INTERPRETATION & ENFORCEMENT
These rules will remain unchanged during 2023. Interpretation and enforcement of these rules will be left exclusively to MLF Namibia. Decisions of the tournament director are final in all matters and are not subject to appeal. Each contestant agrees to report any rule violation to the tournament director immediately upon discovery of the violation. Failure to report violations may be cause for disqualification. The violation of a tournament rule may result in, but is not limited to, weight loss, the loss of weight up to a particular time in the tournament day, the loss of weight for the entire day, the loss of the heaviest one-day catch, the loss of the heaviest bass for the day, disqualification from the entire tournament, a fine of not less than N$100 nor more than N$1,000 or ineligibility to participate in future MLF Namibia tournaments. Protests and/or alleged rule violations are to be made in writing by the witness within 30 minutes of the check-in time of the tournament day. MLF Namibia reserves the right to consider rule violations reported or discovered after a tournament has ended and assess penalties for future events, including denying entry to compete.
PAYBACK & PARTICIPATION
Payback is based on the number of paid entries and guaranteed not less than N$10 000 per tournament to the winners. Participation is open only to members of MLF Namibia who are 12 years of age or older. Any person under the age of 18 entering a tournament must also have the signature of a parent or legal guardian in the provided space on the entry form. Any person’s participation in any tournament is at the sole discretion of MLF Namibia officials. All contestants must have a valid freshwater fishing license from MOFMR. Random checks will be conducted at each tournament. Failure to provide proof of a valid fishing license within a reasonable amount of time when requested by the tournament director will result in disqualification for that tournament.
PRO & CO-ANGLER ENTRY:
The top pros and co-angler will advance to the Toyota Series Championship. The highest-finishing International division representative at the Toyota Series Championship qualifies for the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals.
PURCHASING OF INFORMATION
The purchasing of, or bartering for, information about locating or catching fish on tournament waters, including but not limited to GPS waypoints (other than through commercially available sources) and the hiring of fishing guide services is not permitted for each tournament. The purchasing of, or bartering for, fishing locations from another contestant is strictly prohibited and will be cause for both contestants to be disqualified from the entire tournament.
OFF-LIMITS, PRACTICE & COMPETITION
There is no practice period or off-limits period prior to the tournament meeting at events. Contestants may not enter tournament waters to locate bass or potential fishing waters or sightsee after the start of the tournament meeting except during tournament hours. Testing equipment on tournament waters after the start of the tournament meeting is permitted only with prior approval from the tournament director. On tournament day, contestants may not solicit and/or receive information about locating or catching fish on tournament waters from anyone except pros and co-anglers confirmed in the tournament and through publicly available sources (quasi-public websites, blogs and/or social media pages, including but not limited to Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Periscope, set up for the specific purpose of sharing information with individuals or a small group of individuals are NOT publicly available sources). During competition days (and practice at the Toyota Series Championship), contestants may not place brush or other physical fish attractors, including chum of any kind, in tournament waters.
REGISTRATION, BOAT INSPECTION & TOURNAMENT MEETING
Each contestant must register in person at the designated site. Registration hours are 06:00 - 06:30 local time the day of tournament’s start date. Contestants who fail to notify the tournament director and are more than 30 minutes late for registration may forfeit their entry fee and not be entered in the tournament. It is mandatory that all contestants attend the tournament meeting that will be held at 06:30 local time the day of the tournament. Virtual tournament meetings may be held in place of in-person registrations and meetings, in which case details will be provided in tournament confirmation emails.
PAIRINGS
All pros and co-anglers pairings to be made prior to tournament meeting.
SAFETY
Safe boating must be observed at all times. Each contestant is required to wear a fastened approved personal flotation device anytime the combustion engine is running from boat check until weigh-in. All boats must be equipped with a factory-installed emergency ignition-shutoff device that must be securely attached to the driver’s body with a standard-length, factory tether whenever the combustion engine is running. Pros and co-anglers may fish and charge batteries using an onboard charger by letting the combustion engine idle in neutral only if the boat is equipped with a certified and functioning wireless ignition-shutoff device and everyone in the boat is wearing a fastened approved personal flotation device. All persons must be seated and a driver must be behind the steering wheel in full control of the boat whenever it is on plane or the combustion engine is running and in gear. No pets are permitted on boats during tournament hours unless prior approval from the tournament director. At the discretion of the tournament director, tournament days may be shortened, postponed or canceled due to unsafe weather or water conditions. Competitors may leave their boat and seek shelter in bad weather or when danger is imminent. They must, however, stay within sight of each other. Contestants involved in boating accidents and/or safety incidents may be required to complete a boating safety course before participating in another MLF Namibia tournament.
