| The 2008 Rules |
| 1. RULE CHANGES AND INTERPRETATION: Interpretation of these rules will be left exclusively to the Tournament Directors. The decision of the Directors will be final in all matters. Infractions of any rule can result in disqualification. |
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| 2. PARTICIPANTS AND ELIGIBILITY: PARTICIPANTS AND ELIGIBILITY: The annual membership fee is $25.00 and expires on December 31 each year. Entry fee is $170.00 per team and big fish pot is $10.00 per person. Participation in this tournament is by invitation and is open only to members of PBF who are 18 years of age or older unless fishing with a parent or guardian. A parent/guardian must sign the registration and release of liability form. A properly completed and signed Official Entry Application form and a minimum deposit of $85.00 per tournament will hold your place. PBF reserves the right to discontinue acceptance of applications prior to the deadline and also has the right to extend the acceptance date. Any competitors that have been suspended or disqualified from any tournament or fishing organization is grounds for refusal of an angler’s entry. There will be a $25.00 charge on all returned checks. |
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| 3. PRE-TOURNAMENT PRACTICE: No Off Limits on the tournaments. Each competitor agrees to report to Tournament Officials any infraction of tournament rules. The failure to report violations or suggestions to violate these rules or false verification of weigh-in forms will be cause for disqualification. PROTESTS: Any competitor filing a protest must do so in writing 15 minutes prior to the first boat’s check in time. The Tournament Directors will rule on any protests and their decisions will be final. All contestants agree to abide by the decisions of the Tournament Directors. Each competitor agrees to submit, by his/her signature on the application form, to a polygraph examination should he/she be so asked by an official. Two day offical practice days for Classic constantants must fish together or alone. The administration and interpretation of the polygraph test shall be solely the responsibility of the Tournament Directors. |
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| 4. REGISTRATION: Competitors must read and sign a “Registration and Release of Liability” form. Those who pay for all tournaments will need to sign the Registration and release of Liability form only one time for all the tournaments for that season, unless the boat captain has a different partner, or the use of a different boat. (need insurance policy information) Those teams will keep the same boat number all season. Those who paid deposits and those who pay for each individual tournament will need to register at the time and place prescribed in the tabloid. Failure to register in person during the prescribed hours shall be cause for disqualification. Classic teams must sign a new “Registration and Release of Liability” form. Tournament Directors reserve the right to prohibit any person(s) from fishing PBF, Inc. |
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| 5. SAFETY: Safe boating must be observed at all times. Each competitor is required to wear a Coast Guard-approved life preserver any time the combustion engine is running. All boats are required to have emergency engine shutoff switch and they must be attached to the driver any time the gas engine is in gear.. At time of check-out running lights must be turned on and during times required by State Regulations. All boats and motors must comply with Boating Institute of American (BIA) and U.S. Coast Guard horsepower ratings. When required, each boat must have a U.S. Coast Guard horsepower rating plate attached to the boat by the manufacturer. At the discretion of the Tournament Directors tournament days may be shortened or canceled due to unsafe weather or water conditions, etc. If tournament is canceled the entry fee will be refunded or applied to the next Tournament. |
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| 6. SPORTSMANSHIP: Competitors in PBF Tournaments are expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety and conservation. Hole setting will not be tolerated, and will be cause for disqualification from this tournament and from all future tournaments conducted by PBF. No alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs will be allowed during the tournament hours. Violators will be disqualified. Any competitor receiving a citation/ticket on tournament(s) for a fishing violation will be disqualified and the team will lose their weight. |
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| 7. BOAT AND MOTOR: Boats must be 15’ or more in length and have functional and properly aerated live well space to maintain adequately alive a limit (5) catch of bass. Tournament Officials shall have the sole responsibility for determining whether aeration and capacity is proper and adequate. |
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| 8. PERMITTED FISHING METHODS: All bass must be caught live in a conventional sporting manner. When fishing bedding fish they must be hooked inside the mouth, snatching fish is strictly forbidden, Only artificial lures may be used with the exception of pork trailers. Only one fishing rod ( not to exceed 8 feet in length ) may be used at a time. Trolling as a method of fishing is prohibited. |
