2026 RULES & REGULATIONS

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Interpretation and enforcement of all rules shall rest exclusively with the staff of Dual Threat Fishing, LLC. All decisions made by the Tournament Director are final and binding. The Tournament Director shall serve as the ultimate authority regarding rule interpretation, judgment, and enforcement.

Participants are expected to exercise self-policing at all times to preserve the integrity of the league, its anglers, and the sponsors who support the sport.

Violation of any rule may result in penalties up to and including loss of weight, suspension, or disqualification, as determined by the Tournament Director.

All alleged on-the-water rule violations or protests must be submitted in writing by the witness(es) within thirty (30) minutes of the final flight check-in time for each tournament day. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in the protest being dismissed without further review.

 Participation is open exclusively to members of Dual Threat Fishing.

Age Restrictions

Competitors must be at least 16 years of age to participate.

• Anglers under the age of 18 must have written parental or guardian permission.
• In the state of Alabama, individuals under the age of 19 are required to possess valid proof of a Boater Safety Certificate while operating a vessel.

Participation Discretion

Participation in any tournament is at the sole discretion of Dual Threat Fishing officials. Officials reserve the right to deny entry or participation to any individual for any reason deemed appropriate.

Fishing License Requirement

All professional anglers are required to possess a valid fishing license for the waters they intend to fish.

Failure to provide proof of a valid fishing license within a reasonable period of time, when requested by the tournament director, will result in disqualification for that day and potentially for subsequent tournament days until the license is obtained.

Team Absences

Each team will be granted two excused tournament absences per year, provided that one member competes solo in the event.

In such cases, the team will retain its normal points and any prize money earned.

This rule is intended to accommodate unforeseen circumstances such as a family emergency or death. It will be monitored and enforced accordingly.

All absences must be pre-approved by the tournament director.

Field Size and Format

The tournament field will operate at a maximum capacity of 100 boats for the first two days of competition. The field will then be reduced to 40 boats for the final day.

Event Participation Requirement

All competitors are required to fish all six regular-season events. This requirement and related terms will be outlined in detail during the angler application and contract process.

During both practice and tournament competition, no more than one artificial or biodegradable artificial lure may be attached to a single line at any time. The addition of trailer hooks, plastic trailers, blades, and similar components to a single lure is permitted.

If multiple fish are caught on a single lure during one cast, all fish will be considered legal catches, provided they meet the size and measurement requirements established by state and local officials for the body of water in which they are caught.

Live bait, dead bait, or prepared bait is strictly prohibited during official practice and tournament hours, with the exception of pork rind baits and trailers.

Umbrella rigs are not permitted. However, twin-arm spinnerbaits, twin-arm underspins, and twin-arm buzzbaits are allowed. Trailer hooks and plastic trailers on twin-arm baits must be attached to the main hook of the bait; only spinner blades may be affixed to the arms. The head on the main wire may be hinged. For all two-arm baits, no more than two wires may be used, and the maximum length from the main tie point to the end of the trail may not exceed six inches.

Dual Threat Fishing officials maintain the sole authority to determine whether a lure qualifies as a single lure as defined above.

Each competitor may use only one rod and reel at a time, with a maximum rod length of 10 feet from butt to tip. If a competitor breaks their line during a hookset or while retrieving a fish, they may use their rod or hands to secure the line and land the fish. Such a fish will be counted as a legal catch.

Competitors may not snare or foul-hook a visible fish. Any visible fish—whether on a bed or otherwise—must be hooked in the mouth. Violation of this rule will result in disqualification of that day’s catch.

Regarding forward-facing sonar (FFS), Dual Threat Fishing is an electronics-friendly organization and imposes no restrictions on the use of FFS or display screens. Additionally, the use of landing nets is permitted for any angler who chooses to use one.

The winner of each regular-season event will be awarded 100 points, with 99 points going to second place, 98 points to third, and so on down the standings. The Overall Big Bass from each event will also count toward the points race and will be worth 3 additional points.

