Montgomery, Ala. - Officials for BASS today announced a revision to its 30-day off-limits rule.
The 30-day off-limits rule, implemented a year ago, made BASS tournament waters off-limits to practice 30 days prior to the start of a tournament. The rule will remain in place, but with the added stipulation that anglers will not be allowed to receive any information about the tournament waters during the 30-day period. This will also prohibit the use of phones, marked maps and GPS coordinates used to gather information to locate fish.
Tournament rules stated last year that an angler could receive information on the tournament waters prior to the start of the three-day official practice, but anglers felt that this was too lenient. According to BASS Tournament Director, Tripp Weldon, the amendment strengthens the high standards of the sport.
"I have told the anglers about this rule, and they are, overwhelmingly, in favor of it," Weldon said. "Anglers will have to police themselves, but they feel that if the rule is made, it will be followed. Failure to adhere to the rule will result in a stiff penalty."
The penalties for violating the rule include tournament disqualification for the first offense. The second offense will result in loss of eligibility for the following year's Bassmaster Tournament Trail.
"This is a great thing for the sport," said former Bassmaster Classic winner Paul Elias. "It will really raise the level of the competition. Every tournament I've ever won, I didn't have any help."