OFFICIAL TOURNAMENT RULES

 

 

1. All Tournament participants and their boats shall obey all local laws, Coast Guard and DEC regulations, any breach of these Laws and Regulations will be grounds for immediate disqualification.

2. Aerated live wells are required at every tournament. One (1) Tournament Committee approved, 64-quart (15 gallon) minimum capacity, aerated live well, per boat is mandatory. Inspections will be conducted by Tournament Committee before the start of every tournament.

3. Alcoholic beverages MAY NOT be consumed during tournament hours.

4. All tournament entry fees must be paid in full prior to fishing. In the event of a late arrival to the event you must first locate a member of the tournament staff, pay entry fee, and have live well inspected before you start fishing. If you possess fish prior to paying entry fee you will be disqualified.

5. Tournament off limits begins 72 hours before the start of the event. Example is all Sunday events start at 6am, off limits starts on Wednesday at 6am. All tournaments starting Saturday are off limits starting Tuesday. Absolutely no fishing or boat riding before the start of the tournament.

6. Chapter scale, which has been certified, is the official scale for all tournaments.

7. Weight deduction for dead fish will be made according to the “Tournament Penalty Chart” (see at the end of rules). Also dead fish penalty goes against the team’s lunker if they have one.

8. Absolutely NO live bait or trolling is allowed during any tournament.

9. Artificial bait type lures ONLY(pork type baits are permitted)

10. Total team weight (5 fish) wins tournament. Largest bass (by weight) wins Lunker prize.

11. Gasoline engine use is PROHIBITED during all tournaments, gas motor must be up ,bagged and gas line should be disconnected, if attached to boat.

12. The tournament director or a designated committee member will be the official time keeper for the purpose of starting and ending the tournament. When tournament ends you must be within a 100ft of the area designated by the tournament committee.

13. NO casting, flipping or pitching in the water prior to the start of the tournament.

14. All casting, flipping and pitching must be done from the boat in which you are fishing from during the tournament.

15. All fish must be caught by rod & reel, no netting, snagging, etc. Competitors may not leave the boat at any time to catch or land a fish. One (1) foot must be firmly placed on the deck of the boat if necessary to land a fish if needed from a tree or other possible situation.

16. When visually fishing for bedding bass, to be counted as a legal catch all fish must be hooked inside of the mouth.  If not it must be released immediately back into the water. Anyone guilty of of snagging, or snatching of visual fish will be as well as their team mate disqualified.

17. All fish must be caught alive.

18. No culling of dead fish.

19. Possession of more than five (5) per team is illegal and requires instant disqualification. The EXCEPTION is when the team catches the 6 fish and has to cull. Also if the other angler catches a fish while his partner is culling they must stop fishing and cull till they have five (5) fish.

20. Watches will be synchronized at the start of the tournament and the end time will be clearly announced. Any team arriving late to weigh-in will be suffer a 1lb per minute penalty. After 10 minutes they will be disqualified and this penalty also goes against the team’s lunker if they have one. please use sound judgement in leaving yourself enough time to get back to the ramp area(i.e. boat speed, battery power and wind/water current conditions)

21. A boat that is working an area has priority. A competitor SHALL not pass within 50ft or fish within a 100ft of another competitor’s boat without direct consent of the other competitor. This also applies to the intended path of the primary boat. Meaning, they have priority towards fishing its immediate forward area. With some of the waters we fish being small, a presence of sportsmanship must be applied by competitors in applicable situations.

22. All fish must be brought to the weight-in in a proper tournament style bag, with water in it. And no cull ropes attached to the fish.

23. The Golden rule will be used for measuring fish at weight in. all the competitors smallest fish will be measured. Any short fish brought to the scale, will cause the team to be disqualified. Proper method of measurement is with the bass’s mouth closed and the tail squeezed together. All fish size limits will be announced prior to the start of the tournament.

24. All competitors will be able to have a courtesy length check on the official tournament ruler before the start of the weight-ins, for small fish in question.

25. All competitors should have a bottle of catch & release or a live well solution on their boat for the live wells; this will ensure the fishes health during the tournament.

26. Tackle & Equipment, only one casting (baitcaster) or spinning rod & reel combo no more than 8ftin length (from butt of handle to rod tip) may be used at any one time by an angler.

27. All tournaments will be 8 hours unless noted on the tournament schedule. And tournament officials have the right to delay, shorten or cancel the start of any tournament because of bad weather or other factors that may endanger the safety of the competitors.

28. A minimum of a Class III PFD Chest Style is required for each contestant. Each contestant MUST wear the PFD whenever the gasoline engine is on (idle or in drive).  It must be in the boat at all times. Please check locale state laws.

29. All boats MUST be equipped with a “throw” type life preserver.

30. All boats must be registered and show proper numbering on boats.

31. Knowledge of coast guard regulation is the sole responsibility of the boater.

32. Keep noise to an absolute minimum during the early morning hours.

33. No littering! “Take your trash with you”.

34. Any instances not covered in the above rules will be decided solely by the tournament director or in his absence the person running the tournament that day.

     TOURNAMENT “DEAD FISH PENALTY” CHART  

    # OF DEAD BASS                                     PENALTY FOR EACH                                               TOTAL PENALTY

1ST.  4 OZ.   4 OZ.        2ND.   8 OZ.   1 LB.         3RD 12 OZ. 2 LBS. 4 OZ.     4TH 1 LB. 4 LBS.     5TH 1-1/4 0Z.    6 LBS. 6TH    

(OPEN TX) 1-1/2 OZ. 9 LBS.

 

NOTE: PENALTY WEIGHTS WILL BE APPLIED TO ALL “LUNKER” POOL BASS CANDIDATES ALSO.