BassTour Professional Help

Contents

General Information

How Do I

About BassTour Professional


General Information

BassTour Professional is a fishing game in which you have total control of a modern, fully rigged, high performance bass boat. You can fish in a three day tournament against 40 of the top names in professional bass fishing.

Your boat contains a rod box with 15 different rods, a 7 drawer tackle box containing thousands of lure/color choices, an LCD Graph, a GPS unit, powerful outboard motor, trolling motor and aerated livewell.

There are three skill levels, and a special practice mode.


How Do I

Begin A New Game

Change Baits

Change Rods

Check The Weather and Water Conditions

Find My Boat

Gas Up My Boat

Get My Boat Un-Stuck

Know How Much Time Remains

Know A Fish Strikes My Bait

Make A Cast

Move The Boat

Quit The Game

Recharge My Main Boat Battery

Restore A Saved Game

Save A Game

Set The Hook

Select A Lake To Fish

Select A Retrieve Style

Select A Rod

Set My Play Mode/Skill Level

Set My Preferences

Suspend Game Play

Use Fish Attractant Scent

Use The Gear Box

Use The GPS Unit

Use The Lake Map

Use The LCD Graph

Use The Lifejacket

Use The LiveWell

Use The Outboard Motor

Use The Paddle

Use The Throttle

Use The Trolling Motor

View and Print Current Tournament Standings

View and Print Record Catches

Weigh In My Fish


 Beginning A New Game

From the title screen, click on the Select Lake or Saved Game button. A list of available lakes and saved games will appear.

Lakes have the .LAK file extension, saved games have the .SAV file extension. To begin a new game, select one of the .LAK files by clicking on it with your mouse. To continue playing a saved game, click on the .SAV file you want to continue playing.

Once you have selected a .LAK or .SAV file, click the OK button. You can also double click on the .LAK or .SAV file to select it and load it.

If you are continuing a saved game, your boat will be placed in the same place, on the same lake, with all of the same conditions that were in effect when the game was saved. Amount of gas, battery levels, time remaining fish in the livewell etc. will be as they were when the game was saved.

If you are starting a new game, all vital boat resources (gas, batteries etc.) will be set to the initial, full amounts. Rod setups and game preferences are restored to the settings that were in effect the last time you quit the game, or to their default settings if this is the first time you’ve played the game.


 Changing Baits

Click on the Tackle Box button to select a bait to attach to the current rod.

The current rod is reported in the status bar at the bottom of the BassTour screen. If you do not have a rod selected, a message will appear reminding you to select a rod first.

The list of available drawers in your Tackle Box will appear. Click on the drawer you want to access.

A list of available baits in that drawer appears, along with the color choices for those baits.

Click on the bait you want to use in the left window pane, then click on the color you want in the right window pane.

Click the OK button to confirm the choice, or the CANCEL button to abandon the choice.


 Changing Rods

To use a different rod, or to select one to start with, click on the Rod Box button.

A window will appear that lists all rods available, along with the current bait and color attached to them.

Click on the rod you want to use in the list, then click the OK button to confirm your selection, or the CANCEL button to abandon it.

If you choose a rod that has no bait attached, a window will appear asking if you want to select a bait for this rod. Choosing the OK button will open the Tackle Box from which you can select a bait to attach. Choosing CANCEL will abandon the operation.

If you choose a rod that already has a bait attached, it will become the current rod, and all of your casts will be made with it and its attached bait.

Each type of rod has certain characteristics. Some are advantages, others are disadvantages. For example, a spinning rod with 8 lb. line casts much farther than a filppin stick. On the other hand, the potential of breaking off a big fish on the spinning rod is greater because of the light line.


 Checking The Weather And Water Conditions

Click on the question mark button that appears on the upper right corner  of the BassTour Main Window.

A drop-down menu will appear. Clicking on the View Weather And Water Conditions item will display the current conditions.

TIP: Use this information to help you decide what baits may work best. As a general rule, if the weather is cloudy, darker colors may work better. If the water is stained or muddy, bright colors may also produce better. If the water temperature is cold (less that 60 degrees) top water baits or fast retrieves may not work well.


 Finding Your Boat

Under some conditions, you may “lose” your boat. This could happen if you scroll the screen to another portion of the lake, or stop your boat under a bridge.

