1. RULES: IT IS THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH PARTICIPANT TO BE FAMILIAR WITH AND ABIDE BY THESE RULES. THESE RULES TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER ANY OTHER PRINTED INFORMATION.
2. BOAT WEIGHT: tournament is based on a 3 fish limit by boat weight (team or individual).
3. BIG FISH: There will be one paid big fish.
4. TIES: Regular tournament ties will be decided by the flip of a coin or decision to split the prize. If there is no uniform agreement in this, it will be decided by the tournament director to split the prize.
5. FISH: All bass must be caught in a sporting manner and kept in an aerated live well. All fish brought to the weigh-in site become the sole property of the “Fish the Chick Tournament”. No culling of dead fish is allowed. No more than three (3) bass may be brought to the scales. Trolling as a means of catching fish is prohibited. Trolling is defined as moving a bait by using the trolling or outboard motor. Culling of dead fish is prohibited. Culling at the dock is prohibited.
6. LEGAL FISH: All fish are measured for length with the mouth closed. a. Largemouth Bass: Must be no less than 15 inches in length b. Smallmouth Bass: must be no less than 18 inches in length, one (1) smallmouth per contestant may be weighed. c. Spotted Bass: Must be no less than 12 inches in length. d. Short Fish: if a short fish is brought to the scales, your entire catch will be disqualified. A courtesy board will be available to check your fish if requested.
7. DEAD FISH: No more than two (1) dead fish can be weighed. A ½ pound (.50) penalty will be deducted for each dead fish.
8. PARTICIPANTS AND ENTRY FEES: Entry fee is $60 per boat. Optional: $10 for BIG FISH. You may fish alone or with a partner. Younger Anglers (16 and under) are permitted to have a non fishing boat captain over the age of 18. If a boat captain is found fishing; team will be disqualified. No refund will be given on Entry fees unless approved by officers.
9. SAFETY: Each person must wear a coast guard approved PFD (personal flotation device) while the boat is on plane. Life jacket belts are not acceptable. Boats must have a working kill switch connected to the drivers PFD when the combustion engine is running. Each boat must also have working running lights. Safe boating must be observed at all times by each competitor.
10. TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT: Only artificial lures, including pork trailers, may be used. NO LIVE BAIT! Only one (1) rod per person may be used at any time. The 2014 ruling on the Alabama-Tennessee-Umbrella rig is that NO CONTESTANT CAN USE A “RIG” WITH MORE THAN 3 WIRES.
11. SPORTSMANSHIP: At no time during any event will a competitor act to give themselves an unfair advantage over other competitors. The use of cellular phones to give or receive fishing information, or locations, during tournament hours is strictly prohibited.
12. PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS: Fishing is permitted on Chickamauga waters, which are accessible by all tournament boats. Boats must stay 50 yards from a fist anchored tournament boat with trolling motor up. All boats must remain 50 feet apart except during a lock through, emergency situations, or to pass by to access a creek or slough.
13. TOURNAMENT BOATS: Your boat must remain in tournament waters at all times and all participants must remain in their boat except in the case of dire emergency or boat breakdown. Leaving the boat to land a fish is not permitted. Fueling is permitted. A fish must return to the official weigh-in site by tournament boat. All tournament boats must pass by the blast-off boat with live well open, running lights on, and kill switch attached to body for boat check. IT IS EACH PARTICIPANT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO BE IN THE WATER PRIOR TO START. TOURNAMENT WILL START JUST AFTER FIRST LIGHT BASED ON THE OPINION OF OFFICERS. WE WILL START AT THAT TIME. IF YOU ARE NOT IN THE WATER AND READY AT THAT TIME, YOU WILL GO AFTER THOSE THAT ARE READY. If you remove your boat from tournament waters prior to the end of the tournament hours, you must check in at the dock during the check-in time. It is the responsibility of each participant to check-in or you will be considered late and will be disqualified. Check-in will begin on the dock 15 minutes before the end of tournament hours, 2:00pm. If you remove your boat from tournament waters prior to check-in, you must remain in the parking lot until check-in for your catch to be counted.
14. BOAT CHECK: There will be a boat check prior to blast off and winners will be subject to a polygraph test.