B.A.S.S. is rolling out a major update to its longstanding No-Information rule for the 2026 tournament season, a change Elite Series pros have been asking for. The revised policy will govern the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour, Nitro Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers (EQs) presented by Bass Pro Shops, and the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens.
The overhaul was crafted with input from the Association of Bass Professionals (ABP), an angler-elected panel representing the Elite field. The goal: keep competition fair while giving anglers more room to simply enjoy fishing and talk about the sport during most of the year.
Key Change: Information Purchase Ban Starts Early
Under the new structure, the No-Information period technically begins the moment the schedule is released, or as soon as an angler knows the location of a future event. From that point on, pros may not purchase or exchange goods or services for fishing information or waypoints.
Beyond that financial/transactional restriction, anglers are free to gather general intel and talk fishing as usual until the traditional 28-day off-limits window begins.
28-Day Off-Limits Period Remains, With Stricter Limits
Once the 28-day off-limits clock starts, the tighter rules kick in:
- No time on tournament waters.
- No soliciting or intentionally receiving information from anyone except another registered competitor in that specific event.
- Publicly available sources — maps, weather and water data, websites, message boards, YouTube videos, etc. — remain fair game.
Anglers can still chat with fans and friends during this period but must steer clear of anything that could provide a competitive edge. If a conversation starts heading toward specific intel, they’re expected to shut it down.
More Freedom to Fish Outside the Off-Limits Window
One of the biggest practical changes: anglers are once again free to fish the tournament waters with family, friends, or in other events outside the 28-day window, as long as no information is being bought or traded. Previously, the tighter restrictions applied as soon as the schedule dropped.
Classic Gets a Unique Timeline
For the Bassmaster Classic, the full No-Information restrictions will take effect on January 1 — not 28 days before the championship.
Angler-Backed Adjustment
ABP president and Elite Series pro John Crews said the update reflects what the anglers wanted.
“During the 2025 season, the sentiment of the anglers was that we needed a shorter window for the full scope No-Info rule,” Crews said. He noted that while the previous rule protected the sport’s integrity, many pros worried about unintentionally breaking it in the offseason. According to an ABP survey, 75% of Elite anglers supported limiting the full no-info period to the 28-day off-limits window, while also backing a ban on purchased information once the schedule is announced.
“We applaud B.A.S.S. for the change,” Crews added.
The updated No-Information rule will appear in the 2026 Elite Series, EQ, and Opens rulebooks and will be enforced beginning with the upcoming season.