Click on the Find My Boat button to locate your boat. BassTour will scroll the screen if necessary in order to reposition your boat in the viewing area. If your boat is under a bridge, a message will appear to inform you of this situation.

NOTE: Certain Windows system functions may prevent your boat from being redrawn correctly on some computers. If this happens, click the Find My Boat button to redraw the boat.


 Getting Your Boat Un-Stuck

As in real boating, it’s possible to run aground or get your boat “stuck” in  BassTour.

If this happens, here’s what to do:

If you’re using the TROLLING MOTOR, just try running in boat in the OPPOSITE direction from that in which you were going when you got stuck. In other words, if you are heading toward the top right of the lake when you got stuck, try moving toward the lower left of the lake.

Getting STUCK while running the OUTBOARD MOTOR requires a different approach. First, shift the gear to reverse (if you were going forward when you got stuck) and try backing the boat out of the situation. Then shift to FORWARD if necessary, and try again. It may be necessary

to do this REVERSE-FORWARD-REVERSE sequence several times. It is quite possible that you run aground so badly that the entire boat is high  and dry. If this happens......

Keep trying! If you just cannot un-stick your boat, help will eventually arrive in the form of fellow fishermen who will get you back on the water.


 Time Remaining

The amount of time remaining in the current day of the tournament is reported at the lower left of the BassTour Main Window.

This time is reported as “pseudo time”. The time is continually decremented from the original 8 hours per tournament day. In addition, making casts, choosing rods and baits, examining the lake map and other activities consume a preset amount of time.

A typical tournament day can be played in under one hour, with the average being about half an hour.


 Detecting A Strike

Strikes can occur any time from the moment the cast hits the water until  the retrieve is completed at your boat.

There are several ways to detect when a fish as struck your bait. In all cases, to actually hook the fish and (hopefully) land it, you must immediately “set the hook” by pressing the SPACE BAR.

If you have checked the Fishing Sounds item under the [image] Set Preferences menu, a unique, startling sound will be heard when a fish strikes.

If you are using a top water bait, a “WHAM” image will appear at the point of the strike, and if you’ve got sound enabled, you’ll hear that too.

If any other type of bait is in use, the line may appear to “jump” or pause when a strike occurs. As above, if sound is enabled, you will hear a distinct sound as well.

In Intermediate Mode, you will have less time to set the hook than in Novice Mode. In Professional Mode, you will have less than in Intermediate Mode. Practice Mode allows the same amount of time as Professional Mode.

TIP: If possible, enable the Fishing Sounds item on the Preferences Menu. Having sound enabled makes it much easier to detect a strike. With sound enabled, you can even daydream a bit while fishing...just like the real thing!


 Making A Cast

Before you can make a cast, you must select a rod to use, and that rod  must have a bait attached to it.

Assuming you have a rod selected, and a bait attached to it, simply position the mouse pointer where you want the cast to go, and click the left mouse button. A light blue line will appear from the bow of your boat to the point where the cast actually landed. If you attempt to cast too far, the cast will automatically be shorted to the maximum range according to your play mode (Novice, Professional etc) and the type of rod you are using.

Once the cast is made, the bait is automatically retrieved for you, in the  manner selected under the [image] Retrieve Style button.

If you have Fishing Sounds enabled under the Preferences Menu, you will hear a “whoosh” sound as the cast is made, followed by a “plop” sound when the cast lands on the water.

Strikes can occur at any time during a retrieve, including right next to your boat or the instant the lure strikes the water.

Errant casts may cause you to lose you bait, requiring you to select another rod, or choose a new bait for the rod you’re using. With a bit of practice (or prior fishing knowledge) you can determine which baits cannot be successfully used in certain places (like weeds or lily pads). Using the wrong type of bait in these places can result in loss of your bait.


 Moving The Boat

Boat movement is controlled by 8 keys on the keyboard. These keys, and the resultant boat direction are as follows. Note that your boat is always the YELLOW boat:

  To move the boat toward the Upper Left, press the Q key

  To move the boat straight Up, press the W key

  To move the boat toward the Upper Right, press the E key

  To move the boat straight Right, press the D key

  To move the boat toward the Lower Right, press the C key

  To move the boat straight Down, press the X key

  To move the boat toward the Lower Left, press the Z key

  To move the boat straight Left, press the A key

Naturally, before you can move the boat, you must have one of the three methods of propulsion selected:

 The Paddle.

