NBT Rules

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In the event of a tie, the weight of the Team's  Big Fish will determine the winner. It is the Team's responsibility to insure their Big Fish is weighed in. 

In the event of a Big Fish tie, the pot will be split.  

 Contestants who are not at the official check-in point at the appointed time will be assessed a one-pound-per-minute penalty from their total weight, including any weight to be counted toward a Big Fish award. Any contestant more than 10 minutes late will forfeit that day’s catch. In the event of a mechanical breakdown, a contestant may return to check-in location with their catch by receiving a ride from another registered contestant or tournament official only by the designated time. 

 Safe boating must be observed at all times. Each contestant is required to wear a fastened (fully zipped and/or all clips fastened), U.S. Coast Guard approved personal flotation device anytime the combustion engine is in operation from boat check to weigh in.

All boats must be equipped with an emergency ignition shut-off device, which must be securely attached to the driver’s body any time the combustion engine is in operation. The driver must be seated in the driver’s seat anytime the combustion engine is engaged in gear. 

In the event of severe or inclement weather, the Tournament Director holds the right to reschedule the tournament or announce alternate takeoff instructions. Information will be given at the registration site at the sole and absolute discretion of the tournament director. 

  In the event of an emergency situation, competitors should first dial 911 and then notify Tournament Director.
Fish and launch your boat at your own risk. NOEoutdoors is not responsible for any damages to property or bodily harm.

  Each boat must have all the required U. S. Coast Guard safety equipment. Boats must contain properly aerated live well space to maintain alive the limit of catch of bass. Maximum horsepower for all outboards used in tournament competition may not exceed the horsepower limitation set by the U. S. Coast Guard in such vessel. Falsifying information on entry forms, or altering the horsepower numbers on the motor, or rating the plate to conceal such limitations will be cause for disqualification from the tournament. No contestant may have a platform, raised deck, or ladder that is higher than the gunnel of the boat. Standing on the fishing seats or outboard motor will not be allowed in NBT events. No air or jet boats will be permitted during official practice or competition days. 

 Only artificial lures may be used. NO LIVE BAIT . Only one fishing rod per angler may be used at any one time. Additional rods may be in the boat and ready for use; however, each cast and retrieve must be completed before another cast is attempted or rod is used. Trolling of any kind as a method of fishing is prohibited.   Switching or sharing fish with other teams or individuals is a violation of these rules and will result in immediate disqualification. All bass must be caught alive, in a conventional, sporting manner. When sight fishing for bass, all fish must be hooked inside the mouth to be counted as a legal fish. All angling must be conducted from the boat. At no time may a contestant leave the boat to land a fish, or to make the boat more accessible to fishing waters. 

 Contestants may fish anywhere on tournament waters accessible by boat, except areas designated as “off-limits” or “no fishing” by state or federal officials, or within 50 yards of a competitor’s boat which was first anchored (an anchored boat is a boat held in a stable position by a line attached to a weight with the trolling motor in the up position), or within 50 yards of a non-anchored competitor’s boat unless otherwise agreed upon by the other tournament angler.   Contestants’ boats must remain in the tournament waters during the event. 

Payout includes top 3 boats and big fish based on 30 boats. An additional place will be payed out for every 10 boats over 30. 

*Based on 30 boats: 1st place 50%, 2nd place 30%, 3rd place 20%.  100% Big Fish. 

$20 of the Entry fee from each team will go automatically into the Championship  pot from each tournament .

$10 of the Team entry fee goes directly into Big Fish pot for that tournament.  

 There will be a  5%  deduction from the entry fee to cover 3rd party transaction fees. 

 Scoring will be determined by the pounds and hundredths of a pound of each angler’s catch during the tournament. ONLY Largemouth and Spotted Bass are accepted species. The limit will be five per team unless otherwise stated by the tournament director. Any contestant who possesses more than the tournament limit at any time will have his/her catch for the day disqualified. The minimum official length limit for all species will be provided at each event.   Bass presented for weigh-in that fail to measure the prescribed length limit, will result in loss of that fish and a half–pound penalty to the weight of the remaining fish. Each contestant’s catch must be presented in an official weigh-in bag. Bass will be measured with mouth closed, tail compressed and swiped to achieve overall greatest length. Bass will be measured using a Pro series Golden Rule measuring board. 

 Points will be awarded as follows: Points will begin at 100 for 1st, 99 for 2nd Place, 98 for 3rd Place and so on. All teams that do not weigh a bass will receive 10 points less than the last place team that weighed fish in that event. If a team does not show up for that event, that team will not receive points. 

The NBT will determine the number of teams to move on to the Team Championship by the number of boats who participate during the season. 

 Teams that fish all six tournaments will be eligible for the Championship. 

Any team earning  first place at any of the NBT tournaments will automatically advance to the championship. 

 In the event a team cannot participate in the championship event, the next team in the points standing will be invited. 

One wildcard will be drawn at random by the Tournament director to compete in the championship as well. 

 All photos and/or video taken at a NBT event are the property of the NBT Tournament Series and may be used for promotional purposes.  If any form of the media approaches, you are expected to present yourself in a professional manner and to accommodate them within reason.  During weigh-in you are expected to present yourself in a professional manner and answer the questions to the best of your ability.