2017 FLW Series Rules and Entry Dates
Registration is now open for the top 40 FLW Series anglers
The season will again consist of three events in each of the five divisions – Central, Northern, Southeastern, Southwestern and Western – along with the no-entry-fee Costa FLW Series Championship to be held on Kentucky Lake in Paris, Tennessee.
The top 40 pros and co-anglers who fished all three qualifiers in each U.S. division advance to the no-entry-fee FLW Series Championship for a shot at winning $95,000, including a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower outboard in the pro division. The second-place championship pro earns $25,000 followed by $20,000 for third and $15,000 for fourth. The winning co-angler at the championship earns as much as $32,000, including a Ranger Z175, while the second-place championship co-angler earns $12,500 followed by $10,000 for third and $7,500 for fourth.
The highest finishing pro from each of the five U.S. FLW Series divisions and the FLW Series International division based on final results at the 2017 FLW Series Championship will qualify for the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup along with the overall top five finishers not already selected as the highest finisher in a division. A total of 11 FLW Series pros will advance to the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of bass fishing.
Entry fees for the Costa FLW Series are unchanged for 2017 at $1,600 per tournament for pros and $550 per for co-anglers.
Each qualifying tournament pays as much as $85,000, including a Ranger Z518C with a 200 HP outboard, to the winning pro and $32,000, including a Ranger Z175 with a 90 HP outboard, to the winning co-angler based on a 150 boat field. As the number of participants increases, so do the awards. At the maximum field size of 250 boats, the payout jumps to $105,000, including a Ranger Z518C with a 200 HP outboard, for the winning pro and $34,500, including a Ranger Z175 with a 90 HP outboard, for the winning co-angler. The depth of the payout also grows with participation from 40 places paid at 150 boats to 67 places paid at 250 boats.
“The Costa FLW Series is incredibly popular,” said Kathy Fennel, FLW President of Operations. “We introduced the sliding payout last year to ensure that anglers are rewarded proportionally when fishing events with more than 150 boats, and it was very well received. Now, the more boats that fish, the more you win, and we are proud of the fact that no other circuit offers higher rewards for a lower entry fee.”
The top pro and co-angler from the point standings in each division after three events (ties resolved by total weight) win the Strike King Angler of the Year and Co-angler of the Year titles, respectively. The top 10 pros and co-anglers from each division receive priority entry into the 2018 FLW Tour, the world’s top professional bass-fishing circuit.
The Entry
Registration for the 2017 Costa FLW Series season is open for the top 40 pros and co-anglers from the 2016 FLW Series and the top 50 boaters and co-anglers from each division of the 2016 Bass Fishing League (BFL). These anglers have until Nov. 28, 2016 to secure their priority entry. Ranger boat owners and sponsor entries may register beginning Nov. 29, 2016 followed by TBF members Nov. 30, 2016. All other entries will be accepted beginning Dec. 1, 2016. Qualified anglers can register by calling 270.252.1000 or online at FLWFishing.com.
The Format
Qualifying Tournaments:
Days 1 & 2: Professionals and Co-anglers
– 150 professionals and 150 co-anglers compete
Day 3: Professionals and Co-anglers
– Top 10 professionals and top 10 co-anglers based on cumulative weight from days 1 and 2 continue competition
– Winners determined by the heaviest cumulative weight from days 1, 2 and 3
Costa FLW Series Championship:
Days 1 & 2: Professionals and Co-anglers
– Top 40 professionals and top 40 co-anglers from each of the five U.S. FLW Series divisions, plus two pros and two co-anglers each from FLW Canada, FLW China, FLW Mexico, South Africa & FLW South Korea*
Day 3: Professionals and Co-anglers
– Top 10 professionals and top 10 co-anglers based on cumulative weight from days 1 and 2 continue competition
– Winners determined by the heaviest cumulative weight from days 1, 2 and 3
* Additional countries may be added. Visit FLWFishing.com for the latest updates.
Strike King Angler of the Year and Co-angler of the Year:
Angler of the Year
$2,000 prize package, including deposits for the 2018 season
Co-angler of the Year
$800 prize package, including deposits for the 2018 season
The top pro and co-angler from the point standings in each division after three events (ties resolved by total weight) win the Strike King Angler of the Year and Co-angler of the Year titles, respectively.
