2008 Striped Bass Tournament

Tournament Rules

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1. TEAMS / PARTNERS / SUBSTITUTES
A team shall consist of one or two anglers. A one angler boat may fish the entire series alone and is required to pay the full entry fee per event. A team may have two ( 2 ) official designated substitutes per season and substitutes may fish a maximum of two ( 2 ) regular season events. Substitutes are required to pay a $10.00 substitute fee per event. Substitutes may fish with either partner. If a team substitutes more than two times during the season that team will lose all previous weight gained and begin to add weight from that event until the end of the regular season. Anglers may fish alone to retain weight. Partner disagreements are not grounds for official partnership changes. Prior to forming an official team an angler can be a substitute. If an angler is on an established team in the series that angler cannot be a substitute for any other team

2. TACKLE AND FISHING METHOD
Casting, trolling and live bait will be permitted during the series. If live bait is a teams chosen method it must be caught during tournament hours. One boat may not catch bait for another. Competitors may not use more than 4 rods at any time no matter what method is being used.

3. PROTESTS / POLYGRAPHS
Any protest must be submitted in writing to the tournament director within 15 minutes of scale closing. Linesider Lunker reserves the right to ask a competitor to submit to a polygraph exam at any time. Failure to do so will result in immediate disqualification with all entry fees and prize money being forfeited.

4.. ENTRY FEES / MEMBERSHIP FEE
Entry fee for all tournaments is $80.00. $10.00 will go towards the season total weight champion prize. Each participant shall pay a one time $20.00 membership fee per year.. Youth anglers under age eighteen ( 18 ) for the entire tournament season fishing with an adult are not required to pay a membership fee. All members and youths are eligible to receive any and all sponsorship promotional items throughout the year as they become available.

5. PRIZE PAYOUTS
All Linesider Lunker events will have a payout based on one place paid per five ( 5 ) boats entered.

6. LAUNCH SEQUENCE
Starting positions will be randomly drawn on the day of the event.

7. SCORING / STANDINGS / RESULTS / TIES
Tournament results and standings are based on the largest Striped Bass caught legally and weighed in officially. Teams may weigh a single fish per event. At no time can a team have more than 4 ( 4 ) fish in the boat per angler. Anglers are required to know the size requirements depending on state and local game laws. The penalty for attempting to weigh an illegal fish is disqualifiication and their catch results for that event will be zero ( 0 ) pounds. If there is a tie the prize money for the places tied for will be combined and divided equally

8. LATE PENALTY
Competitors not back at the official check in or weigh in site on time will be penalized one pound per minute late up to ten minutes. After ten minutes the team will be disqualified and their total weight for that event will be zero ( 0 ) pounds.

9. SPORTSMANSHIP
Each competitor is expected to follow the highest standards of sportsmanship and courtesey.No boat may fish within 50 yards of another competitor who was first anchored with the trolling motor up. Furthermore, no competitor may fish within 25 yards of another competitor without the permission of the other team. Permission shall not be granted to one team at the exclusion of another. Fighting and confrontation will not be tolerated and may result in immediate disqualification for all involved and a permanent ban from the series. No hole sitting by a non-competitor to aid a competing team. Use of any other person or two - way communicating devices such as cell phones, pagers, CBs etc. intending to aide in locating or catching fish is strictly prohibited.

10. LIABILITY INSURANCE
All boaters must carry liability insurance at all times. Failure to do so will result in immediate disqualification. It is the responsibility of any boat owning competitor to have and to keep this insurance up to date during any and all events.

11. LIABILITY / CAMERA RELEASE
By signing an official entry form you agree to assume all risk associated with the tournament and to release and indemnify the Linesder Lunker officials, sponsors, advertisers, directors, employees and hosts from any and all damages, claims, demands and expenses relating to any injury of any person or persons including yourself and to damages of any property which you may sustain or which you may cause while participating in any event. You also grant the series sponsors, and hosts the unconditional use of your name, voice or photographic likeness for use in any video, audio or print media and our press releases. You understand that you shall not be entitled to any monies, royalties or other compensation in connection with such use.

12. BOATS
All boats must be equipped with a live well system. Each boat must also be equipped with a bilge pump and kill switch. Engines cannot exceed the horsepower rating of the boat.

13. SAFETY
Safe boating conduct must be observed at all times. Each competitor must wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved life vest, suspenders or belt securely fastened anytime the boat is on PLANE and failing to do so will result in immediate disqualification and forfeiture of all entry fees and prize money. When slowly idling between spots or trolling anglers have the option of wearing or not wearing their life vest. Tournament days may be shortened or canceled due to severe weather or any conditions that would endanger the safety of the competitors and /or staff. All decisions will be made by the Tournament Director and will be final.

14. EMERGENCIES
Competitors shall not leave the boat except in emergencies. Sickness, severe storms, nature calls etc. are deemed emergencies. If your boat breaks down you may ride back with your fish with anyone willing to help while the other partner stays with the disabled boat. Every effort possible is to be made to keep fish alive in this situation. You may be towed in by anyone. Any penalties will still apply. You must return to the weigh-in site by boat. If you must trailer your boat back to the weigh-in site your catch will be disallowed and you will receive zero ( 0 ) pounds for the day.

15. STATE LAWS AND REGULATIONS
All competitors are to abide by all local, state, federal and wildlife laws. Competitors are required to have any and all fishing. It is the total responsibility of all competitors to have all of their safety equipment up to date and in working order. We realize that minor issues do arise and we will deal with any issue accordingly with the possibility of a one time warning occuring. All issues will be dealt with in a prudent, reasonable and fair manner by the tournament director. No alcoholic beverages or drugs may be consumed at any time during the tournament or weigh-in.

16. OFF LIMITS AREAS
Off limit areas are anywhere prohibited by local, state or federal regulations. Other off limit areas may be present and put in place for safety reasons. Competitors are to have a clear understanding of any off limits areas. Competitors ticketed for fishing in an off limits area will be disqualified for that specific day and their weight will be zero ( 0 ) pounds for that day.

17. RULES INTERPRETATION
Interpretation of these rules will be left up to the tournament director. Infraction of any rule may result in immediate disqualification of the specific day's catch and forfeiture of any and all entry fees, prize money and or prizes. All desicions are final.

18. MISCELLANEOUS
Please understand that acts of war, terrorism, civil unrest, natural disasters and severe weather may cause the series to adjust payouts and schedules if necessary.