TOURNAMENT RULES

1. Contestants can register with personal check by mail or in person until October 9, 2010, after which only cashier’s
checks, money orders, or cash will be accepted as payment. Entry fee of $120.00 per team can be paid to any
Big Reel Bassmasters of Margate Club Member or mailed to the club with checks payable to: BIG REEL
BASSMASTERS, 1945 Lake Point Drive, Weston FL 33326.
2. All contestants must check in at registration desk at Clewiston public boat ramp the morning of the tournament
starting at 4:00 am.
3. Contestants will fish as a two person team from the same boat. Contestants will choose their own partners and
register as a team
4. Contestants must stay in the boat and together during the tournament hours, no wading allowed.
5. Competing boats must keep a minimum of two casting distances apart, unless allowed closer by permission of
established boat(s) in that area. Courtesy and good sportsmanship must be practiced at all times.
6. All boats must have standard Coast Guard approved safety equipment and safe boating must be observed at all
times with both contestants wearing a chest life preserver any time the main engine is running. It must be on and
fully zipped at all times the boat is moving
7. Each boat will be given an identification number. Numbers are given on a first come first serve basis, and this
system will be used to determine flight placement A receipt will be issued upon registration - this must be
presented at weigh-in to be eligible to weigh your catch. Failure to check in will be a disqualification.
8. No Alcoholic Beverages shall be allowed in any boat during the tournament, or be consumed prior to the weigh-in.
No firearms will be allowed on any boat. Any violation will result in disqualification!
9. Boats must have an operating live well, or some type of live well system present, coolers with air pumps permitted
This is a catch and release tournament. All fish become the property of Big Reel Bassmasters of Margate, and
will be released alive.
10. A total of 5 bass per boat may be weighed in. A 12 inch size limit will be enforced. All fish over 22 may be
weighed. A golden rule flat board will be used to measure all fish. Any team presenting more than 5 fish to the
scale, will be culled down to 5 fish, starting with the largest, down to the tournament limit. Short fish will be an
automatic disqualification. A 1 pound penalty will be assessed for each dead fish. Total team weight will
determine the winners. Any ties will be resolved by the tournament staff. Any bass that appears to be mangled,
mashed, mauled or altered in any manner will be disallowed. All decisions by the judges are final.
11. No culling of fish at the dock. Fish will only be accepted from boats docking at weigh-in point. No fish will be
accepted from the parking lot area. DO NOT LOAD YOUR BOAT PRIOR TO WEIGHING YOUR FISH. Fish
must be weighed from the water.
12. Each team must provide their own boat, motor and fishing equipment. AIR BOATS ARE PROHIBITED.
13. No trolling is allowed. Only one casting, spin casting, or spinning rod and reel of a conventional nature may be
used at any time. No cane poles, fly rods, or jig sticks. Only artificial lures may be used, no live or prepared bait
except pork rinds, flipping rods are allowed.
14. All boats must check in at appointed time or a one pound per minute late penalty will be subtracted from total
score. Late penalty, also deducted from any fish entered in big fish category. Fifteen minutes late is total
disqualification.
15. Big fish will be determined by total weight on one single bass. NO DEAD FISH WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR BIG
FISH POT!!!!
16. A polygraph test may be given to three places and Big Fish - failure to comply with this rule will be disqualification.
17. In case of a boat or motor failure, one team member may be brought in on another tournament team boat, with
both teams’ fish being separated at all times.
18. Any boats not fishing to completion must notify an official at time of departure to allow tournament director to
account for all boats and fishermen. Failure to do this will disqualify those participants from future Big Reel
sponsored events.
19. Protests or objections must be submitted in writing within 15 minutes after weigh-in to the judges. All decisions by
the judges will be final. Failure to comply with any of the above rules may result in disqualification at the
discretion of the tournament staff - all decisions will be final.