Rules and Regulations
Tournament Rules 2022-2023
Wind Creek Bass Trail
Additional Rules may apply for special tournament events
PARTICIPANTS AND ELIGIBILITY:
Participants should be at least 18 years of age. If a participant is under the age of 18 years, his or her partner must be of adult age and the adult partner must assume liability in all matters. All participants should familiarize themselves with Alabama Boating License Requirements prior to operating a gas-powered motor. PRE-ENTRY: Boat numbers for launch sequence are determined as entry monies are received. Entries shall be provided the morning of the tournament or by going to www.fishingchaos.com to preregister. Entry begins @ 4:00 AM and closes 30 minutes after the final boat has been released. The tournament director or assistant director has the right to reject any tournament entry. FEES: Entry fees are $120.00 per boat. (Does not include Big Fish $10, Big Spot $10 nor Average Weight $10) you may include one or both options when you submit your registration.
PAYBACK: An optional ten dollars ($10) per boat may be paid to enter the big fish pot for the tournament date. The big fish pot will have a 100% payback. An optional ten dollars ($10) per boat maybe be paid to enter the “Average Weight” pot. The “Average Weight” pot will have a 100% payback unless otherwise specified. Only those boats who have invested into the big fish pot or average weight pot for the tournament date will be eligible to win the perspective pots. If at the time of awards, it is learned, only one of the team members entered the average weight pot or the expense was not shared, the winnings will be made out solely to the team member who paid the $10 to enter the pot. The big fish pot will be paid to the angler of the team who professes to have caught the big fish unless otherwise stated by team members. Ten Dollars ($10) of each entry will also be set aside for a Classic fund. The payback to the field will be 80% of the remaining balance or as specified by a minimum number of entries. One place will be paid for every seven boats entered.
When 60 boats have registered to fish the bonus payout is triggered. Payouts for 60 boats or more start at the following scale:
1st: $3,000 5th: $350
2nd: $1,000 6th: $300
3rd: $700 7th: $250
4th: $450 8th: $200
Big Fish: $600
AVERAGE WEIGHT: Average Weight is an optional payout pot calculated by determining the average size krill for the day’s tournament. To determine the average krill the following calculations will be used: Average size fish= total weight of all fish weighed / total number of fish weighed for the day, Average number of fish per boat= total number of fish / the total number of boats weighing fish, Average Weight weight= average size fish * the average number of fish. The team, or individual team member, who paid to enter the average weight pot who is closest to the given number will win the total amount in the daily average weight pot.
BIG FISH: Big fish will be determined by greatest weight of a single largest fish via common scale. Only to those who have registered to be a part of the tournament big fish pot are eligible to win or have their fish considered to be weighed.
BIG SPOT: Big Spot will be determined by the greatest weight of a single largest fish via common scale. Only to those who have registered to be a part of the tournament big spot pot are eligible to win or have their fish considered to be weighed.
TEAM MEMBERS: Each boat is limited to two (2) team members; a Boater and a Partner. A boater may fish alone if he or she so desires. Alternates are allowed for two of the six WCBT Events.
QUALIFYING FISH: A limit of fish will be five (5) black bass with no minimum length (spots included). All fish must be caught within tournament hours. No fish shall be taken from waters other than those waters obtainable by boat from the launch point of the tournament. No fishing may occur prior to official launch. Fishing period for this tournament will be from safe light to 3pm central for the first flight. Flights will be 15 minutes of additional time added for every twenty-five boats entered.
PENALTIES: Competitors who present a bass for weigh-in that is determined to be dead shall accrue a penalty of .250 of a pound or 4 ounces from their total weight. If the dead fish is also the big fish the same penalty will be given towards the big fish pot. Any bass that appears to have been taken unlawfully, mangled, mashed, mauled or snatch hooked will be weighed at the discretion of the tournament director or assistant director. A dead fish may not be culled. At the discretion of the tournament director or assistant director, any fish may become the property of the tournament. Competitors who are not in the official check in area, as determined by the tournament director or official assigned to said task, within the time allowed shall be penalized one pound per minute from their big fish, and aggregate total. After ten (10) minutes have elapsed after the assigned check in time, the daily catch will be disqualified. It is the responsibility of the team members to notify the tournament official assigned to the task of check in of their being present in one of two ways. First, by having the daily issued vinyl decal with boat number prominently displayed on the starboard side motor in clear view of the official. Second, by making face to face contact with the official and verifying boat number by giving both name and boat number verbally. Failing to or refusing to check in will result in disqualification. Scales will be closed when all persons in line have been weighed or (15) fifteen minutes after the last eligible flight is to be checked in. Any team submitting more than five (5) fish to the scale will be penalized by having the entire day’s catch disqualified. All protests must be sworn to in writing and accompanied by a $200 deposit prior to the issuance of awards at any tournament. Deposit maybe refunded pending outcome of polygraph and determination of a rule violation.
LEGAL METHOD OF TAKING BASS: Only artificial lures may be used. No live bait, prepared bait, electronic powered baits, cast nets, bread, or baiting pellets, will be permitted on or within tournament boats with the exception of pork stripes, rinds or other baits similar to such baits. Only one (1) casting, spinning, or spin casting rod and reel combination may be used at any one time, others may be in boat, but only one rod per team member can be in use at any one time. The rod may not exceed ten (10) feet in overall length. All bass must be caught live and in a conventional sporting manner during tournament hours. Foul hooking of bass will not be permitted and shall not be included in the daily catch. Trolling is not permitted. Dip nets are permitted for their lawful intended use. Any violation of this section will result in immediate disqualification.
