Rules & Regulations

Equipment & Conduct

 

Rules & Regulations

TOURNAMENT FORMAT

• IFBC format is a two person team, fishing for two days, total combined weight, live release tournament on Rainy River or Rainy Lake.
• The Tournament Director has the right to delay or shorten the Tournament, subject to weather and/or safety considerations.
• All Competitors and Officials will conduct themselves in a true sportsmanlike, courteous, safe and ethical manner. As Competitors, each person represents not only their Team and Sponsors, but also the IFBC and other Teams.
• International Falls Bass Championship Inc., its promoters, employees, sponsors, organizers, hosts, Directors, Officers and affiliated organizations assisting in the operation of any aspect of the Tournament, their agencies and/or agents and assigns are not responsible for any death, injury, damage, liability, fire, theft or loss that may result prior to, during or after the Tournament howsoever caused.
• All references to money are in US Dollars.

ENTRY FEE

• The entry fee for the Tournament is $500.00 per team
• In order to secure position from previous year’s finish, the entry fee of $500.00 is due in full and must be received no later than midnight Aug 31st. The $500.00 entry fee is non-refundable unless of valid medical certificate is provided.
• In the event of proper notice of cancellation in writing, received thirty (30) days prior to the first day of the Tournament, the entry fee shall be returned to the Team Captain.
• Entry fees will be locked in immediately prior to the Rules Meeting in order to finalize Tournament Prizes. Cancellation thereafter will be accepted only for medical emergencies relating directly to a competitor.

PARTICIPATION AND ELIGIBILITY

• Competitors must be a minimum of eighteen (18) years of age as of June 30 unless they have the permission of their parents or guardians. All participants will require a WAIVER OF CLAIM, RELEASE AND INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT AND PHOTO AND VIDEO RELEASE signed by them or by their parents or guardians if applicable.
• All anglers must possess a valid Minnesota Fishing License. Anglers fishing Canadian waters must possess a valid Canadian fishing license.
• International Falls Bass Championship Inc. reserves the right to refuse entry to any Individual or Team for any reason that the Tournament Committee may deem appropriate.
• There will be a limited field of 60 paid Teams for the Tournament and entries were accepted as follows:
  • Captains of teams 1 through 55 will be offered team numbers for the following year’s tournament corresponding with their final position provided that the full entry fee of $500.00 is received no later than midnight Aug. 31st. Any positions not paid for in the top 55 will be offered to the teams finishing 56th through 60th in order of finish until 55 positions are filled. Any remaining teams will be entered into the lottery draw. 
  • Teams wishing to enter the lottery must enter via website or email the angler chair at [email protected]. Email must include both the Captain and the partner name, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses.  A live facebook draw will be done October 1st at 7:00pm. All names will be drawn and given a number. Highest numbers will be offered the available positions with the remaining names being placed on a wait list in the order they were drawn. Any teams inquiring after the draw will be placed at the bottom of the list in the order they are received.
  • Captains of the lottery draw that are offered a position must submit full entrance fee of $500.00 no later than midnight Oct.7th. If full payment is not received by Oct. 7th, the position will be forfeit and the next name on the wait list shall be offered the position. 
  • The angler listed as the captain of the lottery draw must fish the tournament and will be listed as the captain during the inaugural year. If for any reason the captain of the draw is unable to fish, the lottery draw become null and void and the position will be offered to the next team on the wait list. 
  • The $500.00 entry fee becomes non-refundable once team numbers are assigned. Any team requesting a refund after numbers are assigned may only be refunded provided there is a wait list and another team to take vacated the spot. Exceptions will be considered by the board in cases of unforeseen illnesses or accidents.
  • The IFBC board of reserves the right to expand the field without going to the waiting list.
• If, after competition has been started, a team captain or partner is unable to continue for medical, family or other justified reasons, the remaining team member will be given the option of selecting a replacement angler. The replacement angler must not have been on tournament waters during competition. The Director of Tournament Operations must be advised of and approve any angler replacements.

