2025 tournament rules

ALL GENERAL RULES will apply to all Lancaster Bass Master club tournaments and contestants. It is your responsibility, as a participant, to read and comply with all written tournament rules, and any local or state rules and regulations.  

IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH MEMBER TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THESE RULES.  

 President: Presides over all meetings and direct all official business, appoints and direct all committee functions and supervise all club functions. The President has the final decision in all matters. 

 Tournament Director:  He is in charge of all club tournaments, including the weighing of all fish, and presents the results of all tournaments to the Secretary/Treasure. He is responsible for receiving and disbursing tournament money. He is in charge of inspecting the livewells of participating tournament boats. He will also serve as the official Time Keeper. 

 Weigh Master: May be appointed as needed to assist with tournament activities.  

 Secretary/Treasurer: Maintain fishing records, a club membership roster. Along with the President and Vice President, conduct the financial business of club. 

1.  Membership is open to anyone 15 years of age or older. Those less than 18 years of age may only participate with written permission of a parent or guardian. At no time will a minor be allowed to fish without being accompanied by an adult member. (see #4 - Teams, Partners, and Guest) 
2.  Membership will be granted or denied by a majority vote of the officers. A member/team is considered in good standing if their yearly membership is paid and there is no cause to remove them from the membership roll. 
3.  Membership will be limited to the first seventy (70) individuals.  After seventy (70) members has been obtained, prospective members will be placed on a waiting list.  Because we are seeking members to actively participate, club officers may periodically evaluate the need for additional members. 
4.  A yearly membership fee of $40.00 per person must be paid in full at the first tournament fished. Any person who hasn't paid the $40.00 membership fee will not be eligible for the championship bonus money. A valid fishing license will be required upon acceptance into the club.  
5.  Members who have not fished, or have otherwise not made contact with the club or club officers, within 120 days will be dropped from the club roster.  Once a member has been dropped, their membership will be filled by the next person in order on the waiting list.  Once a member has been dropped, they must submit another application and again pay a $40.00 membership fee.  If the club roster is full, their name will be placed on the waiting list 
6.  A tournament liability form must be completed prior to the 1st tournament fished. 

1.  All members are expected to follow the highest standards of sportsmanship, courtesy towards others, safety, conservation and obey all laws during club activities. Any contestant who displays poor sportsmanship, violates the club rules, or violates the state fishing laws or lake rules may be disqualified or have their membership revoked.    The President will have final decision on any and all Sportsmanship violations. 
2.  Any person who is disqualified, or has their membership revoked, is NOT entitled to a refund of any dues or fees paid. 
3.  No alcoholic beverages or illicit drugs are allowed during tournament hours. No alcoholic beverages or illicit drugs are allowed in any tournament boat. 
4.  Per State Litter laws, and respect for the environment, there is to be no littering on the water. This includes, but not limited to: fishing line, used lures, cups, cans, bottles, paper, etc. All trash should be properly disposed of on dry land. 
5.  A 25 yard rule is in effect at all times during competition. No tournament boat may move within 25 yards of another tournament boat at any time for the purpose of fishing without consent of the team involved. The 25-yard limit can be waived if both boaters agree. 
6.  Anglers must start, fish, and finish the tournament in the same boat they started in. In the event of equipment failure or emergency, a contestant's boat may be towed to the check-in. If it is necessary to transfer fish to another boat, it must be another contestant's boat. At least one member of the team must stay with the fish at all times. Any angler, who knowingly passes another club member in distress, or in need of assistance, will be disqualified. 
7.  No individual owns a spot on the tournament waters. All areas are open to everyone and are fished on a first come - first serve basis. There will be no saving of spots by competing anglers or having non-competing boaters save spots. Anyone doing so will be disqualified. 
8.  Any Off-Limits areas will be established prior to the start of the tournament. Any angler who cast into an Off-Limits area will be disqualified. 
9.  During tournament hours, the use of any phone, internet, text, etc, for the purpose of soliciting information about tournament waters is prohibited. Violation will result in disqualification, with no return of entry fee. 
10.  (New for 2017), In an effort to promote Sportsmanship and fish conservation, all members are asked to fish 1 Tournament at a time. Multiple Tournaments can't be fished on the same day. 

