2024 Year Rules

2024 Regular Season Rules

Rev 01

11/9/2023

The Bremen Bass Angler (BBA) Trail is made up of anglers who commit to fishing together for an entire season, desiring a club atmosphere, where anglers have the chance to grow together as anglers building lifelong friendships.  We hope our time together will honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and that we will all grow together as fishers of men.  Matthew 4:19 And He said unto them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men”.

  • Trail is managed by a President.
    • There may also be a three-person tournament committee made up of the president, members in the trail, or as designated by the President that will make all tournament decisions concerning weigh in, tournament winnings, rules, and angler of the year points and awards.
    • Interpretation and enforcement of BBA rules shall be left exclusively to the BBA President or his assignee.  In the event of a rule violation the President may impose such sanctions, as he/she deems appropriate, including, without limitation, disqualification, forfeiture of prizes, entry fees, and prohibition from participation in BBA events.  The decisions of the BBA president and his/her assignees will be FINAL IN ALL MATTERS.  It is at the BBA president’s discretion to make a change where safety of the participants is a concern.  All federal, state and local laws must be obeyed, and it is the BBA participants’ responsibility to know these laws.   All BBA participants must read the rules on the BBA website and sign the BBA season waiver.  BBA angler’s signature on the waiver will constitute a certification that each BBA participant has read, understand, and accepts the rules, responsibilities, and liabilities.
  • All teams competing in the BBA season must pay their membership fee before competing in any regular season tournament.
    • Teams may join before and through the first three tournaments in the season.
  • The President and tournament committee may approve or disapprove any team from any season or tournament at their sole discretion.
    • It is the goal of the BBA Trail to keep the makeup of the trail with teams of good people and great integrity.
  • Only artificial lures may be used in any tournament event.
  • No pre baiting or baiting of fish and fishing locations is allowed up to one month before any tournament event.
  • No more than two rods may be used by an angler at a time for fishing in any tournament event.
  • No gas motor trolling is allowed while fishing in any tournament event.
  • The president approves the upcoming Bremen Bass Anger (BBA) rules and post on the trail’s website.
  • The president and tournament committee builds the next season’s schedule and post on the trail’s website
    • Tournament committee members are appointed by the president.
  • The president may set a maximum number of members allowed in the trail for the upcoming season.
  • Anyone who has provided guide service within the past six (6) months before the season begins more than twice for pay on the trail’s listed tournament lakes for the season will not be eligible to join the trail and compete in the regular season.
  • The tournament committee may delay, cancel, or reschedule tournaments, or modify the rules for safety or other reasons as deemed necessary by the tournament committee.
  • All contestants are expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety and conservation. Any contestant who displays poor sportsmanship, violates these rules or any state or local laws, or brings unfavorable publicity to the sport of bass fishing, fisheries conservation, clean water, courtesy may be disqualified by president or tournament committee.
  • All local lake rules for bass size and limits apply
    • Additional BBA rules may apply.
  • Existing members in good standing with the trail who fished the preceding season in the trail are guaranteed spots in the next fishing season so long as member and tournament fees are paid by or before January 1st of the new season year.
  • Only trail members and their alternates can fish in trail events.
    • Teams are made up of two people
    • An individual can join the trail and has up to before the third tournament to select a team partner.  However, the first two tournaments if fished with another person not designated as partner count towards alternates used. 
    • Each team can only be represented once in each tournament.
    • Two people from two different teams may fish in one boat.
      • They can only fish as a single team representing one team.
        • When two members fish as one team this does not count against their available alternates for the season.
        • The team being represented must be made known to the tournament registrar at registration.
        • Only the designated team may receive points for the tournament fished.
          • However, the minimal number of points awarded for the tournament fished will apply to the team not being represented.
  • Only two alternates can be used by a team during a season
    • Anyone under sixteen may be used as an alternate and this alternate does not count towards your alternates used per season
  • BBA requires U.S. Coast Guard approved life preserver to be on and fastened at any time the combustible motor is operative and not in neutral, and that the kill switch must be attached to the driver. All applicable state, federal, and lake laws and rules concerning life preservers must be followed.
  • Cannot fish with alternate in classic.  Must fish with seasonal partner or by yourself.
