Tournament Rules: ________________ PDF To Print

1. Rules

• The intent of all tournament rules is to ensure safety, conservation, good sportsmanship, and fair competition. Federal, State, and Local laws shall take precedence over all tournament rules. Violation of Federal, State, or Local law during tournament hours may result in disqualification. Interpretation of tournament rules shall be the duty of the tournament director.
• A competitor may appeal a ruling if the appeal has the support of at least 5 fellow competitors. Appeals must be made in writing and submitted to the tournament director with the signatures of 5 competitors that support the appeal within 30 minutes of the conclusion of the tournament. The appeal will be presented to all Bass Fishing Guild tournament directors and a final ruling will be determined within a two-week period. Tournament point standings for all competitors may be adjusted based on the final ruling of the appeal. Appropriate payout compensation may also be made for the competitor submitting the appeal. Payouts for all other competitors of the event will remain unchanged.
• Bass Fishing Guild 150 Series Team Tournaments are limited to a maximum of 150 boats per event. Anglers entering all 5 events will receive priority entry. Take off position for the first tournament will be determined by order entries are received. Take off position for all other tournaments will be determined by points awarded in the previous tournament.
• Points will be awarded to each team with the first place team receiving 150 points, 2nd place 149, and so on. In the event one team member is not present competitors have the following options.

1. One team member can choose to fish and points will be awarded to that team.
2. A substitute may fish in place of one team member, but points will not be awarded to the original team.
   

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2. Safety

• Safe boating practices must be observed at all times. Competitors must wear a fastened, U.S. Coast Guard approved, personal flotation device anytime the combustion engine is in operation. All boats must be equipped with a factory installed properly functioning emergency shut-off device (kill-switch), and it must be securely attached to the driver's body whenever the combustion engine is in operation. Note: An engine is considered to be in operation anytime the propeller is engaged. Tournaments may be shortened, postponed or canceled due to unsafe weather or water conditions at the tournament director’s discretion.
• Boats must be a minimum of 17 feet in length, equipped with wheel steering, be in sound condition, and have all U.S. Coast Guard required safety devices. Engine must not exceed U.S. Coast Guard horsepower rating. No engine can exceed 250 horsepower regardless of boat horsepower rating. Platforms and gas tanks must be factory installed. No portable platform or fuel tank will be permitted. Gas may be purchased on the water, but only from public marinas.
• The use of Alcohol or mind-altering substances is strictly forbidden and will result in immediate disqualification.
• All boats must maintain a safe distance from all other boats while on plane.
• Tournaments are open to Bass Fishing Guild members 12 years of age or older. Minors must be accompanied by an adult and have the signature of his or her parent or legal guardian in the provided space on the entry form. The safety and wellbeing of any minor is the sole responsibility of the minor’s accompanying adult.
• All boats must have liability insurance, with a reasonable amount of coverage.

3. Conservation

• Competitors and Tournament Directors must make every effort possible to ensure the healthy release of all fish. Tournaments may be postponed or canceled at the tournament director’s discretion due to extreme environmental factors that could adversely affect fish mortality, i.e. excessively high water temperatures.
• All boats must contain properly aerated livewell space.
• All fish must be released immediately after weigh-in.
• Culling of dead fish is prohibited.
• 1 pound will be deducted from a team’s total weight for each dead bass that team weighs in.

4. Good Sportsmanship

• Good sportsmanship and courtesy must be maintained and exhibited to all other watercraft and individuals. As natural resources become more limited and public waterways become more crowded, the manner in which all bass fishing tournament participants conduct themselves will have profound consequences for the future of tournament bass fishing. Any competitor that behaves in a manner that reflects poorly on the sport of tournament bass fishing may be disqualified and/or have his or her membership in the Bass Fishing Guild permanently revoked.
• No boat may fish within 50 yards of any individual that is fishing.
  

5. Fair Competition

• All bass must be caught alive and in a sporting manner. Only artificial lures may be used. Trolling is not permitted. An individual competitor may use only one rod at a time.
• The tournament limit for each team is five fish. No team may possess more than five fish.
• Length limit is 12 inches, unless local laws state otherwise. Fish weighed in less than 12 inches will result in a 1-pound penalty per fish.
• Only largemouth, spotted, redeye and smallmouth bass can be weighed in.
• All boats must remain in tournament waters during tournament hours except in the case of an emergency such as sever weather. In the event of sever weather a boat may be trailered and re-launched after conditions have improved.
• All competitors must remain in their boats during tournament hours except in the case of an emergency such as personal injury, sever weather, or trips to a restroom.
• All fishing must be done from within the boat while on tournament waters and with both team members present.
• All boats must check out at the beginning of every tournament and must check in at the end every tournament. Competitors that do not check in at the appointed time will have 1 pound deducted from their total weight for every minute they are late. Competitors more than 15 minutes late will be disqualified.
• Competitors that fail to check in will be reported to local authorities as missing. It is imperative that competitors not able to finish a tournament notify the tournament director so that all boats can be accounted for at the tournament’s end.
• Only fish weighed in during official tournament hours, brought in by water, and with both team members present may be counted. In the event of mechanical break down or an emergency competitors may be towed by another boat or enter the boat of another competitor.
• Ties will be resolved by the largest fish of each team. The next largest fish will be used in the event of a tie in the in the largest fish and so on until the tie is broken.
• Each contestant agrees to submit, by their signature on the tournament entry form, to a polygraph examination and abide by its results. Failure to pass the polygraph examination may result in disqualification.