1. RULES. Interpretation of these rules shall be left exclusively to the United Bass Anglers and Heartland Trails, Inc. (herein after referred to as UBA/HT) Tournament Committee. Protests must be made in writing within thirty minutes of the official check in time. Decisions of the UBA/HT Tournament Committee shall be final in all matters and are not subject to appeal.

2. ELIGIBILITY. Anyone, whose entry has been received and approved by the UBA/HT Tournament Committee, is 16 years of age or older and has paid the entry fee by the deadline date is eligible. UBA/HT has the right to refuse any entries received. Anglers under the age of 16 must fish with a guardian. One team member must be a member of an organized bass club. No professional anglers or guides allowed. No angler may enter who has made more than $2,500 in tournament winnings during a single year for any of the past three years.

3. ENTRY FEES, DEPOSITS & DEADLINES. Entry fees shall be $100 per team per day or $150 per team for two days. Entry fee includes Heartland Trails Bass Club membership & magazine subscription. Entry fee must be received 10 days prior to the tournament. A late fee of $10 will be added starting 7 days prior to the tournament. Late entry registrations will be accepted from 5pm to 7pm on July 25, 2008 at Long Shoal Marina and from 5am to 6am July 26 & 27, 2008 at each of the official weigh stations.  Official weigh stations will be at Long Shoal Marina, Osage Bluff Marina and Berry Bend State Park. Entry fees are non-refundable.

4. INSURANCE. Boat owners must have at least $100,000 of Boating Liability Insurance. Boat owners may be checked for proof of insurance at any time during the event or through the end of the awards ceremony.

5. BOATS AND MOTORS. Any boat, 16 feet or longer, powered by a motor of 50 horsepower or more with a kill switch will be accepted. All boats must meet B.I.A. and Coast Guard requirements; no over-powered boats. Stick steering will not be allowed. Each boat must have a functional bilge pump and livewell space, properly aerated, capable of keeping fish alive.

6. SAFETY. Safe boating must be observed at all times. Each contestant is required to wear an approved personal floatation devise, snapped and zipped, anytime the combustion engine is operated above an idle speed. All boats must be equipped with an ignition shut-off device securely attached to the boat operator when boat is operated above idle speed. At the discretion of the Tournament Committee, the tournament day may be shortened or cancelled due to unsafe weather or water conditions. Alcoholic beverages are not allowed in boats during tournament hours.

7. SPORTSMANSHIP. All contestants are required to follow the highest degree of sportsmanship, courtesy and conservation as well as conduct themselves in a manner that will be a credit to themselves, UBA/HT, sponsors and the sport of tournament fishing. Any words, conduct or actions reflecting unfavorably upon efforts to promote safety, sportsmanship, fair competition and compliance with tournament rules will not be tolerated and may result in disqualification. During the hours of competition, contestants may not obtain or receive assistance from non-competitors, follow a non-competitor’s boat or participate in the practice of “hole sitting”.

8. COMMUNICATION DEVICES. The use of mobile communication devices such as cellular phones, marine radios, walkie-talkies, CB's, etc., to communicate fishing locations or fishing information during tournament hours is strictly prohibited.  Mobile communication devices may only be used for emergency purposes.

9. TACKLE EQUIPMENT & DIP NETS. Only Berkley brand artificial baits or lures may be used. Non-Berkley products may be used as long as a Berkley product is attached to said lure (ie: jig with Berkley trailer or Texas rig with Berkley worm). All bass must be caught on a rod and reel. Only one rod and reel in use at any time is allowed. Trolling as a method of fishing or the use of bugging devices is not allowed. Dip nets are allowed to assist in landing fish.

10. PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS. Anywhere on the tournament lake except 50 yards of another contestant's anchored boat, or behind any buoys on the Corps of Engineers leased concessions, or marina's or any area marked off limits or no fishing by the Corp of Engineers, local, state, or Federal officials. Competitors may not be on the tournament waters after 5 pm on July 25, 2008 except one hour prior to and during event hours.  Trailering of boats is allowed to access the lake at any point but contestants must come by boat to any of the official weigh stations.  Fishing may commence at 6 am each day. 

11. SCORING. Largemouth Bass, Kentucky Bass, and Smallmouth bass 15 inches in length or longer will be allowed to be weighed. No dead fish will be weighed. Determination of liveliness will be conducted by the weigh-master and the decision will be final. Fish must be presented to the weigh-master with UBA/HT provided weigh bags containing water. Only one fish may be weighed per team per scoring period. Scales will be open from 6am-2pm on Day 1 and 6am -12pm on Day 2. Scoring periods will end at 8am, 10am, 12pm and 2pm on Day 1 and 8am, 10am and 12pm on Day 2. The final awards ceremony will commence at 2pm on Day 2 at the Long Shoal Marina.  Day 1 standings will be available at the Long Shoal Marina Headquarters after 3pm on Day 1.

12. QUALITY ASSURANCE TESTING.  By contestants' signature on an UBA/HT entry form and/or participation in UBA/HT tournaments, contestants agree to quality assurance testing and will abide by its conclusions.  These tests may include all or any part of the following: polygraph examination, urinalysis, or blood test.  Refusal to submit or failure to pass any quality assurance test will result in disqualification.  Quality assurance tests will be used at the sole discretion of the UBA/HT and the determination of the meaning of the results will be made solely by UBA/HT.

13. PAYBACK & TIES. Semi-hourly cash payouts will be awarded for the two (2) heaviest bass weighed during each time period and the top twenty (20) heaviest bass weighed over the entire event based on 200 teams.  UBA/HT reserves the right to increase payout based on participation.  Overall ties will be broken by the earliest date of entry.  Must be present at final awards ceremony to be eligible for attendance prizes.  The two teams weighing the biggest bass of the tournament will be invited to the 2008 Heartland Team Series Championship.  No team partner substitutions will be allowed for the Championship.  The UBA Berkley Big Bass tournament is a Bass Pro Shops Tournament Rewards sanctioned event.