1. Overall safety is the responsibility of each angler. It is the individuals responsibility to maintain their boats safety equipment and the operation of their boat in a safe and courteous manor. 
2. Safe boating must be observed at all times. Each contestant is REQUIRED to wear a chest type, U.S. Coast Guard approved life preserver any time the boat is on plane. The preserver must be fastened securely and remain fastened until off Plane. 
3. If your boat is equipped with a kill switch, it MUST be in proper working order and MUST be attached to your person any time the boat is "on plane."  It must remain attached to your person until the boat is stopped or at idle speed. 
4. All boats must comply with SCDNR and US Coast Guard regulations. (Consult current SCDNR and U.S. Coast Guard requirements prior to entering your boat in a tournament.) 
5. Each boat must have a functional bilge pump and aerated livewells to adequately maintain a live limit of bass by all competitors using the boat. 
6. The decision to allow or disallow a boat for safety considerations will rest with the President and his decision is final. 

1.  All tournaments will be fished by the schedule presented at the beginning of each club year. An exception may be made for certain holidays, scheduling conflicts with other tournaments on the same lake or ramp, or foul lake or weather conditions. Members will be notified of any changes at the meeting prior to the tournament. The President can change date, place, or times should adverse conditions be present. 
2. Minimum length of all fish will be 12 inches except where otherwise mandated by law. All fish will be measured with the fish's mouth closed and sweep the tail on a Golden Rule board. The Tournament Director will make the final decision on the length of fish at the weigh-in. A fish brought to the weigh-in measuring less than 12 inches (except where otherwise mandated by law) will not count and that team will be assessed an 8 ounce (1/2 lb) penalty per short fish. Where mandated by law, minimum length of largemouth bass will be 14 inches. 
3. A team in possession of more than 5 fish will be disqualified. A team may catch more than 5 fish but must immediately cull so that their five (5) largest are kept. At no time is a team to keep more than five (5) fish in the boat's livewells. Team shall not make another cast till 6th fish is released. 
4. Scoring will be determined by hundredths of a pound for each competing team's catch during the tournament. Only largemouth, spotted, or smallmouth bass may be weighed.  
5. The largest fish of each team will be weighed first. All other remaining fish will then be weighed. A team's big fish will be utilized in the event of a tie. A Dead fish may be counted for Big Fish after dead fish penalty has been accessed.  In the event of a tie for Big Fish, the tie will be broken by overall bag weight. 
6. An 8 ounce (1/2 lb) penalty is deducted from the team's total weight for each dead fish weighed in. Anyone caught throwing dead fish away will be disqualified. Dead fish may NOT be culled. Any dead fish will be the responsibility of the contestant. 
7. Only artificial lures may be used. No prepared or live bait other than pork rind strips are permitted. Trolling with the big motor, as a method of fishing, is prohibited. An angler can fish with only one pole/rod/line in the water at a time. 
8. All live fish will be released after weigh-in. An angler may claim one trophy bass per year, weighing a minimum of eight pounds, after weigh-in. 
9. Teams who arrive at the weigh in site late will be assessed a weight penalty at the rate of 8 ounces (1/2 lb) for each 5 minutes late up to 15 minutes, after which time they will be disqualified. (Exception: assisting a stranded boater. If you are assisting a stranded boat, you should attempt to notify someone in the club as soon as possible) The Weigh Master will have the responsibility as timekeeper for each tournament and will report any late boats. 
10. All tournament protests must be made prior to the final fish being weighed. The decision of the club officers shall be final in all matters. To avoid protests, if you suspect a possible infraction is about to take place, alert the would-be offender and check the rules. 
11. (New for 2019) For a scheduled night tournament, the lake is off limits until blast off time. No day time pre-fishing allowed. 
12. The President has final say in any dispute, disqualification, or penalties assessed. All decisions are final. 

