1.) RULES: These rules shall
remain unchanged throughout 2012 season. 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. Regional and local circuits' rules
may differ from these rules at the discretion of the tournament
director or regional vice president.
2.) PARTICIPANTS AND ELIGIBILITY: Membership is required to
participate in all Angler's Choice regular team, pro-am, and
semi-pro tournaments. 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. Anglers Choice reserves the right
to decline any entry that it feels is not to be in the best
interest of Anglers Choice and its teams.
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. Use of a CB,
VHF marine band radio, cellular phone, texting, or any
electronic communication device for the purpose of locating or
catching bass during tournament hours is prohibited. These
devices may be used for emergency purposes, communicating with
the director or Lockmaster during tournament hours.
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 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.
10.) 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 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.
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. Team's fish must be kept separate.
12.) CULLING FISH: It is the responsibility of each team to keep
no more than a maximum of 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. No culling is allowed in the
host marina.
13.) PERMITTED FISHING WATERS: No fishing is allowed inside the
host marina. 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.
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 AND FEE DEADLINES: Angler's Choice does not
impose an "Off limits period" or an entry deadline however, each
tournament director at their discretion may do so. Clarify this
rule with your local tournament director. Late Fees may apply.
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 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. 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. Teams that
fish 7 events will automatically qualify and may increase below
allotments.
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.
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. In the event a partner is unable to make
the TOC for some unforeseen reason, two qualifying members can
join up to fish the TOC. 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 TOC, 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 Angler's Choice Regional
Qualifying Rules laid out above and is approved by the Regional
Director.
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. To win the Choice
Division AOY you must fish a minimum of two events outside a
single division. 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.
The “Choice” division affords Angler's Choice members an
additional opportunity to qualify for a regional championship they
might not otherwise be able to meet the minimum qualification for.
Example: If a team misses the first few regularly scheduled
tournaments within a single division, which requires a minimum of
5 tournament participations for qualification, they can still meet
this 5 tournament minimum requirement by fishing in other
scheduled tournaments within a given region. Another example can
be found in; a team that has “Bad luck” in their first few
tournaments and scored low points, thus missing the point's
requirement for qualification, can make it up by fishing and
qualifying via the “Choice Division”.
20.) 7 EVENT CHAMPIONSHIP PROGRAM: All Teams who fish Anglers
Choice Pro Team Tournament Trails a minimum of 7 events and
qualify for their respective Regional Championship now have a new
added benefit in return for their support. You will now be
eligible to fish any other Pro Team Regional Championship in the
country. There are some very important restrictions on this
benefit. You must register with Anglers Choice @ 800 360 7112 to
fish this event no later 30 days previous to the event
20b.) OFFICIAL PRE-FISH PERIOD FOR TOCs: Official pre-fish for all
lakes hosting TOCs begins 3 days prior to the event. Official
Pre-Fish means that no one other than your team member or a member
of your immediate family is allowed on the boat with any angler
wishing to participate in the event. This eliminates the use of
guides for the days immediately prior to the event. Failure to
follow these rules during the pre-fish period will result in
disqualification from the event.
21.) ANGLER OF THE YEAR CHAMPIONSHIP PROGRAM: At the
conclusion of each division's tournament year the team with the
most points shall be deemed the Anglers of the year. This shall
also include the Choice division. As Anglers of the year, those
teams will then advance to the Regional championship and fish
against all the other divisional Anglers of the year at the
Regional Championship. The top 3 Angler of the year teams shall be
awarded the following prizes.
1st Place $1,000.00 in Cash an, or Prizes plus 7 Entries for the
following team season
2nd Place $750.00 in Cash an, or Prizes plus 7 Entries for the
following team season
3rd Place $500.00 in Cash an, or Prizes plus 7 Entries for the
following team season
4th Place Entry Fees for the following team season
These prizes shall be independent of the regular Regional
Championship prizes and the Anglers of the year shall be fishing
for both prize pools. |
