2007 Texas TBF Junior Federation State Qualifier

2008 Texas TBF Junior Federation State Qualifier

Official Rules and Regulations

1. RULE CHANGES: The rules set forth by the Board of Directors shall remain unchanged. Interpretation and enforcement of these rules shall be left exclusively to the Tournament Director. In the event of a rules violation, the Tournament Director may impose such sanctions, as they deem appropriate, including, without limitation, disqualification, forfeiture of prizes and prohibition from participation in subsequent tournaments. The decisions of the Tournament Director and tournament officials shall be final in all matters.

2. PARTICIPANTS AND ELIGIBILITY: Participation in this tournament is by invitation only. This tournament is only open to members in good standing with Texas TBF Federation Junior Anglers Chapter. Contenders must meet age and eligibility requirements as set forth by the following: Contenders must have obtained the age of 11 years, but not yet 15 years as of Aug. 1stof the World Championship year and 15 years, but not yet 19 years, on August 1st of the World Championship competition year. All participants must have in their possession a valid fishing license covering the waters to be fished, where required by law. A PROPERLY COMPLETED AND SIGNED ENTRY FORM MUST BE obtained for every competitor . The Tournament Director reserves the right to discontinue acceptance of applications prior to deadline and also the right to extend the acceptance date.

3. PRE-TOURNAMENT PRACTICE: The tournament waters will be off-limits for 5 days prior to the event. Starting from sundown June 15th 2008, through the start of the event on June 21st, 2008. There will be no official practice day. Starting with the off limits period and continuing to the final weigh-in, competitors cannot solicit, receive, or gather any information via phone, electronic devices, or any other means with regard to locating or catching fish on the tournament waters unless that information comes from another competitor or boat captain. NO EXCEPTIONS. No competitor may buy or barter a fishing location from guides or other contenders for use during any competition day. During competition days of the tournament, a contender may not use a CB Radio, VHF marine band radio, a cellular phone, or any other type of communication device for the purpose of locating or catching fish. Contenders are permitted to transmit by radio or telephone only in the event of an emergency. Cell phones cannot be used until fish have been weighed. If so equipped, contestants may listen to the marine-band weather information. Each contestant agrees to report, in a timely manner, to the Tournament Director any violation or infraction of these Tournament Rules. The failure to report violations or suggestion to violate these Rules, or false verification of weigh-in forms will be cause for disqualification.

4. REGISTRATION: Each contender is required to attend the pre-tournament meeting. An approved representative by the tournament director may attend the registration for a contender. Upon arrival each contender must check-in at contender registration and obtain his/her registration packet. Failure to register in person during the prescribed hours may result in possible forfeiture of participation. It shall be the contender’s responsibility to check the schedule of events for registration time and location or obtain times from Texas TBF Federation.

5. SPORTSMANSHIP: Contenders in the tournament are expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety and conservation. Any infraction of these fundamental sporting principles may be deemed cause for disqualification. Use of alcohol or drugs (other than those purchased over the counter or prescribed by a licensed physician) by any contender during the official event or during the tournament will not be tolerated and shall be cause for automatic disqualification from this and all future TBF tournaments. No alcoholic beverages or other stimulants or depressants, prescription or otherwise, shall be allowed in the boats during the Tournament or competition day, or when in the weigh-in area. Maximum courtesy must be practiced at all times, especially with regard to boating and angling in the vicinity of non-competitors who may be on tournament waters. Any act of a competitor which reflects unfavorably upon efforts to promote fisheries conservation, clean waters, and courtesy shall be reason for disqualification. All contenders are bound by the prevailing statutes and regulations of the various states within which they fish. Chemical substance addiction or abuse, conviction of a felony or other crimes involving moral turpitude, or other conduct reflecting unfavorably upon efforts to promote safety, sportsmanship, fair competition and compliance with tournament rules shall be grounds for rejecting any application for participation and for disqualification. Any disqualification or suspension from, or other disciplinary action regarding any tournament or fishing organization, shall be grounds for rejecting any application for participation and for disqualification.