1. Meetings will be on an as needed basis. At the meetings, such topics as new members, team substitutes, lake conditions, and any other club business will be conducted.  

1.  All boats must have their livewells inspected prior to blastoff. Any angler who arrives after blastoff must contact a club officer and advise them of their arrival. They must also locate another angler on the water to have their livewells inspected prior to fishing. Any angler who does not do so, will not be allowed to weight their fish. 
2.   Blastoff will be at safe light, except when lake conditions appear unsafe. This time may be delayed or postponed. Final decision will be made by the Tournament Director.  
3.  Check-in is at(NEW FOR 2024) 3:00 pm unless otherwise stated on the tournament schedule. Weigh in times may be changed by the President at any time. 
4.  Blastoff order will be determined by drawing at the landing prior to the event.  
5.  During blast-off, all boats are to proceed at no wake speed until well past person calling blast-off order.  "Waking" or otherwise causing excessive rocking of the person calling blast-off order will result in disqualification. 

1.  A team consists of two members, a single member, or member with a guest per boat. 
2.  If a boater does not have a partner, he may elect to fish alone. If he elects to fish alone, that boater will pay the full tournament entry fee. ($50.00) 
3.  All substitutes, or guest, must pay a $10.00 per tournament guest fee prior to fishing any tournament.  
4.  A team member may fish with his/her minor child (under the age of 18 and living at home with parent/guardian) as a permanent partner or guest. A minor fishing with his or her parent/guardian will not be assessed a guest fee or membership fee. Upon reaching his or her eighteenth (18th) birthday, they are no longer a minor and must pay a membership or guest fee.  A minor release form must be completed. 

1.   The tournament fee is $50.00 per boat. ALL FEES ARE TO BE PAID IN CASH prior to the start of the tournament. 
2.  Of the total tournament fee, 10% ($5.00) from each fee collected will be held to be used for the Championship bonus. 
3.  Big Fish is $10.00 per boat and is included in the tournament fee.  
4.  Payout will be paid in cash at the conclusion of each tournament and is based on the TOTAL TEAM WEIGHT. Payments will be based on a pre-determined schedule.  

1.  Each member must fish at least six (6) tournaments to be eligible to fish the Championship. You must be physically present at each of the six (6) tournaments. The Bruin tournament doesn't count towards tournaments fished for championship. 
2.  Exception:  A member who has fished the six (6) qualifying tournaments may fish with an immediate family member who has not fished the six (6)tournaments.  This person MUST be a son/daughter, mother/father or spouse of the qualifying member.  They must pay the $40.00 membership fee.  
3.  (New for 2021) Championship lake will be held by random drawing after the last regular season Tournament. Championship lake drawn will be fished for both Championship days. 
4.  Once Championship tournament waters have been determined, those waters will be off-limits five (5) days prior to the event starting Monday at 12:00 am. There is to be NO pre-fishing allowed, or boating of any kind  during the off limits period.  Off limits includes, but not limited to, having others fish for you during the off limits period.  Each angler is free to solicit information during the off limits period, PROVIDED, the information is available to everyone.  Examples include, but not limited to, newspaper, magazine, internet, etc. During tournament hours, the use of any phone, internet, text, for the purpose of soliciting information about tournament waters is prohibited. Violation will result in disqualification, with no return of entry fee. 
5.  Anyone who fishes the body of water, or is boating on said body of water for any reason, will be deemed disqualified from fishing the Championship. 

1. The total tournament fee for a two day tournament is $100.00 per boat. This includes $10 per boat Big Fish for day one, $10.00 per boat for Big Fish for day two, and $50.00 per boat, per day tournament fee. 
2. You may elect to fish only Saturday or only Sunday. You can fish both days. Each day shall be its own Tournament, with weights not carrying over to the next tournament day. 
3. Overall finishing order will be based on the weight from each day fished.  
4. Blastoff order will be determined by drawing at the landing prior to the event. 
5. Regular tournament payout will apply.