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| 9. PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS: Fishing on tournament waters is permitted anywhere except within 50 yards of a refueling dock of a marine or within 50 yards of another competitor’s boat which is anchored with the trolling motor up. No such anchored boat shall permit selected competitors to fish within a 50-yard circle claimed by him/her to the exclusion of any other competitor. No fishing is allowed in areas that are designated as “Off Limits” or “No-Fishing” by local and state officials. Competitors must return to the official check point by boat. Competitors must remain in boat at all times except in case of emergency (an act of nature excepted). Trailing of boats during tournament hours is prohibited accept when approved by Tournament Directors. |
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| 10. OFFICIAL CHECK POINT: There shall be only one official point for check-out in the AM and check-in in the PM. At the time of check-out all competitors must have their running lights turned on and their boats shall be in full conformity with all rules set forth herein. Exact check-in times will be posted prior to the tournament. TOURNAMENT HOURS: March-April-May= Safe light first boat back at 3:00 pm. June-July-August= Safe light first boat back at 2:00 pm. Each boat must be given, prior to each day’s start, an inspection check by a Tournament Official. In the event of equipment failure or emergency, there are only two methods of returning to the offical check-in:(1) By both partners remaining in their boat and being towed in by water, or (2) By one partner entering the boat of another tournament contestant with their fish. Under these two conditions, catches may be counted (normal penalties apply such as dead fish, late penalty, etc.) If a team must violate any part of this rule due to an emergency or any other reason, the catch will not be counted. |
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| 11. SCORING: Tournament standings and final winners shall be determined by the pound and hundredth weight of each competitors catch. Only largemouth, spotted, or smallmouth bass will be weighed. The limit shall be five (5) fish per day unless the prevailing state limit is less than five in which case the states limit shall be the tournament limit. All competitors are bound by the prevailing statutes and regulation of the various states in which they fish. At no time shall the competitors have in their possession more than the limits described above. In the event a competitor exceeds the above described limit, the Tournament Official shall cull down to the limit prescribed, taking the largest bass first. Fish will be measured on a flat (golden rule) board with mouth closed and by moving tail side-to-side. There will be a 1-pound penalty assessed for each short fish and the short fish removed from the creel. Bags will be furnished by the Tournament Officials, and those bags must be used for the weigh-in no exceptions. Dead fish: (1- pound) will be deducted from the total weight for each dead fish weighed in. The (1- pound) rule also applies to the Big Bass Competition. Big Bass Pot: Only one big bass prize awarded per team. It’s the angler(s) responsibly to have any fish weighed for big fish prize. Ties: In case of ties, positions will be resolved by combining the awards and dividing them equally. |
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| 12. LATE PENALTY: Failure to report to the official check-in point on time will result in a 1-pound per minute penalty, after 15 minutes, the entire weight will be lost. |
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| 13. PRE-ENTRY: There is a cut-off for all PBF Tournaments. Entries must be postmarked by midnight Monday prior to the Saturday tournament without paying the $20.00 late fee per person. You can sign up on Fridays at the Tournament Site at 3:00 pm- 6:00 pm or Saturday mornings at 4:30 am by paying a late entry fee of $20.00 per person. Your pre-entry is non-refundable and non-transferable. All contestants must be paid members of Professional Bass Fishermen, Inc. Tournament Trail. IMPORTANT: You must pay or fish all six tournaments to go to the Classic. All tournament winners that pay or fish all six tournaments pay no entry fee at the Classic. All top 50 teams and ties based on points pay no entry fee at the Classic. To qualify for Classic based on participation all entry fees must be paid before each tournament. No catching up!!! |
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| 14. BOAT CAPTAIN: The Boat Captain must fish with the same partner in 4 of the 6 qualifying tournaments, each team can have 2-Alternates, including the Boat Captain, each member has to fish 4 tournaments to go to the Classic. Only the Boat Captain(determine before 3rd tournament) will receive points toward the Classic and Point Championship..Only teams that fish all six tournaments (no Alternates) qualify for the Horizon Award. If there is a tie for the Point Championship the award money will be split. |
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| 15. LIABILITY INSURANCE: All members must carry a minimum of-$100,000 of liability insurance on any boat they might use during the PBF tournament. Failure to do so or reporting of false information will result in disqualification. Competitors must include the company name and either the policy number or the name of the agent binding the coverage on the entry form for each tournament. |
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| 16. CAMERA RELEASE: Competitors grant PBF, Tournament Officials, and Sponsors the unconditional right to use their names, voice, photographic likeness and biographical information for video/audio production, promotions, and press releases, and shall not be entitled to receive any royalties or other compensation in connection with such use. |
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