I was thinking of a tournament Format that would work for the everyday angler with very little time to fish

Then it hit me... "SPEED BASS"

This could be a draw or buddy system, but I would prefer the Buddy or Team so that Father & Son could fish together.

Tournament Format:

All teams would launch, and the first team to return with 5 keeper fish would win 1st, the next team 2nd, the next team 3rd, etc. This format is not how big of fish you can catch, rather, how fast you can limit out. At the end of the scheduled time (be it 3-hours or 8-hours) all those without a 5-fish limit would return and then the remaining teams would compete for the remaining positions by weight.

So in this format, you could win with 5 one-pound bass and you could win the tournament in as little as 15-minutes.

So what to do guys think about, SPEED BASS?

Interesting, but how many places back would it pay? If you only had 10 boats and paid one place and the winner limits in 30 minutes, the tournament is over and the other 9 boats are essentially fishing for nothing. How would they know that the tournament was over and they could go home? Or do they just show up at the dock 8 hours later to see the scales and tournament directors be long gone?

That may be a decent idea for a 100 boat tournament that paid 10 or more spots but for small t's it probably wouldnt work.

I agree with 5bass, it wouldn't work for smaller tournaments.  In most of the smaller tournaments even the "director" fishes.  So, if I caught a limit in 10 minutes and came back to to dock, I might have to wait for 8 hours for the director to get there.  In the mean time three other boats could have pulled up, claiming to have been there first.  I'd stick with the heaviest weight at the end of a particular time!

Playing the devil's advocate with the responses so far . . . . .

Oh, I don't know.  People compete in many events that are based on speed and those who are back in the pack still complete the events.  It's about competing with oneself and finishing.  Those who finish way back in a marathon, the Iditarod, the Paris-Dakar race, etc. don't quit and many don't make a dime.  Of course, these are events where it is a major accomplishment to finish, so this isn't comparing apples to apples.  But even in races where little is at stake, people don't just quit.  

Looking at the other side (and how I really feel) . . . .

I wouldn't quit if I was out of the money, but I wouldn't make a habit of spending registration fees on a tournament where I could be knocked out of placing in the money so quickly.  In current tournament formats, there is a chance to place or win until the very end.  

I wouldnt fish it ,you put so much time effort and mony into it only to have it over in just 10 or 15 min.wouldnt be worth it.But how about a tournament were every fish cought is wieghd by an observer and released,and every fish counts in say seven hours.now that I would fish.every boate keeps his or her largest,for big fish at the end of the day.Or how about three 4 boat relay,first boat fishes 2 hour second 2 hours and so on,that sound like fun.

That may be a decent idea for a 100 boat tournament that paid 10 or more spots but for small t's it probably wouldnt work.

In a large tournament they would have to send out the boats in flights and you might end up with people returning with a limit before others have even left the ramp. Also, it would have to be a partner tournament, because if one person in the boat gets a limit he's gonna have to head in even if the other guy is still on a zero. I do like the idea, but I think it would be hard to do.

I wouldn't make a habit of spending registration fees on a tournament where I could be knocked out of placing in the money so quickly. In current tournament formats, there is a chance to place or win until the very end.

My point exactly.

While it may not work easily like several have suggested it would be cool to do with a club. I think it would be especially a good format if everyone in the club really knows the water. I'm sure it would force people to fish alot differently. If it was just with your club you could call each other when you had a limit.

I can think of some lakes where it wouldn't work too. There are a couple of lakes around here with 15", 16" or even 18" length limits.

You can't win these with 5 2# bass, cause a 2# bass ain't a keeper (unless it's pretty skinny).

The tourneys I am in have a minimum of 15" for all black bass (yes, that includes smallmouth and spotted) and the lightest one I saw come in was 2.12# (right at 15").

Many of our tournaments go a full 7 hours with the winner having 3 bass. A few weeks ago we had a bad day of fishing and the winner brought back one fish at 3.78#.

I would be leery of fishing a tournament like this. And if I were fishing it, I wouldn't leave the launch area.  The launch areas (where weigh-ins are held) usually have a fair share of bass around them.  Also that way I could see the boats coming in and when the final payout boat comes in, if it wasn't me, I'd go home.  Doesn't sound like too much fun, sorry.

fish these on the lake behind my house the ramp is casting distance from my dock

i woundnt even have to start my big motor take me less than 10 min to limmit out

5 fish would only go about 6# 14 inch limit