 The Trolling Motor.

  The Outboard Motor.


 Gassing Up Your Boat

Each lake has at least one marina where you can fill the gas tank of your boat.

Consult the [image] Lake Map to find the marina nearest you. Gas pumps are indicated by the letter G on the lake map.

To obtain gasoline, you must position your boat close to the gas pump, then click on the Gas Button (shown above). If you are close enough,  your boat will be filled with gasoline. If not, a message will appear indicating that you must be closer to the pump.

Your tournament expenses will reflect the amount spent on gasoline, and the Remaining Time will be decremented by the amount of time spent filling your tank.


 Quitting The Game

To quit the game at any time, click the small X in the upper right corner of the BassTour Main Window.

If you have fish in your livewell that have not been weighed in yet, you will have the opportunity to weigh them in. If no fish are in your livewell, the game will immediately end.

If you want to save the game and continue play at a later time, click the Save Game button before quitting the game.


Recharging The Main Battery
 Recharging The Main Boat Battery

Your Main Battery receives a small amount of charge when the outboard motor is running. It is possible to recharge the Main Battery by running the Outboard Motor enough.

Besides starting your Outboard Motor, the Main Battery is used to run your Livewell Aerator, LCD Graph, and GPS unit. If your Main Battery Level drops below 50%, it may not be capable of starting your Outboard Motor, thus it can no longer be recharged. If you notice that your Main Battery is getting too low, run the outboard for awhile.

If the Main Battery level drops to zero, the livewell aerator will stop (possibly killing some of your fish), the LCD graph will cease operating, and the GPS unit will no longer work. In short, you’ll be in big trouble!


 Restoring A Saved Game

A saved game can be restored at anytime. To restore a saved game that had previously been saved by clicking the Save Game Button, click on the Select Lake or Saved Game Button.

A list of available lakes and saved games will be displayed. Saved games have the .SAV file extension. Click on the SAVed game you want to load, then click on the OK button to load it. Double clicking the SAVed game will also load it.

When you load a SAVed game, play resumes at the exact point where you were when it was SAVed. All conditions will be as they were when the game was SAVed. Battery levels, amount of gas, weather conditions etc. will be retained, as will the fish in your livewell and your position on the lake.


 Saving A Game

Games can be saved at anytime during play.

To save a game, simply click the Save Game Button. A window will appear that requests the name you want to assigned to the SAVed game.

You can select a .SAV file name that already exists, or type in a new name. You can omit the .SAV file extension as BassTour will add it automatically. If the file already exists, you will be asked to confirm that you want to replace it with a new file of the same name.

Long File names are supported, so it is suggested that you use a meaningful name, which will make it easier to choose which saved game you want to continue playing.

After a game has been saved, play will continue as if nothing happened.


Setting The Hook

When a fish strikes, you must “set the hook” as soon as possible or the fish will escape. Setting the hook is accomplished by pressing the SPACE BAR or clicking the left or right mouse

button.

If you are successful in hooking the fish, a brief battle will ensue, during  which the fish may jump out of the water and race about in the general area of where it was hooked. In addition, the message “FISH ON” will appear in the status bar at the bottom of the BassTour Main Window.

If your reflexes are too slow, and you fail to set the hook in time, the fish will escape. In NOVICE mode, you have the most time to set the hook. As you increase in skill level, the amount of time is reduced, making it much harder to hook a fish. PRACTICE mode allows the same amount of time as PROFESSIONAL mode, in order to encourage improvement in your response time.


 Selecting A Lake To Fish

Click on the Select Lake Or Saved Game To Fish button.

A dialog box will appear, allowing you to select the lake you want to fish, or the saved game you want to restore. Saved games have the file extension .SAV while lakes have the file extension .LAK.

You can change lakes at any time during play. If you select a saved game to restore, any fish you currently have in your livewell will be released, and replaced with those from the saved game.

If you select a .LAK file to load, BassTour assumes you want to start a new game. In this case, all fish are released, the clock is reset, and all other accessories are reset to their initial state.


 Selecting A Rod

Rods are selected by clicking on the Rod Box button.

See Changing Rods for more information.


