UPDATED Download Tournament Rules in PDF format (April 2, 2023) 

Important Information on new rule additions.  Download in PDF format.

OVERVIEW 

NBAD Tournament Rules shall apply to Team Tournament on all three days, usually Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The rules will be interpreted by official Tournament Director and final decisions are upon the majority of the board.  

SPORTSMANSHIP  

  1. Any contestant who displays poor sportsmanship shall be promptly disqualified for the entire tournament.  
  2. Intoxication and/or illegal drug use will be result an automatic disqualification for the entire tournament.  
  3. First disqualification comes with two year suspension.  
  4. Second disqualification, a lifetime suspension shall be imposed.  

 FISH 

  1. Only black bass (largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass) may be caught. 

 TEAM ELIGIBILITY  

  1. Participation in Team Tournament is open to any deaf or hard of hearing only. 
  2. Contestant must be deaf or hard of hearing and use sign language, at least to have a comfortable conversation.  
  3. Contestant must be at least 18 years old.  

 CONTESTANTS IN TEAM TOURNAMENT  

  1. A team consists of two persons only. 
  2. The organization have no responsibility for providing any available contestants to anyone or pairing of contestants.   
  3. No transfer of contestants to other team shall take the place for any given reason after the close of registration.  
  4. Both contestants are encouraged to select water routes and fishing spots equally. 
  5. Fair shares on any expense of using the boat are encouraged and will be responsibility of both contestants. 
  6. Non-boater shall not be responsible for expenses that incurred with any breakdown on any equipment including the boat. Only the boat owner shall be responsible for maintenance and expenses on his/her boat.  
  7. In a case of boat break down, the team can switch to another boat as long they transfer the boat number card after getting authorization from the tournament director or NBAD officials.  

TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT 

  1. Only artificial lures shall be used. 
  2. Only one line may be in the water at any time and casted only from the boat.  
  3. Trolling by using gas-powered engine is prohibited. 
  4. Usage of any electronic devices or thermometers, etc. may be used. 
  5. Line can be casted out only when the outboard is NOT running. Both contestants’ lines must be out of water completely BEFORE starting the outboard engine. 

 FISHING WATERS 

  1. Any water mentioned on the NBAD official flyer must be fished in.  
  2. No fishing shall be permitted within 50 yards of NBAD Headquarters, checkpoint area or another contestant’s boat who have anchored/moored (i.e., remote anchors, ropes) 
  3. Bank fishing is prohibited.
     

LAUNCHING/ARRIVALTIMES 

  1. Check-out and check-in at the checkpoint area with tournament committee is required.  
  2. Tournament volunteers must inspect the boat, equipment and live well at the checkpoint or staging area before taking off.  
  3. Team must have the boat number card at both check-out and check-in.  
  4. In case with inclement weather, NBAD officials may schedule a different times for check-out and check-in.  
  5. The tournament time shall be from sunrise or 6:00 am to 3:00 pm. The end time can be changed at the discretion of Tournament Director. 
  6. The scheduled times shall be applicable unless the state and/or local game regulations whichever is stricter. 

  BOAT REQUIREMENTS 

  1. All boats must have the following items: navigation lights, working kill switch, two life jackets, first aid kit, fire extinguisher, one throw cushion, and horn and/or whistle. 
  2. Kill switch must be engaged while the engine is operating. 
  3. Live wells must be empty before the start of each day. Live wells must be working on each day.  
  4. For subsequent inspections, only three items are inspected: live well, lifejackets and registration badges 
  5. All contestants are required to wear the Coast Guard approved life jackets and must be zipped, buckled and/or clasped at all the times when the boat is in motion. 
  6. Rental boat may be used, but subjected to all above boat requirements.  

   SCORING 

  1. Scoring at the weigh-in shall be based on pounds with two decimal places. 
  2. The minimum legal bass requirement shall be 12 inches or longer or in accordance with state and local game regulation whichever is stricter. 
  3. The legal length measurement shall be measured from the closed mouth to the compressed tail.  
  4. The maximum limit of bass shall be 5 per team, per day or in accordance with state and local game regulations.  
  5. If a bag is brought into the weight station has more than the limit of 5 bass, the largest bass will be tossed out until five bass is reached. 
  6. Any bass that is less than the legal size (SCORING #2) will be tossed out and not weighted in and 0.50 pound will be deducted from the total weight. 
  7. Each bass brought in dead will deduct 0.50 pound. 
  8. Any team who is not in the official checkpoint area at the announced arrival time shall be penalized at the rate of 1 pound per minute for the day. After 15 minutes late, the team will be disqualified for the day. 

 TIES 

  1. If a tie is apparent; all prizes shall be divided equally.  

 REGISTRATION 

  1. All contestants shall be required to register at NBAD Headquarters at least one day before the start of the tournament.  
  2. All contestants shall be required to sign the liability waiver. 
  3. All contestants shall be required to show their valid fishing license. 
  4. Boater will be required to show proof of liability insurance at registration time. 
  5. All contestants are required to attend the team meeting held after the registration. 

   FISHING GUIDES AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES 

  1. There shall be no guide for hire within fourteen thirty (30) days prior to the start of the Team Tournament.  
  2. Any intellectual property (i.e., fishing hot spots, waypoints) obtained by the way of purchase within thirty (30) days before the commencement of the Team Tournament is prohibited. 
  3. Upon evidence of abovementioned violations, both contestants will be disqualified from the Team Tournament and/or being required to return winnings (i.e., monies, trophies) with no statute of limitations. 

  

GAME WARDEN 

  1. Any contestant who receives an infraction ticket from any game warden during tournament shall be cause for automatic disqualification for the day.  
  2. The team weight-in score will be recorded as zero for that respective day. 

 

DISQUALIFICATION 

  1. A team who is disqualified for any days can weigh the bag in case of appeal, then team must in writing with signature and presented to Tournament Director within 30 minutes after the conclusion of official weigh-in time.  
  2. If there is evidence of any rule violations uncovered at a later time, Tournament Director and NBAD officials reserve right to review the score and take whatever actions if deem necessary. 

 

Revised April 2, 2023