WV River & Rails Bass Festival Rules & Regulations
1. RULES INTERPRETATION: In the event of a rules violation, they Tournament Director (TD) or assistant may impose such sanctions as he deems appropriate, including without limitation, disqualification, or forfeiture of prizes and prohibition from participation in subsequent tournaments. The TD shall have the exclusive right to interpret these rules, and may-without prior notice, institute rule changes as deemed advisable for the good of the tournament field.
2. ENTRY/PARTICIPATION/REGRISTRATION: The Entry Fee will be $250.00 per boat. Must have a 2- person team. Partner changes must be made prior to June 6th, 2025 by 5 pm. ALL ENTRIES MUST BE PAID ONLINE THRU THE WEBSITE BY 11:59 PM ON JUNE 6TH, 2025. A valid OH or WV fishing license must be acquired to fish. All WV state regulations must be followed. Mandatory meeting on Friday, June 13th from 4-6pm at the St. Mary’s boat ramp. Must have at least one participant from each boated team in attendance. Failure to attend will result in disqualification. Mandatory meeting on Friday, June 13th from 4-6pm at the St. Mary’s boat ramp. Must have at least one participant from each boated team in attendance. Our Sponsors that bless us with money for payouts ask we appear and attend for this. Failure to attend will result in disqualification.
3. LIABILITY WAIVER: By their participation, team members agree to indemnify this committee against any and all liability as a condition of fishing in this tournament and shall hold as harmless to all parties and participants there to. Utilizing the locks to gain access to another pool on the Ohio river is solely your decision as a team. The Committee is not responsible/liable or has any control over any decisions, closures, or functionality of the lock chambers, lockmasters or locking systems. As a condition in fishing this tournament, YOU are in full understanding that any issues with locking to and from any area on the river is an AT YOUR OWN RISK liability and the Committee is not or held responsible for any of the actions pertaining to the locking thru systems. ENTRY FEE IS NON-REFUNDABLE If any of the above issues mentioned pertaining to locking systems from one pool to the next takes place. Failure to arrive at your sanctioned time of weigh-in will result in a 1 lb. penalty every minute up to 3 minutes late, then disqualification (DQ) after 3 minutes.
4. INSURANCE: As a condition of fishing, each boater is required to carry a minimum of $300,000 liability insurance. Random checks can occur at weigh in site and you must have a copy of proof of insurance with you. You must sign a waiver for insurance and license.
5. ACKNOWELDGEMENTS: Payment of entry and registration completed online is interpreted as acknowledgement that you have read and understood the rules and conditions set forth for this tournament.
6. TOURNAMENT: This tournament is open to both persons-male or female, to participate as a team. Teams will consist of no more or less than 2 people per boat. Any adult choosing a minor as a partner assumes full responsibility for minor as signed. A properly completed entry form along with entry fee per boat must be paid in full online by 11:59 pm June 6th , 2025. No refunds will be given for the event. The tournament committee reserves the right to discontinue acceptance of entries prior to deadline. The committee may also take precautionary measures as they deem fit to protect the integrity of West Virginia Bass Festival events by denying registration to the event or any other measures deemed necessary. Day 1- All boats compete and fish. Day 2, the top 50 % of the number of boats on day 1 by weight will move on to fish day 2. Total weight of combined both days will be your winner.
7. SCORING: Only largemouth, smallmouth or spotted bass we be weighed in that are a minimum of 12 inches in length or greater on an official ruler board with mouth closed. The Golden Ruler is our instrument. Five (5) fish meeting the above requirements will be considered a limit. Culling must be done at the time of the six (6) fish is caught. Any team with more than five (5) fish in their live well will be disqualified (DQ). Any live fish present for weigh-in will be released. Exception to this rule is a possible state record. All competitors are bound by the prevailing statues and regulations of the various states in which they fish. Winners will be determined by total pounds and hundreds of an ounce as a team’s catch. In the event of a tie, the Tournament Director will have (3) means of a solution: 1st -Total number of fish caught, 2nd - Total live released, and 3rd - A flip of the coin.
8. DEAD FISH AND SHORT FISH: Penalty of eight (8) ounces per dead fish will be accessed to a team’s total weight. DEAD FISH CANNOT BE WEIGHT FOR BIG BASS. A SHORT FISH OF LESS THAN 12 INCHES IS AUTOMATIC DISQUALIFICATION.
9. TACKLE AND FISHING METHODS: Only artificial lures may be used. Alabama rigs (A rigs) are legal with no hook number restrictions. No live bait or cut baits may be used. All bass must be caught in a legal, alive and conventional manner with the use of a rod and reel. Each competitor may only have one rod in use at a time. The following methods are recognized: Flipping, pitching, or casting of an artificial bait or lure, with the use of a spinning reel, bait caster or spin cast reel. FLY RODS AND/OR TROLLING IS PROHIBITED.
10. PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS: Fishing on designated tournament waters permitted, except any waters within these boundaries posted off limits or no fishing by the state or federal agencies will be OFF LIMITS. All fishing/angling must be done from a boat. Competitors must leave and return to an official check point by boat. Both competitors must remain in the boat at all times except in case of an emergency. In such of an emergency, competitors may depart from their boat into another boat of a competitor or rescue boat designated by a tournament official. Partners must remain together at all times, in their boat, under conditions above for their catch to be scored in tournament. If a competitor violates any of these above conditions, they will be DQ. Trailering of boat during tournament hours for the use of moving from one location to another is prohibited. Tournament waters will only be on the Ohio river and the tributaries to first riffle.
11. OFF-LIMITS PERIOD AND AREAS: 12:01 AM THURSDAY JUNE 11 TH THRU TIL THE START OF THE TOURNAMENT SATURDAY MORNING. Entrance of fairway at the Ferry Landing up thru the fairway, past the St. Mary’s Ramp to the entrance of Middle Island is prohibited to fish during the tournament. Inside the lock walls are prohibited to fishing. Any water inside the entrance of the lock chambers across the river from the Ohio side to WV side, or inside the buoy markers before the locks labeling keep out/no fishing is prohibited to fishing.
12. RAMP/LAUNCH SELECTION: You are given a choice at the mandatory meeting prior to the tournament to select one of the 3 ramps you choose to launch/blast off from. Belpre, St. Mary’s, or Powhattan Point Boat ramp in which you have selected to launch/blast off from and have your live wells checked prior to start of the event. You must travel by boat to the official weigh-in location at St. Mary’s on day 1. As noted above in RULE 3, LOCKING THRU to the Official weigh-in location of St. Mary’s is AT YOUR OWN RISK OF RAMP SELECTION. We are NOT responsible/liable or have any control for any decisions, interactions or problems with the locking systems. Failure to arrive at official weigh-in location on time results in the penalties mentioned in Rule 3. On day 2(Sunday), everyone will launchand blast off from St. Mary’s Boat ramp where they will return for official weigh-in.
13. BOAT OPERATION: All teams/boats are to abide by state, federal and local regulation and laws. Any team failing to meet all such regulations will be DQ. Life Jackets MUST be worn and securely fastened. A KILL SWITCH MUST be attached while combustion engine is on by all competitors. All boats must have factory installed and working live wells with aeration. Boat identification decals must be displayed on their motor cowling in designated area on the back. Boat number cards will also be issued at the mandatory pre-tournament meeting. Day 1(Saturday) blast off will be in order of the boat’s number assigned randomly thru a computer-generated selection and given prior at the mandatory meeting. Check-in times will start at 4 pm at the Ferry landing (entrance of Middle Island creek south side) at designated times issued to boater. Day 2(Sunday) blast off will be the order you finished in weigh-in standings from day 1. Check-in times will begin at 3 pm at the Ferry Landing. Any team arriving late for blast off will be held until the last boat is out before allowing to start.
14. BREAKDOWN: In the event of a breakdown where you team has a problem that prohibits you from returning to weigh-in, we will allow one partner to ride and bring the fish in on another competitors boat as long as the fish are separated by an easily discernable method such as a bag, clips, divider, etc. Transfer must be from boat to boat. Check-in times must still be followed. Please contact your Tournament Director (Dustin Dennis # 304-871-1421) immediately when doing so.
15. POLYGRAPH TEST: Any team participating in this event can be requested to take a polygraph examination. Refusal to do so will result in any and all prize forfeiture and loss of entry fee, DQ. There will be at least 1 mandatory polygraph given. 1 st place finishers will be required to take and pass a polygraph exam.
16. SPORTSMANSHIP/CONDUCT: Any infraction of fundamental sporting principles may be deemed as cause for disqualification. The use of alcohol or drugs of any use is prohibited during tournament hours. Any form of poor conduct should be reported to the Tournament Director as soon as possible. Stocking, transferring, or moving fish deliberately to another area on the permitted waters prior to or during the tournament is unsportsmanlike and prohibited.
17. PROTEST: Any competitor/angler wanting to protest may do so verbally but also must be in writing to the Tournament Director no later than the close of the scales on the day of the infraction. A picture, video or witness of the event is required.
18. Weigh team and Director will go out first, then return prior to weigh in.
19. No fuel can be stowed or placed in a private area. Refueling must be at a public fueling station.
20. Any citations received during the tournament is an automatic disqualification.
21. MANDATORY PRE-TOURNAMENT CHIECK-IN WILL BE AT THE PAVILION IN THE PARKING LOT ON FRIDAY FROM 4-6 PM AT ST. MARYS BOAT RAMP. ONE PERSON FROM EACH TEAM IS REQUIRED TO ATTEND. YOU WILL RECEIVE YOUR COMPUTER-GENERATED BOAT NUMBER, CHOOSE YOUR RAMP/LAUNCH LOCATION AND RECEIVE FINAL INSTRUCTIONS. ANY TEAM FAILING TO HAVE A MEMBER ATTEND THE PRE-TOURNAMENT MEETING WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION AND ENTRY WILL NOT BE REFUNDED.