35th Bass Cat Owners Invitational

1. PARTICIPANTS AND ELIGIBILITY: Participation in the annual Bass Cat Owner’s Invitational Tournaments will be open to registered owners of a Bass Cat Boat, who are invited, and their individual partners, or qualified College Anglers. Limited invited guests at the will of Bass Cat Boats, who may not own a Bass Cat Boat. An invitation may be rescinded at any time. All participants in this event which are under the age of eighteen (18) shall be required to notify the Tournament Officials at least 12 hours prior to take-off time. Minors shall also be required to provide a release signed by a parent or legal guardian should they not be participating with them. Family Teams over 2 persons of Parents and Youths may compete for all except the 1st, and 2nd Place Prizes when more than two (2) to a boat are competing. Any exceptions are at the discretion of the tournament officials.

2. SAFETY: Safe boating conduct must be observed at all times by all tournament participants. Caution and safety on morning take-offs must be observed. Each participant must wear a securely fastened U.S. Coast Guard approved chest type life preserver any time the combustible engine is operative. OPERABLE SAFETY SWITCHES ARE REQUIRED ON ALL GASOLINE MOTORS. Safety switches must be worn at all times when the gasoline engine is in operation. There will be no alcoholic beverages permitted in the boat during tournament hours. There will be no exceptions.

3. TYPE OF TACKLE: Only artificial lures may be used. No “live bait” will be permitted; however, pork or pork-type strips, rinds, etc. may be used by those in the Bass Cat division. Only casting, spinning or spin-casting rods and reels may be used. Only one rod may be used at any one time. Other rigged rods may be in the boat for substitute purposes; however, only one “rig” is permitted in use at any one time. All tackle must be used in a conventional casting manner, no trolling, dragging, or similar manner is allowed. No Alabama style rigs will be allowed and no multiple baits or appendages. Only spinner baits up to twin spins allowed. Only one (1) bait, or similar concept, per rod allowed, no teasers will be allowed. No front teasers for top waters allowed.

4. BOAT AND MOTORS: All boats must be in accordance with United States Coast Guard Regulations at their time of production. There will be no boats allowed which are over the recommended maximum horsepower rating. Legally rated boats and motors only.

5. BIG BASS: A $20 portion of the Entry is set aside as “Big Bass” payback. To be paid daily … limited to one “big bass” payback per boat, per two day event. Payback for the Big Bass will be as follows: 10% will be contributed to a local area project, 40% for Big Bass, 30% for second biggest, 20% for third biggest.

6. FISHING LOCATIONS: No fishing within 50 yards of another contestants anchored boat or Pole(s) Down, unless mutual agreements were made between teams. All boats first within the dedicated 50 Yard area of anchored boat have first right to anchor and may not be eliminated from the area. Encroachment is a violation. All fishing must be done from the boat, no departing boat to land fish. Boats must stay in the water during tournament day. All contestants must leave the official launch site(s) by boat and return by boat to designated sites. ALL TAKE OFF AND WEIGH IN’s will be at Lake Prairie Creek Marina. All other State and Federal Regulations apply, including any Beaver Lake area restrictions.

7. LATE PENALTY: At the end of each tournament day and any contestant not within the markers of the designated dock will be determined late. Contestants who are not in the official docking area on time shall be penalized one pound for each one (1) minute they are late. All contestants must proceed directly to weigh-in upon returning to dock. Any contestants more than 10 minutes late shall lose all poundage credit for that date. Boat and motor trouble and other problems will not be an excuse for tardiness. In no case shall a tardy contestant be allowed to make up lost time.

8. SCORING: The legal limit shall be five (5) fish per day, per team. Scoring shall be determined by total poundage. The Tournament winners will be determined by total poundage accumulated during the day of tournament fishing. Only BLACK BASS, LARGEMOUTH, SPOTTED, RED EYE OR SMALLMOUTH which are legally caught are permitted. After his fish have been handed to weigh-in officials NO PERSON EXCEPT OFFICIALS shall touch said fish. A contestant bringing in more than his limit will be disqualified for that days catch. The legal length limits will be 15 inches for all Bass. The minimum length for hybrid stripers and/or stripers will be 20”. Walleye must be a minimum of 18”. Any bass brought to the scales under the legal limit shall be subtracted at the rate of one pound per infraction from the total catch. Any fish that appears to be dead, mangled, mashed, or mauled, will be measured separately on a flat board and credited only at the discretion of the weigh-in officials. All fish will be measured with mouth closed. Gator Grips Golden Rule will be the official measuring board. Catch will be disqualified should entire limit be deceased.

Limit of Only One Major Prize in Excess of a $5,000 Value will be Awarded Per Team.

9. PROTEST: Any contestant wishing to protest the score of a fellow contestant must do so in writing within thirty (30) minutes after the official closing of the scales.

10. TIES: In case of ties, the most number of fish will determine the winner, followed by the largest stringer weight. In case of a tie for Big Bass, or other fish, of the Tournament, tie will be broken by the heaviest stringer, then toss of coin, unless for first place. Then a fish off will ensue.

11. SPORTSMANSHIP, COURTESY, SAFETY AND CONSERVATION are expected from each participant. Any infraction of these fundamental sporting principals may be deemed cause for disqualification or refusal of participation as this is an Invitational event for both participants. Bass Cat Boats reserves the right to refuse that Invitation to any party for any of these reasons deemed violated by the Tournament Director. Possession, or, use of alcohol on the part of any contestant during the tournament will not be tolerated, and shall be cause for automatic disqualification from this tournament. The intentional snagging of a fish shall be reason for disqualification under this paragraph.

12. TOURNAMENT FISHING HOURS: All contestants must be signed-out and inspected by the tournament officials and shall begin the day from the official dock. At the listed day’s end time, all contestants must be at the official dock and signed-in with the tournament officials by or before the ending time for that day.

13. LAKE HEADQUARTERS: Prairie Creek Marina. All anglers must start and end each day at this location.

14. ENTRY FEES: Entry Fee is $200.00 (plus $6.00 CC processing fee), which includes Big Bass. Online or mail-in entry permitted from BassCat.com. Entries may be mailed to Bass Cat Boats, P.O. Drawer 1688, Mountain Home, AR 72654. Each participant will be responsible for selecting their team partner before each entry is made, and shall designate the captain of the team with their entry. Mail-in entries must be received by 4/15/22.

15. LIABILITY: A release of liability will be required at the time of registration. Signature of release of liability issues permission of submission to a lie detector (polygraph), or Voice Stress analysis test and results are final at decision of officials. This release of liability is also considered as approval of, and permission for use of any likeness and photos in promotional opportunities.* (*Unless otherwise notified)

16. Great effort, study and research have gone into the formation of these rules. The rules of this Tournament will be interpreted and amended solely by the judges and Tournament Officials and shall be final in all matters. A non partial tournament committee of three (3) participants will be appointed to witness rulings and decisions.

17. Each Bass Cat Dealer will be eligible to fish the Tournament as will approved employees of the dealership. They must use a Bass Cat Boat just as the contestants are required to do so. Those employees must also be approved by Bass Cat and validated as employees to be invited.

18. All fish must be submitted to, and will only be received by, the weigh- in officials in bags supplied or approved by tournament officials. Outer protective support will be allowed as a supplement. Second only to participants safety is the care of the fish, for release and research purposes.