RULES CHANGES: The following rules will remain unchanged throughout the event unless State or local laws are in conflict. INTERPRETATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF THESE RULES SHALL BE LEFT EXCLUSIVELY TO THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR. In the event of a rule violation, the Tournament Director may impose sanctions as he deems appropriate including, without limitation, disqualification, forfeiture of prizes, entry fee and prohibition from participation in subsequent tournaments. The decision of the Tournament Director and tournament officials shall be final in all matters. It is at the Director's discretion to make a change where safety of the contestants is a concern. All Federal, State and local laws must be obeyed and it is the contestant's responsibility to know these laws.
PARTICIPANTS AND ELIGIBILITY: Participation in each tournament is open to all persons male or female. At least one team member must be 18 years or older. Participants are allowed two (2) alternates, for two (2) tournaments. Alternates cannot be used in the Classic. All participants must sign waiver form on day of tournament.
REGISTRATION: Customers may register by mail or in person at Bay Marine, The Dugout or Oakwood. All tournament fees must be paid for in full by dates listed on opposite side. NO EXCEPTIONS. Fishing hours and check points will be disclosed at registration. It is each team's responsibility to obtain this information from the Tournament Director. Starting position will be determined by the receipt of deposit or entry fee. Participants paying for all six tournaments up front will receive a guaranteed number for all six tournaments.
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND DRUGS: At no time during tournament hours are any alcoholic beverages or drugs other than prescription allowed in the boat or to be consumed while on the water, or consumed before completion of weigh-in.
SPORTSMANSHIP: All teams are expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety, and conversation. Any team who displays poor sportsmanship, violates these rules or any state or local laws or brings unfavorable publicity to the sport of bass fishing will be disqualified.
BOATS AND MOTORS: There is no horsepower limit, however, no engine may exceed the BIA horsepower rating for the boat on which it is used. All boats must meet US Coast Guard and state regulations. All boats must have an emergency kill switch. All boats must have an aerated livewell large enough to sustain a tournament limit in reasonable condition. Extra gas tanks must be secured and meet US Coast Guard specifications.
BOAT IDENTIFICATION: Prior to each day's start, each boat will be given an inspection check by a tournament official. Boaters will be given a launch number which must be displayed upon request of tournament officials and must remain in the boat until turned in at check-in.
SAFETY: Boating safety must be observed at all times during practice and competition. A US Coast Guard approved chest type life preserver must be on and fastened any time the combustible engine is operative and the kill switch must be attached to the driver during the competition day. It is suggested that this be practiced during the official practice week, but will only enforced only on competition day. In the event of equipment failure or emergency the tournament director must be notified as soon as it is safe to do so. There are then two permitted methods of returning to check-in: (1) by both anglers remaining in their boat and being towed by water, or (2) with permission from the tournament director, by one or both anglers entering the boat of another tournament contestant. Under these two conditions both contestants' catches may be counted without a penalty (except for late penalties, dead fish penalties or other penalties pertaining to other tournament rules) provided each team's fish are adequately marked so as to provide clear distinction to the tournament director. Contestants who elect to return to check-in by any means other than those cited will forfeit their day's catch to that point and time of the tournament day. Abandoning a boat and leaving it adrift without proper tie-off or anchoring after a mechanical failure may result in disqualification of that day's weight.
TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT: All fish must be caught in a legal sporting manner. Intentional snagging of fish will not be allowed. Trolling with the aid of combustion or electric motors is not permitted. Only artificial lures may be used. No live bait or prepared bait is permitted with the exception of pork rinds. Liquid fish attractants are allowed. Only one (1) rod may be used at any one time. Other rods may be in the boat and ready for use, however, every cast and retrieve must be completed before another cast is made. The official measuring board will be Gator Grip Flat Board. The use of electronic tracking equipment cannot be used or practice or competition days. Underwater cameras are not allowed during competition.
PROTESTS: All protests must be submitted before the tournament closes the scales.
