Kansas Buddy Bass

Rules.

Kansas Buddy Bass Rules and Regulations

Changes for the 2024 season:
• Club Membership price increased from $30/angler to $45/ angler. The increase in price is due to becoming sanctioned by BASS 2. This means that one team will qualify to fish the Bassmaster Team Championship. Winners of AOY will be the qualifying team. For more information • visit- https://www.bassmaster.com/team-championship-faq/ or email us
• Must fish 3 out of 8 tournaments to qualify for championship
• Top 3 teams that fish ALL 8 events receive free entry into championship.

 Team Series.

Eligibility: All individuals, 18 years of age or older with a paid entry fee and a current paid trail fee to Kansas Buddy Bass is eligible to fish. A parent or legal guardian must accompany anyone under 18 years of age. 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 is 2 tournament minimum that must be paid up front. There will be a yearly team trail fee of $50 if paid in cash or check and $55 for PayPal due to fees incurred per angler- including previous Angler of Year (AOY) (see above for explanation of cost increase). 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. Any team who has not submitted their intent to fish 4 days prior to a tournament may not be allowed to fish at the tournament director’s discretion. Entry sheet MUST BE FILLED out for each tournament that you plan to fish. Only check the boxes of the lakes you are paying for.  

Insurance: Boat owners must have at least $100,000.00 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.

Big Bass Side Pot: $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, 75-25 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 tournaments. There will be 8 events, not including the Championship. Alternates cannot be used (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 the scores based on all 8 events.

Angler 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 memberships and/or the championship entry. If there is a tie for AOY, the tie will be broken by the finish in the classic. Anglers of the Year will also receive the Bassmaster Team Championship berth. If they choose not to fish that event, the next team in points will be contacted.

Alternates: A team may use one (1) alternate per season or fish by themselves. Alternates must pay membership fee. 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. There will be a 15″ minimum on all lakes for all 3 species of bass. Short fish will result in a two (1) pound penalty plus the loss of the fish. A dead fish will result in a 1 pound penalty. If big fish is dead the 1 lb will come off that fish. No more than five (5) fish are allowed in live well (in possession) at any time. Anyone bringing more than five (5) fish to the weigh-in scales will not be allowed to weigh in ANY fish 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.  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 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.

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 used or allowed in the boat 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 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.

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.

SIGNATURE: I SIGNIFY by my signature on the entry from that I have read all tournament rules and liability release and agree to abide by all rules, regulations, releases and tournament official’s decisions. I certify that the social security number submitted is correct. When you sign the first entry and return for more events through out the year the signature is on file and you follow all rules and side line that follow with that signature.