 Setting Your Game Preferences

Click on the Set Preferences to display a menu of preferences that you  can select.

Here are the items from the Preferences Menu

•	Set Play Mode (See Setting Your Play Mode)

•	Background Sounds

If you click on this item, a check mark will appear beside it,  indicating that it is selected. Clicking on it again will remove the check mark, indicating that it is not selected.

Background sounds are the typical sounds you hear while fishing. Dogs barking, birds chirping, crows cawing, jet skis etc. are some of the sounds you may hear if this item is checked.

•	Fishing Sounds

If this item is checked, the “whoosh” sound of a fishing rod in the act of casting, a “plop” when the bait hits the water, a strike sound etc. are the types of sounds you will hear. If this item is not checked, none of these sounds will be heard.

•	Show Button Hints

If this item is checked, small one-line hints will appear as you move the mouse over the various controls. These hints will display a one line description of the controls function.

•	Suspend If Inactive

If this item is checked, the game will minimize itself after about 5 minutes of inactivity. See Suspending Game Play for more information.

•	Full Screen At Start

      If this item is checked, the game will occupy the entire screen of your monitor each time  it starts. On monitors set for 648x480 resolution, this item will have little effect since the  game defaults to starting in 640x480 resolution.


 Setting Your Retrieve Style

Click on the Retrieve Style Button to select what retrieve style to use.

The default is Medium, but you can choose Slow, Fast, Rippin, or Stop & Go as well.

Depending on the mood of the fish, the retrieve style can have a great impact on the number of bites you get. If you’re having trouble getting bites, try changing your retrieve style. Sometimes, it can make a big difference!


Setting Your Play Mode

The play mode is set by selecting the first item under the Preferences Menu. (See Setting Your Game Preferences).

BassTour Professional has four play modes:

Practice

If this mode is selected, you can fish as long as you wish without regard to battery levels, time remaining gas remaining etc.

0	Fish behave as if Professional Mode is selected, and the amount of  time you’ve got to set the hook after a strike is also set to the Professional level.

1	Practice mode is not a tournament situation.

2	The remaining modes, Novice, Intermediate and Professional are actually skill levels, and are fished as a three day tournament.

Novice

Novice Mode is the easiest. Fish are easier to find and catch, and the “hook set” time allowed is the greatest. Casting errors are more likely to be forgiven.

Intermediate

0	Intermediate Mode is a step up from Novice Mode. Fish are a bit more finicky, and react more to weather conditions. The “hook set” time is a bit shorter, and the fish are a little more reluctant to bite.

Professional

0	In Professional Mode, things get even tougher. Fish react more realistically to lure types, colors, and presentations. “Hook Set” time is very short. You’ll need good reflexes to consistently hook fish. This mode is more like the real thing. It’s not only tough to win a tournament at this level, it’s entirely possible to fish a whole day with only a few bites.


Suspending Game Play

There are two ways for play to be suspended. One of them is a manual  operation, the other is automatic.

To immediately suspend game play, click on the MINIMIZE button in the upper right corner of the BassTour Main Window. This is the button that has a single line at its bottom, the leftmost of the three buttons.

When you click the Minimize Button, BassTour will reduce itself to a button on your Windows task bar. While in this state, the game clock stops.

To continue play, click on the BassTour Button on the Windows Task Bar.

Play can be suspended automatically as well. This method is activated if you have checked the Suspend If Inactive item on the Preferences Menu. If no game activity is detected for about 5 minutes, the game will reduce itself to an icon on your Windows Task Bar.


Using Fish Attractant Scent

To apply fish attractant scent to your bait, click on the Fish Formula Button.

When fish attractant is applied to your bait, it may help you get more bites. It can be particularly useful if the fishing is tough.

The fish attractant remains on your bait for about 10 casts. While it’s on  your bait, the Fish Formula Button will light up. When it wears off, the button will darken again.

You can apply Fish Formula as often as you like, but it does consume a  little time each time you use it.


Using The Gear Box

0	The Gear Box is used to shift the outboard motor. To make the boat move in a forward direction, move the slide to the F position. To make the boat move in reverse, move the slide to the R position. The N position represents neutral. The boat will not move if the gear shift is in the neutral position.

