Maryland Chapter

Catfish Nation Goal

It will be the goal of all Catfish Nation Chapters to run a
quality catfish tournament trail. Open to all who enjoy
fishing for catfish members & non members, and at the
same time offer the highest possible payout. While
uniting Catfish angler all around the country into one
big family of anglers who love and enjoy the outdoors.
And by teaching others as well to respect and enjoy all
that is there for us to enjoy in the great outdoors.

Membership
1. The cost of a Catfish Nation membership will be $25.00
per person Annually and will start on the date your
payment is made.
2. All Children 16 years of age and under can join for free
with a paid member. Chapters will need to sign them up
as well.
3. 100% of membership fee will go to Catfish Nation
Headquarters.
4. Membership is subject to approval by chapter officers &
Catfish Nation Headquarters .
5. Membership is purchased with the understanding that
all chapter rules will be obeyed at all time.

Tournament Entry Fee's & Payout
1. All tournaments will have a $40.00 entry fee with an
80% payback of entry fees. The 20% will go to
championship tournament Payouts for Chapter Champ�s
& Angler of the year to the top 3 places.
2. All entry fees must be paid prior to the start of the
tournament.
3. Only cash will be accepted at the tournament site .
4. No credit will be extended to any team.
5. Chapter Championship tournaments will be one day
tournaments and will be the same as a season tournament
with $40.00 & $10.00 but will have 100% payback of entry
fee�s.
6. 6. You must fish in 75% of that chapter tournaments as
a member for that season to fish in the championship
tournament for that chapter and be a Paid member to
fish for chapter Championship prize money. All others
may fish in the guest tournament.
7. All regular season tournaments will payback 80% of
entry fees.
1-4 teams 1st place
5-8 teams 2 places
9-15 teams 3 places
16-30 teams 4 places
31-45 teams 5 places
46-60 teams 6 places
61+ teams 7 places
8. Biggest fish jackpot will be $10.00 per team with 100%
payback. Big fish jack pot will be slip as followed.
1-8 teams 1 place [100%]
9-16 teams 2 places [70 /30 ]
17-24 teams 3 places [60/25/15]
25 + teams 4 places [50/25/15/10]

Chapter Tournament Awards
Certificates will come from Catfish Nation Headquarters
that will be awarded to 1st thur 4th places for all chapter
tournaments to members only. and will be send to each
chapter right before their championship tournament
along with Championship & Angler of the year awards.
Chapters may also buy Plaques if they like

Angler Of The Year
1. All tournament will be run on a 100 point system with
100 points for 1st ,
99 for 2nd ,98 for 3rd etc....
2. The angler or team with the highest point total for 60%
of the chapter tournament at the end of the season will be
awarded Angler of the year.
3. Angler of the year will pay money to the top three
places for that season.
4. If it is won by a team they will split that place prizes
money.
5. If two or more Anglers or teams end up tied for Angler
of the year award.
they will split the money for that place and the next place
down.
7. If two anglers or tied that have fished as a team they
will only counted as
as a team and split the prize money for that place.

1. A limit of no more than 4 anglers per boat. [this will be
for all chapters] as our goal is to draw more anglers into
the sport. The rod limit per boat will keep all teams
fishing at the same level. Rod limits will be set by each
chapter for their state limit. Limits will be set based on a
2 angler Team , if your state has a 3 rod per person limit
then you team limit will be 6 rods. Chapters where no
limit is set by law we will fish with no more than 10 rods
per team.
2. Non-members may fish in the tournament but will not
be awarded tournament points or a spot in the
championship tournament.
3. Non- members may join the same day of the
tournament after the tournament has ended and will be
awarded points for that tournament. But must join the
day at the tournament to be awarded points for that
tournament.

Pre-Fishing
1. Pre-fishing will be allowed at all tournaments BUT
MUST STOP 12 hours before the start time of any
tournament.
2. Anglers maybe on the water to catch bait for the
tournaments only with inThe 12 hours before that
tournament set start time.

Guides
1. Guides are welcome to fish any tournament on a body
of water in which they guide. But may not have fished
that body of water in the last 12 hours

Protest
1. All protest must be brought to the Chapter President or
Vice President in writing within 10 minutes after weigh
in with the $50.00 protest fee.

LOGO
The Catfish Nation and it's Logo are the property of Tim
Hagan /Catfish Nation and are copyrighted. No
unauthorized use of the Catfish Nation name and or Logo
is allowed without written consent from Tim Hagan

* Alcoholic Beverages*
1. NO Alcoholic beverages may be consumed during
tournament hours.
2. NO Alcoholic beverages may be in the possession of
any team during tournament hours.
3. No Possession and Consumption of illegal drugs will be
allowed.