In the event of a tie in the standings, the tie will be broken based on the total cumulative weight recorded by each team throughout the season.

The team finishing first in the points race will earn the MCT Award (Most Consistent Team), which includes two trophies—one for each competitor—and a $20,000 prize (see payout page for details).

Additionally, the top 20 teams in the final points standings will advance to the no-entry-fee Championship, featuring a top prize of $250,000.

Tournament waters will be off limits beginning 10 days prior to the first day of official practice for all competitors. Teams are prohibited from entering tournament waters for any reason during this off-limits period.

The solicitation of information through any means—including word of mouth, the internet, or social media platforms—is strictly prohibited during the 10-day off-limits period. This includes the buying, selling, or gathering of waypoints.

Beginning with official practice and continuing through the tournament, competitors may not place any brush, structure, or attractors in tournament waters.

Official practice will consist of two days. Each practice day will begin 30 minutes prior to sunrise and end 30 minutes after sunset. Anyone found on the water outside these designated hours will be considered in violation of tournament rules.

There will be three official days of competition, with the field cut to the top 40 teams following the conclusion of Day Two.

Each team is required to check in and attend the pre-tournament angler meeting. If, for any reason, one team member is unable to attend, the tournament director must be contacted beforehand. Once approved, the attending angler is responsible for relaying all meeting information to his or her partner.

All teams are required to have the ability to record their entire tournament day, from start to finish. This includes clear video coverage of both the front and rear decks of the boat. Each team should use action cameras or similar recording equipment, preferably console-mounted, with one camera capturing the front deck and another positioned to record the rear deck. Tournament footage must be made immediately available to Dual Threat Fishing upon request for the purpose of reviewing potential rules violations, as well as for content creation and promotional use.

Angler safety is one of our top priorities, safe boating must be taken serious and observed at all times. The provisions of these rules apply from official practice until the tournament ends while anglers are on the water. Each team member is required to wear a fastened US COAST GUARD APPROVED personal flotation device any time the combustion engine is running and in gear. All boats must be equipped with a factory installed emergency ignition shutoff device. The emergency ignition shut off device must be tethered to the driver at all times when the engine is in gear and running. Both team members must be seated and the driver behind the wheel when the boat is running and gear. At the discretion of the tournament director all practice and tournament days maybe postponed or delayed due to inclement weather conditions or water conditions. Teams are permitted to leave their boat and seek shelter in the event of bad weather conditions. Teams involved in an on the water accident and or safety incidents may be required to complete a BoatUS  Foundation boating safety course before participating in another Dual Threat Fishing event. 

 All teams are expected to uphold the highest standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, and conservation. Participants must conduct themselves in a manner that reflects positively on both themselves and the league.

Violations of, or failure to comply with, any of the rules for the 2026 Dual Threat Fishing season may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Consumption or possession of alcoholic beverages or mind-altering substances during tournament practice hours, tournament hours, or weigh-in procedures.
• Abuse of, or addiction to, mind-altering substances.
• Suspension, disqualification, probation, or ban from any tournament fishing organization.
• Operating a boat in an unsafe or unsportsmanlike manner.
• Publicly criticizing or questioning the integrity of Dual Threat Fishing or its officials, including but not limited to its rules, policies, or procedures.
• Sharing or disseminating disparaging material, or any content that could reasonably be expected to harm the reputation of Dual Threat Fishing or its sponsors.

All boats must be propeller-driven and a minimum of 18 feet in length with a back deck. The minimum horsepower requirement is 150 HP, while the maximum horsepower is determined by the U.S. Coast Guard and the boat manufacturer and must not be exceeded.

Unlike many other organizations, Dual Threat Fishing does not impose a 250-horsepower cap—so if your new rig came with a 300 HP engine, go ahead and send it.