POLYGRAPH: All contestants, winners and non-winners are subject to a polygraph test. Failure to submit to a polygraph test will result in immediate disqualification. Any contestant who has failed a polygraph test in connection with any bass tournament for cheating or whose results are found to be inconclusive will not be eligible to compete in Four Seasons Tournaments.
OFFICIAL BOATS: Officials will be on the lake for boat inspection and observation during tournament hours. Each team is required to cooperate with all requests.
SCORING: Each team may weigh five (5) fish per day with a minimum of 12 inches in length, unless state or lake limits are greater, measured on a flat board with mouth closed and tail compressed. A dead fish penalty of .25lbs. per fish will be deducted from the total weight. Any team bringing more than two (2) dead fish to the scales will be disqualified. Tournament standings will be determined by the total weight for the competition days of the tournament. Only largemouth, spotted, red-eye, or smallmouth bass will be scored. Any team weighing in a fish shorter than the legal tournament length will be assessed a penalty equal to the loss of the short fish and the largest fish. Each team is required to leave from and return to a specified check point. Any team returning to the check-in point late will be penalized at the rate of one (1) lb. Per minute up to 15 minutes. After 15 minutes no weight will be allowed. Late penalty will apply to big fish also.
CULLING FISH: It is the responsibility of each team to keep no more than a limit of five (5) fish in a livewell. If more than 5 fish are present in the livewell during the event you will be subject to disqualification. There will be no culling of dead fish allowed.
PERMITTED FISHING WATERS: All fishing must be done from a previously inspected boat. No tube or wade fishing is allowed. Boats may not be trailered to and from weigh-in during the tournament hours unless under the discretion of the tournament director. No fishing is allowed within 25 yards of a non-anchored tournament boat without that boat's permission. No fishing is allowed with 50 yards of another anchored or tied tournament boat with trolling motor out of the water, without the anchored boats permission. Both team partners must fish from the same boat. Only contestants may be in the boat during the tournament hours. Having a non-contestant (or alternate) sit on a hole for you will not be tolerated. Contestants can't leave the boat to land a fish. Navigable waters are the only waters to be fished during the tournament. Contestants must be able to drive the boat into the fishing area without getting out of the boat. The practice of restricting the natural movement of fish by any means, such as, but not limited to the use of nets, tanks, or dams will not be tolerated and will result in disqualification. Restricting the access to waters normally accessible by all anglers by any means, such as, but not limited to the felling of trees or the construction of obstructions will not be allowed and will result in disqualification. * Lake Weiss - No fishing permitted from boat ramp to tire dock.
PRACTICE FISHING: There will be no off limits periods. During the official practice days of the tournament (Monday to Saturday of the tournament week) and during the tournament, a competitor may not use a CB radio, a VHF marine band radio, a cellular telephone, or any other type of communication device for the purpose of locating a fish. These devices may be used for emergency purposes only. During the official practice days and competition days a contestant must not have the assistance or advice from anyone to locate fish except from another entered contestant in this tournament. Practice partners on Monday through Saturday other than entered contestants must be approved by the Tournament Director. Failure to report violations or suggestions to violate these rules will be cause for disqualification.
CONSERVATION: This is the primary concern of Bay Marine, The Dugout and Oakwood. Adequate livewells are mandatory in each boat and must provide aeration to maintain fish in a good condition as every effort will be made to release as many live, releasable fish as possible following weigh-in.
POINT LEADER QUALIFYING: Qualifying will be based on a points format. First place in each event will receive 200 points. Second place shall receive 198 points and each subsequent place shall receive one less point. ie. 1St = 200 pts., 2nd = 198 pts., 3rd = 197 pts.... No points may be accumulated by individuals or transferred from one team to another. You may have an alternate partner (no guide) in 2 tournaments and still accumulate points for that team. Each member is allowed to fish two qualifying tournaments alone and represent the team providing that the other member does not enter the tournament.
TIES: A tie for 1st place will be broken by a one hour fish-off. All other ties will be resolved by splitting that place and the next place's money. Equal points will be awarded.
TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR HAS FINAL SAY IN ALL TOURNAMENT MATTERS!