PRE-TOURNAMENT PRACTICE

• Unlimited pre-tournament practice is allowed.
• Moving fish from one location to another during pre-tournament practice is prohibited, unless specifically requested by the Tournament Director for special purposes. Violations will result in tournament disqualification.
• All Competitors must cease pre-tournament practice by 3:30 p.m. on the day immediately prior to Day One. PENALTY: Delayed start at 10:00 a.m.
• No contestant may enter the tournament waters for the purpose of catching or locating bass or possible fishing locations after the after daily tournament hours. Penalty: Delayed Start at 10:00 a.m.

PENALTY FOR LATE CHECK-IN

• Contestants who are late crossing the finish line at the end of the day for whatever reason, including breakdown, will be disqualified for the day.

PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS Fishing Boundaries American and Canadian Sides
Lake

• North boundary – cannot fish past any train or auto bridge
• East boundary – cannot fish past green marker at mouth of Seine River
• South Boundary – cannot fish past Kettle Falls Dam, and mouth of the Rat Root River
• West Boundary – Ranier Train bridge. No fishing in upper Rainy River from Bridge to Dam. 

River

• West Boundary – Birchdale Landing

SCORING

• Only Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass legally caught on a Tournament day by angling qualify for weigh-in. Violation of this rule is tournament disqualification.
• A daily limit of five (5) Bass per Team will be weighed. A team may possess the daily Department of Natural Resources Limit while angling only. While under main engine only five (5) bass may be retained in the live-well(s). The penalty for failure to comply is disqualification of the day’s weight.
• The Official Minimum Length is twelve (12) inches measured from the tip of the nose with mouth closed to the end of the tail with the tail compressed. All fish will be measured on their longest side. A courtesy board, identical to that used by the Tournament Weigh Master, will be available to the Competitors prior to their catch being turned over to the Weight Master or his/her representative.
• Bass presented for weigh-in which fail to meet the official minimum length will not be weighed and that day’s weight will be penalized at the rate of one (1) pound for each “short” fish. In the event that assessing weight penalties results in a negative total weight for the day, the negative weight shall be carried forward to the next day or subtracted from the existing Team Total, whichever is appropriate.
• Each Team’s fish must be presented to the Weigh Master or his/her Assistants in the official bags supplied by the Tournament Organizers.
• All weights, upon verbal acceptance by the Team Captain, and then publicly called by the Weigh Master, are immediately official and are not thereafter contestable.
• One Team Member must sign the official weigh-in form recording the weight of the catch.
• Dead bass presented for weigh-in will be weighed. Four (4) ounces will be deducted from the total daily weight for each dead or non-releasable fish that is weighed. A resulting negative daily weight will be handled as per the second sentence of Rule 10(d). All fish must be alive and viable at the time of check in at the landing. 
• Species caught other than Bass must be returned to tournament waters with the exception of damaged fish as per state fishing regulations. All legal fish of any species caught and damaged must be turned over to the Tournament Committee before weigh-in, and may not be kept by competitors. No fish, other than five Bass will be kept in the boat while reporting for weigh-in.

