Online Sign up |
Liability WaiverTurn in the Liability Waiver at Check-in before tournament blast off. |
Tournament Rules
The Angler is expected to be familiar with all items before entering the “Fishing For Ducks” event.
Decisions of the tournament director are final and are not subject to appeal. Interpretation of these rules will be left exclusively to the tournament director in his/her sole and absolute discretion. Each Competitor agrees to report any rule violation to the tournament director immediately upon discovery of the violation. The violation of the tournament rules may result in loss of weight, the ineligibility to participate in future Fishing For Ducks events, or any other penalty deemed appropriate by the tournament director in his/her sole and absolute discretion. Protests must be made in writing within 15 minutes of the official closing of scales, and any written protests must be provided to the tournament director in writing within said time period. If a protest is not made in writing within the required 15 minute time period, the contestant waives his/her right to submit a written protest.
1. Online Sign-up/Entry:
All teams must sign-up & pay online. Entry fees are $140.00 per boat with the option to add $20.00 to be eligible for big fish. This online sign-up DOES NOT include the Liability Waiver, which is also required to participate in the event. The Liability Waiver shall be signed by all participants the morning of the event. Online sign-up will be closed on June 5th, 2021. There will be NO refunds.
2. Waiting List:
Maximum capacity for this tournament is 100 boats. Teams that register after the 100-boat capacity has been reached will be put on a waiting list. You will be notified immediately via email if you have been added to the waiting list. If your team does not make it into the tournament due to maximum capacity, you will be refunded your Entry fee.
3. Participation and Eligibility:
All Adult anglers 18 years and older with a signed Liability Waiver may participate in this event. Any angler younger than 18 years must fish with either their parent or approved adult angler. The angler and the parent/guardian are both required to sign the release waiver. The maximum number of anglers per boat is 2. If a third member of a boat is required, he/she may not fish. In order to participate in the tournament, anglers must: sign-up online, pass boat inspection & fill out/return the Liability Waiver.
Each contestant who voluntarily participates in this event voluntarily agrees to abide by these Rules & Regulations, all applicable state and federal laws, and any violation of the said Rules and/or laws will subject the contestant to disqualification and/or other disciplinary action at the sole and absolute discretion of the tournament director.
Each contestant who voluntarily participates in this event voluntarily agrees to submit and subject himself/herself to a polygraph exam.
4. Alternate Partners:
Under the circumstances that a team has a team member unable to fish the tournament, said team member may replace the team member until June 5th, 2021 as long as approved by the tournament director. If a team has a team member unable to fish the tournament after June 5th, 2021, said team member will fish alone.
5. Safety:
Safe boating must be observed at all times. All boats must have the appropriate Coast Guard approved safety devices as required by law. Each contestant is required to wear a Coast Guard approved personal flotation device anytime the boat is operated under engine power and in gear, either forward or reverse. Maximum horsepower for all outboards used in tournament competition not to exceed the horsepower limitations as set by the U.S. Coast Guard. Each boat must have an U.S. Coast Guard horsepower rating plate attached to the boat by the manufacturer. Tournament director reserve the right to refuse any rig, which is extremely overpowered or deemed dangerous. All boats must be equipped with emergency kill switch device securely attached to the driver’s body whenever the boat is operated under engine power and in gear, either forward or reverse. The driver must be seated in the driver’s seat anytime the boat is operated under engine power and in gear, either forward or reverse. Boats must contain properly aerated live well space to maintain alive, a limit catch by all contestants occupying the boat. In the event of inclement weather, the tournament will be held the next day, weather permitting. Competitors are allowed to leave the boat and seek shelter in bad weather, at which time no fishing may occur.
In the event of equipment failure or emergency the tournament director must be notified as soon as it is safe to do so. There are then two permitted methods of returning to check-in: (1) by both anglers remaining in their boat and being towed by water, or (2) with permission from the tournament director, by one or both anglers entering the boat of another tournament contestant. Under these two conditions both contestants’ catches may be counted without a penalty (except for late penalties, dead-fish penalties or other penalties pertaining to other tournament rules) provided each team’s fish are adequately marked so as to provide clear distinction to the tournament director. Contestants who elect to return to check-in by any means other than those cited will forfeit their day’s catch to that point in time of the tournament day. Abandoning a boat and leaving it adrift without proper tie-off or anchoring after a mechanical failure may result in disqualification. Whether or not contestants may be disqualified for improperly “abandoning” a boat is in the sole and absolute discretion of the tournament director.
