Tournament Rules

 
HOT ROD BAITS Bass Series TOURNAMENT REGULATIONS     

A.  ENTRY FEES  
  1. Entry fee: $500, includes membership, 3 entry fees, 3 big bass pots and Team of the Year bonuses 
  2. DEPOSIT of $250 will enter you in the series, the remaining balance due at the first event. ($500 total) The first 20 teams with a deposit are in the series.
  3. ALL entries will be pre-paid, and limited to the first 20 teams with waiver form filled out.  This may be changed up until the beginning of the first tournament.
  4. OVER 90% of entry fees will be paid back in cash and prizes
  5. Blast-off order will be done by a random draw at the first event, the reverse order will be used at the second event.  Team of the Year status will be the blast-off order at the final event.

B.  TOURNAMENT PAIRING
  1. Each boat must have 2 anglers (5 fish limit),  no age limits with parental signatures. (One angler must be 18 years or older)  

C.  BOATING AND SAFETY RULES
  1. Each contestant will conduct himself in a sportsmanlike manner.  Obey all state and federal boating safety laws.  Obey all conservation laws.  Life vests must be worn when boat is moving faster than 10mph.  Persons guilty of violations may be disqualified from the event and expelled from future tournaments. 
  2. Extend courtesy to all people using the tournament waters; including recreational anglers on shore or in a boat.
  3. Passing of another tournament boater is to be done on the center side of the water.  (no passing on landside)
  4. No alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs will be consumed in the boats during the tournament hours.
  5. When a person enters the tournament or functions as a boater, he/she is thus stating that they are carrying liability insurance on their craft and all passengers, further protecting the organizers and himself from any liability issues, which may arise.
D.  FISHING RULES
  1. Fish may be taken by pole and line method, with use of artificial lures only, trolling for fish will not be allowed.
  2. No fishing within 25 yards of another boat
  3. Aerated live-wells are required on all boats. The use of a live well treatment to ease the stress placed on the contained fish during a tournament is a good way to ensure the future of fishing.
  4. Any angler/team that breaks any Hot Rod Baits Bass Series or Iowa/Minnesota/Wisconsin DNR rule (ticketed) can be disqualified from the event and all further events.
  5. Anglers must remain in boats during tournament hours (may go to shore to use toilet)
  6. Bass CANNOT be put in another boat for any reason, boat breakdown, livewell pump failure etc.  Bass must remain with anglers in their own tournament boat.  Failure to follow is DQ for all parties involved.
E.  TOURNAMENT HOURS AND STARTING TIMES
  1. Tournament hours will be listed on the website and Facebook page a week prior to each event. (Start time will be close to safe light)
  2. It will be the responsibility of each contestant to check in with the Tournament Director at least 20 minutes prior to the scheduled starting time. The Tournament Director will keep the official time and will announce it prior to the start of the contest.
  3. Boats will be checked prior to the start of the tournament and marked for all to see.
F.   WEIGH IN
  1. Contestants must be in the official docking area on time.  Late is late, and penalties will occur at one pound per minute late. 5 Minutes is a DQ.
  2. Minimum length limit will be DNR rules at all three events EXCEPTION: Lake Sugema is 15in limit).  5 BASS LIMIT.  The length of the fish will be measured with the mouth closed. Any short fish weighed in will be released un-weighed and you will be deducted one pound per short bass.
  3. Weigh in will be conducted by the tournament committee members.  The tournaments will emphasize "DON'T KILL YOUR CATCH".  A penalty of one pound will be deducted for each dead fish weighed in.
  4. Scoring will be determined by pounds.  Tournament Director will have official say on measurements. (you may use the board to measure or courtesy check your fish).
  5. Largest bass will be weighed first. The contestant will pick their largest fish.  If a tie in placing occurs, then the contestant with the largest bass will win the place in question. If a dead heat occurs, monies in question would be split equally between contestants involved. If there should be a tie for Big Bass, the prize money will be split equally.
G.   HOT ROD BAITS TEAM OF THE YEAR:
~Points will be determined on your placing for ALL 3 events
~Points will be awarded as follows:1st place- 20 points, 2nd place- 19 points, 3rd place- 18 points... down to 20th place which will receive 1 point.  (any team not weighing a fish will receive 3 less points than the last finisher)
~Each Bass weighed in is worth one point, a total of 25 points per event are possible
~The team with the highest point total will get  TOY bonus money and plaques, 2nd and 3rd will receive TOY bonus money also.
~Teams may ONLY HAVE ONE SUBSTITUTE per team on the waiver form in the 3 events. (exceptions see next rule)  Example: If Joe and Jimmy sign up on the waiver form to fish the series, then Joe can have one sub. Jimmy needs to fish all of them. 
~If teams do not/cannot abide by the "one substitute rule", they may fish events, however all monies and points earned will be reduced by 25%.  Example: Joe can't fish event #2 and can't fish Event #3, Johnny can get a sub in Event #3 but will be penalized.  (that money will be placed into the Team of the Year Pot and paid out to possibly 3 or 4 teams)
~In case of a tie in Team of the Year points, total numbers of keepers for the year will break the tie, then total pounds weighed at the 3 events
  

***Any rule that is not covered on this rules sheet will be at the discretion of the tournament committee.  The tournament committee members may or may not fish in the events.  Any boat breaking any of the above rules or are ticketed by the Iowa/Minnesota/Wisconsin/Missouri DNR or authorities may be disqualified from the event and all future events held by this organization.  Hot Rod Baits, Hot Rod Baits Bass Series and any person, including the owner is not liable for accidents/injury caused by these events.***