1	To move the slide, click on the slider button and hold down the left mouse button. While holding down the mouse button, slide the mouse to the desired position.

2	The gear box has no effect on the Trolling Motor.

3


Using The GPS Unit

The GPS (Global Positioning System) unit in BassTour has two operating modes. It can plot the route you have traveled (PLOT mode) as shown above, or it can direct you to a selected waypoint (GOTO mode).

0	Real GPS units rely on information gathered from many satellites that orbit the earth, and have more features than this basic unit.

1	Click on the PWR button to turn on the GPS unit. Click on the PWR button again to turn it off. When the GPS unit is on, the PWR button will light up with red characters.

2	While the GPS unit is on, it continually plots your course of travel, beginning at the moment you turn it on. If, during your course of travel, you pass through one of your waypoints, a small yellow block will appear on the plot line.

3	If the GPS unit is in “GOTO” mode, the plot information is still begin gathered, but is not visible. To return to the plot display, click on the PLOT Button.

The image shown above depicts the GPS unit in GOTO mode. The blue arrow is pointing to the position of a selected waypoint relative to your current boat position. The direction arrow will change when necessary to direct you to the waypoint.

0	The GPS unit in BassTour can store up to 100 waypoints for each lake. Each waypoint must have a description entered so you will know which waypoint is which when you select it from the list.

1	To enter a waypoint, simply click on the WPT button. The coordinates of your current boat position become the waypoint. A dialog box will appear in which you can enter the description for the waypoint. If no description is entered, the waypoint is not stored.

2	To select a waypoint for the GPS unit to “track”, click the GOTO button. A list will appear showing all of the waypoints that have been stored for this lake. Use the scroll bar at the right side of the waypoint list to move up or down in the list. Click the left mouse button on the waypoint you want to select it. Once a waypoint has been selected, the waypoint list will disappear and the GPS unit will immediately begin pointing the way to the selected waypoint.

3	Once you reach the selected waypoint, a message will appear telling you that the waypoint has been reached. The GPS unit will then switch back to the PLOT display mode until you choose another waypoint to “GOTO”.

4	Waypoints are a handy way to remember where the weigh in area is, where gas pumps are located, or where you caught that big fish. However, some caution should be observed when using them. Waypoints point the direction you need to travel “as the crow flies”. They do not consider obstacles (land masses, docks etc.) that may be between your boat and the waypoint.

5	The GPS unit operates on power supplied by your Main Battery. If the main battery is completely drained, the GPS unit will no longer function.


 Using The Lake Map

The lake map is a very useful tool. It shows the entire lake, the location of the weigh in area, the location of gas pumps, the location of your boat, and the route traveled.

To activate the lake map, click the Lake Map Button. If this is the first time you’ve used the map for a particular lake, BassTour will display a message indicating that a map for that lake does not exist, and giving you the option of creating it. If you click the OK button, a map will be generated (this may take a few moments on some computers). Once a map has been created, it will be immediately available thereafter.

The weigh in area is indicated by the letter W, while gas pump locations  are indicated by the letter G.

The location of your boat is shown as a bright pink rectangle.

If you are using a high resolution monitor (1024x768) or greater, you can position the map so it remains visible while you play. If not, the map will disappear behind the main window when you move the boat, make a cast or execute some other main widow action.

As you move about the lake, a bright pink line will appear that marks the path you’ve traveled.


Using The LCD Graph

The LCD graph is your “eyes” into the water beneath your boat. It will show the depth, bottom contour and whether fish are present near your boat.

0	Fish are shown as red arches. Keep in mind that these arches only show the presence of fish, not what kind they are or whether they will bite.

1	The depth of water under your boat is shown by the blue digits at the lower left of the graph screen. You can also read the approximate depth on the scale to the left of the graph screen.

2	Like a real graph, new information enters the screen on the right, and moves toward the left of the screen at the rate of about once per second. This means that if you’re traveling at a high rate of speed, fish and bottom information is “old news” almost as soon as it appears.

3	To turn on the graph, click on the On Button. Click the Off Button to turn it off.

4	The graph operates on power supplied by the Main Battery. If the main battery is drained, the graph will no longer function.


 Using The Lifejacket

Click the Lifejacket Button to “don” your lifejacket, or to remove it if you’re already wearing it.

