Russ.
here are the rules
TOURNAMENT RULES
ELIGIBILITY: Open to all angelrs. Check in will be at launch site and will close 10 min. prior to launch.
BOATS: Boats must meet U.S. Coast Guard safety standards. Boats must be equipped with navigational lighting. Boats must have. Boats must be equipped with aerated live wells or equivalent thereof, which is capable of supporting a creel limit of (5) bass. No stringers will be allowed. All boats will be inspected at the launch ramp prior to the start of the tournament.
SPORTSMANSHIP: Anglers are expected to follow the highest standards of sportsmanship at all times and observe all state and local boating & fishing regulations. Any act by an angler, which reflects unfavorably upon the effort to promote fisheries conservation, clean water, courtesy and/or sportsmanship, shall be reason for disqualification. Anglers must remain in the boat during tournament hours unless in the case of emergency.
TACKLE: Artificial lures only!! ! No live or prepared bait of any kind will be allowed with the exception of pork rind and/or strips. No fly-fishing rods will be permitted. An Angler may use only one rod at any time. Trolling will be prohibited.
SCORING: Tournament standings will be determined by the total weight of an individual's creel (5 fish limit). Largemouth and Smallmouth bass only, will be weighed and must be 12 inches in length (closed mouth to tip of tail). Mangled or otherwise altered Bass will not be weighed. All decisions with respect to the size and/or weight of the fish will rest with the Tournament Director or his designee. All protests must be brought to the attention of the Tournament Director Before the close of scale. All decisions will be final.
PENALTY: Every effort must be made to keep bass alive through the use of a properly aerated livewell and the use of livewell additives that promote the healthy return of bass to their natural habitat dead fish can not be culled. The penalty for dead fish are as follows 1 dead 4oz,2 dead 10oz 3 dead 18oz 4 dead 28oz 5 dead 40oz. . Any short (undersized) bass brought to the scales by an individual will disqualify the entire catch.
Late penalty: Contestants who are not at the official check-in area at the appointed time will be penalized 1 pound per minute, deducted from the total weight including any weight to be counted toward a big-bass award. Any contestant more than 15 minutes late will lose credit for that day's weight.
TIES: In the event of a tie for total weight, the tiebreaker shall be the total number of bass weighed in.
If a tie still exists, the largest fish shall determine the winner.