1.“Mosquito Madness” is a two-day OPEN event provided by FBFP2024. Membership is NOT REQUIRED. Participation is open to any licensed angler in the State of Ohio who is 18 years of age or older and has agreed to waiver liability to all sponsoring agencies by signing a waiver,release and indemnification agreement the morning of Day1. Those under age 18 must be accompanied or approved by a parent/guardian. No single man teams are permitted. Alternates are not permitted either day. “Observers” provided by the participant are required for day two pairing emergencies.
2. All fishing must be done from a boat. Proof of liability insurance must be available at time of entry on water. All boats must be at least 14ft. in length, comply with US Coast guard HP rating and equipped with a working ignition kill switch. Coast Guard approved vests/preservers are to be worn anytime outboard engine is running. All local, state and federal laws are to be followed. Any citations during tournament hours and weigh-in may result in disqualification.
3. MAIL REGISTRATION BEGINS 1/05/24 for PRIORITY entry of PREVIOUS YEAR'S PARTICIPANTS MMXVIII ONLY- & WILL END UPON MAIL CALL 2/17/24. Remaining positions will be online only starting 2/18/23 a $25 service fee is added to any online register. Registration may be suspended, reopened or ended at any time. Flight number assigned according to date/timestamp/postmark of fully paid and RECEIVED entry in the amount of $395. Flight numbers for day two are reversed starting with boat 110. Your team ID number will remain unchanged for both days. Capped at THE FIRST 110 PAID teams. There will be one flight group for every twenty one teams entered, 15 minutes added to finish time with each flight group. Teams will be released in sequential fashion identifying their position immediately when called and take off only upon official’s acknowledgement. Unidentified teams when called will be disqualified. Teams will be placed on a PAID wait list starting with #111 by way of a non-refundable $100 deposit. Dropout team numbers will be filled with wait list. Balance due for placed wait list teams is $295 within 72 hours of placement.
4. All participants must be registered with boats in water and livewells inspected by officials no later than 10 minutes prior to stated start time. Teams will be registered immediately upon entry to Mosquito State Park while participants are in vehicles. All teams need make arrangements to proceed directly from park entry onward to launch. All boats are to proceed with team on the water to the park office bay directly South of launch ramp for blastoff. The wait list will fill teams not in compliance.
5. All boats must be equipped with a working aeration system. Dead fish to weigh tub results in a ONE POUND penalty per dead fish to total weight of legal catch and big bass if dead. Dead fish determined by 2024 NOAA rule #8. A daily team limit will consist of FIVE largemouth, smallmouth or spotted bass that are 12” or longer. Cull immediately as you catch. If a team possesses 6 or more fish they are disqualified. ONE POUND penalty for each short fish to total weight of legal catch. Short fish determined by 2024 NOAA rule #10.
6. Off limits of Mosquito Reservoir begins 12:01am Day1 and again immediately upon finish time of day one. Areas of the lake buoyed as “no boat” areas are off limits during competition (ex. dam region, NE/SW Causeway, wildlife refuge). The front (east) portion of the marina breakwall, from corner to corner of rock, extending to the no wake or white DoBass buoys (200 ft) and back into the ENTIRE MARINA BAY is OFF LIMITS. Please clarify any off limit regions that may be in question with director prior to registration. Off limits/rules/flight time questions will not be addressed during blastoff.
7.Boats are never to be within “touching distance” during competition hours. The illegal practice of “hole sitting” by another competitor or non-competitors boat is prohibited as well. PLEASE exhibit sportsmanlike and courteous positioning when fishing similar water. Simple communication between boats can often resolve on the water issues.Positive communication is expected to have occurred prior to any formal protest. The use of profanity or unsportsmanlike behavior during communications is grounds for DQ weight of the day.
8. Only artificial baits with the exception of pork trailers are permitted for use. Trolling as a method of fishing is prohibited. During competition days, contestants may not place brush or other physical fish attractors, including "baitcloud"/chum of any kind, in tournament waters. Drifting is permitted. Only one casting or spinning rod may be in use for the purpose of catching fish, per individual. All bass must be caught in a live sporting manner with rod and reel while the participant remains inside the watercraft.
