RULES

2008 SALMOIDES TEAM TOURNAMENT CIRCUIT RULES

 

1.        All contestants must wear a Coast Guard approved vest or preserver when the gasoline motor is running.

2.        All state and local laws must be observed and obeyed.

3.        Only artificial lures, with exception of pork trailers, will be permitted. Trolling as a method of fishing is prohibited.

4.        All boats must be equipped with some type of ignition kill switch. An aerated live well or aerated container is mandatory. All boats must be equipped with wheel steering. No other type of steering is allowed. All boats must be propeller driven and must be 15’ or more in length. No cumbersome craft allowed. At no time may a contestant leave the boat to land fish or make the boat more accessible to fishing waters. All fishing must be done from the boat.

5.        Boat positions will be drawn at each tournament site for each tournament for the teams that mailed in their entry forms. All others will be assigned a position. Boat owners will be mailed confirmation if entry time allows.

6.        Fishing is permitted anywhere within the tournament waters, or connecting waters accessible by boat during specified times, except that no contestant is allowed to fish within 50 yards of a public gas dock, the weigh-in area and any area that has been designated a “no fishing” area by the governing body of the lake or river or the Tournament Director.

7.        All bass will be returned to the Tournament waters if found to be in good shape and expected to live.

8.        In case of ties in the qualifying Tournaments, contestants may split prize money or determine winning position by flip of coin.

9.        Fishing is not allowed within 50 yards of another competitor’s boat which was first anchored. A boat is considered anchored only if it is tied to an object or has an anchor rope over its side with trolling motor out of water. Contestants must not depart boat to land fish.

10.     Contestants must leave and return to official check  point by boat. In the event of equipment failure or emergency, there shall be two permitted methods of returning to the check-in. (1) By both partners remaining in their boat and being towed by water, or (2) By one partner entering the boat of another Salmoides Team Tournament contestant with the days catch. Teams fish must be kept separate.

11.     Any participant cited during Tournament hours for a violation of state, marine or fishing laws will be disqualified.

12.     Any occurrence not covered by the rules will be governed by the Tournament Directors.

13.     Daily limit will be 5 bass per team, largemouth, smallmouth or spotted bass. All bass must be of legal limit in length. The 6th bass must be culled. Short fish will be penalized one (1) pound per short fish.

14.     One (1) lb. from total weight of fish will be deducted for each minute the team is late and the team will be disqualified after five minutes.

15.     A penalty of eight (8) ounces per dead fish will be deducted from total weight. All stringed or mangled fish will be rejected from team’s catch.

16.     All contestants will be subject to random polygraph test and must take test. Failure or refusal to take test will is automatic disqualification.

17.     A team must be formed before using an alternate partner.

18.     You may fish by yourself at any  tournament after you have formed a team. Each team is allowed to use two alternates per regular season, “except” that no alternate will be allowed in  the last qualifying tournament. The alternate must be approved by tournament officials. Salmoides officials reserve the right to disallow the pairing. When fishing by yourself you are allowed 5 bass.

19.     Alternates will not be allowed to fish the Classic. If a team member is to fish the Classic without the original partner, they must bring an observer. The observer will         

                  be switched and paired. Salmoides will take an additional

                  observer to complete the pairings when necessary. The  

                  number of fish allowed will be 5 bass.

20.     Practice days are open with the exception of the Classic Championship. All qualifiers will be sent proper notification of this event.

21.     All boats and live wells must be checked before the start of Tournament.

22.     Boat registration will begin at 4:00am the morning of the Tournament. Pre-tournament meetings will be one half hour before each tournament. Tournament hours are 6:00am to 2:00pm or safe light. At least one member of each team must attend the meeting. Salmoides officials reserve the right to interpret all rules when questioned.

23.     Salmoides reserves the right to accept or refuse any entry it receives.

24.     All protests must be made within 10 minutes after weigh-in time.

25.     Violation of any of these rules may be cause for disqualification from this and all future Tournaments.

26.     The Classic Championship qualifiers will be based on total accumulated points after the qualifying tournaments in each division. 150 points will be awarded to each winning team at each event. 149 to second place, etc…) Those teams that do not weigh in a bass will still receive 20 points less than last place to weigh fish.

27.     A courtesy measuring board will be set up at each Tournament for your convenience. Please measure all fish before they come to the scales. Any fish that are doubtful of making the legal length will be measured. No official will man the courtesy board. Once the fish are taken at the weigh-in table, only Salmoides Officials will be allowed to handle the fish.

28.     Salmoides will accept entry and fees at the ramp. Late entries will be assigned boat position.

29.     Confirmation of each Tournament and special events will be sent or emailed to the boat owner on the entry form. It is then up to the boater to relay the information to the partner.

30.     The team that has the most points at the end of the qualifying Tournaments in their respective division will have the title of 2008 Salmoides Division Points Champions and will receive a set of Division Championship Plaques and free entries for the 2009 season.

31.     The defending team Classic Championship winners will have an automatic invitation to the next year’s Classic.

32.     Only one casting or spinning rod per individual (8 ft. maximum length from butt of handle to rod tip) and reel per individual may be used at any one time. All other types are prohibited. Other rods and reels as specified above may be in the boat ready for use. Only one is permitted in use at any time during the tournament. All bass must be caught alive in a sporting manner.

33.     The top 35 teams from the Northern and Central division will automatically qualify to fish the Classic. Fish all 6 tournaments in the Northern or Central division and qualify for 3 wild card draws in each division. Teams must fish 5 of the 6 tournaments in the Northern or Central Divisions to qualify for the Classic via the point system.

34.     During tournament hours, cell phones or any other communication devices may be used for any purpose other than any information pertaining to largemouth, smallmouth or Kentucky (spotted) bass.

35.     No stacking fish in any form.