RULE(S) VIOLATIONS, PROTESTS AND APPEALS

• Where a team is charged with a rule infraction by an authorized Tournament Official which could result in disqualification of the daily catch or tournament disqualification, the team has the right to appeal the decision to the Tournament Protest and Appeals Committee. Appeals must be submitted to tournament officials at the angler services tent 15 minutes after weigh-in, on the day of notice of the rules infraction.
• An infraction witnessed by a competitor can be reported to the Tournament Protest and Appeal Committee at the Angler Services Tent. In the event that an infraction is reported or a protest is lodged, a three person Protest Committee, appointed prior to the Tournament, shall convene.
• Each Team Captain has the right to file a Protest when they have first hand knowledge that a rule or rules may have been broken or violated by another Team. A Protest must be filed within Fifteen (15) Minutes of weigh-in with Angler Services to be considered.
• A $200.00 fee must accompany all protests.
• Witness(es) may be called to appear before the Protest Committee to provide evidence relating to the alleged rule infraction. At the discretion of the Committee, a polygraph test may be administered to any Competitor directly or indirectly involved or affected by the protest under consideration.
• The Protest and Appeals Committee will interpret the rules according to their spirit and intent. The decision of the Protest Committee is final and not subject to review of any kind.
• If the Protest is found to be valid, the protest fee will be returned forthwith and the team protested against must pay the protest fee, plus any polygraph costs, and any penalties imposed if applicable.
• If the Protest is determined to be invalid, the protest fee will not be returned and the protesting Team must pay any and all investigation expenses including, if applicable, polygraph costs.
• General Penalties: Teams may be disqualified from the tournament for frequent or major infractions of the rules and will not receive a refund of their entry fee. Examples of major infractions include unsafe boating practices, gross angling ethics violations and violations that clearly give the competitor an unfair or illegal advantage over other competitors, such as, movement of fish, use of live bait, fishing out of bounds, caged fish, violation of provincial and federal fishing and boating regulations, exchanging fish between teams and unauthorized use of under water cameras including any other boats traveling with the team. 

TIE BREAKERS

• Any tie will be decided by the weight of the team’s biggest tournament bag.

RULES MEETING

• The Rules Meeting will be held in the theater at Rainy River Community College starting at 4:30 p.m. the day immediately prior to Day One.
• At least one and preferably both members of the team must attend the Official Rules Meeting. Failing to do so will mean attending a special session at 10:00 am on Day One, before delinquent teams can begin fishing. 

PARADE OF BOATS

• Participation in the Parade of Boats is mandatory, unless a valid reason is agreed upon ahead of the parade between the team and the IFBC organizers.  A penalty of a 2 hour delay will be assessed on day one of the competition if violated.

CHANGES AND AMENDMENTS

• International Falls Bass Championship Inc. retains the right to change or amend any or all of these preceding rules at their sole discretion without prior notification or consultation with the Competitors.
• Final Approved Official Rules of the International Falls Bass Championship Live Release Tournament on Rainy Lake and Rainy River will be given to all Teams as part of their Registration Package, subject only to clarification’s) arising from the Official Rules meeting held on the day, immediately prior to Day One.(See 6 a & b).

​If you have specific questions, please  contact Angler Chair Nancy Peterson at [email protected] at 218-417-0036

 

​Tournament Equipment/Conduct

BOATS AND MOTORS

• All boats must be a minimum of fourteen (14) feet in length.
• No barges, houseboats, or similar cumbersome craft will be allowed.
• All boats, motors and their equipment must meet U.S. Coast Guard standards.
• The Tournament Director reserves the right to disallow the use of any boat, motor and/or equipment deemed unsafe, inappropriate or unsuitable.
• All boats equipped with an emergency kill switch mechanism must have the kill switch tether securely attached to the operator whenever the boat is on plane.
• Boat Numbers must be affixed to right and left cowls of the main combustion engine so that they are clearly and plainly visible.

TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT

• Only artificial lures, manufactured baits, pork rind, and commercially available liquid attractants may be used by competitors. Landing nets may be used.
• No live bait, frozen or freeze-dried bait of any kind may be used or possessed by any Competitor at any time during the Tournament.
• The use, in live wells, of commercially available fish care chemicals is permitted.
• The use of underwater cameras is not allowed during the tournament. If such equipment is found in a competitors boat during boat checks or during tournament fishing hours the offending team will be immediately disqualified.

BOAT NUMBERS AND ANGLER KITS

• Boat numbers and angler kits will be available to registered teams during the Parade of Boats as well as prior to the Rules Meeting.

LIVE RELEASE OF FISH

• Fixed aerated live-wells with functioning recirculating system and capable of supporting life are mandatory and every effort must be made to keep Bass alive. The Tournament Director reserves the right to disallow the use of any live well.
• Under no circumstances can a fish be purposely altered.
• Any fish mauled, mashed, frozen, stringered, injected with water or other fluids, containing foreign matter to add weight or showing white gills or soft flesh, will result in disqualification of the Team.
• Under no circumstances are dead fish to be released. See 10- h and i.