The Schedule
2017 Costa FLW Series:
Event Dates Tournament Site Entry/Balance Deadline
Central Division
Mar 30-Apr 1 Lake Dardanelle: Lake Dardanelle State Park Mar 8, 2017
Russellville, AR
Jun 8-10 Kentucky Lake: Kentucky Dam State Park May 17, 2017
Gilbertsville, KY
Oct 12-14 Lake of the Ozarks: Public Beach #2 Sep 20, 2017
Osage Beach, MO
Northern Division
Jun 22-24 Lake Champlain: Plattsburgh City Marina May 31, 2017
Plattsburgh, NY
Jul 27-29 1000 Islands: Clayton Village Ramp Jul 5, 2017
Clayton, NY
Aug 24-26 Potomac River: Smallwood State Park Aug 2, 2017
Marbury, MD
Southeastern Division
Jan 26-28 Lake Okeechobee: Roland & Mary Ann Martin’s Marina Jan 4, 2017
Clewiston, FL
Mar 2-4 Lake Seminole: Bainbridge Earle May Boat Basin Feb 8, 2017
Bainbridge, GA
May 4-6 Lake Chickamauga: Dayton Boat Dock Apr 12, 2017
Dayton, TN
Southwestern Division
Feb 23-25 Sam Rayburn Reservoir: Umphrey Family Pavilion Feb 1, 2017
Brookeland, TX
Apr 20-22 Grand Lake: Wolf Creek Park Mar 29, 2017
Grove, OK
Sep 21-23 Lake Texoma: Highport Marina Aug 30, 2017
Pottsboro, TX
Western Division
Feb 9-11 Lake Havasu: Lake Havasu State Park/Windsor Beach Jan 18, 2017
Lake Havasu City, AZ
May 11-13 California Delta: Russo's Marina Apr 19, 2017
Bethel Island, CA
Sep 28-30 Clear Lake: Konocti Vista Casino Resort & Marina Sep 6, 2017
Lakeport, CA
Costa FLW Series Championship
Nov 2-4 Kentucky Lake: Paris Landing State Park
Buchanan, TN
Off-limits: Oct 23-27 & Nov 1, 2017
The Payout
Qualifying Events:
Place Pro Ranger Cup Co-angler Ranger Cup
1 $40,000 Ranger Z518C Ranger Z175 $5,000
with 200 HP outboard with 90 HP outboard
2 15,500 5,000
3 12,000 4,000
4 10,000 3,500
5 9,000 3,000
6 8,000 2,500
7 7,000 2,000
8 6,000 1,750
9 5,000 1,500
10 4,000 1,250
11 3,750 1,000
12 3,500 1,000
13 3,000 1,000
14 3,000 1,000
15 3,000 1,000
16-20 3,000 800
21-25 2,750 700
26-30 2,500 600
31-40 2,000 500
Big Bass: Day 1 300 200
Big Bass: Day 2 300 200
Entry Fee $1,600 $550
Payback is based on the number of paid entries in qualifying tournaments.
Costa FLW Series Championship:
Place Pro Ranger Cup Co-angler Ranger Cup
1 $50,000 Ranger Z518C Ranger Z175 $5,000
with 200 HP outboard with 90 HP outboard
2 25,000 $5,000 12,500
3 20,000 3,500 10,000
4 15,000 2,000 7,500
5 10,000 1,000 5,000
6 8,000 4,000
7 7,000 3,500
8 6,000 3,000
9 5,000 2,500
10 4,500 2,000
11-15 4,000 1,500
16-20 3,500 1,000
21-25 3,000 900
26-30 2,500 800
31-40 2,000 700
Payback is based on the number of paid entries in qualifying tournaments.
Ranger Cup Eligibility: Anglers must be registered with Ranger and meet all Ranger Cup clothing, decal and boat year model requirements to receive a Ranger Cup bonus. The decision of Ranger Boats is final in all matters regarding Ranger Cup bonus eligibility. Visit the Ranger Cup page at RangerBoats.com or call 870.453.2222 for additional information.
Visit FLWFishing.com for a complete list of contingency awards.
