OFFICIAL TOURNAMENT RULES

 FOR TRACY BASS

        #Eligibility

A.  No competitor that has a major boat sponsor is eligible to fish.

B.  No competitor that has ever won a boat fishing in a bass fishing tournament is eligible to fish (except if you where fishing in a designated amateur or furture pro tournament fishing as a amateur). Competitor must be approved by tournament director

C. No one that has won more than $5,000.00 in prior year as a team or individual shall be allowed to fish any TRACY BASS event.

D. No contests' that are fishing guides.

E. Variations of team qualification is up to the tournament director.

#Participants

                A.  No contestant may operate a boat unless that contestant has documented proof of a minimum of $100,000 boating liability insurance.

                B.  A properly completed and signed official entry form and entrance fee must be completed prior to fishing tournament.

        #Safety

A.  Safe boat conduct must be observed at all times by tournament competitors.

            B.  Each competitor is required to wear a Coast guard approved chest type life preserver anytime the combustion engine is operating.  This preserver must be strapped, snapped, or zippered securely until the combustion engine is shut off.

       #Sportsmanship

                A.  Competitors in TRACY BASS tournaments 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.

           B.  Use of alcohol or drugs (other than those purchased over the counter or prescribed by a licensed physician) by a competitor during the tournament will not be tolerated and shall be cause of automatic disqualification for this and all future TRACY  BASS tournaments

                C.  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.

                D.  Any act of a competitor which reflects unfavorably upon TRACY BASS's effort to promote fisheries conservation, clean waters, and courtesy, shall be reason for  disqualification.

                E.  No alcoholic beverages or other stimulants or depressants shall be allowed in the boats.

          #Tackle and Equipment

                A.  Only artificial lures may be used.  No "live bait" or "prepared bait" will be     permitted with the exception of pork strips, rinds, etc.

                B.  Only ONE casting, spin‑casting or spinning rod (8 foot maximum length from butt of handle to rod tip) and reel may be used at any one time.  All other types prohibited. Other rigs as specified above may be in the boat ready for use, however, only ONE is permitted in use at any given time per participant.

                C.  All bass must be caught live and in a conventional sporting manner on the day of the tournament.

          #Horsepower Regulations

                A.  Maximum horsepower for all outboard motorboats used in tournament competition  will not exceed the horsepower limitation rating plate attached to the boat by the manufacturer.

                B.  Any boat manufactured prior to November 1, 1972 must adhere to the ratings set by the U.S. Coast guard for similar boats.

                C.  Each competitor agrees to submit, by their signature on the official entry form, the boat and outboard motor used in the tournament to an inspection by factory‑trained personnel, if there is any reason to suspect the horsepower is in excess of the rating.

         #Boat and Motor

                A.  For the safety of all contestants, ALL BOATS EXCEEDING 25 HORSEPOWER MUST BE EQUIPPED WITH SOME TYPE OF IGNITION KILL SWITCH.  This ignition kill device must be attached to the driver's body any time the ombustion engine is operating.

                B.  Fishing boats may be used that are 14 feet or more in length.

                C.  A small motor, gas or electric, may be used for slow maneuvering.

                D.  Trolling as a method of fishing is prohibited.

                E.  Boats that do not have factory installed gas tanks are restricted to a maximum of 18 gallons of gasoline in tanks that meet U.S. Coast Guard regulations.

          #Basic Boat Equipment

                A.  Every boat must have all required Coast Guard safety equipment.  In addition, it must have a functional bilge pump and live well space, properly aerated to adequately maintain alive a limit catch of bass by both fisherman using the boat.

                B.  Tournament officials shall have sole responsibility for determining whether aeration and capacity is "proper and adequate."

          #Pre-tournament practice 

A. The official practice period or off-limits period prior to regular season  tournaments is one (1) weeks and two (2) weeks for the TOC.

B. The purchasing of information or the hiring of services or fishing on the DELTA with any person that is not qualified to fish Tracy Bass.will not be permitted during these time periods.

#Scoring

                A.  Tournament standings, auxiliary awards, and final winners shall be determined by the pound and ounce weight of each competitors catch during the competition days of the tournament.

                B.  Largemouth or Smallmouth bass will be weighed.

                C.  The limit shall be the legal State limit of 5 bass for team tournaments.

                D.  At no time shall a competitor have in his possession more than the limit described above.  Tournament officials may conduct checks for violation of this provision, and in the event a competitor has more than the above described limit in possession, shall cull the largest bass first, down to the limit described.

                E.  The official length of bass shall be 13" as determined by the Tournament Director and announced at the tournament briefing.

                F.  Only bass as described above, which measure the official length or more on a  Willie Go Board, shall be weighed‑in.

                G.  Bass presented for weigh‑in which fail to measure the official length shall accrue penalties at the rate of .20 oz. for each such bass, plus the fish.  This penalty shall be deducted from the total score of the competitor.

                H.  Any bass that appears to have been caged, tied, stringered, mangled, mashed,   mauled, or otherwise altered, or dead for an extended period of time, will be weighed and credited only at the discretion of the tournament officials.

                I.  Each competitor must present their catch to the weigh‑in official.

         #Penalties

                A.  For each legal dead bass presented to weigh‑in officials the competitor shall be  penalized .20 oz.

                B.  The Tournament Director and their designated appointees shall have sole authority for assessing any penalties.

          #Late Penalty

                A.  Competitors who are not in the official checkpoint area at the appointed time shall  be penalized at the rate of one pound per minute to be deducted from the total  weight of the catch for that day, including any weight to be counted toward a "Big Fish  Award" for each minute they are late.

                B.  Any competitor more than ten (10) minutes late shall be disqualified.

                C.  There shall be no excuse for tardiness, and in no case shall a competitor be allowed to make up "lost time."

                D.  After proper recognition at the check‑in point, competitors will be allowed ample time to proceed to the weigh‑in.  However, all fishing must cease upon check‑in.

                E.  Exact starting and check‑in times will be announced at the tournament briefing.

           #Short Fish

                A.  There shall be no excuse for attempting to weigh‑in a short fish.  A penalty of one .20 oz. plus the fish will be deducted from that day's weight.

           #Ties

                A.  In the case of a tie, it will be broken by the "Big Fish."  If competitors tie a second time in the "Big Fish" category, payback will be split equally between the two places.

          #TOC AMATEUR ONLY SERIES

A. 50% of the average field from Saturday & 50% of the average field from Sunday, missing only one tournament will be allowed.

B. Top 10 boats that fish a combination of 8 tournaments from Saturday &  Sunday tournaments will quality.

C. You may fish 2 tournaments with only one team member.

D. Variations of team qualification is up to the tournament director.

Anglers of the Year

A. Will be the highest finishing team from Saturday or Sunday and not from the combination of Saturday and Sunday.

B. Must fish all 7 tournaments to be Anglers of the Year.

C. The Anglers' of the Year have the right to fish the following year to keep their title. But item "C " under Eligibility will apply for the following years eligibility.

           #Protests

A.  Must be made within thirty(30) minutes of the close of tournament.

             #Options

            A.   A $10 Big Stringer option and paid min. two places,  max. five places and 100% will be paid.

B.  A $5 First out of the money option to competitors that finish one place out of the regular pay backs.100% will be paid back.

C.  A $10 Big Fish option and 100% will be paid back. Maximum two places.