6. SAFETY: In the event of an emergency situation, competitors should call 911 first and then notify tournament officials. All persons in a tournament boat shall remain seated in a recommended on-plane seating location when the combustion engine is running. Sitting on pedestal seats while the combustion engine is in operation is not permitted. Junior Anglers are NOT permitted to operate the engine or drive the boat. Safe boat conduct must be observed at all times by tournament contenders, observers and boat captains. During the tournament, each competitor and boat captain is required to wear a Coast Guard approved chest type life preserver. The contestants must wear their life preservers anytime the combustion engine is operating. The preserver must be strapped, snapped or zippered securely and maintained in that condition until the competitors reach their fishing location and the combustion engine is shut off. Violation of this rule shall be reason for disqualification. Tournament officials have the right to delay, shorten or cancel the start of an official tournament day because of bad weather or other factors that would endanger the safety of the competitors. Tournament waters may also be restricted at any time because of bad weather. Tournament Director reserves the right to impose speed limits on any or all tournaments. Whether or not to impose a speed limit, the area covered by the speed limit and/or the actual speed limit imposed shall be left exclusively to the discretion of the Tournament Director

7. TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT: Only artificial lures may be used. No “live bait” or prepared bait will be permitted, with the exception of pork strips, rinds, etc. Only one casting, spin casting, or spinning rod (8 ft. max. length from butt of handle to rod tip) and reel may be used at any one time. All other types prohibited. Each contender will be allowed six rods and reels, as specified above, in boat ready for use. However, only one outfit is permitted in use at any given time. Contenders are limited to two (2) standard “large” tackle systems of their choice no bigger than 18” x 15” x 10”. All bass must be caught alive and in a conventional sporting manner. Anyone guilty of snatching or snagging visible fish will have their day’s catch disqualified. When visually fishing for bedding bass, to be counted as legal fish all bass must be hooked inside the mouth and must be verified by your partner before being unhooked. Gaffs may not be used to boat bass nor be permitted in the boat at any time. The use of grippers in landing bass is prohibited. Dip nets will be allowed and will be included.

8. BOAT AND MOTOR: For the safety of all participants, boats will be equipped with some type of ignition\engine stop\shutoff devise. The engine stop switch device must be attached to the driver’s body any time the combustion engine is operating. Anytime the combustion engine is operating and in gear, the Pro Angler must be the driver in the driver’s seat in full control of the boat. A small electric trolling motor may be used for slow maneuvering; however, trolling as a method of fishing is prohibited. All boats must be propeller driven, a minimum of 17 feet in length and have a rear deck. All boats must be equipped with wheel steering; no other steering device will be permitted. No barges or similar cumbersome crafts will be permitted. Each boat must have all required U.S. Coast Guard safety equipment. Boats must contain a properly aerated livewell space to maintain alive a limit catch of bass by both contestants. Maximum horsepower for all outboards used in tournament competition will be 250 horsepower, not to exceed the horsepower capacity set forth on the "Maximum Capacities" plate described below. Each boat must have a clearly legible "Maximum Capacities" (or comparably titled) plate that includes a maximum horsepower rating affixed to the boat by the manufacturer. The horsepower of the outboard engine must not exceed the maximum horsepower capacity specified on this plate or the 250 horsepower maximum set by FLW Outdoors. By signing the entry form, each contestant agrees to submit his/her boat and/or motor to an inspection by FLW Outdoors personnel. Falsifying information on entry forms or altering the horsepower numbers on the motor or rating plate will be cause for disqualification from the tournament and may result in ineligibility to compete in future events. Fishing platforms must be factory-installed equipment. No portable platforms may be used in tournament competition. Fuel may be carried only in factory-installed (built-in) fuel tanks. Any additional fuel used during the tournament day must be purchased from a retail facility open to the public.