  • Late Penalty – must be within the no wake area at boat ramp area and not fishing by weigh in time. There will be a ½ pound penalty per minute late. Any member late is required to report the number of minutes late to the tournament committee when weighing in their fish.
  • You must have fish weighed in before the scales close at any tournament to have weight counted.
  • Dead fish penalty of 4oz or .25 on scales per dead fish.
  • Any short fish weighed in will be thrown out along with your largest fish.
  • You must check in before each tournament begins to be enrolled in the tournament.
    • During this time your live wells will be checked and tagged.
  • There is no re-trailering from the put in to other ramps unless the tournament committee approves on a lake by lake basis.
  • We will use a points system towards calculating our Angler of the Year awards.
    • For example, if 36 is the total number of teams in a season then 36 points will be awarded to the first place, 35 to the second, 34 to the third and so forth down to the last place for each tournament.  Anyone who fishes but has no fish to weigh in will receive the remaining points available equally among all who fished but had no fish to weigh in for each tournament.
  • You must register at each event to receive your points.  If you do not attend weigh in you will only receive the minimal amount of points for the tournament the amount as if you weighed in 0 lbs.
  • Each team may weigh in up to five fish.
    • The largest sack of fish receives 1st place, the second largest receives 2nd place, and so forth.
  • All regular season tournament points count towards Angler of the Year awards.
  • Classic standings do not count toward Angler of the year.
  • Potential rule violations or concerns must be reported to Tournament Committee members before the applicable payout and in no case later than 24 hours after becoming aware of the violation(s).
  • Boat launch order will be drawn randomly at each tournament or as may be determined by the tournament committee.
  • By joining trail you are consenting to our texting and photograph consent policy
    • Telephone Consumer Protection Act-Prior Express Written Consent-for receiving automated trail information.
    • By joining the BBA Train you are giving consent to receive automated informational text, SMS, MMS, email, and calls associated with trail related or supported events and information. These may be sent by the trail president, tournament committee members, companies the tournament committee members work for, or their representatives, agents, affiliates, or anyone acting on their behalf.  You may opt out of these messages at any time by replying to such messages with “STOP” or giving oral instruction to the BBA president to stop sending such informational messages.  You represent that you are permitted to receive calls, emails, and communications at the telephone numbers and email addresses you have provided.  You agree to promptly alert BBA whenever you stop using or wish to stop receiving information sent to these telephone numbers and email addresses.  Your cellular, mobile, broadband or otherwise provider of your telephone and email service may charge you according to your type of plan for receiving these messages.  Expect an average of two to four messages per week.
    • I understand that by joining the BBA trail that if any part of any associated Agreement is determined to be unenforceable, all other parts will be given full force and effect. Any Agreements associated with the BBA will be interpreted under the laws of the State of Georgia, in the courts of Haralson County Georgia, without regard to its conflict of laws provision.  Any suit brought against the released parties in the BBA waiver or other Agreements will be brought in the state or county court in Haralson County Georgia.  Should it become necessary for the released or indemnified BBA parties to incur attorney’s fees and cost to enforce the BBA waiver or other Agreements as applicable, or any portion thereof, the BBA train team angler or anglers associated with the applicable cause giving rise to issue shall pay the reasonable costs and attorney’s fees thereby expended or for which liability is incurred.
    • By joining, or singing any BBA waiver, or participating in any BBA event you irrevocably consent to and authorize BBA and it’s related parties associated with putting on, hosting, administering, or supporting BBA events, including but not limited to third parties to whom BBA provides such information to use your name, image and likeness in any photos, video, publications, or other reproductions of you and BBA and assigns may keep all film or prints of you, for any reason and without compensation.  You also consent to and authorize BBA and assigns the absolute and irrevocable right, and permission to use, publish and reproduce, without limitation, any and all quotes, blogs, testimonials, product reviews, and the like from me for editorial, trade, advertising, website, social media, internal communications or other lawful purpose, without compensation and no promise or inducement has been offered.
    • By joining or competing in any BBA event you agree to submit to and accept the results of a polygraph test given at or after a BBA tournament or event. You consent to and understand and agree that if you do not submit to a polygraph, you may be disqualified from the applicable event.
    • Alcoholic Beverages and Drugs. At no time during any BBA event are any alcoholic beverages or drugs, other than prescription, allowed in the boat or to be consumed while on the water.