The Ultimate Bass Fishing Challenge! - "Where Every Angler Counts!"

Official Team Rules & Regulations

The following rules will be interpreted solely by the tournament director. The Director reserves the right to reject any entry if he feels that it is not in the best interest of TUBFC. Any violation of these rules, Dept. of Conservation or State Water Patrol regulations shall be reason for disqualification and possible rejection from all future events. Entry forms must be completely filled out and signed by BOTH contestants. Any announcements made by the Tournament Director at the tournament site take precedent over written rules. KNOWLEDGE OF THESE RULES IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH CONTESTANT. Failure to read these rules or ignorance of them is no excuse. The decision of the Tournament Director shall be final in all matters.

• ELIGIBILITY: All individuals, 18 years of age or are eligible to fish and compete for divisional points and qualify for the Classic. A parent or legal guardian must accompany any one under 18 years of age. Membership is required to fish any TUBFC tournament. Teams consist of a maximum of 2 anglers per boat.

• MEMBERSHIP and ENTRY FEE: Annual Membership to TUBFC is $20.00 per angler and is required prior to fishing. Memberships are good for any tournaments included in the years schedule including the Classic. Entry fee is $120.00 per team, which includes Big Bass and Classic fund. You can reserve your boat number for any event or for the entire season by pre-paying $20.00 per event. $10.00 per entry will be applied toward the end of year Classic. Entries will be accepted by mail or may be paid at the ramp with NO LATE FEES. Paid entry fees may be transferred to another tournament only with approval from your TUBFC Tournament Director or Circuit Director.
NO REFUNDS WILL BE ISSUED.

• BIG BASS: Two (2) Big Bass places will be paid at each event with 20 entries or more. In the event the teams Big Bass is dead a one (1) pound penalty will be charged to the teams Big Bass weight.

• PAYBACKS: TUBFC will pay one (1) place for every six (6) teams with a paid entry into the tournament with a maximum of twenty (20) cash places being paid regardless of the number of teams entered. A “Minimum” 75% payback of all paid entries.

• CHECK-IN and PRE-MEETING: One team member must check in the morning of tournament. Failure to do so will result in possible disqualification. A pre-meeting will take place on the water approximately ten (10) minutes prior to the official start. Live well checks may take place at any time either on or off the water at tournament director’s discretion.

• TAKE-OFF and CHECK-IN: The launch site will be the official check-in and check-out area. At the end of the tournament, All Teams must check in regardless of whether they have fish to weigh or not. If you must leave the lake early you must notify the tournament director. If you have boat problems, notify the tournament director as soon as possible of the situation. Failure to check-in after the tournament will result in loss of all tournament points from that tournament.

• POINTS: (Membership Only) Upon completion of the tournament, each team will automatically receive tournament points dispersed according to placement, highest placing team will receive 110 points; second highest 109 points, and so on. A minimum of 50 points will be awarded to all teams checking out at the end of the tournament. All points earned will be assigned to the teams selected division. Points may not be transferred to any other division other than the open division, and then only at the discretion of the TUBFC Circuit Director.

• BONUS POINTS can be obtained by teams in the following ways and will be verified at the weigh-in: 1) 5 points awarded for chemically treated water. 2) 1 point per live fish weighed in. 3) 3 bonus points for fishing all 5 divisional tournaments (does not apply to the open division).

• DIVISIONAL POINTS CHAMPIONS: The divisional points champions will be decided by the best four (4) of the five (5) regularly scheduled tournaments in a division. The Satellite/Open division will be decided by your teams best five (5) tournaments overall. The Divisional Points Champions will receive trophies at the classic along with four (4) free division team entries toward the division they have won in the next season. Free entries have no cash value and cannot be transferred to another team.

• TEAM OF THE YEAR CHAMPIONS: Teams may qualify to compete for Team of the Year by fishing at least 5 tournaments with their best 5 tournaments meeting or exceeding 550 points (11th Place or better). The Team of the Year Champions will receive 2 B&R Outlaw Rods, trophies along with four (4) free open team entries toward the next season at the classic. Free entries have no cash value and cannot be transferred to another team.

