To preserve the integrity of the tournament and our anglers, any contestant receiving a prize may be subject to a polygraph and/or cvsa exam prior to receiving a prize at each event. Contestants must pass the polygraph and/or cvsa exam at the tournament site to receive prize money and awards.

The interpretation of these rules shall be made by the Tournament Director(s) at his/her sole and absolute discretion, and the Tournament Director(s) reserve the right to make additional reasonable rules for the conduct of its tournaments if circumstances require. The Tournament Director(s) shall have the sole and absolute.

Any contestant knowingly violating the event rules may face disqualification from any & all future tournaments.

ELIGIBILITY

All anglers must have a paid entry fee. Anglers 18 years of age or younger must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. A team may consist of one (1) angler per boat or two (2) anglers per boat.

COMMUNICATION

All communication will be via email or text per Tournament Director or Tournament Producer. NO IN-PERSON PRE-MEETING.

WEIGH-IN FLIGHTS

Flights will be staggered by 25 boats per flight at 20 minute intervals. Tournament Director reserves the right to modify the flights based on the total number of boats in the field.

SCORING/CULLING

Largemouth, Smallmouth, Meanmouth, & Kentucky (spotted) bass will be scored. 15 Inch on all bass species. There will be a five (5) fish limit at all lakes. A short fish will result in a one (1) pound penalty plus the loss of the fish. A dead fish will result in a one (1) pound penalty per fish. If the dead fish is weighed in for Big Bass, the (1) pound will be deducted from that fish. No more than five (5) fish are allowed in a live well at any time, unless it is during the culling process. Anyone bringing more than five (5) fish to the bump tub will not be allowed to weigh in any fish. All fish must be brought to the scales in an Anglers in Action weigh-in bag. Culling of dead bass is prohibited.

SAFETY and SPORTSMANSHIP

Safe boating must be observed at all times. Life jackets and kill switches must be used any time the combustion motor is running above an idle. All contestants are required to follow the highest degree of sportsmanship, courtesy, and conservation. At the discretion of the Tournament Director, tournament days may be shortened or canceled due to unsafe weather or water conditions. No alcohol or controlled substance can be used or allowed in the boat during tournament hours. No tournament boat may be loaded on the trailer before weigh-in except with the permission of the Tournament Director. Weigh In will be conducted by bag and tub. Weigh in bags will be provided by tournament officials.

LATE PENALTY

Anglers must check-in to the designated check-in site by official designated time. Failure to do so will result in a one-pound penalty per minute late, up to ten (10) minutes, then disqualification.

TIES

(Tie for Overall Results): All ties will be broken in this order; 1) Most Fish Weighed In, 2) Earliest Entry Into Tournament. (Tie for Big Bass): All ties will be broken in this order; 1) Total Weight, 2) Earliest Entry Into Tournament.

TACKLE and EQUIPMENT

When visibly sight fishing for bass, only artificial lures and baits may be used. All bass must be caught alive on a rod and reel. Only one rod and reel is allowed to be used at any time by any one angler. Snagging bass off of spawning beds is prohibited. All bass caught off of spawning beds must be hooked inside the mouth. Alabama Rigs are allowed (max of 3 hooked baits).

BOATS and MOTORS

Any boat, 14 feet or longer, meeting B.I.A. and Coast Guard requirements with a functional kill switch and functional bilge pump and properly aerated live well will be accepted. No over-powered boats. 250 HP maximum

LOCATIONS

Fishing is permitted anywhere on the tournament waters available to the public and accessible by boat, except areas designated as “off limits” or “no fishing” by the Corp of Engineers, local, state, or federal officials. You cannot fish within 50 yards of a contestant's anchored boat with a trolling motor up, without their approval. Contestants may not depart the boat to land fish or to make the boat more accessible to fishing waters. There are no off-limit days.

INSURANCE

Boat owners must have at least $100,000 of Boating Liability Insurance. Proof of insurance may be asked for at any time and may be a question on the polygraph and/or cvsa exam

SPECIAL SITUATIONS

BREAKDOWN

In the event of a boat breakdown, the team may transfer their fish to another contestant’s boat for transport to the weigh-in site, meeting the following conditions: The fish must be placed in a segregated live-well. One member of the breakdown team must accompany those fish at all times to the weigh-in site. The team broken down must stop fishing from the time of transfer.

EARLY DEPARTURE

Any team departing prior to weigh-in from the tournament lake, must contact the tournament director or appointed staff member: Brad Fuller, 850-496-3348

ASSISTANCE/CELL PHONES

During official hours of competition, contestants may not purchase, barter, give, or request information on locating or catching fish to/from anyone other than their team member they are fishing with that day. Contestants may not participate in the practice of “hole-sitting.” The use of mobile communication devices such as cellular phones, marine radios, walkie-talkies, CBs, etc. to communicate fishing information during tournament hours is strictly prohibited. We encourage all contestants to have a cell phone in their boat for emergency use only.

BAITING HOLES/BRUSHPILES

Any contestant KNOWINGLY baiting a specific hole/brush pile prior to fishing the tournament, or KNOWINGLY having an outside source bait a specific hole/brush pile prior to fishing the tournament, to gain an edge on the competition day, may face disqualification from the Sapp & Bass tournament and any future Anglers in Action events.

PROTEST

All protests must be submitted in writing to the Tournament Director within (10) minutes of the official closing of the scales. The appointed Tournament Advisory Board will handle all protests. The decision of the Tournament Director shall be final in all matters.

KNOWLEDGE OF THESE RULES IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH CONTESTANT

Failure to read these rules or ignorance of them is no excuse.

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