Up North Bass Circuit
Up North Bass Circuit

Up North Bass Circuit Bylaws



  1. All Deposit money received is nonrefundable unless the circuit gets filled up (19 teams).
  2. All Wisconsin fishing rules & regulations apply.
  3. All tournament hours are from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. cell phone time. Tournaments may start a little early ONLY if everybody is ready to go.
  4. One lb. penalty per minute late will come off your total weight. Boats must be loaded or parked at the weigh-in site or be within 200 yards & on a direct coarse to the weigh-in site at 2:00. One lb. penalty per minute late will also come off of any fish to be weighed for the big bass award, this does not affect the total weight penalty (two separate penalties). Once a team is 20 minutes late they will be disqaulified.
  5. Only 1 fish per team can be weighed for the big bass award. A team member picks which one to be weighed (leaving a cull tag on your big fish is recommended).
  6. No open scales. Fish will not be weighed before 2:00.
  7. The weigh master can call for a reweigh of anybodies fish if he thinks there was a possible error whether it was a human error or the scales. A contestant may also ask for a re-weigh BUT it may not be allowed, the weigh master will make that decesion. The second weight recorded will be the one that counts. There will be no 3rd weighing of any fish unless there is a obvious malfunction with the scale.
  8. 5 fish limit, you will be DQ if any more than 5 are dumped in the weigh in tub. Teams are required to place thier fish in the weigh-in tub. All boats must have no more than 5 bass on board at 2:00 p.m.(with the exception of any dead fish). Violation of this rule will result in a one lb. penalty.
  9. Teams are required to release their own fish after the weigh master is done with them. All fishermen are to take home any dead fish they may have. Make sure all your fish swim away before leaving the release site. For DNR permit reasons please report any dead fish you may have to the tournament director.
  10. Largemouth, smallmouth & spotted bass only will be weighed.
  11. One or two person team per boat. A one man team can add a partner after the start of a tournament, a two man team cannot switch partners after the start of a tournament.
  12. Switching boats after the start of a tournament is permitted if its due to mechanical reasons only & the replacement boat must have its live well checked by a U.N.B.C. competitor before anything is transferred into it or your weight will not be accepted.
  13. Tournament starts may be delayed if unsafe weather is occurring (high winds, fog, lightning, etc.) cold temperatures is not included.
  14. Live wells will be checked, if you arrive late or after the start, you must find a U.N.B.C. competitor to check your's or your weight will not be accepted.
  15. Live well checkers for each tournament will be decided by draw at the winter meeting. These same teams will be responsible for keeping track of late boats.
  16. Always make sure your boats & trailers are free from all aquatic invasive species, pick off all the weeds (it’s now the law).Make sure your bilge & live wells are drained of all water.
  17. Please no power loading at the ramps.
  18. Just prior to the start of each tournament, there will be a brief meeting & draw for boat out, so please be early & be ready for take off when your boat number is called!!!!
  19. No pre fishing 4 days prior to each tournament. The designated lake & any adjoining water that is accessible by boat are totally off limits during this time, unless the adjoining water was declared off limits for the tournament by the tournament director. A violation of this rule will result in a disqaulification, if the violation is found out following the tournament the team involved will forfiet all money, plaques, & points they acquired. No one shall acquire any outside information that pertains to fish or fishing on the designated tournament waters during these 4 days.
  20. No U.N.B.C. member shall pay for fishing information which includes paid guided fishing trips pertaining to & prior to all U.N.B.C. scheduled lakes.
  21. All fish need to measure 14 inches, mouth closed, tail can be pinched & fanned. There maybe some lakes that require bass to measure 18" by DNR law.
  22. Absolutely no courtesy bumps. Bump board comparison (yours to ours) will be permitted as long as you bring your board to the weigh tub & do it yourself, this must be done before the weigh in begins.
  23. One lb. penalty per short fish. Short fish will not be weighed.
  24. Designated measurer & weigh master’s decisions are final.
  25. No trolling, no live bait, & only one line in the water per fisherman allowed. Soaking pork over the side of the boat is excempt.
  26. Landing nets, & cell phones are permitted to be used during tournaments.
  27. Underwater camera's are prohibbited on tournament day (floggers are permitted).
