Rules
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1) RULES: These rules shall remain unchanged throughout the 2012 season.  Interpretation and enforcement of AC/WRL rules shall be left exclusively to the tournament director s discretion at each event. Federal, state, local, lake laws and rules must be obeyed at all times and shall supersede AC/WRL rules when in conflict.

2) PARTICIPANTS AND ELIGIBILITY: No team or individual will be allowed to fish if they individually or collectively have won more than $5000 and/or finished in the top 10 in the points race in a Pro-Teams or Pro-Am event during a given season. Money won from the back seat of a Pro/Am event or AC/WRL TOC does not count towards an individual’s winnings. Also, any individual(s) that are found to be a highly qualified team based on points races (top 5 in the angler of the year races) of any other circuit may be asked to fish at the pro level and not participate in the AC/WRL events. Final decision of all contestants being allowed to participate will be at the tournament directors’ discretion. Any angler who has qualified for a Pro Championship of any pro trail (100% BASS, B.A.S.S., F.L.W., EVERSTART, WESTERN BASS, W.O.N., ANGLER’S CHOICE, WEST COAST BASS, FEDERATION, REDMAN or CBC)  in the past 10 years is ineligible to fish as an amateur on the AC/WRL tour.  All participants must be current members of U.S. Anglers Choice to be eligible to participate.

2) ALCOHOL & DRUGS: During tournament hours, no alcoholic beverages or narcotic drugs (unless prescription drugs prescribed to the user) may be consumed or allowed in the boat while on the water.

3) GUIDES: Guides may not be used on official practice days, such as the Tournament of Champions pre fish days. Guides will not be allowed to fish in the AC/WRL Division. This is an amateur division and guides are considered "Seasoned Anglers". They may however fish in the Pro divisions of Anglers Choice.

4) REGISTRATION: All tournaments will require a payment of entry fees in advance of the tournament. Deadline for payment of entries is 5 pm on Thursday prior to the event for all AC/WRL team tournaments or a late fee of $10 will be assessed. Entry forms must be filled out completely and mailed to your appropriate tournament director with checks made payable in your tournament director’s name – NOT to “Tournament Director”. Please see your region’s home page for mailing addresses. Late sign-ups, however, will be accepted the night before from 4 PM to 6 PM or the morning of the event at the designated location

5) SAFETY: Boating safety must be observed at all times during practice and competition. A U.S. 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 forty-eight (48) inches.  All boats should be equipped with the minimum recommended USCG safety devices.  These requirements can be viewed online at www.dbw.ca.gov.

6) BOAT & LIVEWELLS CHECK: It is the responsibility of the anglers to have their boat and livewells checked by an AC/WRL official immediately prior to competition. A RIBBON will be placed on your trolling motor once your boat has been checked. You will NOT be able to weigh in your fish without the ribbon on the trolling motor or you will be disqualified.   

7) BOAT AND MOTORS: Each event will be divided into two horsepower divisions.
Small boat will be engines with horsepower ratings between 0 and 115 horsepower.
Large boats will be engines greater than 115 horsepower.
All boats in AC/WRL events must be a minimum of 12 feet long.
Any team with a boat that qualifies for the small boat division and wants to participate as members of the large boat division will be allowed to do so as long as prior approval from the tournament director has been obtained.

8) CHECK IN FOR OFFICIAL WEIGH IN: It is the responsibility of each team to check in with the AC/WRL staff prior to weighing in their fish.  Late check in is grounds for disqualification.

9) 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 by each angler. 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. Nets may not have a handle in excess of eight (8) feet in length.

10) LAKE OFF- LIMITS:  There is No off limits period for any AC/WRL regular events with the exception to the off limits for the championship/TOC event. You may not receive or solicit fishing related information from anyone who has fished the Championship waters during the off limits period.

11) START OF TOURNAMENT: A random draw will be done to determine the starting boat position in each Division, with The Small Boat Division always being allowed to start first.

12) SPEED-RESTRICTED AREAS: No boat may pass another contestant's boat in a restricted speed zone, in an effort to gain an advantage. Speeding in a 5 mph zone is grounds for disqualification if you are protested.

13) LIMIT: During all AC/WRL events, teams will only weigh in five (5) fish for the days catch measuring Thirteen inches (13”) flat on a flat board. AC/WRL may allow for a larger tournament limit on waters where state or lake limits are greater. Any team weighing in a fish shorter than the legal tournament length will be assessed a one (1) pound 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.