DAILY LAUNCHING AND MORNING EQUIPMENT INSPECTIONS

• Boats will be launched from only the Roche landing and Shorewood landing with designated areas for Competitor’s vehicles and trailers.
• Teams are required to have their equipment ready and on the water thirty (30) minutes prior to the scheduled departure time of their flight. Late arrivals will be penalized and leave at the end of the next available flight.
• Boat inspections will take place each morning at the Roche landing and Shorewood landing commencing one and one half hours prior to flight departure time.
• Boats will be inspected for, but not limited to: Boat Numbers properly affixed; Day Two starting position numbers properly affixed; operation of live well; kill switch operation; no live, dead, frozen, or freeze-dried bait, no underwater cameras and required safety equipment.
• Teams must have all tackle boxes, hatches and live wells open for easy inspection prior to the arrival of the Tournament Officials.
• Upon completion of the daily morning inspection, each Competitor must sign the inspection and declaration form prior to departure from the dock.
• Failure to report for daily boat inspection will result in disqualification of that day’s catch.

FLIGHTS AND TRICKLE START

• The Official Starter will release teams, by flight, using a trickle start.
• On Day One Teams will be started in order of their registration (except those who have been penalized). They will be called and released every few seconds using a signal flag, number board and bullhorn. Each Team must officially acknowledge being called by waving to the Official Starter. Teams will idle past the starter boat and only commence acceleration when waved on by the Official Starter.
• Any Team starting or attempting to start out of order will be held by the Official Starter until the balance of the flight has departed.
• Starting position on Day Two will be determined by the net weight ranking achieved on Day One.
• Flight departure schedules and return times will be posted prominently at Shorewood landing and Pat Roche Landing.
• Flight Schedule for Day One and Day Two on Lake are as follows: 
  Flight 1 Boats 1-15 leaving at 8:00 a.m. will return at 4:00 p.m.
  Flight 2 Boats 16-30 leaving at 8:15 a.m. will return at 4:15 p.m.
  Flight 3 Boats 31-45 leaving at 8:30 a.m. will return at 4:30 p.m.
  Flight 4 Boats 46-60 leaving at 8:45 a.m. will return at 4:45 p.m.
• Lake take off will take place at Pat Roche Landing located 2 miles south of town on Hwy 11 east. at the Voyaguer's National Park Headquarters. The upper Rainy River speed limit is 30 mph and no team shall pass another team in the upper Rainy River until safely clear of the Ranier lift bridge and onto the lake. 
  River take off will take place at Shorewood Landing on Shorewood Drive located next to Hardees on Hwy 71.
• Flight Schedule for Day One and Day Two on the River are as follows:

             Flight 1 Boats 1-15 leaving at 7:45 a.m. will return at 3:45 p.m. 
             SPORTSMANSHIP AND COURTESY

• It is strictly prohibited for any Competitor to give, offer, accept or suggest the exchange of any weigh-able fish to, from or with any other Competitor.
• No team will be allowed to fish within 50 yards of another team during the tournament. Passing within 50 yards in channels is permitted while not fishing.
• Competitors are permitted to carry a cellular phone for emergency use only. Non-emergency use of a cellular phone during tournament hours will result in the disqualification of that day’s catch.

             SAFETY

• All Competitors must practice safe boating at all times during practice and tournament fishing.
• Every competitor must wear a fully secured Coast Guard approved life jacket or a floatation device while traveling from one location to another at other then trolling or drifting speed, and where so equipped tethered kill switches must be attached to the driver’s body.
• No alcoholic beverages or illicit drugs may be possessed or consumed by the Competitors during tournament fishing hours up to and including the weighing of their catch.
• In the event of a thunderstorm, lightning, or severe weather, teams may pull onto the nearest shoreline until it is safe to continue fishing. Competitors may not leave their boats during the tournament except if severe weather forces them ashore.
• In the event of severe weather or fog, tournament directors will assess 15 minute delays at a time until the inclement weather has cleared and anglers can safely maneuver waters. 
• Flight return times will remain the same. River 3:45pm   Lake 4:00pm, 4:15pm, 4:30pm, 4:45pm
• Every Team, whether weighing fish or not, must, at the end of each day, report to the Official Tournament Check-In Station. The Penalty for failing to report at the end of Day One will be a two (2) hour delayed start on the following day. The penalty for failing to report on Day Two will be immediate forfeiture of any prizes won up to that point plus the automatic placement as the last boat out in the next Tournament entered.

