Rule Changes: The rules of this tournament will remain unchanged. Interpretation of these rules shall be left exclusively to the Tournament Directors. AII competitors agree to that all decisions of the Tournament Directors shall be final in all matters. Negligence is no excuse. It is the responsibility of each team to know the rules; your signature on the entry form is an acknowledgement and acceptance to abide by these rules.
2008 Blazer Tournament Rules
2008 Blazer Tournament Rules
1. Participants and Eligibility: Participation in the 2008 Blazer Owners Tournament is open to all Blazer owners and their individual partner/guest. All angling is to be done from a Blazer boat and all fees must be paid before competing in the tournament. Each Blazer owner must also carry a minimum of $100,000 of liability insurance on the boat used in the tournament and must be able to provide proof to Tournament Directors if asked to do so.
2. Registration: All flight positions for all entrants in the 2008 Blazer Owners Tournament will be determined in the order that entries are received. Entry fee for each team entered in the tournament is $125 through Friday, May 30, 2008. Late entry fee for each team entering at the ramp Saturday morning, May 31, 2008 is $150. Contestants will be notified of flight position numbers upon acceptance of entry and entry fees except those teams entering Saturday May 31st. The only mandatory pre-tournament meeting will be Friday May 30th at 6:00pm at the Pell City Civic Center. One member from each team must be present at meeting as boat numbers and draw prize tickets will be issued as well as official rules review. All teams are expected to be at the tournament launch site on time.
3. Safety: Safe boating conduct must be observed at all times by all tournament competitors. Boats must meet all Coast Guard and state requirements. Each competitor is required to have a Coast Guard approved chest life preserver and all boats must carryall required safety equipment. Life jackets MUST be worn when the boat is on plane.
4. Pre-Tournament Practice I Tournament Hours: There will be no off limits period. The tournament will be conducted from safe-daylight to 3:00 PM CST, local time.
5. Sportsmanship: All competitors in this tournament are expected to follow a high standard of sportsmanship, safety, courtesy and conservation. All competitors must have a valid Alabama fishing license, unless exempt. Maximum boating courtesy must be practiced at all times. Each participant is required to comply with all requests from tournament officials.
6. Tackle & Equipment: Only artificial lures may be used. No live bait or prepared bait will be permitted with the exception of pork strips, rinds, etc. Only one casting, spin-casting or spinning rod and reel may be used at any time. Trolling will not be permitted.
7. Permitted Fishing Locations: Fishing on tournament waters is permitted anywhere accessible by boat except within 50 yards of another competitor’s anchored boat, which was first anchored or areas designated as “off limits” by federal, state, or local officials or the Tournament Director. All angling must be done from the boat. Emergency or Mechanical Breakdowns: If a team has a mechanical ‘breakdown or some other type of emergency situation arises during the Tournament: (A) both partners may remain with the boat and be towed back to the weigh-in, or (B) one partner may enter the boat of another competing team with their catch and proceed to weigh-in. Catches will only be counted under these listed conditions and all other tournament rules still apply. If the situation arises ‘where a team must violate this rule for any other reason or emergency, their catch will not be counted.
8. Official Checkpoint: There shall be only one official point for check-out in the morning and check-in the afternoon and this point will be designated by: Tournament Director. All boats will go thru boat check on tournament morning. No culling beyond check in point, violation will result in disqualification.
9. Scoring will be determined by the pounds and ounces of each team’s catch during the tournament. Only largemouth, small mouth or spotted bass will be accepted with a limit of five (5) fish per boat. Culling will be done once 6th fish is caught – no culling beyond checkpoint or at ramp. Minimum length is 12 inches, measured on a Golden Rule. For each fish shorter than 12 inches presented to the weigh master, the short fish and the largest will be culled. For each dead fish weighed, a penalty of 0.25 pounds will be deducted from the total weight. Any team presenting over the 5 fish limit to the weigh master will be disqualified. All boats must be equipped with fully functioning aerated live well. In the event of a tie for any place, monies will be combined and split between the teams equally. Fish may only be presented in official weigh-in bags. Do NOT trailer your boat prior to weighing fish, unless otherwise instructed by the tournament director.
10. Late Penalty: Competitors who are not at the official checkpoint at the appointed time shall be penalized at the rate of 1 pound per minute to be deducted;’ from total weight. Any competitor more than 15 minutes late shall be disqualified.
11. Alcoholic Beverages and Drugs: No alcoholic beverages or (non-prescription) drugs may be consumed at any time during tournament hours.
12. Protest and Polygraph: Any protest must be registered in writing and signed by the competitor protesting no later than 15 minutes after the conclusion of the weigh-in. All competitors, winners and non-winners, are subject to a polygraph testing. Failure to submit to a polygraph test will result in immediate disqualification. Any competitor that fails a polygraph test will be immediately disqualified and will forfeit all winnings.