The Rules
FLW expects strict adherence to the following rules by all contestants. Additionally, FLW suggests that co-anglers share fuel expenses with their pro partner each day of competition to help offset the high cost of boat operation. FLW also recommends the use of nonpuncturing culling clips like the new TH Marine G Force Conservation Cull for marking fish and livewell additives like G-Juice to help promote the healthy release of bass. FLW discourages sharing a partner’s phone number with anyone without the partner’s consent. In the event of an emergency, please call 911 first and then notify the tournament director. The tournament director should be notified as soon as possible prior to weigh-in if you use a mobile communication device for any purpose other than GPS, mapping, weather, power generation, tidal charts, personal fishing notes and related data as outlined in rule 10.
2017 FLW Series Rules:
1. INTERPRETATION & ENFORCEMENT
These rules will remain unchanged during 2017. Interpretation and enforcement of these rules will be left exclusively to the tournament director. Decisions of the tournament director are final in all matters and are not subject to appeal. Each contestant agrees to report any rule violation to the tournament director immediately upon discovery of the violation. Failure to report violations (pro or co-angler) may be cause for disqualification. The violation of a tournament rule may result in, but is not limited to, weight loss, the loss of weight up to a particular time in the tournament day, the loss of weight for the entire day, the loss of the heaviest one-day catch, the loss of the heaviest bass for the day, disqualification from the entire tournament or ineligibility to participate in future FLW tournaments. Protests are to be made in writing within 30 minutes of the check-in time of the final flight of each tournament day.
2. PAYBACK & PARTICIPATION
Payback is based on the number of paid entries for each tournament. Participation is open only to members of FLW who are 16 years of age or older. Any person under the age of 18 (19 in Alabama and Nebraska) entering a tournament must also have the signature of a parent or legal guardian in the provided space on the entry form. Any person’s participation in any tournament is at the sole discretion of FLW officials. Any person who, in the judgment of the tournament director, is disabled or handicapped in such a manner as to unfairly hinder his or her pro or co-angler partner or compromise his or her safety or the safety of his or her pro or co-angler partner may not be eligible to participate. All contestants must have a valid fishing license for the waters they fish. Random checks will be conducted at each tournament. Failure to provide proof of a valid fishing license within a reasonable amount of time when requested by the tournament director will result in disqualification for that day and any preceding days in which the license was required for the tournament.
PRO & CO-ANGLER ENTRY: The top 40 pros and co-anglers from each division of the 2016 FLW Series and the top 50 boaters and co-anglers from each division of the 2016 BFL must pay their deposits for all three tournaments in a division by November 28, 2016 in order to secure their priority entry position. For Ranger boat owners (Ranger owners with current registrations or confirmation of a boat order who will use their Ranger boat in FLW Series competition) and sponsor entries (FLW may reserve sponsor spots in each qualifying tournament), deposits will be accepted beginning at 8 a.m. Central time November 29, 2016. For TBF members, deposits will be accepted beginning at 8 a.m. Central time November 30, 2016. For other entries, deposits will be accepted beginning at 8 a.m. Central time December 1, 2016. Top entry priority goes to pros and co-anglers who enter all three FLW Series tournaments in a division by January 4, 2017 for the Southeastern, Southwestern and Western divisions and March 8, 2017 for the Central and Northern Divisions. All other entry priority will be assigned by the date and time of entry. Entry priority will be final once payment of deposits is received. Entries may be made either by mail, phone or on the Internet at FLWFishing.com. Do not make entry by more than one method. Published payouts for each tournament are based on 150 pro and 150 co-angler entries. FLW may, in its sole discretion, accept entries after the entry/balance deadline for a given tournament to accommodate priority anglers, balance the field and/or fill the field. DEPOSITS ARE NONTRANSFERABLE AND NONREFUNDABLE ONCE ACCEPTED INTO A TOURNAMENT. Entries received after a tournament has filled will be placed on a waiting list. Those anglers placed on the waiting list and not accepted into the tournament will receive a full refund after the tournament. CONFIRMED ENTRIES ARE CONTINGENT UPON COMPLETE ENTRY FEE BEING PAID BY THE ENTRY/BALANCE DEADLINE DATE. Entry fees (minus the deposit) may be transferred or refunded if FLW is notified prior to the entry/balance deadline. ENTRY FEES WILL NOT BE TRANSFERRED OR REFUNDED AFTER THE ENTRY/BALANCE DEADLINE. Any entry balances not received by the entry balance deadline (except those called up from the waiting list) will be charged a $50 late fee. FLW may accept more than 150 pros and 150 co-anglers into a tournament based on market demand, not to exceed 250 pros and 250 co-anglers.