• CLASSIC QUALIFICATION: To be eligible to compete at the classic, the team must be members of TUBFC in good standing. Teams must fish at least 4 tournaments and a minimum of 2 events together. **Amendment: Anglers who have guided on Kentucky Lake or Barkley Lake, have accepted money for fishing services on Kentucky Lake or Barkley Lake or have paid a tournament entry fee of $600 or more in 2009/2010/2011 will not be eligible to enter or compete at the Classic. TUBFC reserves the right to qualify wildcard teams as we deem necessary.

• THE CLASSIC: The Classic will take place March of the upcoming year and will consist of a Mandatory pre-tournament meeting, and awards ceremony the night before the tournament. Launch positions will be determined by a drawing at the pre-tournament meeting. The tournament will consist of two (2) days of fishing, which will decide the Team of the Year and Classic Champions. Under Circuit Directors approval; qualified members may team up with another TUBFC member if the partner they qualified to fish with cannot make the Classic.
NON-MEMBERS MAY NOT FISH IN THE CLASSIC.

• PARTICIPATION and ALTERNATES: A team consists of a maximum of two (2) anglers fishing together from the same boat. A member team may use two (2) alternates within the season per division. Member teams fishing the Satellite Division my use two (2) alternates per 5 tournaments.

• TIES: All Tournament Placement ties will be broken by 1) big bass, 2) most live fish weighed in, 3) earliest entry. All Big Bass ties will be broken by 1) total live fish weighed in, 2) heaviest total weight, 3) earliest entry. All Point Standing ties will be broken by 1) overall big bass, 2) overall heaviest stringer, 3) Number of TUBFC tournaments fished.

• SCORING: Largemouth, Smallmouth, and Kentucky Spotted bass will be scored. Five (5) fish limit. All lake and conservation rules apply; breaking such rules will be grounds for disqualification. Any frozen or iced fish presented for weigh-in will be grounds for issuance of a voice-stress or polygraph test and disqualification and possible denial to future events based on test results. The use of ice in a live well as a cooling agent in hot water is permitted and suggested.

• FISH PENALTIES: A short fish will result in a one (1) pound penalty plus the loss of the short fish. Two (2) or more short fish will be grounds for disqualification. The dead fish penalty will be one (1) pound penalty per fish. No more than five (5) fish are allowed in live well (in possession) at any time. Anyone bringing more than five (5) fish to the weigh-in scales will not be allowed to weigh in ANY fish. All fish weighed-in become the property of TUBFC Tournaments until the time of release.

• POLYGRAPH: All contestants, by signing the official entry form, consent to receive a voice-stress or polygraph test. Tests will be given randomly at the tournament director’s discretion. Anyone who fails or refuses a TUBFC test can be immediately disqualified. Any accusation of cheating will be grounds for testing. All contestants, by signing the official entry form, also consent to having an observer put in their boat during the competition. Refusal of either of these request can be grounds for disqualification.

• ALCOHOL/DRUGS: No Alcohol or Drugs will be allowed or used during tournament hours. Any teams already under the influence at morning check-in will not be allowed to compete. All contestants, by signing the official entry form, consent to receive a breathalyzer or drug test at any time if requested by tournament director. Refusing or failing a breathalyzer or drug test may be grounds for disqualification.

• TOURNAMENT HOURS: Tournament hours are defined as those hours between morning check-in and weighing-in your fish, receiving an award or filing a protest. Teams which have officially weighed their fish in and have decided that they will not finish in a position to receive an award may enjoy and alcoholic refreshment unless they plan on filing a protest. Those teams receiving an award must refrain from alcoholic beverages until they have received their award. Those teams wishing to file a protest must refrain from alcoholic beverages until they have filed their protest and the matter resolved.