While your lifejacket is on, the button will light up. It will darken when you’re not wearing it.

Tournament regulations require that you wear the lifejacket anytime the  outboard motor is running. This is a good habit to acquire for the game, and in real fishing too.

If you are running the outboard motor, and don’t have your lifejacket on,  it’s possible (and quite likely) that a tournament official will issue you a citation for this rule violation. If you receive enough violations, you may be disqualified from that day of the tournament and fined.

Wearing the lifejacket has one drawback too. It restricts your movements a bit, which results in shorter, less accurate casts.


 Using The LiveWell

The Livewell is a 30 gallon tank built into your boat. Lake water is periodically circulated through it, providing fresh, oxygenated water to  keep your fish alive.

Clicking on the Livewell Button will cause the Livewell window to be displayed. While this window is visible, you can turn on (or off) the livewell aeration system, and view the fish you’ve caught. Generally, it’s  best to leave the aerator off until you catch your first “keeper sized” bass. This conserves your Main Battery.

While the aerator is running, the aerator button will light up, and you’ll see the spray from the aeration system.

It is advisable to turn on the aerator after the first fish has been added to the livewell. Failure to run the aerator long enough could result in some of your fish dying due to lack of oxygen. Weighing in dead fish results in a penalty.

Five fish may be kept in the livewell. BassTour will automatically cull out the smallest fish when you catch one that is larger. That way, the livewell always contains the five largest fish you’ve caught during that day of fishing.

Once you weigh in your catch, all fish are released to fight again, and you start the next tournament day with an empty livewell.


 Using The Outboard Motor

Click the Outboard Motor Button to start the outboard  motor. The  outboard motor button will light up when the boat is under power of the  outboard motor.

 If you have the Background Sounds item checked in the

  Preferences Menu, you will hear the sound of an outboard motor running. According to tournament regulations, casting is not permitted  while using the outboard motor.

After the outboard motor is running, you must select either Forward or Reverse from the Gear Box before the boat will move.

The outboard motor will automatically accelerate while the boat is moving. If you want to limit how fast the boat travels, you can manually set the throttle. The throttle setting you select will not be exceeded. If you stop the boat or change direction, the throttle limit will be reset, and automatic acceleration will again occur.

While under power of the outboard motor, lots of things can happen. Be  careful to use the lifejacket while the outboard is running. If you fail to do  so, you may receive a citation. If you receive enough citations, you may be disqualified from that day of competition. Also, when traveling at high speeds, if you run aground or hit something, the damage sustained is

greater. Speeding in a NO WAKE zone can also result in a citation.

Obviously, the outboard motor consumes gasoline, and requires sufficient energy in your main battery to start it. If you run out of gas, the outboard motor will stop running. Each lake has at least one marina where you can refill your gas tank. See Gassing Up Your Boat for more information.

All of the electronic devices and your livewell aerator are powered by the Main Battery. If the Main Battery has sufficient energy, it will start your outboard motor. If the Main Battery level drops too far, it may not be capable of starting the outboard motor. Any time the outboard motor is running, the Main Battery is being recharged. If the outboard motor is used enough, it can fully recharge the Main Battery.


 Using The Paddle

Click the Paddle Button to use the paddle to move the boat. When the paddle is in use, the paddle button will light up.

Since the paddle is considered an emergency device, it should only be used when you are unable to use the Trolling Motor or the Outboard Motor. It is much slower that the trolling motor or outboard motor, and consumes more time.

You may cast while using the paddle.


Using The Throttle

The throttle controls the speed at which your outboard motor is running.

0	Most of the time, BassTour will control it for you (you’ve got enough to do!). When you begin to move the boat under power of the outboard motor, the throttle will automatically accelerate, causing your boat to go faster and faster, up to the maximum of about 5500 rpm.

1	There are times, however, that you may not want the throttle to “auto accelerate” for you. For example, to pass through a NO WAKE zone. These “zones” are clearly marked by floating signs. If the throttle is above 5 of the small marks on the throttle, you may be caught for speeding. The auto accelerate feature will quickly advance beyond this point. To avoid this situation, you can manually position the throttle to the maximum speed you want the boat to achieve by clicking on the slide and moving it to the point at which you do not want the throttle to pass. Then, when you move the boat, it will not accelerate beyond that point. Once you stop the boat, the throttle will revert to its normal auto accelerate mode.