PAYMENT SCHEDULE: Pro entry fees are $1,600 per tournament, and co-angler entry fees are $550 per tournament. Pros must pay a $500 deposit per tournament and co-anglers must pay a $200 deposit per tournament upon entry followed by payment for the balance of the entry fee according to the schedule outlined below.
Central Division
Lake Dardanelle: $1,100 pro and $350 co-angler due Mar 8, 2017
Kentucky Lake: $1,100 pro and $350 co-angler due May 17, 2017
Lake of the Ozarks: $1,100 pro and $350 co-angler due Sep 20, 2017
Northern Division
Lake Champlain: $1,100 pro and $350 co-angler due May 31, 2017
1000 Islands: $1,100 pro and $350 co-angler due Jul 5, 2017
Potomac River: $1,100 pro and $350 co-angler due Aug 2, 2017
Southeastern Division
Lake Okeechobee: $1,100 pro and $350 co-angler due Jan 4, 2017
Lake Seminole: $1,100 pro and $350 co-angler due Feb 8, 2017
Lake Chickamauga: $1,100 pro and $350 co-angler due Apr 12, 2017
Southwestern Division
Sam Rayburn: $1,100 pro and $350 co-angler due Feb 1, 2017
Grand Lake: $1,100 pro and $350 co-angler due Mar 29, 2017
Lake Texoma: $1,100 pro and $350 co-angler due Aug 30, 2017
Western Division
Lake Havasu: $1,100 pro and $350 co-angler due Jan 18, 2017
California Delta: $1,100 pro and $350 co-angler due Apr 19, 2017
Clear Lake: $1,100 pro and $350 co-angler due Sep 6, 2017
3. POINT STANDINGS
250 points are awarded to the winner of each tournament, 249 to 2nd, 248 to 3rd, etc. All anglers who receive weight credit receive points. The top pro and co-angler from the point standings in each U.S. division after three qualifying tournaments (ties resolved by total weight, then total number of fish, then total number of live fish) win the Angler of the Year and Co-angler of the Year titles, respectively, for that division. The top 40 pros and co-anglers in the final point standings in each U.S. division after three qualifying tournaments (ties resolved by total weight, then total number of fish, then total number of live fish) advance to the 2017 FLW Series Championship provided they fished all three qualifiers in a division. International contestants will also advance to the 2017 FLW Series Championship based on the rules governing FLW-sanctioned events in each contestant’s home country. Anglers who qualify for advancement to the 2017 FLW Series Championship from more than one division will advance from the first division in which they qualified. Pros who qualify for advancement to the 2017 FLW Series Championship from multiple divisions retain eligibility for advancement to the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup as a representative of each division in which they met 2017 FLW Series Championship qualifications. If a top 40 angler has not fished all three qualifiers in a U.S. division or has already qualified for the 2017 FLW Series Championship from another division, his or her entry in the 2017 FLW Series Championship will go to the next highest finishing angler who has fished all three qualifiers. The highest finishing pro from each of the five U.S. FLW Series divisions and the FLW Series International Division based on final results at the 2017 FLW Series Championship qualifies for the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup along with the top five pros not already selected as the highest finisher from a division. A total of 11 FLW Series pros advance to the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup based on their finish at the 2017 FLW Series Championship. (After the final FLW Series Championship results are determined, advancement to the Forrest Wood Cup is determined in the following two-step process. Step 1: Select the highest finishing pro from each U.S. FLW Series division and the International Division. Step 2: Select the five highest finishing pros not already selected in Step 1. Both steps must be followed in the order outlined. Pros who qualify for the 2017 FLW Series Championship from multiple divisions are eligible for advancement to the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup as the highest finisher from each division in which they were in the top 40 in final point standings and fished all three qualifiers. If a pro with eligibility from multiple divisions is the highest finisher from more than one division at the 2017 FLW Series Championship, he or she will advance to the Forrest Wood Cup as a representative from the first division in which he or she qualified for the 2017 FLW Series Championship.) If an angler forfeits his or her spot in the Forrest Wood Cup, it will be filled by an FLW Tour angler based on point standings. The top 40 pros and co-anglers from the final point standings in each U.S. division receive priority entry for the 2018 season. The top 10 pros and co-anglers in the final point standings in each U.S. division receive priority entry into the 2018 FLW Tour.