All boats must be equipped with U.S. Coast Guard–approved safety equipment. Additionally, each boat must carry liability insurance with coverage of no less than $300,000 per occurrence, covering all occupants. Proof of insurance must be kept on board at all times. Random insurance checks may occur, and failure to provide proof of insurance may result in disqualification.

Teams may fish anywhere on tournament waters that are open and accessible by boat, except in areas designated as off-limits by local or state authorities. Anglers are not permitted to leave their boats to remove debris or cut logs to gain access to an area. The use of a push pole is allowed for entering or exiting an area. All local and state regulations, including no-wake zones, must be observed.

In the event of a vessel malfunction that prevents a team from reaching the weigh-in on time, the team must immediately notify the Tournament Director. After notification, a decision will be made whether to contact a tow service or receive assistance from a nearby competitor, provided all parties agree. Late penalties will still apply if the team fails to return by the designated weigh-in time.

There will be one designated checkpoint for boat departures in the morning and one check-in point in the afternoon. Failure to pass through either checkpoint—when leaving or returning—will result in disqualification. All fishing activities must cease immediately upon check-in.

Teams that fail to arrive at the check-in point at their designated time will incur a one-pound penalty for each minute they are late. Any team arriving more than 15 minutes past their scheduled check-in time will have their entire catch disqualified, including any big fish.

We cannot emphasize this enough — every effort must be made to keep fish alive. Dead fish may not be culled, and a 4-ounce penalty will be deducted from the team’s total weight for each dead fish at weigh-in.

All scoring will be based on the total weight, in pounds and ounces, of each team’s catch during every event. Only largemouth, spotted, redeye, shoal, and smallmouth bass are accepted species.

The daily limit is five (5) bass per team, unless the event takes place in a state or on a body of water with a more restrictive limit (which is highly unlikely). Teams must immediately cull after catching their fifth fish and may not, at any time, possess more than five fish in their livewell.

If a team exceeds the five-fish limit, they must self-report the infraction to the Tournament Director and immediately cull down to the legal limit. This violation carries a one (1) pound penalty to the team’s total weight.

Dual Threat Fishing sets a minimum length requirement of 12 inches, although this may vary from lake to lake based on local and state regulations. For example, some lakes may enforce a 15-inch minimum for largemouth bass and an 18-inch minimum for smallmouth bass. All state and local regulations regarding fish size must be followed.

Any bass presented at weigh-in that fails to meet the minimum size requirement will result in a one (1) pound penalty.

All fish must be brought to weigh-in using an official weigh-in bag and must be verified and signed off by a tournament official prior to weighing. Failure to obtain official verification may result in disqualification of that day’s catch.

All fish become the property of Dual Threat Fishing upon weighing and will be released immediately after weigh-in.

Winners will be determined by the total cumulative weight over the three (3) competition days. In the event of a tie, the team with the heaviest single-day catch will be declared the winner. If a tie still remains, it will be broken by the highest-ranked team in the season points standings.

All teams are expected to participate in any media opportunities requested by Dual Threat Fishing staff during competition days. The daily weigh-ins will be broadcast live across multiple online platforms and will feature on-the-water footage captured by action cameras and media boats. This content will be edited into daily highlight videos.

Each boat must prominently display a Dual Threat Fishing logo, no smaller than eight (8) inches, on its windshield. All anglers are required to wear their tournament jerseys during competition hours and weigh-ins. Jerseys must feature the American flag on either the left or right shoulder, and the Dual Threat Fishing logo must appear on either the left or right chest area (breastplate region).

Anglers are responsible for providing their own jerseys and are encouraged to display sponsor logos proudly. However, jerseys displaying logos from other tournament organizations are not permitted. Dual Threat Fishing reserves the right to reject any jersey deemed to be in poor taste or in violation of the organization’s angler conduct policy.

Each angler/team agrees to submit by signature on the Dual Threat Fishing angler contract to a polygraph or voice stress analysis examination. Truth verification will be used randomly and at the discretion of the league. Failure to comply with the polygraph will result in disqualification.