Bass Classic Tournament Rules

HEADQUARTERS: TIME & DATE: November 8, 2025, Lake Norfork Marina, Henderson, AR. Tournament hours 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The Tournament Director reserves the right to change hours as deemed necessary. NO ALABAMA RIGS OR VARIANTS THEREOF OR MORE THAN TWO BAITS ON ONE LINE FOR CASTING.

QUALITY ASSURANCE: By participation in this tournament, contestants agree to submit to and successfully pass quality assurance tests. These may include all or part of the following: polygraph tests, urinalysis, blood tests, and observer, in or out of boat. Refusal to submit by either or both anglers will result in immediate disqualification.

PARTICIPATION AND ELIGIBILITY: Maximum of 2 individuals per boat. A properly completed registration form is required for each entry to the tournament. Any person entering the tournament that is under 18 years of age must fish with an adult and provide written permission from the parent or legal guardian. Due to this being a benefit tournament, no anglers of Elite Professional will be allowed to fish. The tournament committee reserves the right to refuse or withdraw the entry of any person if there is a reason to believe such entry might endanger the safety of any person or cause unrest, confusion or disruption of the tournament. Entry fee money will be refunded if entry is refused or withdrawn by the tournament committee.

TOURNAMENT FISHING HOURS: All teams assigned a boat number based on order of entry. At registration, a ribbon will be given to teams to be visibly attached to the boat during the tournament. Take-off will be at 7:00 a.m. November 8, 2025. Boats must be checked back in at the weigh-in area by 3 p.m. Check-in site will be determined by the tournament officials. All boats will identify themselves at check-in site by means of numbered paddle and proceed immediately to the designated weigh-in area to weigh fish. It is the boater responsibility to control your boat at check-in.

WEIGH-IN PENALTY: 1 pound per minute up to 10 minutes, then disqualification. NO EXCUSES! At the end of the tournament day, participants who have not returned and checked in on time shall be penalized.

TOURNAMENT FISHING METHOD: Only artificial lures (with the exception of pork type baits) may be used. Only one spinning, spin cast or casting reel and rod may be used at one time per person. No Alabama rigs or variants thereof or more than two baits on one line for casting. Trolling as a method of fishing is prohibited.

BOAT AND MOTOR: Each boat must meet Coast Guard requirements and have an aerated livewell.

PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS: All State and local laws pertaining to fishing locations must be followed. Anywhere on the tournament lake except within 50 yards of (a) a commercial marina or their concession store dock, (b) another contestant’s boat, (c) the weigh-in area including Henderson Marina Cove (d) inside the entire Panther Bay Marina Cove bouys. All fishing must be done from the boat, no departing boat to land fish. All participants must leave the official starting location by boat and return by boat. Boats must stay in Norfork Lake for duration of tournament. Teams must weigh-in by boat and observe all Arkansas Game and Fish regulations. No trailering of boats during tournament.

SAFETY & SPORTSMANSHIP: Safe boating must be observed at all times. Each contestant is required to wear a chest type preserver at any time the combustion engine is in operation. The preserver must be fastened securely until the combustion engine is shut off. All boats must be equipped with an ignition kill switch that is attached to the driver’s body anytime the combustion engine is in operation.Violators of this rule will be disqualified.

ALCOHOL & DRUGS: No alcoholic beverages of any kind allowed during tournament hours. No mind-altering substances of any kind allowed at any time, including pre-tournament, or weigh-in.

SCORING/FISH LIMIT: Each team will be allowed to weigh in a five bass limit (Largemouth, Smallmouth and Spotted). A 15-inch minimum length limit for all fish weighed in will be observed. ONLY fish in water filled, plastic weigh bags will be accepted for weigh-in. A short fish presented for weigh-in will result in one pound to be subtracted from total stringer weight plus the loss of the short fish. Any frozen or iced fish presented for weigh-in will result in immediately disqualification. Any team bringing in more than their limit will be disqualified.Fish will be measured with the mouth closed and the tail pinched. A dead fish penalty will be assessed of one-half pound per dead fish. A bass weighed for big bass must be alive. At no time may a team possess more than a 5 bass limit (except during culling). Ties for largest weight will be broken by the most fish,the largest single fish and the ties for big bass will be broken by the largest total weight. If there is still a tie, earliest entry will be the tie breaker. Tournament committee has the final say.

RELEASE OF LIABILITY: I hereby release, waive, discharge, and hold harmless the Baxter Health Foundation, event organizers, sponsors, volunteers, officials, venue owners, and any affiliated individuals or organizations (collectively, “Released Parties”) from any and all liability, claims, demands, actions, or causes of action arising out of or related to any loss, damage, or injury, including death, that may be sustained by me or to any property belonging to me while participating in the Event.

PROTESTS: Protests must be filed in writing with the Tournament Committee within 15 minutes of the conclusion of weigh-in.

All fish presented for weigh-in become the property of the Baxter Health Foundation tournament.