4. PURCHASING OF INFORMATION
The purchasing of, or bartering for, information about locating or catching fish on tournament waters, including but not limited to GPS waypoints (other than through commercially available sources) and the hiring of fishing guide services is not permitted after the entry/balance deadline for each tournament. The sharing of tournament winnings with noncontestants in exchange for information about locating or catching fish on tournament waters is strictly prohibited and will be cause for disqualification from the entire tournament. The purchasing of, or bartering for, fishing locations from another contestant is strictly prohibited and will be cause for both contestants to be disqualified from the entire tournament.
5. OFF-LIMITS, PRACTICE & COMPETITION
There is no practice period or off-limits period prior to the pretournament meeting at qualifying events. Contestants may not enter tournament waters to locate bass or potential fishing waters or sightsee after the start of the pretournament meeting except during tournament hours. Testing equipment on tournament waters after the start of the pretournament meeting is permitted only with prior approval from the tournament director. On days 1 and 2, contestants may not solicit and/or receive information about locating or catching fish on tournament waters from anyone except pros and co-anglers confirmed in the tournament and through publicly available sources (quasi-public websites, blogs and/or social media pages, including but not limited to Facebook, Instagram and Periscope, set up for the specific purpose of sharing information with individuals or a small group of individuals are NOT publicly available sources). During competition days (and practice at the FLW Series Championship), contestants may not place brush or other physical fish attractors, including chum of any kind, in tournament waters. During competition days (and practice at the FLW Series Championship), pros may not follow a noncontestant’s boat or participate in the placing of markers, brush or other fish attractors by noncontestants or the practice of “hole sitting” by anyone. Anglers eliminated after each round of competition are considered noncontestants. Contestants in the top-10 cut after the close of weigh-in on day 2 may not solicit or receive information about locating or catching fish on tournament waters from anyone except other top-10 contestants and through publicly available sources (quasi-public websites, blogs and/or social media pages set up for the specific purpose of sharing information with individuals or a small group of individuals are NOT publicly available sources). Co-anglers who share a pro partner’s fishing locations with another contestant will be disqualified along with the contestant requesting and/or using the information.
FLW SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP – Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley are off-limits Oct. 23-27 and Nov. 1, 2017. Beginning Oct. 23, 2017 and extending through competition, contestants may not solicit and/or receive information about locating or catching fish on tournament waters from anyone except pros and co-anglers confirmed in the tournament and through publicly available sources. Competition waters are open to fishing Oct. 28-31, 2017. Contestants may practice alone, with another contestant in the championship, with a member of their immediate family (mother, father, brother, sister, son, daughter, grandparent, grandchild or spouse), with an approved sponsor representative, or an approved youth age 18 or younger, provided the practice companion has also observed the off-limits period and procedures. Contestants may also practice with an approved media representative. Flights over tournament waters, including drones, are not permitted beginning with the start of the off-limits period, extending through practice and competition days.
6. REGISTRATION & PRETOURNAMENT MEETING
Each contestant must register in person at the designated site. In an emergency or due to an FLW sponsor obligation, contestants may request permission from the tournament director to send a person who is 16 years of age or older to represent them. If permission is granted, noncontestants can represent one person; contestants can represent themselves and one other person. This representative must attend the pretournament meeting to record flights, takeoff time, check-in time, off-limits areas, size and creel limits, and any other relevant tournament rule information. This representative must also attend the pro/co-angler draw immediately following the pretournament meeting to receive the contestant’s boat number, meet the contestant’s pro or co-angler, and record the pro or co-angler’s lodging information, phone number and exact location for the contestant and pro or co-angler to meet prior to takeoff. Registration hours are 4-6 p.m. local time the day before each tournament’s start date. Contestants registering between 6-6:15 p.m. will pay a $25 late fee that will be donated to the FLW Foundation. Contestants who fail to notify the tournament director and are more than 15 minutes late for registration may forfeit their entry fee and not be entered in the tournament. It is mandatory that all contestants or their representatives attend the pretournament meeting that will be held at 6:30 p.m. local time the day before each tournament. Being late for the pretournament meeting will result in a $25 late fee that will be donated to the FLW Foundation. Contestants not present or represented for pairings may forfeit their entry fee and not be entered in the tournament.