6. Permitted Fishing Methods:
Only artificial lures may be used. Each angler shall only have one rod presented and in the water at one time. Each cast and retrieve must be completed before another cast is attempted or rod is used. Trolling with the combustion engine as a method of fishing is prohibited. Switching or sharing fish with other teams or individuals is a violation of these rules and will result in immediate disqualification. All bass must be caught live and in a conventional sporting manner. When sight fishing for bass, all fish must be hooked in the mouth to be counted as a legal fish. At no time, shall a contestant leave the boat to land a fish, or to make the boat more accessible to fishing waters. Use of landing net is permitted. All contestants must comply with all applicable state and federal laws, and any contestants’ failure to do so are subject to disqualification and/or other disciplinary action that is at the sole and absolute discretion of the tournament director.
7. Permitted Fishing Locations:
You must fish water that is available to everyone by boat. Areas designated as “off-limits” or “no fishing” by state or federal officials are not permitted. Boats must remain in the water during tournament hours, and only removed at Goose Pond Colony ramp. Exceptions may be made if a medical or mechanical issue arises, and then the boat and trailer may not leave the parking lot. At any time if the boat leaves the parking lot, the angler or anglers will be disqualified. No fishing within 50 yards of a marine gas pump or 50 yards of another competitor’s boat. The act of moving bass from one area of the lake to another area of the same lake at any time is not permitted. Locking through to another body of water is not permitted at any time during tournament hours.
8. Sportsmanship and Conduct
All contestants are expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety and conservation. All contestants must comply with all applicable state and federal laws, and any contestants’ failure to comply with these laws are subject to disqualification. Examples of conduct not complying with those standards include, but are not limited to, the following:
a) Consumption and/or possession of alcoholic beverages or mind-altering substances during tournament hours.
b) Actions or words that reflect unfavorably upon efforts to promote safety, sportsmanship, and fair competition. This tournament will not allow bullying by any competitor during tournament hours. ANY act of bullying will result in disqualification from the event. ANY DOCUMENTED VIOLATION OF THE SPORTMANSHIP RULE WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION.
c) Chemical or substance abuse.
9. Official Check-in/Late Penalty:
There will be only one official check-in for the morning and one official check-in for the afternoon. Failure to go through check-in for the morning or failure to go through check-in for the afternoon will result in disqualification. Early or emergency check-in must be reported to the tournament director or member of the tournament staff. An angler will be penalized 1 pound per minute late at weigh-in. Tournament staff will be monitoring boats and record time that boat comes off plane and pass the buoy. Abide by no wake zones. After 15 minutes and angler is automatically disqualified.
10. Scoring:
This tournament is scored in pounds and hundredths of pounds. Only Largemouth, Spotted, and Smallmouth Bass will be weighed. The official length will comply with state rules, regulations, and laws. It is illegal to possess any largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 15 inches in total length. The official tournament bag limit will be 5 fish per team. If an angler has more than the bag limit in their possession fish will be removed starting with the largest and moving down until the bag limit is reached. Fish will be measured with their mouth closed. Angler with fish that appears to be altered will be disqualified. Tournament director will have the official measuring board. Your fish must remain in your possession from catch to weigh-in. Dead fish penalty is 1 lbs per fish. You may weigh one dead fish as part of your five fish total. No dead fish will be weighed for big fish. Culling a dead fish is prohibited and will result in disqualification. All dead fish must be brought to weigh in for sanitary disposal. In case of a tie, positions shall be resolved by big fish.
11. Closing of Scales:
Scales will close 30 minutes after the last flight is due in. Any change to the above stated official scale closing time will be announced during registration or during weigh-in. It is the angler’s responsibility to verify the official scale closing time and to be in the weigh-in line by such time.
12. Payback Information:
75% Payback / 25% goes to Ducks Unlimited, a nonprofit organization.
Pay back 14% of the field (The below is based on a 100 boat field)
1st – 34%
2nd – 19%
3rd – 12%
4th – 10%
5th – 6%
6th – 5%
7th – 4%
8th – 3%
9th – 2%
10th – 1%
11th – 1%
12th – 1%
13th – 1%
14th – 1%
Big fish is separate pot
100% Payback to the biggest fish
Location & HoursGoose Pond Colony Bait & Tackle
417 Ed Hembree Dr Scottsboro, AL 35769 SATURDAY, June 12th 3:30am - 3:30pm http://goosepond.org/ |
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