9. BASIC BOAT EQUIPMENT: Every boat must have all required safety equipment. In addition, it must have a functional bilge pump and livewell space, properly aerated, to adequately maintain alive a limit catch of bass by both competitors using the boat. Leave your aerators on manual and running. Tournament officials shall have the sole responsibility for determining whether aeration and capacity is “proper and adequate.”

10. BOAT IDENTIFICATION: Each boat MUST be given, prior to each day's start, a livewell and SAFETY INSPECTION check by a tournament official, Also a boat marker, which MUST remain in the boat and turned in during check-in at the end of each day. A boat is officially checked-in when the number is turned in.

11. BOAT OPERATION: A full discussion must be held between the two Junior Angler contenders prior to the morning departure as to the schedule of boat operations. This schedule must permit each partner equal time to fish from the front of the boat and operate the trolling motor, if allowed, so as to afford each partner the opportunity to fish his/her selected water an equal amount of time. Distance traveled to fishing locations must be considered in order not to deprive either partner fishing time while traveling to and from fishing waters. If a contestant waives the above rights, he/she shall retain the right to select the fishing water for one-half the tournament day. Any contestant, who, in the judgment of the officials, operates the boat in such a manner as to unfairly handicap his/her partner, shall be disqualified. The boat captain has sole discretion to veto any selected location for safety reasons.

12. PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS: Tournament waters shall be established by the Tournament Director. Any water within these boundaries posted Off-Limits or No Fishing by state or federal agencies will be OFF-LIMITS. Also, any live bass-release area established by the Tournament Director will be OFF-LIMITS and will be announced at the Tournament Briefing. Only that water open to ALL public fishing will be considered tournament waters. All angling must be done from the boat.

13. CONTESTANTS MUST REMAIN IN BOAT: Contestants must not depart the boat to land fish or to make the boat more accessible to fishing waters. Boats must remain in tournament waters during tournament days. Contestants must leave and return to official checkpoint by boat. Both competitors must remain in boat at all times except in case of dire emergency. In such an emergency, both competitors may be removed from their boat to: A BOAT OPERATED BY OTHER COMPETITORS OR A RESCUE BOAT so designated by the Tournament Director. Partners must remain together at all times, in sight of each other and each other's catch under the conditions cited above, in order for their catch of that day to be counted. The momentary condition of being out of sight of each other for a restroom break is permitted, however ALL FISHING MUST CEASE, until partners are back together. If a competitor must violate any of the above conditions (to use a phone to report an emergency or breakdown) both competitors must cease fishing at this point, and their catch must be verified by a tournament official in order to be counted in the tournament. If after the emergency situation is resolved by tournament officials and enough time is left to resume fishing, a RESTART will be allowed and the competitors will continue and their catch will be counted. This applies only to dire emergency situations. Trailering of boats during tournament hours is prohibited, except by the direction of the Tournament Director.

14. OFFICIAL CHECKPOINT: There shall be an official checkpoint for checkout in the morning and check-in in the afternoon and this point shall be designated at the tournament briefing. At the time of check-out all competitors and their boats shall be in full conformance with all Safety and Tournament rules set forth by the Tournament Director; at check-in all boats shall identify themselves, and proceed immediately to the designated weigh-in area. Partners must stay together, through check-in and weigh-in, until weigh-in slips have been signed. YOU MUST CHECK-IN EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY FISH.