7. PAIRINGS
All pros and co-anglers will be paired by random draw and will receive a text message with their boat number, flight time and pro or co-angler’s name and phone number. All contestants or their representatives must contact their assigned pro or co-angler following the pretournament meeting. Partners should advise each other of their respective lodging and phone numbers and establish a meeting time and place for the following morning’s takeoff. The tournament director, at his sole discretion, may reassign partners prior to takeoff.
8. SAFETY
Safe boating must be observed at all times. Each contestant is required to wear a fastened U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device anytime the combustion engine is running from boat check until weigh-in each day of the tournament. All boats must be equipped with an emergency ignition-shutoff device that must be securely attached to the driver’s body whenever the combustion engine is running. All persons must be seated and a driver must be behind the steering wheel in full control of the boat whenever it is on plane or the combustion engine is running and in gear. At the discretion of the tournament director, tournament days may be shortened, postponed or canceled due to unsafe weather or water conditions. Competitors may leave their boat and seek shelter in bad weather or when danger is eminent. They must, however, stay within sight of each other.
9. SPORTSMANSHIP
All contestants are required to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy and conservation and to conduct themselves in a manner that will be a credit to themselves, to FLW, FLW’s sponsors, the sport of fishing and FLW’s efforts to promote the sport. Conduct not complying with these standards includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- Violation of, or failure to comply with, any of the rules for the 2017 FLW Series.
- Consumption and/or possession of alcoholic beverages or any kind of mind-altering substance during registration or tournament hours extending through the weigh-in procedure.
- Abuse of, or addiction to, mind-altering substances.
- Conviction of a felony within the past 36 months.
- Suspension/disqualification, probation or ban from any tournament or fishing organization.
- Any other words, conduct or actions reflecting unfavorably upon efforts to promote safety, sportsmanship, fair competition and compliance with tournament rules, or which fail to comply with the standards set forth in the first sentence of paragraph 9.
In case of any conduct not complying with the standards outlined above, FLW shall have the right to refuse an application to compete, to deny a confirmed application to compete by returning the entry fee (minus deposit), to disqualify a contestant or impose any penalty outlined in paragraph 1.
10. BOAT OPERATION
Pros will fish from the front deck of the boat only. Co-anglers will fish from the back deck or seating area of the boat only. Pros will have complete control of boat operation and waters to be fished. For safety concerns in rough water or swift current, in the event of an outboard or trolling motor breakdown or during an emergency, co-anglers may operate the trolling motor or the outboard but may not fish anytime from the front deck. Pros may not request that the co-angler not fish. Any pro that, in the judgment of the tournament director, operates the boat in such a manner that unfairly handicaps his/her co-angler and any co-angler who unfairly handicaps his/her pro may be disqualified for that day. Contestants may not use mobile communication devices, including but not limited to, cell phones, tablets, marine radios, walkie-talkies, CBs, etc., to communicate with anyone about locating or catching fish on tournament waters during tournament hours. Mobile communication devices may be used during tournament hours to communicate with lockmasters about locking, to communicate with the tournament director or to communicate with FLW editors or producers. Pros may use smart phones and/or tablets during tournament hours for GPS, mapping, weather, power generation, tidal charts, personal fishing notes and related data. At no time during tournament hours may contestants read or discuss social media posts from other contestants. Co-anglers are not allowed to record GPS waypoints or use any type of handheld GPS during any competition day. Co-anglers are not allowed to have more than seven rods, one tackle bag and one foul-weather bag in their pro’s boat on any day of competition. Contestants are expected to compete every day for which they are qualified; failure to do so may result in ineligibility to compete in future FLW tournaments. If a special circumstance arises that inhibits a contestant’s ability to compete, the tournament director may allow the contestant to withdraw from competition and maintain the weight caught to that point. Depending on the need to maintain an equal number of pros and co-anglers, the next highest contestant in the tournament standings may be invited to continue competition.
