1. (a) In addition to the general restrictions specified in Fis 503.01 through Fis 503.05, black bass tournaments shall also be subject to the following:

   1. (1) Black bass shall only be held in a functional live well;
   2. (2) No participant shall hold more than the daily limit of black bass;
   3. (3) Culling of black bass shall be permitted only during permitted bass tournaments;
   4. (4) Culled black bass shall be released immediately into the same body of water from which it was caught and in a physical state as to reasonably ensure its survival;

   5. (5) Black bass entered for the weigh–in at black bass tournaments shall be released unharmed into the same waterbody where caught, as follows:

      1. a. In lakes and ponds, not less than 300 feet away from shoreline; and
      2. b. In rivers, at mid-channel not less than 300 feet away from the weigh-in site;
   6. (6) Boats designated by the black bass tournament sponsor may hold more than the daily limit of black bass solely for the purpose of releasing black bass after weigh-in;
   7. (7) There shall be no more than one weigh-in per calendar day in a black bass tournament; and

   8. (8) Black bass tournaments held May 15 to June 15 shall be subject to the following:

      1. a. Black bass shall be immediately released at location of capture;
      2. b. Prior to release, black bass may be quickly measured, weighed, or both;
      3. c. Black bass shall not be held in a live-well or otherwise retained longer than the time required for the fish to be measured and weighed prior to immediate release; and
      4. d. Weigh-ins shall not be allowed during these tournaments.

2. (b) Black bass tournaments held on Umbagog Lake, Province Lake, Balch Pond, Horn Pond, Great East Lake, Milton Watershed, Lower Kimball Pond, and Spaulding Pond shall be subject to the following:

   1. (1) Black bass shall be taken only by artificial lures and flies;
   2. (2) From April 1 through May 14, permittees may hold up to 2 black bass in a live well and submitted for the black bass tournament. July 1 through November 30, permittees may hold up to 5 black bass in a live well and submitted for the black bass tournament;
   3. (3) From May 15 through June 30, all black bass shall be immediately released unharmed at the site of catch; and
   4. (4) No weigh-in black bass tournaments will be permitted on a body of water less than or equal to 500 acres, and there shall be no more than 10 weigh-in tournaments on any water body greater than 500 acres annually, only 4 of which may be open tournaments. These waters shall include Umbagog Lake, Province Lake, Balch Pond, Horn Pond, Great East Lake, and Milton Watershed.
3. (c) The number of boats participating in a permitted black bass tournament shall not exceed the maximum number listed on the fishing tournament permit application.

Source. (See Revision Notes at chapter headings for Fis 400 and Fis 500) #5016, eff 1-1-91; amd #5321, eff 1-31-92; ss by #6478, INTERIM, eff 3-28-97, EXPIRED: 7-26-97 New. #6917, eff 12-22-98; amd by #7858, eff 4-1-03; ss by #8119, eff 1-1-05; amd by #9250, eff 8-30-08; amd by #9249, eff 1-1-09; ss by #9773-A, eff 1-1-11; ss by #10854, eff 6-22-15; ss by #10936, eff 1-1-16; amd by #10981, eff 1-1-16, para (d); ss by #12758, eff 5-3-19; ss by #12933, eff 11-28-19; ss by #13798, eff 11-1-23; ss by #14445, eff 1-2-26, EXPIRES: 1-2-36