15. SCORING: Tournament standing, awards and final standings shall be determined by a method of scoring set forth, and announced in the pre-tournament briefing. Only Largemouth, Smallmouth, Spotted, Red Eye or Shoal Bass will be weighed. The limit shall be 3 of the above species and varieties per day, unless the prevailing state limit is less than 3, or a special limit is established for a particular tournament by the tournament director, in which case the state limit, or special limit shall be the tournament limit. At no time shall a competitor have in possession more than the tournament limit. Tournament Officials will conduct checks for violations of this provision, and in the event a competitor has in their possession more than the stated limit, shall cull, starting with the largest bass first, etc., down to the stated limit. The official length for bass shall be decided by Tournament Officials and announced at the tournament briefing. In most cases it will be the LONGEST state limit covering the tournament waters. Only bass which measure the official length or more on the longest straight line, shall be weighed-in. Bass presented for weigh-in which fail to measure the official length shall be culled and accrue penalties at the rate of one pound for each non-legal bass. This penalty shall be deducted from the total score of the competitor. Any bass that appears to have been mangled, mashed, mauled, or otherwise altered will be weighed and credited only at the discretion of tournament officials. After a competitor checks in at the official checkpoint he MUST present all LEGAL fish in his possession to a tournament official to be counted, measured and weighed. Once a competitors catch has been measured, counted or verified by a tournament official, that contestant may not return to his boat until his catch has been weighed and recorded. Bass must not be stringered at any time during the tournament. This restriction includes livewell stringer systems used for culling, which are also prohibited. Each contestants catch must be presented in an official weigh-in bag, which is specially designed and controlled to increase survival rate will be furnished by the Tournament Officials.

16. CATCH-&-RELEASE: If it becomes necessary for a competitor to cull his/her catch, every effort must be made by the competitor to handle his/her own fish.

17. DON’T KILL YOUR CATCH: Each competitor is expected to keep his/her bass alive by the proper use of the boat’s livewell system, Rejuvenade livewell additive and ice. For each legal dead bass presented to weigh-in officials, the competitor shall be penalized eight (8) ounces of weight, to be deducted from their daily score. The Tournament Officials shall have sole authority for accessing penalty points.

18. LATE PENALTY: Competitors who are not in the official checkpoint area as described in Rule 14 at the appointed time shall be penalized at the rate of 1 pound per minute, to be deducted from the total weight of their catch that day, including any weight to be counted toward a “big bass award,” for each 1 minute he is late. Any competitor more than 15 minutes late shall lose all credit for that day’s catch. There shall be no excuse for tardiness, and in no case shall a competitor be allowed to make up “lost time.” After proper recognition at the check-in point, competitors will be allowed ample time to proceed to the weigh-in site; however, all fishing must cease upon check-in. After the tournament begins, fishing the tournament waters is prohibited except during tournament hours. Exact starting and check-in times will be announced at the Tournament Briefing. It is the angler’s responsibility to confirm check-in times each day on the daily pairings.

19. TIES: In case of a tie for champions or monetary awards, the following tie-breakers will be used in order: 1) The individual with the largest number of legal fish weighed in; 2) The individual with the largest number of legal LIVE fish weighed in. In the unlikely event that individuals remain tied after these two tiebreakers are employed, then a flip of a coin will be used to determine the winner(s). Ties for lesser positions shall be resolved by means selected by the Tournament Director.

20. PAIRING OF CONTESTANTS: Whenever possible, two contestants will be assigned to each boat, with one boat captain. If for any reason only one contestant is available to go with a boat captain, an observer will be assigned to ride in that boat with them. Whenever possible, no contestants from the same club, state or age group will be paired together. Announcement of your partner and boat captain will be made at the pre-tournament meeting. Which must be attended by each competitor. The Tournament Director may reassign partners at any time prior to takeoff. A contestant must not allow any bass caught by him/her to be counted on the score of another contestant. In such cases, both contestants will be disqualified from this and all future TBF Tournaments.

21. TOURNAMENT OFFICIALS: None of the above rules shall prohibit a properly designated tournament official from approaching or boarding any competitor’s boat at any time during the event .

22. NGJAWC QUALIFICATION: Under no circumstances shall an individual be allowed to attempt to qualify for the National Guard Junior Anglers World Championship in more than one state in the same qualifying year. Anyone qualifying or attempting to qualify through more than one state for the same NGJAWC shall be removed from this and possibly all future competitions. Because this is a TBF national rule not a STATE rule, you can also be removed from another state's team.