14) CULLING FISH: It is the responsibility of each team to not have more than the local laws allows 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. However, a team may not possess more than a five (5) fish limit once inside the host marina  Additionally, no culling is allowed in the host marina.

15) BIG FISH: The big fish award is an option at AC/WRL events.  You may not weight in a DEAD fish to claim this award, however, a dead big fish will be counted toward your overall weight with dead fish penalty applied.

16) PERMITTED FISHING WATERS: Fishing is not 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. 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 grounds for automatic disqualification.

17) RESERVED AREAS: No person may "hold" or "reserve" a fishing area for a contestant at any time. Infraction of this rule will result in disqualification of all parties involved.

18) RADIO OR PHONE TRANSMITTING: Transmittal of information via phone, radio, text messaging or other means concerning any aspect of fishing during a tournament is prohibited. Communication between contestants and/or land lines may be used for breakdowns, emergencies, business, or personal reasons.

19) INFORMATION SHARING: Once an event has started it is against the rules for any contestant to receive help or information about how/where to catch fish from someone else outside of their own boat. This includes help from another contestant.

20) BREAKDOWN-EMERGENCIES: Anglers are not permitted to leave their boats nor touch another boat, with the exception of an emergency or major equipment failure during the tournament. In this case, it is permitted to be towed either to safety or back to the weigh-in area by any safe means available. You may not transport fish by land if you choose to trailer back to the weigh-in area; however, you may have your fished transported to the weigh-in by another tournament boat participating in the same event.  Transported fish must be held separate from another contestants fish.  At least one person must stay with your fish at all times and neither angler is permitted to fish while under the assistance of another boat during the breakdown period.

21) WINNINGS/MONEY: Each division will compete only within their own division for points. Payback for all events will be in cash/check and will be based on a 1 in 5 format. Winnings/Money will be discussed at each event if winnings/money will be combined due to the lack of participant in the Small Boat Division.

22) PRIZES: Awards during all AC/WRL Events require the winners to be present at the awards. Winners not present at the awards ceremony will forfeit any and all prizes selected for them. This does not include money won as a result of placement in the tournament. Any prizes not awarded during a specific event will be carried over and awarded at the AC/WRL Team championship.

23) ANGLER OF THE YEAR: Will be determined by the team with the most points accumulated at the end of the year, based on their best 6 events in one region with the same partner.

24) PARTICIPATION IN BOTH AC/WRL AND REGULAR TEAM EVENTS: As long as a team meets the requirement for the AC/WRL they may participate in both the Pro teams and the AC/WRL events.

25) SCORING: Is determined by the total weight of each participants catch for the overall event, less any penalties or dead fish weighed in. There is no bonus for live fish. Points are awarded to each entrant of the event on a declining scale starting at a 100 points for first, 99 for second, 98 for third, etc… Five participation points will be awarded to all entrants of the event. Participation points are not revocable.

26) TOC: The TOC will be a separate event, to be held at the end of the season. AC/WRL anglers are eligible to win a grand prize given away to the overall winner of the event. All other AC/WRL money will be kept separate. 25% of the total number of registered teams fishing in each region throughout the entire season will be invited to the TOC. AC/WRL reserves the right to invite more teams based upon participation levels during the season. Qualifying will be based on the best 4 out of 6 events fished in one region with the same partner with 2 throw outs. Teams fishing more than 4 events will keep the 5 show up points on throw out events. Any team fishing 7 events in the AC/WRL tournaments with the same partner will automatically qualify for the TOC.

27) TOC PARTNER: An angler who qualified to fish the TOC but has a partner who cannot attend can be placed with another qualifying angler with the same situation. Partners will be determined by a random draw.  These situations will be reviewed and approved by the tournament director.

28) SPORTSMANSHIP: Displaying of poor sportsmanship and bringing unfavorable publicity to AC/WRL, the host marina, and/or the sport of bass fishing shall be grounds for disqualification. If one team member is disqualified, the team shall be disqualified.

29) PROTEST: All protests must be submitted in writing within 15 minutes after the official closing of the scales.

30) OFFICIAL BOATS: Officials may be on the lake during contest hours, and can approach or observe any contestant’s boat. Each contestant is required to cooperate with all reasonable requests from media representatives or officials. Official boats may not be used as contestant replacement boats.