Changes for the 2025 season:
• Club Membership price increased from $40/angler to $60/ angler. The price increase is due to Bass Nation. $30 of the membership goes to the Kansas Chapter and the other $30 goes to the National division.
• Active B.A.S.S. Membership required for entry- membership number will be required on entry form
• Bassmaster Team Championship qualification will no longer be determined by Anglers of the Year standings, but rather by Championship finish. Meaning the team who wins the KBB Championship is the team selected to fish the Bassmaster Team Championship.
Eligibility: All individuals, 16 years of age or older who can legally operate a boat (driver’s license, proof of insurance, boater safety course if required, and any other state required items) with a paid entry fee and a current paid Kansas Bass Nation fee as well as B.A.S.S. membership is eligible to fish. A parent or legal guardian must accompany anyone under 16 years of age or anyone who cannot legally operate a boat. A team may consist of no more than two (2) anglers per boat. All individuals must have appropriate licenses and bass pass required by the state. In tournaments where the Bass Pass is used, the tournament director may verify pass at check-in.
Bass Pass: Permit sold by state to allow each angler to weigh in 5 fish 15” and larger.
Entry/Membership/Fees: Entry fee is $150 if paid in cash or check and $155 for PayPal due to fees incurred. Entries will be accepted by mail or may be paid at the ramp. There will be a yearly team trail fee of $60 if paid in cash or check and $65 for PayPal due to fees incurred per angler- including previous Angler of Year (AOY) (see above for explanation of cost increase). Active B.A.S.S. membership also required. Take off positions are determined by order of paid entry. Paid entry for all tournaments will take priority take off position. Paid entry fees may be transferred with Kansas Buddy Bass approval. No refunds.
Insurance: Boat owners must have at least $300,000.00 of Boating Liability Insurance. Proof of insurance may be asked for at any time.
Payback: One (1) place for every five (5) teams with a maximum of twenty-five (25) cash places being paid regardless the number of teams entered. Big bass will be paid by side-pot only. Payback at weigh-in of 70%; 30% withheld for top 3 free entries into championship, for AOY’s entries into following year, and Tournament fund (expenses associated with operating the tournaments).
Big Bass: $30 optional entry. For ties, refer to the ties section below. Payback is 100%, for big bass pot. If big bass is dead, a 1 lb. penalty will be deducted from that fish. Must be paid prior to take off. $30 Side pot on how you place over all, this is cash only, 100% pay back. this will be paid back two places, 2/3-1/3 split to the teams who enter, must be paid prior to take off.
Points: 1st will receive 250 points, 2nd 247 points, 3rd 244 points, and so on in 3 point increments with the rounded weights being added to the points. So if 1st place has 23.41lbs, 2nd place has 16.84lbs, and 3rd place has 14.57lbs the point totals would be 1st- 273 (250+23), 2nd- 264 (247+17), and 3rd- 259(244+15).
Championship Qualification: To be eligible for the championship, you MUST fish 3 Kansas Buddy Bass tournaments. There will be 8 events, not including the Championship. Alternates cannot be used in the championship (extenuating circumstances may allow the tournament directors to add an alternate). The top 3 teams that fish all 8 tournaments receive free entry into the championship. The Championship boat order will be set by current year Anglers of the Year standings.
B.A.S.S. Bassmaster Team Championship Qualification: The teams selected will be in order of the finish at the championship. B.A.S.S. gives one Team Championship birth for every 25 teams on the roster.
Anglers of the Year (AOY): AOY of the year will be decided by the total points of the top 6 events. This means if you fish all 8 events, you get to drop the lowest 2. The team finishing the year with the highest accumulated points will be declared AOY. AOY will receive No. 1 boat position for the following year and entries paid, but not Kansas Bass Nation or B.A.S.S. yearly dues and/or the championship entry. If there is a tie for AOY, the tie will be broken by the finish in the classic.
Alternates: A team may use one (1) alternate per season or fish by themselves. Alternates must pay Kansas Bass Nation membership fee as well as have an active B.A.S.S. membership. One original member of the team must be in the boat at all times. Original members must be designated prior to the first tournament fished. Any team may use the same alternate during the season as many times as needed with the exception of the classic
Disqualification: Will result in (0) zero points and (0) zero refunds.
