Tournament Rules

Topwater Bassers Tournament Rules

1. Registration will start 1 hour before tournament and will end 15 minutes prior to the start of the tournament. All entrants must be registered and pass a boat and safety check prior to launching. All boats must be checked then launched. Any boat failing to do so will be disqualified. All boats leaving the lake prior to the finish of the tournament will be disqualified.

2. All boats must have an aerated livewell or cooler, life vest for each contestant and fishing licenses for each contestant.

3. One entrant in each boat must be 18 years or older.

4. Only largemouth and smallmouth bass may be weighed in. Only 5 fish per boat with a (12) inch minimum size limit. All fish will be measured on a flat rule, closed mouth to tip of tail fin in a natural state.

5. Anglers get 1 courtesy measure (per boat) on a fish they think is close to the 12" minimum size. Anglers must ask for a courtesy measure before they put their fish inside the weigh in sink.  

6. Short fish- A short fished weighed in will result in a 1/2 pound penalty and no weight scored for that fish.   

7. Dead fish- A dead fish weighed in will result in a 1/2 pound penalty of the weight of the fish being scored. No culling of dead fish.

8. No live bait may be used or possessed. All fish must be caught on artifical lures only. Pork rind is acceptable.

9. All fish must be taken by sportfishing methods. Trolling and the calculated foul hooking of fish is not permitted.

10. No more than one rod per person is permitted to be used at one time. Landing nets will be permitted.

11. No fishing within 20 yards of an anchored boat. Anchored boat must have their front trolling motor out of the water. There will be no anchoring allowed under any bridges.

12. All fishing must be done from within the boat. No leaving the boat for any reason.

13. Anglers that remove their boat prior to 20 minutes before weigh in will not be allowed to weigh in their fish.  

14. Late penalty- A 1/2 pound penalty will be given for every minute late and disqualification after 5 minutes.

15. Winners will be determined by the total weight of the angler / team catch. The Tournament Director will determine the means of breaking a tie.

16. All competitors are expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, conservation and to follow all of the New Jersey Game and Boating Laws.

17. Boaters must comply with all state and local safety requirements & must  hold a New Jersey Boating Safety Certificate.

18. Any disputes or protests must be registered with the tournament director prior to the start of the weigh in. All decisions of the tournament director and his committee will be final.

19. All tournaments entrants are required to have a clear understanding of all tournament rules. Any infractions of a rule may cause disqualification. All entry fees are non-refundable.

20. All tournament entrants must wear their life jackets while their gas engines are running!!!

21. CASH ONLY AT RAMP.

22. All fish become the property of Topwater Bassers and will be immediately returned to the water.

23. Club Classic is OFF limits the entire week leading up the the event. NO pre-fishing is allowed that entire week!!!

24. Anyone who is BANNED from any bass fishing circuit is NOT ALLOWED to enter any Topwater Bassers fishing events.

25. Club Members can partner up with a member only once a year if their boat is broke down or getting repaired. If this happens those 2 members are not allowed to net each others fish as a DQ will happen to both members if this occurs.

26. Club Members are allowed to partner up with another member for ANY out of state club events. We allow this for members to save on gas & tolls. If this happens those 2 members are not allowed to net each others fish as a DQ will happen to both members if this occurs.

27. In order to qualify for Lunker of the day, the bass must be alive. You cannot weigh in a dead fish for Lunker.

28. If there is a tie in points for Angler Of The Year, the tie breaker will be total weight for all tournaments fished after your 2 worst drops in points.