Exactly. Even if you manage to clear the splashwell it's bobbing around back there rubbing up against the boat, then you have to trim up, hammer the hot foot and try to drag it off with the front end sticking straight up in the air. So everyone around either sees your butt, your turd, or you driving like an idiot. It's a no win situation.

I think its BS, im not sure where I come into play on this though, just talking bout rules. Please show me where it says a contestant cannot get out of his boat in the rules I posted, to walk the bank. it has to be written, otherwise its implied and vague. And would be left to interpretation of the TD. I think if this is not allowed rules need to be modified.

Heck we fished a T on Waco, batteries died. Called the td he said one could go get batteries, the other could continue fishing. So should we have been DQ'd?

There are also issues with the clean up material. You either have to liter or spend the day with [censored] in the boat. The only other option is to go dirty and that causes issues at home when the wife does laundry.

Just buy a box of depends and dude wipes! Problem solved!

So true.

I dont think it's about releasing mudsharks in the boat/water. Thats not what any of this is about. It's about one of the "contestants " leaving the boat to walk a bank, visually spotting bedding bass (higher angle of view/angle of light reflection/ anything) to GAIN AN ADVANTAGE over the rest of the "contestants". The purpose implied was to gain unfair advantage in locating & catching fish, NOT taking a dump,deuce,poop,morning constitutional, whatever. Good Lort...
A battery being replaced DOES'NT give an "unfair " advantage over the other contestants. In other words, the TD, must determine if the calling contestant IS at a disadvantage because of it. Most will allow it, because it actually takes away fishing time to do it. Its NOT additional help. Actually it a courtesy afforded to ALL contestants OR not allowed to ANY comtestant. TD's decision.
Love the different interpretations that come up in discussion, but, almost EVERY entry form I've ever signed states that " All decisions of TD will stand. Theres ALSO the one that says "ALL protests must be in writing within (time limit) of close of scales. Therefore, the TD's opinion IS the only one that matters at weigh ins. Stay safe out there & good luck.

Listed or not getting out of the boat to look at a bed fish during a tournament is cheating.

it is concerning when there are so many responses on here defending the actions of someone leaving the boat to spot fish. I hope that I am not fishing against a lot of these guys that seem to be ok with this unless the tournament rules specifically state that you can't. This should be common sense by all tournament anglers.

And lame.

We can assume its against the rules, I know I would, but would the TD make the same assumption after reading the rules. I agree with y'all. And I think they exploited a loop hole in the written rule. Heck I would have never thought of this until it was mentioned by the OP.

I would submit there needs to be a modification to the rules in some cases.

Don't get mad at me, and I'm not defending there actions, in fact just pointing out there needs to be a rule change to prevent this.

I mean could the contestant, a team member, get out and spot the fish. Place a marker, then enter the boat again and proceed to try and land the fish... And as the rules are currently written. Is this also a loop hole? Reality it all falls on the TD shoulders.

Sorry, this is like my job, find the problems and don't assume anything.

From Bass Champs rules


At no time may a Contestant leave the boat to land a fish, make the boat more accessible to fishing waters, or locate bass.

Basschamps has had this addressed in their rules for awhile and it is a simple addition to other trails.

"At no time may a Contestant leave the boat to land a fish, make the boat more accessible to fishing waters, or locate bass."

Just adding that "or locate bass" fixes this and handles the mudshark discussion too.

There's always going to be people looking for the loopholes. A few years ago, there were some anglers in Basschamps and a couple other tournaments walking the banks at night with spotlights looking for beds. Once found, they put landscape marker flags on the bank and returned during the tournament. They weren't technically "on the water during off-limits" so it was technically not against the rules. I thought Basschamps changed the rules to address that at one point to say something like "on the water specifically for locating bass including walking the banks (or within x feet of the bank or whatever)" or something like that, but I don't see that there now. The "specifically for locating bass" was to allow people that lived on a lake to be on their boat docks or run down the lake to the marina or whatever without violating a rule. That's gone now too, or maybe it was never really implemented and just proposed, but you get the gist of the idea.

...and that friends, is how it�s done. A simple statement that leaves no room for interpretation without getting into ad infinitim legalese!

This ^^^^. In MY opinion, Those DOING it already KNOW they are cheating & are trying to justify it by "claiming" its NOT in the rules specifically!!!
Mudsharks are under a different rule interpretation by TD's. Prolly NOT gonna give ANYONE an unfair advantage locating,catching, OR landing a fish.

I agree, that works, and would prevent said situation.