ALTUS BASSBUSTERS
2012 Altus Bass Busters Rules
1.) RULES: These rules shall remain unchanged throughout 2012. Interpretation and enforcement of these rules shall be left exclusively to the tournament director. Tournament director may impose sanctions as deemed appropriate for rule infractions without limitation e.g., disqualification, and 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 is a concern. Tournament Director reserves the right to refuse entry of any person.
Federal, state, local and lake laws and rules must be obeyed at all times.
2.) PARTICIPANTS AND ELIGIBILITY: Be a paid member of the Altus Bass Busters and in good standings. One team member must be 18 years of age or older. Anyone under the age of eighteen, must have written consent from a parent or legal guardian. If a team arrives late to the event, they must locate another teams boat, pay for the event and ask to have their livewell checked, PRIOR TO MAKING A CAST, failure to do so will result in disqualification for that event.
3.) ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND DRUGS: During tournament hours no alcoholic beverages or narcotic drugs may be consumed in the boat while on the water, except prescription medications.
4.) SPORTSMANSHIP: All entrants must follow high standards of sportsmanship, safety, and conservation at all times. Displaying of poor sportsmanship and bringing unfavorable publicity to the sport of bass fishing shall be grounds for disqualification. If one team member is disqualified, the team shall be disqualified.
5.) BOATS & MOTORS: There is no horsepower limit, however, no engine may exceed the BIA horsepower rating for the boat in use. All boats must meet US Coast Guard and state regulations. All boats must have an aerated livewell suitable to sustain a tournament limit of bass in releasable condition. A livewell check will be conducted prior to starting the event.
6.) SAFETY: Boating safety must be observed at all times during competition. A U.S. Coast Guard approved chest type life preserver must be on and fastened at all times when the boat is on plane.
7.) TACKLE & EQUIPMENT: 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 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 is attached to the weigh-in basin (you may bump your board against this one).
8.) PROTESTS: All protests must be submitted in writing prior to the official closing of the scales. If a team has to leave the tournament early, the team must leave a note on the Tournament Directors vehicle, this ensures everyone if off the water safely.
9.) SCORING FISH: Each team may weigh in five (5) fish per day with a minimum of 12 inches in length, unless state/city/lake limits are greater or have a slot limit, measured on a flat board with mouth closed and tail compressed. Any team bringing in a fish not of legal tournament length will be assessed a one (1) lb. penalty plus the loss of that fish. Any team bringing more than five (5)
fish to the scales will be disqualified. A one (1) lb. penalty will be deducted for a dead fish, it is each teams responsibility to try to keep all fish healthy for release. Dead fish will be weighed at the discretion of tournament officials. Only largemouth, Kentucky(patch on tongue), smallmouth and red eye bass will be scored. No culling of dead fish. The team must only have a legal limit of Bass in the boat at any onetime, once the sixth (6th) fish is caught you must cull before the next cast is made.
10.) PERMITTED FISHING WATERS: No fishing is allowed within 50 feet of a operating gas pump. No fishing or casting a lure within 50 yards of another tournament boat without mutual consent. If trolling motor is up and boat is anchored or tied, (50) yards minimum. Both team partners must fish from the same boat. Only contestants may be in the boat during tournament hours. Having a non-contestant sit on a hole for you will not be tolerated. Boats may be trailered to and from weigh-in during the tournament hours, boats will not leave take-off site until boat position is called. Contestants must be able to get the boat into the fishing area without getting out of the boat. Contestants cannot leave the boat to land a fish. 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 shall not be tolerated and will result in immediate disqualification. Restricting the access to waters normally accessible to anglers by any means such as felling of trees or placement of obstructions will result in disqualification.
11.) REGISTRATION: Registration will be at the Tournament Weigh-In site. Registration will be prior to the start of each tournament. Fishing hours, official time, boat position and check-in will be disclosed at registration. It is each team’s responsibility to obtain this information from the Tournament Director.
12.) OFF LIMITS PERIOD: The lake will have NO OFF LIMITS time. During the tournament, a competitor may not use a CB radio, a VHF marine band radio, a cellular phone or any other type of communication device for the purpose of locating or catching fish. These devices may be used for emergency purpose only. During the competition day, a contestant must not have the assistance or advice from anyone to locate bass except from another entered contestant in this tournament. Failure to report violations or suggestions to violate these rules will be cause for disqualification.
13.) CONSERVATION: Adequate live well/s are mandatory on each boat and must provide aeration to sustain a limit of fish in good condition as every effort will be made to release as many live, releasable fish as possible, following weigh in.
14.) CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFYING: You must enter five or pay for five regularly scheduled tournaments during the year to qualify for the championship. All teams will be given 25 points (Championship Points) for each Tournament entered or paid. The team must have 125 points to qualify for the Championship. The team must be declared prior to the start of each tournament. The Championship team will be awarded a jacket. If the same team wins AOY and the Championship, only one (1) jacket will be awarded to each team member and the jacket will be embroidered with the year, AOY and Championship Winners. (See rule 16).
15.) PARTNERS: Partners must be declared prior to fishing the tournament. EACH TEAM WILL BE ALLOWED ONLY TWO SUBSTITUTIONS PER YEAR TO REPRESENT THE TEAM. The substitute must be a member of Altus Bass Busters. Upon the third team member substitution, this will be considered a NEW team and points for AOY will start over with this new team.
16.) ANGLER/S OF THE YEAR: Points will be as follows: 1st place 50, 2nd place 49, etc., etc. The teams weight for that day, one (1) point for fishing the event, one (1) point for a legal limit and one (1) point for BIG BASS. Anglers of the Year will be awarded a Jacket ($50.00 maximum each, see rule 14).
17.) WEIGH-IN: It is the teams responsibility to check all fish prior to weigh-in. Once they are submitted to the weigh master all decisions are final, NO EXCEPTIONS.
18.) FEES AND PAYOUTS: Membership fee is $25.00 per person. Tournament fee is $50.00 per boat of which 10% will be deducted to the Championship Fund. Big Bass Pot is $5.00 per person (100% pay back). Of the remaining entry fees 50% for 1st, 30% for 2nd and 20% for 3rd for 10 boats or less. One additional place will be paid for every 5 boats thereafter, including the Championship.
19.) LATE PENELTY: Teams who are not at the check-in area at the appointed time will be penalized 1 (one) pound per minute up to 5 (five) minutes, after that the team will lose credit for that day’s catch.
20.) TIES: Ties will be resolved by first: BIG BASS, second: number of fish, third: flip of a coin.
21.) INSURANCE: Liability insurance with coverage in reasonable amounts is required of all boating contestants.