SPORTSMANSHIP
All contestants are required to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy and conservation and to conduct themselves in a manner that will be a credit to themselves, to MLF Namibia, MLF Namibia’s sponsors, the sport of fishing and MLF Namibia’s efforts to promote the sport. Conduct not complying with these standards includes, but is not limited to, the following:
• Violation of, or failure to comply with, any of the rules
• Consumption and/or possession of alcoholic beverages or any kind of mind-altering substance during registration or tournament hours extending through the weigh-in procedure.
• Abuse of, or addiction to, mind-altering substances.
• Suspension/disqualification, probation or ban from any tournament or fishing organisation.
• Boat operation in an unsafe or unsportsmanlike manner.
• Violation of a posted no-wake area.
• Publicly criticising or questioning the integrity of MLF Namibia or MLF Namibia officials, including but not limited to MLF Namibia rules, policies and procedures.
• Dissemination of disparaging content or content that one should reasonably know would harm the reputation of MLF Namibia, MLF Namibia officials or MLF Namibia sponsors.
- Any other words, conduct or actions reflecting unfavourably upon efforts to promote safety, sportsmanship, fair competition and compliance with tournament rules, or which fail to comply with the standards set forth in the first sentence of paragraph 9.
In case of any conduct not complying with the standards outlined above, MLF Namibia shall have the right to refuse an application to compete, to deny a confirmed application to compete by returning the entry fee (minus deposit), to disqualify a contestant or impose any penalty outlined in paragraph 1.
BOAT OPERATION
Boat owners / Pro will have complete control of boat operation and waters to be fished. For safety concerns in rough water or swift current, in the event of an outboard or trolling motor breakdown or during an emergency, co-anglers may operate outboard. Any angler that, in the judgment of the tournament director, operates the boat in such a manner that unfairly handicaps any angler may be disqualified. Contestants may not use mobile communication devices, including but not limited to, cell phones, tablets, marine radios, walkie-talkies, CBs, etc., to communicate with anyone about locating or catching fish on tournament waters during tournament hours. Mobile communication devices may be used during tournament hours to communicate with the tournament director or to communicate with MLF Namibia editors or producers. Anglers may use smart phones and/or tablets during tournament hours for GPS, mapping, weather, power generation, personal fishing notes and related data. At no time during tournament hours may contestants read or discuss social media posts from other contestants. If a special circumstance arises that inhibits a contestant’s ability to compete, the tournament director may allow the contestant to withdraw from competition and maintain the weight caught to that point.
BOAT & HORSEPOWER REGULATION
All boats must be propeller-driven. Each boat must have all required NFFA approved safety equipment. Boats must contain a properly aerated live-well space to maintain alive a limit catch of bass. Maximum horsepower for all outboards used in tournament competition will not exceed the horsepower capacity set forth on the “Maximum Capacities” placard. Each boat must have a clearly legible “Maximum Capacities” (or comparably titled) placard that includes a maximum horsepower rating affixed to the boat by the manufacturer. By signing the entry form, contestants agree to submit their boat and/or motor to an inspection by MLF Namibia personnel. Falsifying information on entry forms or altering the horsepower numbers on the motor or rating placard will be cause for disqualification from the tournament and may result in ineligibility to compete in future MLF Namibia tournaments. Fishing platforms must be factory-installed equipment or commercially available aftermarket equipment that is permanently installed in the boat. No portable platforms may be used in tournament competition. Fuel may be carried only in factory-installed (built-in) fuel tanks. Any additional fuel used during the tournament day must be purchased from a retail facility open to the public and pumped through a hose with a nozzle. The use of generators, other than solar or wind-powered generators, is prohibited in contestant boats during tournament hours on all competition days.
PERMITTED FISHING METHODS
Fishing is defined as having a lure attached to a line and a rod and reel with the rod in hand. All bass must be caught alive in a conventional sporting manner. All lures must adhere to MLF Namibia regulations. Only artificial lures may be used, with the exception of pork trailers and biodegradable soft baits. Alabama rigs and similar umbrella-type rigs are limited to a maximum of five wires with a maximum of five spinners, five lures and three hooks (single or treble) unless local regulations are more restrictive, in which case local regulations prevail. Only ONE fishing rod may be used at a time. Trolling as a method of fishing is strictly prohibited. Trolling is defined as operating the combustion engine to extend a cast or lengthen a retrieve. Co-anglers may not assist boaters and boaters may not assist co-anglers with the use of underwater cameras and viewing systems, including but not limited to floggers, bathyscopes and similar systems. All bass caught while sight-fishing must be hooked inside the mouth and immediately shown to your co-angler or pro for verification.
PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS
Contestants may fish anywhere on tournament waters available to the public and accessible by boat except areas posted or otherwise designated as “off-limits,” “no boats,” “keep out,” “restricted,” “no trespassing” or “no fishing” (or similar language or markings intended to restrict public access for fishing or safety) by MLF Namibia, commercial property owners and/or local officials, or within 25 meters of a contestant’s boat that was first anchored. An anchored boat is a boat held in a stable position by a line attached to a weight or by a Power-Pole or similar shallow water anchor with the trolling motor in the up position. All fishing must be conducted from the boat. At no time may a contestant leave the boat to land a fish or to make the boat more accessible to fishing waters. The cutting of trees, bushes and/or logs after the start of the tournament meeting and/or the removal of official commercial, local barricades at any time to make an area more accessible by boat or gain access for fishing is strictly prohibited and may result in disqualification from the tournament. The use of cables, ropes, chains or any type of block and tackle system to manoeuvre a boat into fishing waters is strictly prohibited and will result in disqualification from the tournament. Contestants must leave and return to the check-in by boat. The boat must remain in the tournament waters during the tournament day. No tournament boat may be loaded on a trailer except with the permission of the tournament director. In the event of equipment failure or emergency, the tournament director must be notified as soon as it is safe to do so. There are then two permitted methods of returning to the check-in: (1) by both paired anglers remaining in their boat and being towed by water, or (2) with permission from the tournament director, by one or both paired anglers entering the boat of another tournament contestant. Contestants who elect to return to the check-in by any other means than cited above will forfeit their day’s catch to that point in time of the tournament day. Abandoning a boat and leaving it adrift without proper tie-off or anchoring after a mechanical failure may result in disqualification of that day’s weight. Any contestant returning to the check-in point will be eligible to restart and resume competition under the supervision of the tournament director or his designated tournament official. It is the sole responsibility of contestants to locate the tournament director to request a restart. Partners must remain together at all times and within sight of each other. The momentary condition of being out of sight of each other for restroom breaks is permitted.
CHECKPOINTS
There will be only one checkpoint for boat check in the morning and failure to go through boat check in the morning will result in disqualification.
WEIGHING ON KEEPNET
Once a fish is safely landed, the angler will use the mobile app to record the weight via video allowing the weight and release to be filmed in one continuous video. After the successful release, the angler can enter the remaining information. They can then review the virtual Keepnet, real-time leaderboard and auto-cull feature on the mobile app.
SCORING
Scoring is determined by the weight in gram’s of each contestant’s catch during each tournament. Only largemouth or smallmouth where permitted, are accepted species. No regurgitated forage or other foreign matter may be placed in a bass. The daily limit will be five bass unless conditions dictate a reduced limit for conservation purposes. The minimum weight limit for bass will be 300 grams. Bass may not presented for weigh-in with weight clips attached. The Tournament Director will have the final say in all scoring.
Winning team will be allocated 100 points, second place 95, third 90 etc. Team of the year points will be determined by the total number of the best 5 of 6 finishes during the season.
TIES
The heaviest bass for the tournament will break ties. If a tie remains, it will be broken by 2nd heaviest bass. If a tie remains contestants will remain tied with awards combined and split equally among the tied contestants.
Team for the year tie break will be heaviest bag for the season, it a tie remains it will be broken by heaviest bass.
LOGO DISPLAY & MEDIA COVERAGE
During competition anglers may wear their own apparel every day. MLF Namibia reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to prohibit any angler’s apparel that it finds to be offensive. All decisions are in MLF Namibia’s sole discretion.
TRUTH VERIFICATION TEST
Each contestant agrees to submit, by signature on the tournament entry form, to a polygraph or voice stress analysis examination and to abide by its conclusion. Failure to pass an examination will result in disqualification from the tournament. Truth verification tests will be used at MLF Namibia’s sole discretion, and the determination of the meaning of the results will be made solely by MLF Namibia.
LIABILITY / INDEMNITY
To participate all anglers must complete and sign General Indemnity Form
CAPTIONS
The captions at the beginning of each paragraph are intended to facilitate convenience in referring to the various rules. The captions are not part of the substance of the paragraph and should not be used in construction of any paragraph or of this overall set of rules.