Tackle
1. A limit of 10 rods per boat where no limits are set buy
the state, Chapter with rod limits will set their rod limit
based on a 2 angler team.
2. All tackle must meet state laws to be used in that
chapters tournaments
3. Any bait maybe used unless it is restricted by law.
4. No Stringers maybe used at any time for any
Tournament fish. You must have a live well or decoy bag .
This must be able to handle the amount of fish for that
tournament( if a tournament is on a place that can bring
50 lbs of fish all live wells or decoy bag must handle them)
or that boat may not fish in that tournament. THIS IS A
MUST AND NEEDS TO BE CHECKED. When you do a
live well check this needs to be one thing you look at as
well.

Weigh in Procedures
1. Each team will take off in the order they signed up.
This can be done at the last tournament, by phone or on
the discussion forum. This is done to let the chapters have
your paper work done ahead of time.
2. Once a tournament has started it will end at the
scheduled time.
2. A members of each team must check in with a
tournament official before the tournament deadline. If
it�s 4:00 YOU ARE LATE AT 4:01
3. Fish must be moved from the boat to the scale in
plastic tubs. Each Chapter will have them at the
tournament for you to use.
4. Not more that two teams maybe at the scales with fish
at the same time.
5. Any catfish over 12" maybe weighed in Channel, Blue,
Flathead etc...
6. No dead fish will be weighed in at any tournament. A
fish must swim away on its own within 10 min after it has
been weighed in to be counted as alive fish. A office needs
to be where the fish are returned to see that this happens.
All fish will be put back into to water at the boat ramp or
weigh in site.
7. ALL FISH must be caught on rod & reel within
tournament hours and from the body of water set for that
tournament or feeder creeks for the body of water.
8. The number of fish or kind of catfish for a tournament
may very. Always check to know what tournament you
are fishing. Total weight, target weight etc�

Boat & Bank Fishing
1. All Boats must meet State boats regulations to enter a
tournament
2. All boats will be checked by a tournament official
3. ALL BOATS MUST HAVE A WORKING LIVE WELL
OR DECOY BAG TO HANDLE FISH FOR THAT
TOURNAMENT to enter that tournament.
4. Life vest must be worn at take off
5. Bank fishing will be allowed in some tournaments
check with your chapter first before you enter to fish.
Bank fishing most be done from the weigh in site, angler
may walk to there fishing spots only. You may not drive
to a fishing spot to fish.
6. Boat anglers must fish from there boat at all times. 6.
Boats need to be 100 yards apart when fishing at all times
on big rivers.50 yards apart on smaller rivers.
7. No Trailering of boats will be allowed at any time in
any Catfish Nation Tournament on a river. Somechapters
may allow trailering on smaller lakes check with the
chapter first
8. All anglers must sign a waiver in order to fish in any
Catfish Nation tournament.

Rules and Regulations
1 Membership will be $25.00 per person 16 years of age
and under will be free with a paid member, Catfish
Nation Chapter Officers shall reserve the right to bar or
refuse any tournament entry or association membership
to any person or team.
2. Entry fee for all tournaments will be $40.00 per team
with 80% payout. With a limit of 1 - 4 anglers per team.
Cash only at tournament site
3. NO Alcoholic beverages may be consumed during
tournament hours.
4. All anglers must be catfish Nation members to win
tournament point or fish for a spot in the championship
tournament.
5. A team may fish as non-members but can only win
payout money.
6. All teams will have the option to enter the biggest fish
jackpot for $10.00 a team with 100% payback
7. All fish must be caught on Rod and Reel ,within
tournament hours on the body of water set for that
tournament or it�s feeder creeks and by tournament
anglers only. No trailering of boat will be allowed
8. No more than 10 rods per boat tidal water, 6 rods per
boat non tidal waters unless other wise restricted by law
[rod limit based on 2 person teams
9. Any bait maybe used unless restricted by law.
10. All fishing must be from a boat. Bank fishing may be
allowed at some tournaments. Check with your local
chapter for bank fishing.
11. All team members must fish in the same boat [ you
must stay 50yards apart when fishing ]
12. All tournaments are catch and release only. all fish will
become the property of that chapter and will be released
at the tournament site. Only A new State record fish
maybe taken.
13. NO dead fish will be weighed in at any time. Fish
must swim away within 10 min after being weighed on
it�s own to be alive.
14. All members of each team must sign a waiver before
each tournament.
15. One member from each team must check in before
the tournament dead line.
16. Once a tournament has started it will end at the
scheduled time.
17. Only the number of catfish set for that tournament
will be weighed in.
18. Chumming is allowed within tournament hours only.
Where allowed by state Rules & Reg
19. All Boats must have live wells to handle the fish for
that tournament
20. No Stringers will be allowed at any time. Fish showing
stringer marks will not count.
21. Pre-fishing is allowed but must stop 12 hours before
that tournament's set start time. You may catch bait only
in the 12 hours before the start.
22. News Media, cameras etc.. maybe at weigh in so dress
appropriately.