Team Rules for 2010

RULES: These rules shall remain unchanged throughout 2010 season. Interpretation and enforcement of Team Bass Tournament Series rules shall be left exclusively to the tournament director. Federal, state, local and lake laws and rules must be obeyed at all times and shall supersede Team Bass Tournament Series rules when in conflict.

PARTICIPANTS AND ELIGIBILITY: Membership is required to participate in all Team Bass Tournament Series events. Tournament eligibility and entry is open to all members in good standing with at least one team member at least 18 years of age or older.

MEMBERSHIP FEES: All teams must pay an annual fee in order to fish a points earning divisional team event. Memberships begin January 1, 2009 and end December 31, 2009. Membership dues are as follows; $35.00. Open tournament events will not require a membership.

APPLICATION & ENTRY FEES: Entry Fee per tournament is $150.00 per team, per event, Big Bass is $10.00 per team, per event for a total of $160.00, per team, per event. Please make checks payable to Team Bass Tournament Series and mail to: 1105 0riole Drive, Jonesboro, Arkansas 72401, or go to our on-line store at www.teambasstournamentseries.net. All entry fees paid at the ramp must be paid in cash. New membership applications must be completed, including both signatures. Team Bass Tournament Series will charge a $30.00 fee for any check returned for insufficient funds.

LIVEWELL CHECK: A Team Bass Tournament Series official will physically inspect the livewell of each participating boat and “tag” the boat at the time of the pre-tournament Check-In. “Tag” is defined as the marking of an inspected boat.

PRE-TOURNAMENT MEETING: A pre-tournament meeting will be held at the Team Bass Tournament Series trailer fifteen (15) minutes prior to the scheduled take off. This meeting is mandatory. At least one (1) team member must attend. Failure of at least one team member to attend this meeting will result in a 25 point penalty. Late arrival is defined as: Arrival after the last boat leaves the take-off area. In case of late arrival, the late team must find a tournament official and have their live well checked and pay the entry fee. A cell phone may be used for the purpose of locating a tournament official.

POST-TOURNAMENT WEIGH-IN: The post-tournament weigh-in/Check-in will be held at the Team Bass Tournament trailer 15 minutes after the official end of the tournament. Holding tanks will be setup for the purpose of KEEPING FISH ALIVE prior to the start of the official weigh-in. If a team decides to exit the tournament early, they must: 1.) Notify a tournament official. 2.) Notify another participant, who will notify a tournament official, prior to the official weigh-in. Failure to do so will result in the loss of tournament points for the day.

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND DRUGS: During tournament hours no alcoholic beverages or narcotic drugs may be consumed or allowed in the boat while on the water, except prescription medications.

SPORTSMANSHIP: Displaying of poor sportsmanship and bringing unfavorable publicity to the sport of bass fishing shall be grounds for disqualification. If one team member is disqualified, the team shall be disqualified.

BOATS & MOTORS: There is no horsepower limit; however, no engine may exceed the BIA horsepower rating for the boat in use. All boats must meet US Coast Guard and state regulations. All boats must have an emergency kill switch. All boats must have a functioning aerated live well suitable to sustain a tournament limit in reasonable condition. Extra gas tanks are not allowed. Standing on seats, or motor or the use of ladder or raised platform for the purpose locating or fishing for bedding fish in not permitted. Boats used in Team Bass Tournament Series tournaments must have an insurance policy in effect with a minimum of $100,000.00 liability coverage.

SAFETY: Boating safety must be observed at all times during practice and competition. A US Coast Guard approved chest type life preserver (PFD) Type III or higher, must be worn and properly fastened any time the combustible engine is operative and the kill switch must be attached to the driver with a lanyard no longer than fourty-eight-48) inches. This rule applies until the team has checked in at the final weigh-in. This rule does not apply to loading your boat or a team member exiting the boat at the ramp.

TACKLE & EQUIPMENT: Intentional snagging of fish will not be allowed. Trolling with the aid of combustion or electric motors is not permitted. Only artificial lures may be used. No live bait or prepared bait permitted with the exception of pork rinds. Liquid fish attractants are allowed. Only one (1) rod may be used at any one time. Other rods may be in the boat and ready for use, however, every cast and retrieve must be completed before another cast is made. Rods may not exceed eight feet in length. The use of underwater cameras is not allowed during competition.

PROTESTS: All protests must be submitted in writing prior to the official closing of the scales.

POLYGRAPH: All contestants are subject to a polygraph testing. Failure to submit is grounds for disqualification. Any contestant who has failed a polygraph test for cheating in a bass tournament or whose results are found to be inconclusive shall not be eligible to compete in Team Bass Tournament Series tournaments. Polygraph and voice stress testing are performed at the discretion of the tournament director and all participants are bound by the findings and any penalties resulting from a failed test. Including but not limited to disqualification and forfeiture of prizes.