• PROTEST: All protests must be submitted in writing to the tournament director within fifteen (15) minutes of the weigh-in completion. In the event the accused is requested to be tested by TUBFC, the protester assumes the fees of the test should the accused pass. The decision of the Tournament Director and staff members shall be final in all matters. Any protest submitted by individuals under the influence of alcohol or drugs may be omitted by the tournament director’s decision.

• SPORTSMANSHIP and SAFETY: Safe fishing and safe boating practice are expected during tournament hours. No alcohol or controlled substance can be used or allowed in the boat during tournament hours. Each contestant is expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety and conservation. No hole sitting or holding a fishing spot for another fishermen or contestants.
FAILURE TO COMPLY COULD RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION

• CHECK-IN PENALTY: All teams must check in no later than the designated time to avoid penalties. One pound per minute, up to ten (10) minutes, then disqualification. Weigh-in will commence once all teams have checked or at the disqualification time. All teams must still check in, even if they have passed the disqualification period, to ensure that all contestants are safe and accounted for. Failure to check-in will result in loss of all tournament points.

• TACKLE and EQUIPMENT: Only artificial lures and pork style baits are allowed. All bass must be caught on a rod and reel. Each angler may only have one rod and reel in use at any time. Contestants may not depart the boat to land fish or to make the boat more accessible to fishing waters.

• BOATS and MOTORS: Any boat 14 feet or longer powered by a motor 9 horsepower or more will be accepted. Boats powered by 15hp or above shall have Kill switches installed & in good working condition. All boats must meet B.I.A. and Coast Guard requirements. NO OVER POWERED BOAT ALLOWED AND CAN BE GROUNDS FOR DISQUALIFICATION. Each boat must have a functional & properly aerated live well.

• LIFEVEST & KILLSWITCHES: Life jackets and the outboard kill switch must be used at all times when the boat is brought above No-Wake speed. FAILURE TO COMPLY COULD RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION

• INSURANCE: Boat owners must have at least $100,000 of Boating Liability Insurance. Proof
of insurance may be asked for at first tournament and may be checked spontaneously. Proof of insurance may be a question on the polygraph test.

• LOCATIONS: Anywhere on the tournament lake, except 50 yards of another contestant’s anchored boat, 50 feet from any gas dock, and any designated off limits areas; state rules apply. No trailering of the boat during tournament hours without consent of the director.

SPECIAL SITUATIONS:
• Restroom Breaks: In the event a member of the team requires use of a restroom facility, the team may use any commercial marina facility. The team may depart the boat individually, use the restroom facility and immediately return to the boat. One member of the team must always remain in the boat to safe-guard the days catch. Team members are not allowed to solicit information from others to help in their success. No people other than the team members will be allowed in or around the boat (ten feet, 10') during tournament hours. Failure to follow these guidelines could constitute grounds for a polygraph test and/or disqualification.

• Breakdown: In the event of a boat breakdown, the team may transfer their fish to another contestant's boat for transport to the weigh-in site, with the following
conditions; the fish must be placed in a segregated livewell. One member of the
breakdown team must accompany those fish at all times to the weigh-in site. The team broken down must stop fishing from the time of transfer.

• Early Departure: Any team departing prior to weigh in from the tournament lake must contact the tournament director or appointed staff member. Failure to do so will result in the loss of any points earned at that tournament.

• Tournament Cancellation: If any tournament is cancelled the entry fees will be
transferred forward to the rescheduled tournament. Tournaments cancelled and not able to be rescheduled to another date: all paid entry fees for that tournament will be refunded for the cancelled tournament.

• Cell Phones: TUBFC encourages all contestants to have a cell phone in their
boat for emergency use only. Always contact the TUBFC Tournament director at
573-281-8735 concerning any situations affecting your tournament.

KNOWLEDGE OF THESE RULES IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH CONTESTANT. Failure to read these rules or ignorance of them is no excuse. The decision of the Tournament Director shall be final in all matters.