SPORTMANSHIP: All persons participating within the tournament must display only the highest form of sportsmanship and fairness. Any intentional actions conducted by any party to include retaliation of any previous action may lead up to and include verbal warning, written warning, disqualification of daily creel, and possibly the revocation of future opportunities to participate in any Wind Creek Trail events. All disciplinary actions taken by the director are final. All participants are subject to being asked to submit to an examination to determine the truth in any instance the director deems necessary. Refusal to or not making oneself readily available to submit to such examination will result in a disqualification. Such examination may or may not be on the date of the tournament. No protest will be received once the rewards ceremony has commenced.
BOATING SAFETY: All boats must meet all U.S. Coast Guard requirements. All boaters will abide by all Federal, State, and Local laws governing the operation of a vessel. Boats must be equipped with operable ignition kill switch. The safety kill lanyard must be affixed
to the driver of the boat during those times in which the gas engine is in operation. Each competitor is required to wear an U.S. Coast Guard approved personal floatation device during times the gas engine is in operation. Each boat must be equipped with an
operable live well capable of maintaining a limit of fish alive during tournament hours. No beverages containing alcohol will be allowed on any boat associated with the tournament during tournament hours. No person who has the appearance of being under the influence of an intoxicant will be permitted to occupy any vessel associated with the tournament. Any violation of the above safety rules will be grounds for immediate disqualification. No canoes, kayaks, air boats, or pontoon boats allowed. No fishing from an elevated platform during tournament hours.
POINTS: Points will be awarded as follows: Points will begin at 200 with 1 point intervals until the last team weighed. The top 5 finishers from each event will receive two additional bonus points per place. All teams that do not weigh a bass will receive 10 points less than the last place team that weighed fish in that event. Points will be awarded only to teams that fish an event; if a team does not show up for that event, that team will not receive points. The end of season points champion(s) will get flight choice for the following year.
Example:
1st. 202
2nd. 201
3rd. 200
4th. 199
5th. 198
6th. 195
7th. 194
8th. 193
etc......
CLASSIC QUALIFICATION: To qualify to fish the closed classic scheduled for May 2nd, 2020, the qualifying team’s registered boater must finish within the top 50% of all fishermen evidenced by the year to date points. Only those partners or alternates who fished
during the year with the boater will be allowed into the classic to fish with the boater. In the absence of the registered boater, the partner may fish alone or with an alternate who fished as a team member during the series. The designated partner is determined
either one of two ways. One, the partner is declared at the first tournament the boater fishes. Two, the partner is the person the boater has fished with the majority of the time. If the boater and partner have separated ways, the boater maintains all points.
Example: 2 can fish for 1. 2 and 3 can fish together in 1's absence. 3 cannot fish for 1 in the absence of 1 and 2. If 3 fishes with anyone other than 2, a new team will be created. If 1 cannot physically fish the classic, due to illness or schedule. 2 can fish in 1's
place with 3 as long as 1 agrees he would not be able to fish the classic and 3 has fished at least one prior series event either with 1 or 2. 1 would have to contact the tournament director and communicate his or her inability to fish the classic and convey his willingness to not attend. If 2 is unable to fish the classic, the slot shall go unfilled.
RELEASE: In consideration of being permitted to participate in the above tournament, participants (Releasors), for themselves, their personal representatives, executors, heirs, next of kin, successors and assigns, hereby release and forever discharge Wind Creek
Tournament Trails, Team Fishing Series, and all of their officers, directors, employees, independent contractors, and all contributors, participants, volunteers, producers, and the their agents representatives, successors, and assigns, from all liabilities, claims, actions, suits, demands, costs and expenses, for bodily injury, death, and property damage which Releasors may have against them arising out of or in any way connected to with our participation in the tournament, including but without limit to all risks, known or unknown, anticipated or unanticipated, without regard to whether they are inherent in
participating in a fishing tournament. Releasors understand that the Release is unconditional, full, and general, and that it includes all claims, whether caused by the gross or simple negligence, action, or inaction of any of the released parties. Releasors hereby
further release the released parties from all claims whatsoever on account of first aid, treatment or services rendered to them in connection with participants in the tournament. This release is intended to as broad and inclusive as permitted by the laws of the State of Alabama, and if any portion of this Release is held invalid, it is agreed that the balance shall continue in full force and effect.
Releasors understand and agree that fishing and boating are potentially hazardous activities that could result in injury to person or property or death. Releasors have carefully read this release and fully understand the contents of it. Releasors hereby authorize the use of the name and/or likeness as well as that of their boat, free from further consideration, for promotion and advertising purposes in any media form and reproduction, including but not limited to, radio, television, internet, newspaper, brochure, and
video.
These rules may or may not be all inclusive of all rules enforceable by this tournament series. As different situations may arise, judgement and common since will be applied to reach a solution to the issues being raised at the time. These rules will act as guidelines for those decisions when they can be applied. All decisions made by the director or assistant director are final. The rules are subject to change without written notice to its members and should be periodically reviewed by all members.