  28. All ties in weight will split prize money & points, multiple plaques may be ordered.
  29. Allowed one dead fish, 1lb. penalty per dead fish after that.
  30. No intentional snagging, netting, or grabbing of any free swimming fish. This does not pertain to a fish that gets netted after coming unhooked from your line.
  31. If the circuit is short teams it will allow teams to enter individual tournaments if they pay a larger entry fee & the rules committee approves it (no ringers). These cherry picker teams will not be able to qualify for the T.O.C. nor will they be involved with the head to head competition.
  32. You may only come in contact with another boat for emergency, medical, mechanical, & equipment reasons.
  33. Leaving the boat during the course of the tournament is permitted for emergency, medical, mechanical, weather, food, drink, bathroom or at weigh-in site. 
  34. It is also permitted to get out of the boat to push it through low water areas, retrieve a hung up fish, or retrieve items that went overboard (which would include your partner).
  35. A team's fish can be transferred onto another competitor's boat provided it meets the following criteria: If its due to mechanical problems. If its 1:30 or later. At least one member of the team with mechanical problem accompanies their fish to the weigh-in site. Any teams involved with the fish transfer must be down to their 5 fish limit or less. Teams transferring fish must have their fish in separate live wells. Once fish are transferred to another boat all fishing must stop & the teams must go directly to the weigh-in site. (Teams are not required to transfer anybodies fish but it would be good sportsmanship to do so). This is the only way you can transport fish to the weigh-in site other than in your own boat.
  36. No trailering fish, you can only transport fish from the lake to the boat ramp parking lot if that's where the weigh-in is occuring.
  37. All fishing must be done from inside the boat (at least one foot must be in contact with the boat's floor or deck).
  38. Any adjoining water of the designated lake to be fished is permitted to fish as long as it's accessible by boat, unless it is declared off limits by the tournament director.
  39. Last boat out (boat #20) will be the starter boat, to be determined at the pre-tournament draw or in some cases the tournament director along with a neutral UNBC member may draw prior to tourney but after the cut off date.
  40. At take off all boats must pass within 100' of the starter boat after their boat number has been called & ease out until the starter boat anglers give the signal to blast off.
  41. All no wake zones must be obeyed & no passing shall occur in no wake zones.
  42. Life jackets are not mandatory to be worn (must be onboard), but should be considered wearing especially whenever the big motor is running.
  43. Teams are not allowed to bag their fish until their name or boat number has been called off.  Violation of this rule will result in a one lb. penalty. If you have fish in trouble or you have to leave the weigh in immediately tell the weigh master. This prevents having too many bags of fish waiting to be weighed. We will try to weigh in boat order number but some tournament sites may prevent this from happening.
  44. The top12 teams in points will qualify to fish the T.O.C. along with any tournament champions.
  45. If a qualifying team (top 12 in points) decides not to fish the T.O.C. the13th place team will get the opportunity. Teams that decide not to fish the T.O.C. should contact the tournament director as soon as possible.
  46. Points are acquired by finish position in each tournament. The bottom 4 teams will receive 4 points,(based on a full field of 20 teams, this could change with fewer teams) 1 point more for each position up (20 pts. for 1st place).
  47. If a team doesn’t show up for a tournament they will receive 0 points for that tournament. In order for a team to get the minimum amount of points (4) for a tournament they must at least wet a line from a boat (this must be witnessed by someone).
  48. One extra point will be awarded to the team that wins the big bass award for each tournament.
  49. Any ties in the final point standings will be broken by total weight for the year if a tie remains after that the next tie breaker will be total number of fish weighed for the year.
  50. Top team in points goes out boat one, etc. in T.O.C. Tournament champions that did not qualify in points will go out behind point qualifiers in their order of point standings.
  51. Anglers of The Year (points champ) receive cash & plaques.
  52. There will be a head to head competition implemented into the regular season. Teams will be placed on a single elimination bracket board by draw at the first tournament. Season winners will receive cash & plaques.
  53. Each team must designate a (1 or 2) person team before the start of the first tournament & at least one of these people must fish in each tournament making it possible to fish with multiple partners throughout the year.
