Minnesota Smallmouth Bass Slayers

1. Participation

Participation in the Minnesota Smallmouth Slayers trail is open to any individual 18 years of age or older. All anglers must possess a valid Minnesota fishing license..

2. Pre-Tournament Practice

There will be no off-limits. 

3. Substitutions

There will be substitutions allowed in the Minnesota Smallmouth Slayers  tour. One original team member must be present for all three tournaments to qualify for the Team of the Year prize.

4.Safety

Safe boating must be observed at all times. Each contestant, under penalty of disqualification for that day, must wear a fastened, U.S. Coast Guard approved, personal flotation device and have the engine kill switch (console & tiller boats) attached to the boat operator anytime the combustion engine is in operation from boat check until weigh-in. All boats must be equipped with an emergency ignition shut-off device that must be secured to the driver’s body whenever the combustion engine is in operation. At the discretion of the tournament director, tournament days may be shortened, postponed, or cancelled due to unsafe weather or water conditions.

5. Angler contact

Contact of ANY kind other than rescue between boats during official tournament hours is strictly prohibited

All boats must be a minimum of 16 feet in length.
Each boat must have all required U.S. Coast Guard safety equipment.
Boats must contain a properly aerated live-well space to maintain a live a limit of bass by both contestants.
Maximum horsepower of all outboards used in tournament competition will be 300 horsepower, not to exceed the horsepower capacity set forth on the “Max Capacities” placard described below. Each boat must have a
clearly legible “Maximum Capacities” (or comparably titled) placard that includes a maximum horsepower rating affixed by the manufacturer. The horsepower or the outboard engine must not exceed the maximum horsepower capacity specified on this placard or the 300 horsepower set by the UltimateBassAngler tour.

All tournament boats must be cleaned of all harmful exotic aquatic plants, including milfoil and zebra mussels prior to entering the tournament waters.

All bass must be caught alive in a conventional sporting manner.
Only artificial lures may be used, with the exception of pork trailers.
Only one fishing rod may be used at a time.
Trolling as a method of fishing is prohibited.

Contestants may fish anywhere on tournament waters available to the public and accessible by boat, except areas designated as “off limits” or “no fishing” by local or federal officials or the Tournament Director.

10. Official checkpoints

There will be only one official checkpoint for boat check in the morning and one check-in point in the afternoon. Failure to go through boat check and check-out in the morning or failure to check-in at the check-in point will result in disqualification. Fishing must cease upon afternoon check-in.

Contestants who are not at the official check-in area at the appointed time will be penalized 1 pound per minute deducted from the total weight including any weight to be counted toward a big bass award. Any contestant more that 10 minutes late will loose credit for that day’s weight.

8 ounces will be deducted from total weight for every dead bass presented for weigh-in.

Scoring will be determined by the pounds and ounces of each contestants’ combined catch of five bass for that day.
Only smallmouth bass are accepted species. Contestants possessing more than five bass will have their catch for that day disqualified.
The official minimum length limit for bass will be 12 inches unless the local limit is more than 12 inches; in which case, the lake limit will prevail. Bass presented for weigh-in which fail to measure the prescribed length limit will be penalized at the rate of 1 pound for each non-legal bass presented. If a state or local violation
occurs by bringing a “short” fish to the scale, the team will automatically be disqualified from that UltimateBassAngler Tournament.
Each contestant’s catch must be presented in an official weigh-in bag.

The BIG FISH will break all ties; if a tie still remains it will be broken by a coin toss

Liability insurance, with coverage in Minnesota, with minimum amounts of $300,000 is required, for all boats used in tournaments.

Release of Liability: I acknowledge that I am participating voluntarily in the Minnesota Smallmouth Slayers tour. I agree to assume all risk of injury, death, damages, theft and loss to personal property, which may result from my participation in the Minnesota Smallmouth Slayers tournaments. I recognize that loss of property, injury or death could arise from the fishing and boating activities contemplated by the tournament and the risks normally encountered in open-water fishing from a boat may be enhanced by exposure to the elements and other risks inherent in outdoor competition. I warrant that I am in good physical and mental health and am physically capable of withstanding the rigors and requirements of a professional fishing competition.

Team of the year points will be accumulated at every tournament. Points will be awarded in the following fashion. 1st place: 15pts, 2nd place: 14pts, etc. The team with the highest point total at the end of the year will be the team of the year and receive the cash prize to be determined by the number of entrants throughout the year. In case of a tie, the team with the heaviest bag throughout the entire season will be the team of the year.