9. Teams are to check-in with on the water officials by way of their numbered ball. Check-in time determined when ball enters official’s boat. The check-in boat will be available inside the marina bay 15 minutes before the first stated finish time each day. There is a ONE POUND penalty for loss of check-in ball. At no time may a team without a ball check-in late. Boats that arrive late are penalized ONE POUND per minute of total legal weight and disqualified after five minutes. At no time may another team or non-participant bring in a team’s catch. A team or non-participant may tow a competing vessel back to weigh-in under emergency/breakdown situations. There are no “restarts” for any reason whether it be medical,mechanical or any other emergency situation. Participants of a team must remain on the water in their boat up to disposing of ball to “official on the water” check-in boat. It is each team's responsibility to verify their possession of check-in ball at morning announcements prior to blast-off. Boats are never to be boarded by any competitor or non-competitor at anytime INCLUDING WEIGH-IN. All boats are to be loaded on trailer after check-in. Any portion of a team’s watercraft is subject to full inspection by officials at any time before, during or after event. Refusal of inspection will result in disqualification.
10.The communication use of cell phones or any electronic communication devices is encouraged! FACEBOOK DoBass.com INSTAGRAM @dobasses
11. The team of help will fish this event indicated within the roster as teams "a"-"b"-"c"-"d"-"e"-"KSU1"-"KSU2"-"KSU3". Another participant will verify their weights. The director/team removes any authority deciding a protest involving themselves allowing for a majority vote of remaining participants to rule. These teams depart last and return before 2:45pm both days.
12. Precision digital tournament scales will be the primary scales used for determining weight. A backup scale that is calibrated with the primary scale will be used for any remaining bags of fish in the event of primary scale failure. Total weight is determined in pounds and hundredth ounces. The highest total two day accumulated weights determined for awards. Weights are verified by way of signature agreement of a team each day of participation. All participants of a team must be present at weigh-in to make weight official unless previously dismissed by director's sole discretion.
13. All ties will be decided by a unanimous vote of tied teams to split winnings or otherwise by the flip of a coin.
14. The use of alcohol or illicit substances during event hours and weigh-in is prohibited and grounds for disqualification.
15. A participant's use of: any other words, social media dialog, conduct or actions reflecting unfavorably upon FBFP2024's efforts to promote safety, sportsmanship, fair competition and compliance with tournament rules are subject to formal sanctioning, disbarment from future events and/or civil penalties as determined by law. Any team or person found to be cheating or unsportsmanlike by officials will be disqualified from the entire participating event and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
16. FBFP2024 reserves the right to accept or refuse any entry received.
17. All protests must be made in writing within 10 minutes of last call for fish the day the violation occurred. Written protests will result in a binding decision being made. If the director is unable to resolve a dispute by substantiated evidence or admission of the accused, a polygraph will be required as instituted by the director only. The results of that polygraph will be binding. Both the filing party and accused must post deposit in the amount of $850 for the cost of testing. Refusal to post deposit by either party will result in a binding decision being made at that time. Deposit will be returned to the party in which the polygraph found in favor of. A decision of the protest will be governed by event officials only. Any participant is subject to polygraph at request of the director at anytime with or without cause. The first place winners of this event will submit and be required to pass a verification test as instituted by FBFP2024 prior to official checks disbursed. No checks will be disbursed to any teams when a polygraph is instituted until completion of polygraph process as determined by officials. Any written protests and/or official findings of rule violations will be available for public review on dobass.com.
18. FBFP2024 reserves the right to adjust tournament times or outright cancel/reschedule either day or the entire event due to emergency/severe/unforeseen conditions. It is each participant’s responsibility to make individual decisions about their own safety in the event of severe weather. IN THE EVENT OF CANCELLATION FOR BOTH DAYS, THERE WILL BE NO RESCHEDULE DATES IN 2024. NO RETURNS ARE MADE FOR ANY REASONS BEYOND 4/01/24. ANY RETURN REQUESTS PRIOR TO 4/01/24 MUST BE MADE IN WRITING. THESE TEAMS WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE FIELD AND RECEIVE A PARTIAL $195 REFUND.
19. Any rules, interpretation of the rules, or rules not covered will be governed by event officials only and those decisions will be binding. Verbal morning announcements may further govern specifics for the rules herein.
20. Payout is GUARANTEED on a FULL FIELD of 110 paid teams. Prorated adjustments based on full field will be made upon final participant participation.
21. A "ball draw" will be made from all properly checked in teams of day2."Ball draws" will occur upon final check disbursement. At least one ANGLER of team drawn must be present to claim cash prizes. FIVE $100 ball draws will occur. The amounts will compound for any draws not present and restart at $100 once completed. EX: 1st draw-not present, 2nd draw=$200 not present. 3rd draw=$300 present. 4th draw=$100. etc. up to FIVE draws.