MECHANICAL BREAKDOWN OR EMERGENCIES

• In the case of an emergency or mechanical breakdown, Cellular phones, CB’s, and VHF Marine radios may be used for safety reasons and in the case of breakdown. Cell phone calls can be placed only to the Tournament Command Center unless previously approved by the Tournament Operations Director. Anglers will be advised of the Command Center phone number at the Rules Meeting. IN THE EVENT OF BREAKDOWN ANGLERS MAY ALSO USE AN ONSHORE PHONE TO REACH THE TOURNAMENT COMMAND CENTER IF OTHER COMMUNICATION METHODS ARE ABSENT OR FAIL TO WORK.
• Committee patrol boats are prohibited from towing any Competitors boat during tournament fishing hours.
• In the event of mechanical breakdown the fish from the disabled boat may be transferred to another competitor’s boat provided they are accompanied by a member of the disabled team and they are kept in a separate live well.

ON THE WATER

• Competitors are personally responsible for knowing all Tournament Rules, as well as the current Minnesota Sport Fishing Regulations. Remember to make sure you follow all Ontario fishing and boating regulations as well as US and Canadian Customs and Immigration laws, U.S. and Canadian Coast Guard regulations. Penalty: Teams found to have violated federal or state fishing and boating regulations during the tournament may be disqualified when this information is confirmed by tournament officials. This judgment could also apply to eligibility to participate in future tournaments.
• Competitors are not allowed to toss or pass any item(s) to another boat or to receive any item(s) from another boat.
• All Teams and their equipment are subject to inspection at any time during the Tournament. Committee patrol boats may come alongside, following proper identification, and if necessary, board to check for adherence to all Tournament Rules. No other boat may come in contact with a Competitor’s boat at any time.
• No fishing information may be given to or exchanged with Competitors during the Tournament fishing hours by Tournament or Non-Tournament anglers.
• Competitors are expected to cooperate as much as possible with official video and still photography personnel.

​

​WAIVER OF CLAIM RELEASE & INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT: in consideration of the acceptance of my entry in the International Falls Bass Championship (IFBC), THE UNDERSIGNED HEREBY RELEASES, WAIVES, DISCHARGES AND COVENANTS
NOT TO SUE the IFBC, its promoters, employees, sponsors, organizers, hosts, directors, officers, and all other organizers and affiliated organizations, agencies and/or agents and assignees and any other person assisting in this event, (releasees), from all liability to the undersigned for any and all loss or damage, and any claim or demands therefore on account of injury to the person or property whether caused by the negligence of the releasees or otherwise while the undersigned is participating in the IFBC event or any related activity or event put on by releasees. The undersigned HEREBY ASSUMES FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR AND RISK OF BODILY INJURY, DEATH OR PROPERTY DAMAGE due to the
negligence of releasees or otherwise while competing, officiating, observing, or working for or for any purpose participating in the event. I hereby state that I am in proper physical condition to participate in this event and am aware that participation could in some circumstances, result in physical injury. I further agree to indemnify Releasees, from any
claims or damages arising out of or in consequence of the participation or attendance by me in this event.
THE UNDERSIGNED further expressly agrees that the foregoing release, waiver, and indemnity agreement is intended to be as broad and inclusive as permitted by the law of the Province or State in which the event is conducted and that if any portion thereof is held invalid, it is agreed that the balance shall, notwithstanding, continue in full legal force and effect.

  
Important: If under the age of eighteen (18) this waiver of claim, release and indemnification agreement must be signed by a Parent or Legal Guardian.