Rules for 2004
(Subject to change)

Modifications in RED 2/28/04
Modifications in Blue 3/6/04
Modifications in Orange 4/4/04
Modification in green 5/7/04
Modification on Purple 7/2/04
Modification in Dark Green 8/30/04

RULE CHANGES - These rules could be subject to modification if needed throughout the 2004 season. Interpretation of these rules shall be left exclusively to the tournament director. Failure to comply with any rule may result in disqualification. The decision of the tournament director and/or ruling board shall be final in all matters. Tournament Director may choose a ruling board consisting of a panel of the tournament director and 2 contestants. Contestants will be selected from boat draw positions 3 and 7.

PARTICIPANTS AND ELIGIBILITY - Participation is open to all who are 16 years of age or older. Proof of age to the satisfaction of tournament officials is the responsibility of the competitor. A properly completed and signed official entry form and the entry fee must be presented to the tournament director prior to the tournament. A single entry/release form will will apply to all 2004 events. Tournament officials reserve the right to refund any entry fee, if they shall choose for any reason not to accept the application for entrance. Any person entering a tournament that is under 18 years of age must have the signature of his/her parent or legal guardian on the entry form. One contestant per boat. An observer (1 only) may accompany contestant but will not fish or help contestant catch, land, guide or instruct in anyway. All safety rules apply to observer.

PRE-TOURNAMENT PRACTICE - There will be no official practice period or off-limits period prior to the tournament.

REGISTRATION - Contestants should register at the designated tournament headquaters during the official registration period. Registration period is defined as 1 hour preceding start of tournament. Late registration is allowable within 1 hour of start time. Contestant must check-in on the water with the tournament director or assistant director for boat and payment of fees. A cell phone number will be available to determine location of "on the water" check-in.

SAFETY - Safe boating conduct will be observed at all times. Each competitor must wear a serviceable U.S. Coast Guard approved chest-type life preserver (PFD). This preserver must be worn, strapped, snapped or zipped any time the combustion engine is operating and until the combustion engine is shut off. The boat operator must have a safety-stop switch attached to his person when the combustion engine is running. Violation of either the PFD or safety-stop switch portion of this rule will result in disqualification.

SPORTSMANSHIP - All contestants are expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety and conservation. Violation of this rule shall be reason for disqualification. No alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs are allowed in the boat at any time. Drunkenness at any official activity will be grounds for immediate disqualification. Each contestant must keep the waters clean and bring trash back to the dock for disposal. Any violation of state, local or federal laws may result in immediate disqualification.

TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT - Only artificial lures with the exception of pork rind may be used. Only one rod and reel combination may be used at one time. Trolling as a method of fishing is prohibited. All bass must be caught live and in a conventional sporting manner. All angling must be done from the boat. Anglers are not permitted to leave the boat to land a fish or leave the boat to gain access to secluded waters unless needing to retrive lure or in case of emergency (i.e.nature call or bad weather). Citizen band radios, marine radios and cellular phones are allowed in the boat for emergency use only. Any transmission of information via any communicative device concerning any aspect of fishing is prohibited during the tournament. GMRS/FRS ( Family Radio Service) Walkie Talkies are allowed for participant boat to boat communications for general information and for emergency use. Channel 1 code 1 will be the radio setting for all tournaments.

BOAT AND MOTOR - All boats entered in the tournament must carry a $100,000 liability insurance policy. Any boat considered inadequate to safely fish two contestants for an 8-hour day will not be allowed.  Determination with cause is solely at the tournament director's discretion.  All boats must be a minimum of 15ft in length, have an operational safety stop switch on 35HP and over motors, and have all required U.S. Coast Guard safety equipment. Each boat must also have a properly aerated or re-circulating live well to maintain a live limit catch of bass by both contestants. Maximum horsepower for all outboards used in tournament competition will be 250 HP, not to exceed the maximum horsepower limitations set by the U.S. Coast Guard. Each boat must have a U.S. Coast Guard horsepower rating plate attached to the boat by the manufacturer. The horsepower of the outboard engine must not exceed the rating specified on this rating plate or the 250 horsepower maximum.

PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS - Contestants may fish anywhere accessible by boat, except areas designated by federal, state or local officials or within 50 yards of another competitor's boat, anchored or not. Competitors invoking the 50-yard rule must hold their boats steady. Any competitor that allows any other competitor to fish within 50 yards of his boat has suspended the 50-yard rule and opened the water to all competitors. No competitor can be within 10 feet from a non-competitors boat or person on the water, in a boat or on a dock.

OFFICIAL CHECKPOINT - There will be only one official point for checkout and check in as designated by the tournament director. Competitors not at the checkpoint ( boat off-plane ) at the designated time will be penalized at the rate of 1 lb. per minute, deducted from his total weight for the day. Any competitor more than 15 minutes late for check-in will be disqualified for the day. Any competitor may join the tournament within 1 hour of start time provided they check-in with tournament director on the water. A cell phone number will be available to determine location of "on the water" check-in.

TOURNAMENT HOURS - Official start and weigh-in times will be announced at the pre-tournament meeting. Our best effort will be given to allow at least 8 hours fishing time. In the case of adverse weather conditions, the tournament director will open weigh-in early.

SCORING - Pounds and ounces of each competitors catch will determine tournament standings and placement. Only largemouth or smallmouth bass will be weighed. The limit shall be five (5) At no time shall a competitor have in his/her possession more than the tournament limit. Culling must be done immediately. Minimum length will be 12 inches (measured on a GOLDEN RULE). A penalty of 1 lb. will be deducted from the total weight for each short fish and a penalty of 4 oz. will be deducted from the total weight for each dead fish. Fish must be able to stay/swim upright to be considered as a live fish. If big bass is weighed dead, a 4 oz. penalty is subtracted from the scale weight. A contestant that presents more fish than the tournament limit will be disqualified immediately. All live fish will be returned to the lake and the tournament director will dispose of any dead fish.

POINTS - Points will be awarded in 1 point decreasing increments from 100 depending on place of finish. All contestants not weighing fish will receive 50 show points. Only the best four places of finish will be counted toward TOC qualification and Angler of the Year honors.

TIE - In case of a tie, big bass will be tie breaker. No big bass weighed-in by contestant will equal 0.00 lbs. If both parties don't weigh-in big bass then a flip of the coin will determine place. Example, a tie for first place: the loser of the flip is awarded second place. In case of Big Bass Pot and Big Bucks Pot ties, parties will split the pot. If both anglers do not weigh-in a big fish and both don't agree to flip a coin, both will share place, cash and points. YTD points standings tie will be determined by the largest weight YTD of best 4 of 5 events".

ANGLER OF THE YEAR - The angler with the most points of the best of 4 out of 5 qualifing events will earn the "Angler of the Year" title. A $5 hold back per entry throughout 5 events will go to the Angler of the Year. In case of tie, total weight of the best 4 events will determine winner. The Angler of the Year will have 1st boat out position in all events the following year.

TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS - Top 15 point leaders qualify. Ease-off is based on final points standing. Entry fees and payout will remain the same as a regular event. TOC holdback payout is determined by number of TOC entries and total number of entries from all series tournaments. TOC holdback payout will be split 50/30/20. Big Bucks and Big Bass pots are 100% payout.