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2007 Divisional Rules |
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2007 Rules |
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1. RULES: These rules shall remain unchanged throughout 2007. Interpretation and enforcement of Angler's Choice 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 Angler's Choice rules when in conflict. 2. PARTICIPANTS AND ELIGIBILITY:
Membership is required to participate in all Angler's Choice team tournaments. Tournament eligibility and entry is open
to all members in good standing with one team member at least 18
years of age or older. 3. 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. 4. 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. 5. 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 livewell 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
Angler's Choice tournament must have an insurance policy in effect with a
minimum of $100,000.00 liability coverage. 6. 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. 7. 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. 8. PROTESTS: All protests must be
submitted in writing prior to the official closing of the scales. 9. 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 Angler's Choice
tournaments. Polygraph and voice stress testing are performed at the
discretion of the tournament director. 10. SCORING FISH: Each team 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 .20 lbs. Per dead fish will be deducted
from the total weight. Any big bass brought to the scales deceased, will
be directly subject to the .20 lbs. penalty. Only Largemouth, Smallmouth
and Spotted Bass will be scored. Any team returning to the checkpoint late
will be penalized at the rate of one pound per minute up to 5
minutes. After 5 minutes no weight will be allowed. 11. 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
Angler’s Choice Team Tournament contestant or staff member along with
the days catch. Teams fish must be kept separate. 12. CULLING FISH: It is the
responsibility of each team to keep no more than a maximum of 5 fish in a
live well. Once your sixth fish is caught you must cull immediately. No culling is
allowed in host marina. 13. PERMITTED FISHING WATERS: No fishing
is allowed inside the host marina. No fishing is allowed within 25 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. 14. GUIDES: Guides may not be used on official practice days. Guides are allowed to participate in Angler's Choice 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. 15. OFF LIMITS PERIOD: There will be no off limits period. 16. 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 (˝) 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. 17. 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 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. Angler's Choice reserves the right to allow alternate teams to participate in regional 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. 18. PARTNERS: (Regions 3-4 only) 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 Choice Regional
Vice Presidents shall have the final approval on any classic
substitutions. Anglers who professionally Guide on the body of water being
fished are not acceptable substitutions. 19. CHOICE DIVISION: Teams may fish an
unlimited number of tournaments within a single region in order to qualify
in that region’s “ Choice Division “ and for that region’s
championship but only their best 7 point events will be calculated toward
a championship berth regardless of the number of tournament fished. A team
that fishes in 2 or more divisions within a region automatically
accumulates points in that region’s “Choice Division”. A team can
qualify for a regional championship via more than one-1 division. However,
a team may not represent more than one division e.g. “Oroville” or
“East Delta” or “Choice”, although qualified in all three-3 at the
regional championship. The division in which a team accumulates the
highest ranking will be the division they represent at the championship.
Choice Division championship qualifying shall be calculated by taking the
total number of entries in that division during the year divided by seven
- 7 to produce an average number of entries. That average shall be the
number used for which qualifying shall be based as per our championship
qualifying criteria. Points in the Choice Division are only for place
finished. Weight is not calculated in the Choice Division Standings. For
Example: A team finishing in 1st place receives 100 points, a team
finishing in 2nd place receives 99 points and so on. This is new for 2005
and changed for purposes of fairness. |
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Contact Information: (618)
922-3876 |
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U.S. Angler's Choice Bass
Tournaments. |
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