The following tournament rules shall apply to all Sling N’ Baits catfish tournaments. These tournament rules may be changed by Sling N’ Baits at any time upon notification to all competition participants. Interpretation and enforcement of these tournament rules will be left exclusively to Sling N’ Baits.

 

These tournament rules were last updated: 01/01/2024  

​

1. The use, possession or consumption of illegal drugs or alcohol during official competition, tournament hours or during pre- and post-tournament activities will be cause for automatic disqualification. Any other conduct reflecting unfavorably upon efforts to promote safety, sportsmanship, fair competition, and compliance with tournament rules shall be grounds for rejecting any application for participation and/or for disqualification.  

 

2. A State of Kansas issued (KDWPT) fishing license is required to participate in our catfish tournaments. All participants must have their fishing license on-hand during the day of the event. A fishing license/permit inspection is required and will be conducted prior to participating in our catfish tournament.

 

3. Each participant is allowed a three (3) rod limit per angler. If you're planning on using three (3) rods during the tournament, a State of Kansas issued (KDWPT) 3 pole permit/license is required. 

 

4. Each team is allowed a six (6) rod limit.  No team can have more than six (6) rods in use at anytime during the tournament. Individual/Single member teams are only allowed a three (3) rod limit. No individual can have more than three (3) rods in use at anytime during the tournament. 

 

5. All local, state and federal fishing laws and regulations will apply during our catfish tournaments. 

 

6. Courtesy Rule: Maintain at least a 50 yards minimum distance from other competitors or non-competitors, unless invited closer. We ask that all participants be respectfully of one another during our tournaments. All participants deserve the right to compete and have fun in a friendly, safe, and competitive environment. Maximum courtesy must always be practiced, especially regarding tournament participants and while fishing near non-tournament participants. Any act of a participant which reflects unfavorably upon Sling N’ Baits or efforts to promote water safety, fisheries conservation, clean waters, and courtesy, will be reason for disqualification. 

 

7. This is a CATCH AND RELEASE ONLY tournament. All catfish caught during our tournaments will be release back into the lake after weigh-in, by Sling N’ Baits tournament staff. 

 

8. Each individual or team is allowed a five (5) catfish limit. If you catch more than five (5) catfish, you may only weigh the largest five (5) catfish but must release the rest immediately. At no time shall any individual participant or team have in their possession more than the tournament limit of five (5) total catfish, no exceptions!  

 

9. You’re only allowed to fish from the bank and/or shorelines including fishing docks. NO BOATS, KAYAKS OR WATERCRAFTS ARE ALLOWED!

 

10. Do not trespass on any private properties or fishing docks! Do not fish in areas where signage states Off-Limits or No Fishing by state or federal agencies.

 

11. You’re only allowed to fish with rod and reel only. No trot lines, jug lines, throw- lines or any other fishing methods may be used in our catfish tournaments. You may use a casting net to catch your own fishing bait, but some bait fish must be legally caught by appropriate methods. Please visit the Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks (KDWPT) website to learn more about legally catching bait in Kansas: https://ksoutdoors.com/Fishing/Fishing-Regulations/Bait-Fish

 

12. Legal fishing baits includes artificial lures, bait fish, prepared baits, vegetable  materials, raw chicken, artificial bait, worms, crayfish, leeches, amphibians and mussels. Species listed as prohibited may NOT be possessed live or utilized as live bait. Please visit the Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks (KDWPT) website to learn more about legal bait fish in Kansas: https://ksoutdoors.com/Fishing/Fishing-Regulations/Legal-Bait

​

13. Tournament Scoring: Tournament scoring and standings will be determined by the following: The total combined/cumulative weight of each team’s five (5) largest catfish caught. If your team catches less than five (5) catfish during the tournament, then you may still bring whatever catches you have to the weigh-in scale. Catfish species allowed for scoring are as followed: Blue catfish, flathead catfish, channel catfish and bullhead catfish.

​

 14. All legal catches must be brought to the weigh-in scale within the designated weigh-in timeframe window, to be officially weighted and recorded by our tournament director. All fish presented at the weigh-ins become property of Sling N’ Baits. All fish will be weighed only at the discretion of the tournament director. Photographs are welcome at the weigh-in station, as long as catfish are quickly and safely released back into the lake, after they have been weighed and officially scored. 

