RULE CHANGES
    These rules will remain unchanged. Interpretation of these rules shall be left exclusively to the tournament director. Failure to comply with any rule may result in disqualification. The decision of the tournament director shall be final in al matters. * Appeals must be made in writing within 72 hours of the official check in time of each tournament. (*see amendment 1)

PARTICIPANTS AND ELIGIBILITY
    A properly completed and signed official entry form along with the current entry fee must be presented to the tournament director prior to but on later than the day of the tournament. NO REFUND of an entry fee will be made.

PROFESSIONALS
    Individuals that have fished one (1) or more tournaments requiring an individual entry fee of $450.00 or more in the prior 12 months are not eligible to fish in T.H.B.A. tournaments.

GUIDES
    Individuals who are serving as a licensed guide or have guided without a license for pay on the tournament waters within the past thirty (30) days of the scheduled tournament are not eligible to fish the scheduled tournament.

PRE TOURNAMENT PRACTICE
    There may be practice days preceding the day of the tournament. During practice on the tournament waters, a contestant may not have the assistance of a professional guide, any state or federal wildlife official, or any person deemed to be a professional by the tournament officials for 14 days prior to the scheduled tournament date.

REGISTRATION
    Each contestant must register in person at the designated site during the official registration hours (1 hour before safe light local time). Each contestant must also attend the pre tournament meeting (30 minutes prior to ooze off). Failure to attend the pre tournament meeting may result in disqualification.  NO EXCEPTIONS

PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS
    Contestants may fish anywhere accessible by boat, except designated "off limits" by Federal, State, or Local officials or within 50 yards of other tournament contestants if anchored. Any contestants allowing any other contestants to fish within 50 yards of their boat has suspended the 50 yard rule and opened the waters to all tournament contestants.

OFFICIAL CHECKPOINT
    The official check point will be the ramp or area where "ooze off" took place. Check in time will be verified at the pre tournament meeting. Teams are responsible for returning to the check point at the designated time. No contestant is allowed at the official check point more than fifteen (15) minutes early. Landing or beaching a boat prior to that fifteen (15) minute period will result in disqualification. No team or team member will be permitted on shore prior to the fifteen (15) period, unless the tournament director is present. Contestants must make every effort to be on time.
Late penalties as follows:
1 - 5 minutes                        1lb
5 - 10 minutes                      2lbs
10 - 15 minutes                    3lbs
15 minutes or more              disqualified
        * Note - in the event of boat malfunctions, a penalty may or may not be assessed, according to the tournament directors discretion.

          In order to promote sportsmanship, camaraderie, and goodwill all participants are expected to remain at weigh in until all prizes have been awarded. Exceptions will be granted with sufficient reason early departure.

TOURNAMENT HOURS
    Official start ooze off and weigh in times will be announced at the thirty (30) minute pre tournament meeting. Our best effort will be given to allow at least eight (8) hours of fishing time. In the case of anticipated or bad weather conditions, the tournament director may postpone ooze off, call an early weigh in time, or cancel the tournament.

SCORING
    Tournament standings will be determined by the pounds and ounces of each teams catch during the tournament. Only largemouth, black bass, spotted bass, or small mouth bass will be weighed. the limit catch will be seven (7) fish unless the prevailing State lake or river is less. A contestant may not have more then the tournament limit in his livewell at any time. Culling must be done immediately. Minimum length will be twelve (12) inches ( measured on a flat board, mouth closed and the tail laid on the board in a natural manner) unless the prevailing State rule is larger. A penalty of eight (8) ounces will be deducted from the total weight for each dead fish brought to weigh in. A penalty of one (1) pound will be deducted from the total weight for each short fish. If your Lunker Bass is weighed dead, an eight (8) ounce penalty is deducted from the total weight. No short fish will be weighed.

SAFETY
    Safe boating will be observed at all times. Each contestant must wear a Coast Guard approved chest type personal floatation device (PFD) strapped, zipped, or snapped any time the combustion engine is operating and until the combustion engine is shut off. Anon boater is responsible for his/her own personal PFD. The boat operator must have a safety stop kill switch attached to their person anytime the combustion engine is running. Violation of either the PFD or safety stop switch rule will result in disqualification of the individual.

SPORTSMANSHIP
    All contestants are required to maintain high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety, and conservation. Violations of this rule shall be reason for disqualification. NO ALCOHOLIC beverages or unprescribed medications are allowed in the boat at any time. Drunkenness at any official T.H.B.A. tournament activity will be grounds for immediate disqualification and loss of membership.  Maximum courtesy must be practiced at all times, especially with regards to boating and angling in the vicinity of non contestants who are also on the tournament waters. All contestants must return to the check in site with their trash or litter for proper disposal. Any act of a contestant which reflects unfavorable upon the clubs efforts to promote fisheries conservation, clean water, and sportsmanship shall also be reason for immediate disqualification.

TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT
    Only artificial lures may be used during a tournament. No live bait or prepared bait will be permitted, with the exception of pork trailers. Only one casting, spin casting or spinning rod and reel may be used at any one time. Maximum rod length is eight (8) feet. All other rod and reel combinations including fly rods are prohibited. Other rigged rods may be in the boat and ready for use. Trolling as a method of fishing is prohibited. All bass must be caught live and in a conventional sporting matter.

BOAT AND MOTOR
    All boats entered in a tournament must carry a minimum 100,00 dollar of liability insurance proof must be provided. All boats must be equipped with a safety stop kill switch. No boat under fourteen (14) feet may be used during tournament hours on an unlimited horse power lake. Each boat must have all U.S. Coast Guard safety equipment. Each boat must also have properly aerated or recirculating livewell that will maintain a limit catch by both contestants. Maximum horse power for all outboards will be 250 H.P. so not to exceed the maximum horse power limitations set forth by the U.S. Coast Guard. Each boat must have U.S. Coast Guard rating plate attached to the boat maximum horse power and person capacity must not exceed this rating.
NO canoes
NO rowboats
Electric only boats only on designated lakes
Tiller steering will be permitted as long as the boat is sea worthy and appropriate for the tournament waters.
Minimum horse power for unlimited lake will be 9.9 horse power.

TREATMENT OF CATCH
    Mangled, mashed, mauled or otherwise altered fish will be grounds for immediate disqualification. No regurgitated bait fish will be weighed. Fish will not be put on a stringer at any time. Trading or giving any part of a catch to another contestant will result in disqualification for all parties involved. Every attempt will be made to return all fish to the water alive and unharmed.

PAIRING OF CONTESTANTS
    All assignments of partners will be made by open draw prior to the day of the tournament. Every effort will be made to allow sufficient time for partners to confer prior to the actual tournament. The tournament director will not be responsible for finding lost partners. Each contestant will meet their assigned partner at least thirty (30) minutes to ooze off time. The tournament director may reassign partners prior to the morning ooze off to accommodate problems or emergencies.
    If the number of non boaters exceeds the number of boaters certain teams will be required to fish with three (3) members. If a boater desires not to have two (2) teammates it is the boaters responsibility to make his wishes known prior to the draw. If there are more boaters than non boaters a boat owner may opt to fish alone or not fish at all. If the boater opts not to fish all entry fees will be forfeited. In the event of three (3) anglers in one boat the team will be allowed ten fish to be weighed.

TIES
    In the event of a tie, positions shall be resolved by combining awards and dividing them equally among the tied contestants. Duplicate points will be awarded to the tied contestants.

POINT SYSTEM
    Team weights will count for each individual angler. A running total of individual weights will be kept through out the tournament year. At years end, the angler with the highest point total will be considered angler of the year, and will receive a plaque and a monetary award. This award will be determined at the meeting immediately preceding the final tournament.
    Tournament contestants will receive a number of points depending on their finishing rank.
The scale will be as follows:
50 points                    1st
49 points                    2nd
48 points                    3rd
47 points                    4th
etc.
25 points                    0 fish
    Each team member will receive the same amount of points per event. A running total will be kept throughout the tournament year. The top six (6) members ( based on the number of members who have participated in the years contests) will proceed to a final championship. Top points angler will receive a plaque naming them so. The winner of the championship shall also receive a plaque. Monetary awards will be decided at the meeting preceding both events.

WAIVER OF TOURNAMENT RULES
    Due to the uniqueness of the T.H.B.A. club, there may arise an occasion when the above rules may not be practiced in there entirety. Wavier of any portion of these rules must have the written permission of the club President and Vice President.

AMENDMENTS

1. Appeal/Protest of tournament rules violation:
    A verbal protest/appeal must be filed with the tournament director within one half (1/2) hour of weigh in. Protester must file a written protest, along with a fifty (50) dollar deposit within a twenty four hour period of the verbal protest. The appeals committee will review the protest and render a decision within seventy two (72) hours. If the protest is denied, the fifty (50) dollar fee will be deposited into the club treasury. If the protest is upheld the fifty (50) dollars will be returned to the individual filing the protest. After the committee renders its decision, all prize money will be distributed. If during the review the protester wishes to withdraw the protest the fifty (50) dollar deposit will be forfeited and deposited into the treasury.