Good afternoon,
I hope everyone is doing well and getting packed up for next week as we gear up for the third B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, WI. Below are several important items you’ll need to review ahead of the event. It’s going to be a busy week, so make sure to take advantage of any time to rest and prepare your boat when possible.
Please take the time to thoroughly read all the information included in this email, along with the B.A.S.S. Nation rules and the angler Briefing. There are a lot of important details for this event, so review everything carefully. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Mississippi River Tournament Information
Attached – Briefing PowerPoint – Please review times for vessel check, angler check-in, and briefing.
Attached– Payout Schedule
Attached – Information Sheet (from website)
Attached – Keeping Bass Alive Fish Care Guide
La Crosse Fishing Resources: https://explorelacrosse.com/plan-your-trip/fishing-resources/
- There is some really great information provided by the host for this event – boat ramps, boat ramp parking permit fees – make sure to review this great resource.
Bassmaster Know before you go – please review the following video link as many of you may not be familiar with our tournament procedures. https://www.loom.com/share/e97053b53cfb477691f110ff3fc87706?sid=4c327477-feb0-4e9c-9f3a-de7458fc8d11
Official Practice – May 4, 5, 6, and 7 (Mon-Thurs) – Anglers must be off the water at 12:00 noon local time on Thursday, May 7.
No practicing at night, defined as beginning 30 minutes after local sunset and ending 30 minutes before local sunrise, including running to and from a fishing location.
Fishing License Requirement:
- WI, MN or IA license are required.
- There is a reciprocal agreement between Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa between the railroad tracks. The RR tracks parallel both sides of the river. If you go past the tracks on either side, you must have that states license. It is your responsibility to have the proper license.
Angler Check-in and Angler Briefing– Thursday, May 7, 2026 check in begins at 2:00 pm – times assigned below and in briefing by first letter of your LAST name. Anglers must be off the water 12:00 pm noon. Please do not bring your boat to check in.
- Letters A thru E – 2:00 pm
- Letters F thru I – 2:25 pm
- Letters J thru M – 2:50 pm
- Letters N thru Q – 3:15 pm
- Letters R thru Z – 3:35 pm
Angler Check-in and Briefing Location – Onalaska Omni Center – 255 Riders Club Rd., Onalaska WI 54650
Briefing – There will be a mandatory in-person briefing to go along with the PowerPoint. This PowerPoint must be reviewed in full prior to official practice. The briefing will begin at promptley at 4:30 pm.
Competition Days – May 8, 9, 10 (Fri-Sun) – Take-off beginning at 6:00 am or safe light.
- May 8 and May 9 (Full Field both days)
- May 10 Championship Friday – (Top 20 Boaters and Top 20 non-boaters)
B.A.S.S. Nation Rules: https://storage.googleapis.com/bassmaster_tours/nation/2026/Rules.pdf
Please read through the rules.
Additional Notes:
- All fishing licenses will be checked at the angler check-in.
- If non-boaters chose to practice out of their own boat during practice, those boats must meet the Bassmaster liability insurance requirements.
- BASS will provide you with a Bassmaster hat during registration and/or sticker at the bump tanks if you do not have a BASS Shield logo on your jersey/hat so that you meet the logo requirements.
HELP PREVENT THE SPREAD OF INVASIVES. “CLEAN, DRAIN, AND DRY.”
Rule Reminders:
Rule 5: iii.The no-information rule will apply during any posted off-limits period, official practice, and competition. “Bartering” refers to the exchange of goods and services, with or without money. The purchase, solicitation, or bartering for any information on locating or catching fish in tournament waters—whether through GPS waypoints, hiring guides, or other means—is strictly prohibited. Sharing tournament winnings with competitors or non-competitors in exchange for such information is also banned. Purchasing or bartering for fishing locations or information from another competitor is not allowed and will result in disqualification for both parties.
Rule 5: v. Competitors may only fish with other competitors during official practice and competition. Once daily cuts are made, those not making the cut are no longer considered part of the tournament. Competitors who make the cut cannot receive any information from anglers no longer in the competition.
Rule 10: iv. Each competitor’s boat shall be restricted to one (1) electric motor to be mounted at the bow of the boat. Electric motor(s) mounted at the stern of the boat are prohibited. Bass brakes/crappie brakes must be removed from the vessel.
Please let me know if you have any questions. My cell number is 864-872-0028—please use this number for all event-related contact from this point forward. I will be traveling beginning on Monday, May 4 , 2026, so I may be delayed in responding if you contact me those days. Specifically, on the weekend, it may be best to reach me via text and I will do my best to get back to you as soon as possible.