North Texas Bass Club Challenge Rules

NORTH TEXAS BASS CLUB CHALLENGE TOURNAMENT RULES

1. RULES AND REGULATIONS: These guidelines, as set forth on this entry form must be strictly followed by all contestants. It is each contestant's responsibility to read and fully understand these rules because entrants may be disqualified for noncompliance and may be required to forfeit all prize money and entry fees if they fail to comply with these rules and regulations. Each entrant agrees that the decisions of the tournament directors will be final in all respects.
2. PARTICIPATION AND ELIGIBILITY: Participation in this tournament is limited to active members of any Bass Club that meets the standard requirements of eligibility, which is 10 active members. The Challenge directors reserve the right to refuse entry to anyone who has been previously disqualified from any fishing tournament for a serious violation, such as cheating.
3. REGISTRATION: Entries of $25.00 per person must be given to the representative from your club by the cut-off date to be eligible for the challenge tournament. NOTE: The North Texas Bass Club Challenge or its directors will not be responsible for entries that are not delivered on time. The website will contain pertinent information for contestants of registration sites, times, and other pertinent data, or you may phone or email your local representative for clarification if you have questions.
4. LAUNCHING AND TRAILERING: Parking and launch facilities at the host marina may be crowded. Contestants may launch from any public or private ramp on the tournament lake to which they have legal access. Unless notified otherwise, trailering is allowed. Trailering to the weigh-in site is permitted if your livewell system is adequate to maintain the fish in a healthy condition. All contestants must meet at the pre-determined launch site the morning of the tournament for a livewell check, but then may launch and go to their fishing spots. You may not start fishing until the official start time. Official Start Times will be posted at the launch site when you check-in the morning of the tournament..
5. TACKLE AND TROLLING: Only one fishing rod may be used at any one time, and each cast must be completed before another is made. Only artificial baits may be used (pork rind trailers are the only exception). Trolling with the combustion engine is not allowed. Strolling is not allowed.
6. BOATS, MOTORS, AND SAFETY: Any boat may be utilized if it meets all state and local legal requirements, including BIA horsepower ratings. All boats MUST have an adequate, functioning livewell with aeration provided. Coast Guard approved life vests MUST be worn and FASTENED while the boat is on plane, and all boats MUST have a working "kill" switch ATTACHED to the driver when the boat is on plane. In case of mechanical failure or in an emergency situation, contestants may transport their catch to the weigh-in site by way of another contestant's boat. NOTE: The North Texas Bass Club Challenge and/or its tournament directors or representatives will not be responsible for boating, water, travel, or any other accidents. Each contestant is solely responsible for his or her actions, including situations that result from inclement weather. It is each contestant's own personal decision to travel to and/or fish this tournament regardless of weather conditions. The North Texas Bass Club Challenge does not encourage anyone to take undue risk simply to participate in this or any other tournament.
7. SPORTSMANSHIP: No fishing is allowed from outside a contestant's boat or within 50 yards of another contestant's anchored or tied boat that has its trolling motor in the stored position, without the express permission of its occupants. No ladders or platforms used for sight fishing (during the spawn) will be allowed on tournament boats. "Hole holding" is not allowed and anyone displaying poor sportsmanship, breaking state or local laws, or violating any of the rules of this tournament circuit will forfeit their entry fee and may (at the discretion of the tournament director) be disqualified from this and some or all future North Texas Bass Club Challenge events.
8. NARCOTICS AND ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES may not be consumed during tournament hours. For the safety of all concerned, contestants must also not use narcotics or consume alcohol immediately prior to the commencement of the tournament or operate a boat under the influence of either alcohol or illegal drugs.
9. CONTESTANTS/AGE: Entered contestants in any boat may assist another contestant in that same boat in landing or netting fish. Contestants under 18 years of age may enter and fish as long as they are a member of the club entered in the challenge. Tournament officials, staff, volunteers, other contestants, or sponsors will not be responsible for mishaps or accidents resulting from this tournament. There will be no refund of entry fees and no transfer of entry from one individual to another.
10. ON THE LAKE: Tournament directors will be on the lake during tournament hours and all contestants are required to cooperate with inspection requests and comply with instructions given by tournament officials regarding rules and regulations.
11. PUBLICATION RIGHTS: By entering this tournament, each contestant agrees to allow The North Texas Bass Club Challenge the sole and exclusive right to take and publish photographs, motion pictures, voice recordings, and/or videotape footage of him or her as a contestant and use this material, or dispose of it, in any legal manner without further permission or compensation to the contestant.
12. PRIZE MONEY: Each contestant, by entering this tournament, represents that he or she understands and agrees that the prize money to be paid may be adjusted based on the total number of entries.
13. PROTESTS: A written protest must be officially reported no later than 15 minutes after final weigh-in on the tournament day and the TX numbers of alleged offenders must accompany all protests.
14. FISH LENGTHS AND LIMITS: Dead fish will be penalized at one-half pound per dead fish. Each person is allowed five BASS in possession. Each contestant may weigh five fish (largemouth, smallmouth, Guadalupe, or Kentucky bass) per tournament. All fish must be brought to the scales for weigh-in by each contestant catching said fish. All North Texas Bass Club Challenge Tournaments will utilize the five fish, 14-inch minimum for all bass, except at lakes where the length limit varies (i.e. 16-inch, 18-inch, etc.).
NOTE: Guadalupe or Kentucky bass under 14 inches will not be weighed even though they are deemed "legal" by the state.
15. SHORT FISH: Teams will be penalized two pounds per short fish and the short fish will not be weighed or included in the total.
16. TIES: will split the prizes of that and the next place.
17. FISHING HOURS will be announced on the website or at the launch site prior to the tournament. NOTE: State law requires that running lights must be on at all times prior to daylight.
18. WEIGH-IN/CHECK-IN PROCEDURES: Check-in time will be posted on the website. Failure to check-in by the desired time will result in forfeiture of all weight you may have. Call or email your local representative for sites, times, and particulars because these may vary.
19. BIG BASS POT: (OPTIONAL) Big bass pot is an optional $5.00 if you want to participate. Big Bass will pay one place only.
20. DISPUTES: If any contestant refuses to abide by the decision of the tournament director and elects to litigate any dispute arising out of a North Texas Bass Club Challenge tournament, the contestant agrees, by fishing this event, that venue of any such litigation is in Denton County, Texas. Furthermore, contestant agrees to pay for all of North Texas Bass Club Challenge's attorney's fees and costs incurred by North Texas Bass Club Challenge representatives as a result of the contestant filing such litigation regardless of whether the contestant prevails. Moreover, any contestant who files a lawsuit regarding a dispute arising out of a North Texas Bass Club Challenge tournament instead of abiding by the decision of the tournament director agrees to reimburse North Texas Bass Club Challenge representatives for any and all time spent by North Texas Bass Club Challenge representatives on such litigation, (such as trial preparation, attending depositions, responding to discovery requests, etc.) at a rate not less than $65.00 per hour. Such reimbursement will be made within ten days of the date the contestant or the contestant's attorney receives an invoice from North Texas Bass Club Challenge representatives, even if such reimbursements are billed for prior to the date set for trial.