fish from the back deck of the boat.
They may move to the front deck for safety reasons or for movement of the boat, but may not fish from
the front of the boat. Pro entrants may not fish from the back deck of the boat. Other specific "Pro-Am"
rules will be discussed at the tournament briefing.
LATE PENALTY: Any competitor who is not in the official check-point area at the appointed time shall be
penalized at the rate of 1 pound per minute to be deducted from the total weight of his catch that day,
for each one (1) minute he is late. Any competitor more than 15 minutes late shall lose all credit for that
day's catch. There shall be no excuse for tardiness, and in no case shall a competitor be allowed to
make up "lost time." After proper recognition at the check-in point, competitors will be allowed ample time
to proceed to the weigh-in site; however, all fishing must cease upon check-in. After tournament begins,
fishing is prohibited except during tournament hours. Exact starting and check-in times will be
announced when contestants are paired.