 Using The Trolling Motor

Click the Trolling Motor Button to use the trolling motor. It is a battery powered electric motor that has three speeds. Higher speeds move the boat faster, but use more battery power.

When the trolling motor is in use as the method of propulsion, the trolling motor button will light up.

Trolling Motor Speed is selected by the speed control beside the Trolling Motor button.

Trolling Motor batteries cannot be recharged during a tournament day, but are automatically recharged at the end of each tournament day. The Trolling Motor battery is separate from the Main Battery and runs nothing but the trolling motor.

The trolling motor is normally used to move the boat as you fish, or to move short distances on the lake. Casting is permitted while using the trolling motor.


 Viewing And Printing Current Standings

The current standings can be viewed or printed at any time.

Click on the QUESTION MARK button at the upper right of the BassTour Main Window. From the drop down menu that appears, click on the View Current Standings item.

A window will appear listing the tournament standings as they currently exist. After each weigh in, the standings are updated. If a weigh in has not yet taken place, this window will not appear.

Use the scroll bar at the right of the window to scroll up and down in the list. All 40 of your competitors are listed, along with your standing. Your name will be highlighted in yellow to make it easy to locate.

If you want to print the standings, click on the Print Button.


 Viewing and Printing Record Catches

BassTour maintains all-time records of the largest fish caught and of the heaviest total weight for a three day tournament.

You can view or print these records at any time by clicking the Question  Mark Button in the upper right corner of the BassTour Main Window, then selecting View Records from the drop-down menu.

While the records are visible, click the Print button to send them to your  printer.


 Weighing In Your Fish

Before you are permitted to weigh in your fish, you must be adjacent to  the Weigh In Flag. This flag is near where you first started the game.

0	If you forget where the flag is, consult the Lake Map.

1	You MUST weigh in your fish before the allotted time has elapsed. If you fail to do so, your fish will be released, and you will receive zero for that day’s weight. Be sure to allow yourself enough time to return to the weigh in area!

2	To begin the weigh in process, click on the Weigh In Button to have your catch officially weighed.

3	After weighing in, the next day of the tournament will begin, unless you are weighing in on the final day (Day 3).

4	After weighing in, you are placed in the appropriate place in the current  standings.

5	A weigh In form will appear, showing your results for the day, and your total weight for the tournament. You can view the current standings, view your statistics for the day, or print the day’s results by clicking on the appropriate button.


About BassTour Professional

BassTour Professional was written by Dick Olsen, of Olsen Outdoors, the author of the original fishing games, BassTour, BassDuel and Bass Class.

Also contributing to the game were:

•	Jeff Lewis who created most of the graphics, some of the sound effects, and some of the music you hear. The game would not have been possible without Jeff’s help. He’s a talented guy!

•	Dave Tegelaar who performed the “theme” music you hear when the program starts and ends. He also created lots of the sounds and contributed many other ideas.

•	Sally Olsen who created the photo used on the title screen, supplied encouragement, patience, testing, and some great ideas. She’s the authors wife and source of energy.

BassTour Professional is intended to be run under Windows 95, and requires a computer with at least a 486/66 processor and 8mb of memory. The game will run on lesser machines, but not well. The more “horsepower” you’ve got, the better it plays. It has not been tested under Windows NT, but it may run well in that environment.

BassTour Professional comes in two flavors.....the ShareWare version, and the full blown version. The ShareWare version has limited lake access rights. In it, you can only move the boat over a small portion of the lake. It does provide enough range to catch plenty of fish, maybe even to win a tournament. Aside from this limitation, it is fully functional, providing ample opportunity for the user to decide whether he/she likes the game enough to purchase the full version.

The ShareWare version may be copied, uploaded, or shared with others. The full version may not.

Should you need to contact the author, or any of the contributors, here’s how to do it:

Write to:

Olsen Outdoors

68 Hartwell Avenue

Littleton  MA  01460-1205

U.S.A.

Phone: (978) 486-4985

FAX: (978) 486-9007

EMAIL: OlsenOut@compuserve.com

Thank you for playing BassTour Professional!

BassTour Professional is Copyright  1997 by Richard A. Olsen. All Rights Reserved.

Windows 95 and Windows NT are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.