​

15. If you fail to arrive to the weigh-in scale within the designated weigh-in timeframe window, your catches will not be counted and they will not be eligible for scoring. Any fish caught before or after official tournament competition hours will not be eligible for scoring. Late weigh-ins will result in disqualification! 

 

16. All catfish brought to the weigh-in scales must be alive. Any dead catfish will not be counted. NO STRINGERS, the use of any kind of fish stringer is strictly prohibited! We recommend getting a floating or collapsible fish basket to keep your catches safe and alive for weigh-in.

​

17. You are allowed to weigh any catfish caught within the official competition hours, at any time during the tournament. For example; You catch a catfish and it’s too large to hold in a fish keeper bag/basket, or you catch a catfish and it starts dying in your fish keeper bag/basket, then you’re allowed to immediately bring your catch to the weigh-in station, and have it officially weighed and recorded by our tournament director. 

​

18. Tie-breakers: In the event there is a tie for a place/position, our tournament director will resolve the tie breaker using the following criteria: In the case of an individual event where two or more teams are tied, the winner will determined by the team with the single (1) largest catfish. If the tie is still not broken, the next team or individual with the two (2) largest catfish weights combined will be declared the victory. 

 

19. Cash Prizes: Cash prizes will be rewarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. Any winners that are not present at the event trophy/awards ceremony after the tournament, will be contacted and may schedule a later date/time to pick up their award. Cash Prize Taxes: Where and when state laws require, income tax may be automatically deducted prior to any cash prizes being presented. All tournament winners are responsible for all applicable taxes for any cash prize awards received. 

​

20. Our tournament director may delay, shorten, restrict tournament waters, or cancel the start of an official tournament day due to bad weather or other factors that would endanger the safety of the participants. All tournament waters will be established by our tournament director. Our tournament director shall establish tournament waters at the pre-tournament briefing and define any known OFF-LIMITS areas. Fishing is also permitted within 50 yards of any marina gas pump.

​

21. ​If you show up late to the tournament, this will result in forfeiture of entry fee and disqualification from the tournament! 

 

22. ​All tournament participants are required to attend our mandatory pre-tournament safety & rules briefing/meeting on the day of tournament. Failure to attend mandatory pre-tournament safety & rules briefing/meeting will result in forfeiture of entry fee and disqualification from the tournament!     

​

23. All tournament participants are required to sign a Waiver & Liability Release Form in order to be eligible to participate in our catfish tournaments.

​

24. Dress Code & Team Uniforms: On tournament day, we encourage all teams to wear matching team uniforms such as fishing jerseys and/or colored t-shirts. Team uniforms are not a requirement but whatever clothing or team uniforms your team decides to wear on tournament day may not constitute or include the following: Profanity, inappropriate languages, explicit sexual content, discrimination, violence or abuse against people or groups, racial slurs or any other “hate speech”, including sexually suggestive images or text involving children, encourage hate or harassment of private individuals, abusive, threatening, or demeaning words, symbols, or images on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, gender, disability, national origin, or sexual orientation, promote, feature, or encourage the use of hard drugs, underage drinking, smoking, or marijuana use! 

​

25. Due to liability reasons, all tournament participants and/or teams must supply your own fish keeper basket/cage which can be used to hold your catches in alive until it’s time for weigh-in. There are serval videos and images online of DIY fish keeper baskets/holding pin systems that you could research for some ideas.

​

26. Eligible Tournament Waters: All official tournament waters & perimeters will be established by our tournament director. If you get caught fishing in a zone marked as a (restricted) NO FISHING ZONE, this will result in forfeiture of entry fee and disqualification from the tournament! You may fish anywhere on the lake during the tournament, except for areas/zones marked as a (restricted) NO FISHING ZONES!  

​

Tournament Rules Violation & Disciplinary Action: Any participant that violates any of our tournament rules shall be reason for disqualification and you will lose your eligibility to participate in any other Sling N’ Baits tournaments or events in the future. In the event of a rule violation, Sling N’ Baits may impose such sanctions, as deemed appropriate, including, without limitation, disqualification, forfeiture of prizes and/or entry fee and forfeiture of eligibility from participation in subsequent tournaments. The decision of Sling N’ Baits tournament director shall be final in all matters. All participants should report any and all tournament rule violations to our tournament director or tournament staff.