Special Consideration for International Division Anglers at the FLW Series Championship: FLW supplies boats for some pros competing in the FLW International Division at the FLW Series Championship. If a pro is unfamiliar with operating the boat, FLW will also supply a driver to ensure safe operation. The driver will only operate the combustion engine. No additional guidance or assistance will be rendered. The pro must select all fishing locations and operate the trolling motor.
11. BOAT & HORSEPOWER REGULATION
All boats must be propeller-driven, a minimum of 16 feet in length and have a rear deck (with a seat if requested). All boats must be equipped with wheel steering; no other steering device will be permitted. No barges or similarly cumbersome craft will be permitted. Each boat must have all required U.S. Coast Guard safety equipment. Boats must contain a properly aerated livewell space to maintain alive a limit catch of bass by both contestants. Maximum horsepower for all outboards used in tournament competition will be 250 horsepower, not to exceed the horsepower capacity set forth on the “Maximum Capacities” placard described below. Each boat must have a clearly legible “Maximum Capacities” (or comparably titled) placard that includes a maximum horsepower rating affixed to the boat by the manufacturer. The horsepower of the outboard engine must not exceed the maximum horsepower capacity specified on this placard or the 250-horsepower maximum set by FLW. By signing the entry form, contestants agree to submit their boat and/or motor to an inspection by FLW personnel. Falsifying information on entry forms or altering the horsepower numbers on the motor or rating placard will be cause for disqualification from the tournament and may result in ineligibility to compete in future FLW tournaments. Fishing platforms must be factory-installed equipment. No portable platforms may be used in tournament competition. Fuel may be carried only in factory-installed (built-in) fuel tanks. Any additional fuel used during the tournament day must be purchased from a retail facility open to the public and pumped through a hose with a nozzle. The use of generators, other than solar or wind-powered generators, is prohibited in contestant boats during tournament hours on all competition days.
12. PERMITTED FISHING METHODS
Fishing is defined as having a lure attached to a line and a rod and reel with the rod in hand. All bass must be caught alive in a conventional sporting manner. All lures must adhere to state regulations. Only artificial lures may be used, with the exception of pork trailers and biodegradable soft baits. Alabama rigs and similar umbrella-type rigs are limited to a maximum of five wires with a maximum of five spinners, five lures and three hooks (single or treble) unless state regulations are more restrictive, in which case state regulations prevail. Only ONE fishing rod may be used at a time. Trolling as a method of fishing is strictly prohibited. Trolling is defined as operating the combustion engine to extend a cast or lengthen a retrieve. All bass caught while sight-fishing must be hooked inside the mouth and immediately shown to your co-angler or pro for verification.
13. PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS
Contestants may fish anywhere on tournament waters available to the public and accessible by boat except areas posted or otherwise designated as “off-limits,” “no boats,” “keep out,” “restricted,” “no trespassing” or “no fishing” (or similar language or markings intended to restrict public access) by FLW, commercial property owners and/or local, state or federal officials, or within 50 yards of a contestant’s boat that was first anchored. An anchored boat is a boat held in a stable position by a line attached to a weight or by a Power-Pole, Talon or similar shallow water anchor with the trolling motor in the up position. All fishing 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. The cutting of trees, bushes and/or logs after the start of the pretournament meeting and/or the removal of official local, state or federal barricades at any time to make an area more accessible by boat is strictly prohibited and may result in disqualification from the tournament. The use of cables, ropes, chains or any type of block and tackle system to maneuver a boat into fishing waters is strictly prohibited and will result in disqualification from the tournament. Contestants must leave and return to the check-in by boat. The boat must remain in the tournament waters during the tournament day. No tournament boat may be loaded on a trailer before the weigh-in except with the permission of the tournament director. In the event of equipment failure or emergency the tournament director must be notified as soon as it is safe to do so. There are then two permitted methods of returning to the check-in: (1) by both paired anglers remaining in their boat and being towed by water, or (2) with permission from the tournament director, by one or both paired anglers entering the boat of another tournament contestant. Under these two conditions both contestants’ catches may be counted without a penalty (except for late penalties, dead-fish penalties or other penalties pertaining to other tournament rules) provided that the co-angler’s fish are adequately marked so as to provide clear distinction of the pro’s catch and the co-angler’s catch to the tournament director. 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. Abandoning a boat and leaving it adrift without proper tie-off or anchoring after a mechanical failure may result in disqualification of that day’s weight. Any contestant returning to the check-in point will be eligible to restart and resume competition under the supervision of the tournament director or his designated tournament official. It is the sole responsibility of contestants to locate the tournament director to request a restart. Partners must remain together at all times and within sight of each other until the weigh-in verification is signed. The momentary condition of being out of sight of each other for restroom breaks is permitted.
