Sunday · Jan
17
Harris Chain of Lakes
Leesburg, Florida
- Practice
- Fri–Sat, Jan 15–16 · no off-limits period
- Launch
- Ski Beach Boat Ramp · takeoff 7:00 am, weigh-in 3:00 pm
- Limit
- 5 bass · 14" largemouth
- License
- Florida
A plain-English guide for parents, coaches and volunteers: how to start a B.A.S.S. high school bass club in Oregon, what boat captains need to know, the 2027 Bassmaster High School Series schedule, and every official form in one place.
A B.A.S.S. high school club can be a school club or a community club. Either way, the setup is the same — and it doesn't take long.
You need at least two students in grades 9–12 and an adult advisor (ideally a teacher or school staff member).
Complete your school's process to become an official club, with a faculty advisor assigned.
Fill in the B.A.S.S. bylaws template: club name, purpose, officers (president, VP, secretary, treasurer, conservation and youth chairs), dues and election month.
Every club member, whether they compete or not, needs two things:
Submit the B.A.S.S. Sign Up a New Club form. B.A.S.S. passes your club to the Oregon B.A.S.S. Nation youth director and emails your advisor once the roster is processed.
Hold regular meetings and let the students elect officers. Keep it fun and student-led.
High school events are team events: two students from the same club fish together, with an adult boat captain at the wheel.
* In states that require a license to run the trolling motor, the captain may run it if the students aren't licensed. B.A.S.S. can turn down any coach. Whenever the gas engine is running, the boat captain must be in the driver's seat and in full control of the boat. Full details: Boat Captain / Coach Rules (PDF).
The main requirements from the 2027 Bassmaster High School Series rules. The full 25-page rulebook is the official version.
Four one-day national events. The Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series runs on the same lakes and dates. Oregon state youth events are posted on our BassHub schedule.
| Event | Register by (no late fee) | Late registration (+$50) | Registration closes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harris Chain | Tue, Dec 22, 2026 | From Wed, Dec 23, 2026 | Sun, Jan 10, 2027 |
| Smith Lake | Tue, Feb 2, 2027 | From Wed, Feb 3, 2027 | Sun, Feb 21, 2027 |
| Bull Shoals | Tue, Mar 16, 2027 | From Wed, Mar 17, 2027 | Sun, Apr 4, 2027 |
| Watts Bar | Tue, Apr 27, 2027 | From Wed, Apr 28, 2027 | Sun, May 16, 2027 |
Registration opens Dec 1, 2026 at 2 p.m. CT for all four events. Junior Series registration opens Dec 8.
Partner or boat captain changes cost $50 each and must be made by the close date above.
Entry fees are non-refundable once a team is confirmed. Teams on the waitlist that don't get in are refunded.
Dates come from the B.A.S.S. 2027 Important Dates sheet and the event info sheets. Check-in and briefing times are on each info sheet. Confirm them before you travel.
All the PDFs from the Bassmaster High School Resources page and the 2027 info sheets, sorted by what you're trying to do.
All 14 PDFs in a single ZIP file · 3.2 MB
What you need, the advisor's role, and meeting, project and fundraising ideas.
Fill-in-the-blank bylaws covering name, membership, officers, committees and affiliation.
Use when a school won't sponsor a club. Needs 2 faculty signatures, or 1 signature plus a notary.
Eligibility, safety, boats, scoring, conduct, plus the student, parent and captain signature pages.
Registration and late-fee deadlines, partner change dates, off-limits and practice days.
Who can coach, and what captains can and can't do during practice and the tournament.
Jan 17, 2027 · launch, check-in, tournament waters, limits.
Feb 28, 2027 · launch, check-in, tournament waters, limits.
Apr 11, 2027 · launch, check-in, tournament waters, limits.
May 23, 2027 · launch, check-in, tournament waters, limits.
Who needs proof of a NASBLA course, what counts, and why you only submit it once.
The $1M general liability policy: who and what is covered, and when you need a certificate.
For when a park, marina or town asks for proof of insurance before your event.
Credit card processing fees, paying by bank transfer (ACH) to avoid them, and the 48-hour payment window.
These links go to Bassmaster's own sites and can't be downloaded.
Each student pays $12 for a high school B.A.S.S. membership and $30 in B.A.S.S. Nation dues each year. Your club may add its own dues. Tournament entry fees are paid at registration. Late registration adds $50 per team, and each partner or captain change costs $50.
Credit card payments include a processing fee. Paying by bank transfer (ACH) avoids it. See the payment FAQ.
Have two faculty members sign the Official Denial Letter (or one signature plus a notary). The students can then form a community club, which can include students from several schools. Clubs affiliated with B.A.S.S. are covered by the B.A.S.S. Nation insurance policy, not the school.
8th graders can compete if their school allows it and a faculty member signs a letter saying so. 7th graders can't compete in the High School Series. The Bassmaster Junior Series is for younger anglers. A student counts as being in the next grade once they finish final exams. Graduating seniors can keep fishing through the summer, but not in events that qualify for the next school year.
Yes. Parents of club members, faculty, and close family friends / State Nation members can all serve. You'll need boat owner's liability insurance of at least $300,000 with no tournament exclusion, and you must follow the coach rules. You can coach and advise during the tournament, but you can't fish, tie knots, net fish or run the trolling motor. If you're the student's immediate family, the boat can run with just the two of you.
Every competitor who drives or could drive a gas-powered boat in a B.A.S.S. event. The course must be NASBLA-approved; a USCG captain's license also counts. Upload the card once. It doesn't expire and is saved to your B.A.S.S. profile. The card must show your name and a completion date, issue date or certificate number. See the boater safety FAQ.
A $1,000,000 per occurrence general liability policy covers affiliated clubs, officers and volunteers at sanctioned events and club activities that aren't open to the public: tournaments, meetings, youth and conservation events. It does not replace the boat owner's own insurance, and it doesn't cover lawsuits between members.
Record official functions in your meeting minutes. If a park, marina or town asks for a certificate, send the certificate request form to Alliant Insurance by email. Have all participants and volunteers sign a waiver once a year.
Your registration time stamp is kept, but you have 48 hours to pay with a card or try ACH again. If the second try also fails, or 48 hours pass, the entry is cancelled and you lose your spot in line.
Yes. B.A.S.S. awards more than $100,000 in scholarships each year across its high school programs. The High School Combine also connects students with college fishing programs.
Summarized from the B.A.S.S. High School Resources page and the documents above, as of October 2026. B.A.S.S. can update its rules and forms at any time. The latest versions on Bassmaster.com are the official ones.
Thinking about starting a club or volunteering as a boat captain? Message the Oregon B.A.S.S. Nation and we'll put you in touch with clubs and anglers near you.