Scoring: Largemouth, small mouth, and spotted bass will be scored, five (5) fish limit. Length limits will be determined by lake regulations. Short bass will result in a one (1) pound penalty plus the loss of the fish. A dead fish will result in a one (1) pound penalty. If big bass is dead, the one (1) pound penalty will come off that fish. No more than five (5) bass are allowed in live well (in possession) at any time. Anyone bringing more than five (5) bass to the weigh-in scales will not be allowed to weigh in ANY fish and will be disqualified and receive no points with no refund.
Locations Off limits: Anywhere on the tournament lake may be fished except 50 yards of another contestant’s boat unless given permission from that contestant. Also any area marked off limits or no fishing by the Corp of Engineers, local, state, or Federal officials. Any additional off limits will be announced at the pre-tournament meeting. Any rule infraction will be disqualified and receives 0 points and 0 refunds.
Ties: Tournament ties will be broken by 1) Big bass, 2) Total number of fish weighed, 3) Coin Flip.
Big bass tie will be broken by 1) Total weight, 2) Number of fish weighed, 3) AOY Points (Prior to event), 4) Coin Toss.
Late Penalty: One pound per minute, up to fifteen minutes, then will be disqualified with zero (0) points and zero (0) refunds.
Tackle and Equipment: Only artificial lures and pork style baits are allowed. All bass must be caught on a rod and reel. Only one rod and reel in use at any time.
Protest: All protests must be submitted in writing on paper to the tournament director within ten (10) minutes of the weigh-in completion. Decisions of the Tournament Committee shall be final in all matters and are not subject to appeal. 2025 Committee consists of: Drew Barnabei, John Han, Mike Callison, Tom Barger, Charley Bowen, and Chris Faircloth.
Quality Assurance Testing: By contestants’ signature on entry form and/or participation in these tournaments, the contestants agree to any quality assurance tests if required by the Tournament Director.
Boats and Motors: Any boat, 14 feet or longer, meeting B.I.A. and Coast Guard requirements with a functional kill switch and functional bilge pump and properly aerated live well will be accepted. It is the responsibility of the team to understand these requirements. All boats must use electrolyte live well additives when fish are placed into live wells.
Safety and Sportsmanship: Safe boating must be observed at all times. Life jackets and kill switches must be used any time the combustion motor is running above an idle. All contestants are required to follow the highest degree of sportsmanship, courtesy and conservation. At the discretion of the Tournament Director, tournament days may be shortened or cancelled due to unsafe weather or water conditions. No alcohol or controlled substance can be consumed/used during tournament hours.
Special Situations: Breakdown: In the event of a boat breakdown, the team may transfer their fish to another contestant’s boat or rescue boat for transport to the weigh-in site, meeting the following conditions; the fish must be placed in a segregated live well and one member of the breakdown team must accompany those fish to the weigh-in site. Contestants may switch boats with another competitor in the event of a boat breakdown if that team is willing to “donate” their boat for use. Tournament director MUST be informed of any boat swapping. Fish must be transferred as well. Contestants may not depart the boat to land fish or to make the boat more accessible to fishing waters. Contestants must leave and return to official checkpoint by boat unless otherwise stated.
Knowledge Of These Rules Are The Responsibility Of Each Contestant: Failure to read these rules or ignorance of them is no excuse. The Director reserves the right to reject any entry if he feels that it is not in the best interest of Kansas Buddy Bass. Any announcements made by the Tournament Director at the tournament site take precedent over written rules. The decision of the Tournament Director shall be final in all matters and are not subject to appeal.
Covenant not to sue and waiver of subrogation: I further agree that I will never sue Kansas Buddy Bass or staff, for damages in account of any injury, death, or damage I suffer or cause whether know now or which may develop in the future. In the event Kansas Buddy Bass or staff is sued because of my action, I expressly agree to indemnify and hold Kansas Buddy Bass and staff, harmless from any liability whatsoever, including court cost and attorney’s fee, arising with respect to such actions. I understand that in waiving the rights of recovery from Kansas Buddy Bass or staff, I am also waiving the rights of recovery from Kansas Buddy Bass or staff, of my insurance carrier for any claims they may pay on my behalf.
Kansas Buddy Bass 