14. CHECKPOINTS
There will be only one checkpoint for boat check in the morning and one check-in point in the afternoon. Failure to go through boat check and checkout in the morning or failure to check in at the check-in point will result in disqualification. All fishing must cease upon check-in.
15. LATE PENALTY
Contestants who are not at the check-in area at the appointed time will be penalized 1 pound per minute, deducted from the total weight, including any weight to be counted toward the Big Bass Award. Any contestant more than 15 minutes late will lose credit for that day’s weight.
16. LIVE FISH
Every effort must be made to keep bass alive through the use of a properly aerated livewell. Four ounces will be deducted from the total weight for each dead bass presented for weigh-in.
17. SCORING
Scoring is determined by the pounds and ounces of each contestant’s catch during each tournament. It is mandatory that co-anglers mark each of their fish for identification before placing them in their designated livewell. Only largemouth, spotted, redeye or smallmouth bass are accepted species. No regurgitated forage or other foreign matter may be placed in a bass. The daily limit will be five unless the state or lake limit is less than five, in which case the state or lake limit will prevail. Pros and/or co-anglers possessing more than the tournament limit must notify the tournament director immediately upon discovery of the infraction and reduce his/her catch to the tournament limit by releasing live bass. Anglers possessing more than the tournament limit will be penalized 2 pounds for each bass over the limit. The minimum length limit for bass will be 12 inches unless the state or lake limit is more than 12 inches, in which case, the state or lake limit will prevail. Bass presented for weigh-in that fail to measure the prescribed length limit will be penalized at the rate of 1 pound for each short bass presented. Each contestant’s catch must be presented in an official weigh-in bag and verified by the signature of their pro or co-angler. Failure to have a verified pro or co-angler signature may result in disqualification of that day’s catch. On day 3, the top 10 pros and co-anglers based on combined weight from days 1 and 2 compete, and the winners are determined by the heaviest combined weight from days 1, 2 and 3.
18. TIES
The heaviest one-day catch for the tournament will break ties on day 2. If a tie remains, it will be broken first by total number of fish for the tournament, then by total number of live fish for the tournament, then by point standings and then by lottery. Ties on day 3 will be resolved by day-2 standings.
19. LOGO DISPLAY & MEDIA COVERAGE
During all days of competition any and all tobacco logos are prohibited and may not be worn or displayed. Anglers may wear their own apparel every day. FLW reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to prohibit any angler’s apparel that it finds to be offensive. Smoking is not allowed in the weigh-in line during all days of competition. All decisions are in FLW’s sole discretion.
20. TRUTH VERIFICATION TEST
Each contestant agrees to submit, by signature on the tournament entry form, to a polygraph or voice stress analysis examination and to abide by its conclusion. Failure to pass an examination will result in disqualification from the tournament. Truth verification tests will be used at FLW’s sole discretion, and the determination of the meaning of the results will be made solely by FLW.
21. INSURANCE
Liability insurance with coverage of not less than $300,000 per occurrence is required of all pro contestants in FLW Series tournaments. Proof of insurance must be with the boat being used and must cover all passengers in the boat. Random checks will be conducted. Failure to provide proof of insurance when requested by the tournament director may result in disqualification.
22. CAPTIONS
The captions at the beginning of each paragraph are intended to facilitate convenience in referring to the various rules. The captions are not part of the substance of the paragraph and should not be used in construction of any paragraph or of this overall set of rules.