2026 Rules of Tournament

Updated: 1/29/2026

1.     Lake Vermilion Laws and Rules must be followed. Any violation may result in disqualification.

2.    Annual or Daily Lake Pass is required if the Gatehouse is open during tournament launch. Failure to do so will result in disqualification.

3.   All entry fees will be paid the morning of the tournament. Boats will draw for starting positions after they have paid for the tournament. 

4.    You are not allowed to pull down boat ramp road or launch until a member of  the Tournament Committee has launched or are present.

5.     A member of the Tournament Committee must check you off the entry list and draw for your starting number at the bottom of the hill before you launch your boat.

6.    All black bass (Largemouth, Smallmouth when in season & Spotted) qualify for weigh-in and must be over 15 inches in length. 5 keepers total per boat is allowed. 

7.     Any bass in anyway altered from natural living condition will not be weighed. Dead fish will be assessed a 1/2 lb. (5/10ths) penalty. 1 dead fish per team will be allowed. No dead fish will be weighed for Big Bass.

8.    All short fish will result in a 1 lb. penalty and will be subtracted from your total weight. Gator Grip Golden Rule will be the official bump board.

9.    All fish will be released to Lake Vermilion excluding trophy fish of 6 lbs. and up.

10. NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ALLOWED DURING TOURNAMENT HOURS.

11.  Only artificial baits will be allowed. No Trolling allowed. No transferring of fish from one boat to another. 

12.  No contestant shall leave the lake during tournament hours unless special arrangements have been made with a member of the Tournament Committee.

13.  Any disqualification will result in forfeiture of entry fee and prize money and denial of entry to remaining tournaments.

14. All boats must remain in the water during weigh in. Boats cannot be trailer loaded for weigh in. Tournament Committee is excluded. 

15.  All live wells will be check prior to launching boat and all boats must have working live well.

16. Qualifier OFF LIMITS: 12:01 A.M. Wednesday through Saturday of tournament. Off limits all day Wednesday, Thursday and Friday before all contests. 

Classic: OFF LIMITS 12:01am Monday before start of Finals on the following Saturday.

17.  Any boat not checked in 10 minutes before start will start last.

18. Finishing places will be determined by total weight with 5 fish limit per boat.

19. All participants must have a signed liability waiver and participants under 18 years of age must have a liability waiver signed by parent or guardian will be required prior to start.

20. All boats must be checked in by designated quitting time. Late check in will be a 1 lb. per minute penalty up to 15 minutes. In the event of equipment failure or emergency, there will be only two permitted methods of returning to the check-in: (1) by both partners remaining in their boat and being towed by water, or (2) by 1 or both partners, with their catch, entering the boat of another tournament contestant. Under these two conditions the contestants’ catches may be counted without a penalty (except for late penalties, dead-fish penalties or other penalties pertaining to other tournament rules) Contestants who elect to return to the check-in by any other means than cited above will forfeit their day’s catch to that point in time of the tournament day (DISQUALIFICATION AFTER 15 MINUTES.)

21. Life jackets and kill switch must be worn at all times when the boat is over idle speed.

22. A team that splits up at any time will lose all weight. 

23. Each team is allowed a team substitute for the qualifying contest each month. (CLASSIC EXEMPT).

24. Finals Qualification Methods:

Teams have must paid or have participated in at least 4 tournaments, greater than 1/2 of tournaments, to be eligible for finals.

A.     Top twenty by weight at end of 6 qualifying tournaments.

B.     Win a monthly contest.

C.     Wild Card Team Drawing for one team from all teams that paid/participated in all 6 contests and did not otherwise qualify.

25.  Any contestant wishing to protest a rules violation must do so in writing before the payout starts. Penalties may include a 2lbs off total weight, disqualification lose all team weight and fees, or penalty disqualification for rest of year and lose all team weight for year. Tournament committee has final say on whether any penalty, on any violation.

26. Anything not covered by rules, protest, or special circumstances will be ruled on by Tournament Committee and their decision will be final.

“Anglers of the Year” will be determined by your total finishing position points for all 6 contests with the lowest number being the winner. Any tie will be settled by team total weight for the year with greatest total weight being the winner. All teams, in a tournament, with no weight will receive the same last place points which will be 1 place worse than the last place team with fish. 

"Big Bass of the Year" will be determined by the weight of the largest living bass weighed in during the year. No dead fish will be weighed for Big Bass Of The Year.