2012 Tournament Schedule

Official Rules

1. Rule Changes: Decisions of the tournament director are final. Any protest must be presented to the tournament director in writing within 15 minutes of the final weigh-in.

2. Participation/Eligibility: Anyone who has guided for pay on Lake Ray Hubbard within the past 6 months is not eligible to fish this tournament. A team/boat is one or two contestants only.

3. Pre-tournament Practice: No off limit

4. Registration Times: All contestants must register before the tournament. Registration starts at 5:00 am.

5. Safety: Safe boating must be observed at all times. Each contestant is required to wear a    fastened, U.S. Coast Guard approved, personal flotation device anytime the combustion engine is in operation from boat check until weigh-in. All boats must be equipped with an emergency ignition shut-off device, which must be securely attached to the driver's body anytime the combustion engine is in operation. The driver must be seated in driver’s seat anytime the combustion engine is engaged in gear. Tournament day may be shortened or canceled due to unsafe weather or any conditions that would endanger the safety of the competitors. The decision to shorten or cancel tournament day will be determined by the tournament director.

6. Permitted Fishing Methods: All bass must be caught alive in a conventional sporting manner. Only artificial lures may be used with the exception of pork trailers. Only one fishing rod may be used at any one time. Additional rods may be in the boat and ready for use, however each cast and retrieve must be completed before another cast or rod is used. Trolling with the combustion engine as a method of fishing is prohibited. Switching or sharing fish with other teams or individuals will result in immediate disqualification. All angling must be conducted from the boat. At no time may a contestant leave the boat to land a fish or to make the boat more accessible to fishing waters.

7. Sportsmanship and Conduct: All contestants are required to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, and conservation and to conduct themselves in a manner that will be a credit to themselves and the sport of fishing. Examples of conduct not complying with those standards include, but are not limited to, the following: 1) Consumption and/or possession of alcoholic beverages or any mind-altering substance during tournament hours extending through the weigh-in procedure, 2) Abuse of, or addiction to, mind altering substances, 3) Any other words, conduct or actions reflecting unfavorably on the tournament or the sponsors of the tournaments or reflecting unfavorably upon efforts to promote safety, sportsmanship, fair competition and compliance with tournament rules. If conduct does not comply with the standards set forth by the Dallas Bass Hookers Inc., its director shall have the right to refuse any application, or to deny a confirmed application, by returning the entry fee of a previously accepted application, or to disqualify a contestant.

8. Boat Operation: During the hours of competition, contestants may not receive assistance from non-competitors, follow a non-competitor's boat or participate in the practice of "hole sitting" or the placing of markers by non-competitors. The use of mobile communication devices such as cellular phones, marine radios, walkie-talkies, CBs, etc., to communicate fishing information during tournament hours is strictly prohibited.

9. Permitted Fishing Locations: Contestants may fish anywhere on tournament waters accessible by boat, except areas designated as "off limits" or "no fishing" by local, state/federal officials or within 50 yards of a competitor's boat which was first anchored (an anchored boat is a boat held in a stable position by a line attached to a weight with the trolling motor in the up position), or within 25 yards of non-anchored competitor’s boat unless otherwise agreed upon by the other tournament angler. The act of moving bass from one area of the lake to another confined area of the same lake is not permitted.

10. Off-limits areas: Will be established and announced at registration. Contestants fishing inside the established off-limits area will be immediately disqualified.

11. Trailering is not allowed: All boats must leave the official check point by boat in the order designated at registration. Contestants may launch their boat at a ramp other than the designated take-off location, but all contestants must come through the official check point location before leaving to fish. In the event of severe weather alternate take-off instructions will be given at registration site.

12. Official Checkpoints: There will be only one official checkpoint for boat check in the morning and one official check-in point in the afternoon. Failure to go through boat checkout in the morning or failure to check-in at the check-in point will result in disqualification. It is the sole responsibility of each contestant to arrive at the designated check-in location on time and to verify their check-in time on the provided flight cards. All fishing must cease upon check-in.                

13. Scoring: Will be determined by the pounds and ounces of each angler’s catch during the tournament. Only Largemouth, Spotted, Red Eye or Smallmouth bass are accepted species. The limit will be five bass per team. Any contestant who possesses more than the tournament limit will have their catch disqualified. Official length limit is 14” for all bass. Bass presented for weigh-in, which fail to measure the prescribed length limit, will result in loss of that particular fish and a 1 pound penalty to remaining weight. Each contestant's catch must be presented in a weigh-in bag with adequate water to promote the healthy return of bass to their natural habitat.

14. Live Fish: Every effort must be made to keep bass alive through the use of a properly aerated live well. The use of chemical live well additives, (such as "Please Release Me") which promote the healthy return of bass to their natural habitat are recommended. A .25 Pound Penalty will be deducted from the total weight for each dead bass presented for weigh-in.

15. Late Penalty: Contestants who are not at the official check-in point at the appointed time will be assessed a  1 pound per minute penalty from the total weight. Any contestant more than 15 minutes late will forfeit that day’s catch.

16. Ties:  A tie for 1st place will be broken by Big Bass. All other ties will be resolved by splitting that place and the next place money.