SCORING FISH: Each team or couple may weigh-in five (5) fish per day, a minimum of 12 inches in length unless state or lake limits are greater, measured on a flat board with mouth closed and tail compressed. Any team weighing-in a fish shorter than the legal tournament length will be assessed a one (1) lb. penalty plus the loss of the short fish. Any team bringing more than five (5) fish to the scales will be disqualified. A penalty of one (1) lb. per dead fish will be deducted from the total weight. Any big bass brought to the scales deceased, will be directly subject to the 1 lb. penalty. Only Largemouth, Smallmouth and Spotted Bass will be scored. Any team returning to the checkpoint late will be disqualified.

BREAKDOWNS: Contestants must leave and return to official checkpoint by boat. In the event of equipment failure, there shall be two permitted methods of returning to the check-in and weighing fish. (1) By both partners remaining in their boat and being towed by water, or (2) By one partner entering the boat of another Team Bass Tournament Series contestant or staff member along with the days catch. Team's fish must be kept separate.

CULLING FISH: It is the responsibility of each team to keep no more than the state maximum of ten (10) fish in a live well. If more than the local laws allow are present in the live well during the event you will be subject to disqualification. Culling is allowed in the host marina, however a team may bring only five (5) fish to the weigh-in.

PERMITTED FISHING WATERS: No fishing is allowed inside the host marina, with the exception of events held on the Arkansas River, and then nofishing within 50 feet of the host ramp. No fishing is allowed within 50 yards of another anchored or tied tournament boat with trolling motor out of the water, without the anchored boat's permission. Both team partners must fish from the same boat. Only contestants may be in the boat during the tournament hours. Having anyone hole-sit for anyone shall be grounds for disqualification. Contestants cannot leave the boat to land a fish or gain access to a fishing area. Restricting natural movement of fish by any means is automatic disqualification.

GUIDES: Guides may not be used on official practice days. Guides are allowed to participate in Team Bass Tournament Series tournaments if they have fished a preceding tournament in a circuit's series of seven. If it is their first tournament, guides must pay for the next tournament in advance.

OFF LIMITS PERIOD: Team Bass Tournament Series does not impose an "Off limits period" however, each tournament director at their discretion may do so. Clarify this rule with your local tournament director.

CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS: Qualifying will be based on a points and pound format beginning with 100 points for first place and descending down by one 1) point per place. In each event “ First Place ” will receive 100 points plus their weight, e.g., 1st Place = 100 points + 20.50 lbs. = 120.50 points, 2nd Place = 99 points + 20.00 lbs. = 119 points. This procedure will be followed for all teams weighing fish. The lowest team having weight will be the last points given based on the point's structure. All remaining teams that fished but did not weigh fish will receive one-half (½) of the next possible points based off the point structure. Example: The last team weighing fish in a 45-boat field ended at 40th place with 2.0 lbs. They would receive 60 points + 2.0 lbs = 62 points. The remaining 5 teams without weight would receive 29.5 points each (59/2 = 29.5). No points shall be awarded to contestants that pay but do not fish.

CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFYING: You must fish a minimum of 5 regularly scheduled team tournaments during the year to qualify for a championship berth based on points system. You must fish a minimum of 6 regularly scheduled team events to qualify for a championship berth based on the "Wild Card" system. Championship qualifiers will be determined after the last regularly scheduled tournament in each division. Team Bass Tournament Series reserves the right to allow alternate teams to participate in championships to ensure full fields. To qualify for a "Wild Card" berth teams must fish 6 of 7 qualifying events. "Wild Card" qualifying shall be determined by their finishing position in the last tournament of the year and after points qualifiers have been removed.

20 or less boat average will qualify 8 teams plus 2 wild cards.
21 - 25 boat average will qualify 12 teams plus 5 wild cards.
26 - 30 boat average will qualify 16 teams plus 5 wild cards.
31 - 40 boat average will qualify 18 teams plus 6 wild cards.
41 - 50 boat average will qualify 20 teams plus 7 wild cards.
51 - 60 boat average will qualify 22 teams plus 8 wild cards.
61 - 70 boat average will qualify 24 teams plus 9 wild cards.
71 - 80 boat average will qualify 26 teams plus 10 wild cards.
80 and above boat average will qualify 40% of average plus 14 wild cards.

PARTNERS:A member may fish one event alone per season, per region. Members accumulate points for the designate team when fishing alone providing the other team member does not participate in the same event. Any team may use a substitute if one member cannot fish a given tournament. Any substitute partner must be a member of Anglers Choice. Two substitutes will be allowed per team, per region, per year. No substitution of partners will be allowed at regional classics except in cases of partner death, catastrophic illness, military or police duty. Anglers who professionally Guide on the body of water being fished are not acceptable substitutions. In the event a partner is unable to make the Championship for some unforeseen reason, two qualifying members can join up to fish the Championship. For Example: John Doe and Bill Smith qualify for the championship, as does Jim Jones and Jerry Wilson. If John Doe and Jim Jones are unable to make the championship, Then Bill Smith and Jerry Wilson may team up and fish the event together. This can only take place if both teams have qualified for the championship based on the standard laid out above.