  54. Each team must designate a captain & he will receive the opening in case of a team break up.
  55. All T.O.C. entrants must fish in at least one of the regular season tournaments to be eligible.  
  56. Any penalties accessed from breaking any of the above rules must come from complaints filed by a person that witnessed the infraction. All protest concerning rule violations or any other discrepancies must be brought up to the tournament director or a rules committee member before the pay off begins & it will be settled before the pay off starts. If a major violation is found out (such as acquiring fish in a illegal matter or fishing after the cut-off period) anytime following a tournament the team involved may be asked to forfiet any money, plaques, & points it received, termination in the circuit may also be possible.
  57. A (4) man rules committee along with the Tournament Director will settle discrepancies & access penalties. The Tournament Director by himself can DQ or access penalties to teams if he see's a obvious rules infraction that was witnessed by himself or others without involving the rule's comittee.
  58. After receiving penalties the lowest a team can go will be zero pounds, they will not receive negative pounds.
  59. If a rules committee member, teammate, or a relative is involved in the infraction he will not be allowed in the committee’s settlement.
  60. All U.N.B.C. competitors are expected to follow the highest standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, & safety. Unsafe practices, rude behavior or misconduct during any of the tournaments may result in a penalty or disqualification.
  61. Disqualifications in any of the tournaments for any reasons will result in a forfeiture of the entry fee for that tournament along with any money, plaques, or points that were acquired. A team will still receive a minimum of 4 points.
  62. The circuit will not fish the same lake 2 years in a row. Previous year's T.O.C. lake will be exempt from this rule.
  63. There will not be more than 3 tournaments held East of Highway 53 (excluding the T.O.C.).
  64. Due to their geographical location Spooner Lake will be considered as a West of Hwy. 53 lake & Whitefish Lake (Bardon) will be considered as a East of Hwy. 53 lake.
  65. There will be at least one regular season tournament held on a lake that the circuit has not fished in the prior three seasons which includes past TOC lakes.
  66. The 5 tournaments will be held every year as follows unless decided different at the winter meeting. Saturday before Memorial weekend, fourth Saturday in June, last Saturday in July, Saturday before Labor Day weekend, & the second Saturday after Labor Day weekend. Last minute changes may occur due to conflicts with other tournaments.
  67. The T.O.C. will be held on a lake that the cicuit has not fished in four years or longer.
  68. All competitors in The U.N.B.C. must acknowledge that they are participating voluntarily & agree to assume all risk of injury, death, damages, theft, & loss of personal property which could result in their participation in the U.N.B.C.
  69. All U.N.B.C. competitors retain the right to non compete at any given tournament if they feel the risks are too great or for any personal reasons they may have, in doing so they will forfeit their entry fee for that tournament.
  70. Team captains please notify the tournament director prior to any tournament that your team is not showing up for.
  71. It is recommended to have the tournament director’s cell phone number on you so you can make a call for a rules clarification during the course of a tournament or prior to the tournament.
  72. If there becomes a opening for a team any current UNBC member who is not a team captain will get the opportunity to fill the opening before people on the waiting list providing they are on the waiting list.
  73. Remember the main objective of the U.N.B.C. is to have fun out there while competing against your fellow bass fisherman .Always be courteous to everybody out there on & off the water (its tuff to do sometimes) but it just makes it look good for all bass fishermen especially the U.N.B.C. & always remember safety should be of the most utmost concern.
  74. As always some members, family & friends of The U.N.B.C. will be stopping at a designated stop close to the weigh in site after each tournament for those that want a cold one, something to eat & a little trash talking. Do not bring your own drinks or food to the designated stop.
  75. It is mandatory that the winners buy a round of drinks for those that do stop at the designated establishment & customary that second place buy one as well (remember the hand that feeds you). If you win & don't buy don't expect to be invited back!!!!!!!!

All U.N.B.C. competitors are expected to know these bylaws, ignorance of any of these rules is no excuse you will pay the consequences.

 


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