CHRISTIAN ANGLERS BASS ASSOCIATION

2010 OPEN TEAM TOURNAMENT OFFICIAL RULES

1. RULES: These rules shall apply to all contestants of CHRISTIAN ANGLERS BASS ASSOCIATION OPEN TEAM TOURNAMENTS. It is each constant’s responsibility to thoroughly read & understand the following rules. Tournament director is not responsible for any misunderstanding or misinterpretation of the following rules. Violation of any of these rules will result in immediate disqualification from the current event & at tournament directors’ discretion, all future C.A.B.A. events. Any team disqualified from the current event will forfeit their entry fee for that event. Tournament director reserves the right to refuse entry for any potential participant.

2. REGISTRATION: Entry fee is $150.00 per team (includes big bass). Early entries are accepted but entrants must still draw a number for their start position. Tournament director is not responsible for mail in entries not received prior to leaving for site. Refunds are allowed with at least three days notice prior to tournament or entry fee may be transferred to the next Open event. A $25.00 fee will be charged for returned checks and a team will not be allowed to participate in future C.A.B.A. events until the returned check has been reimbursed. CASH is preferred at registration. All teams must check-in at registration/weigh-in site prior to fishing. Official clock will be at registration location. All contestants must have a current valid Texas Fishing License. Registration will begin at 4:30 AM Saturday morning of tournament at registration/weigh-in site (for our standard full day events). Membership in CHRISTIAN ANGLERS BASS ASSOCIATION is NOT required.

3. TOURNAMENT TIMES: Starting time for each event will be safe light as determined by tournament director (for our standard full day events). All boats will take off in numbered order at 15-second intervals (in flights of 25 boats) based on sequential number drawn @ registration. 1st flight MUST be checked in by 3:00 PM to avoid penalty (for our standard full day events). Check-in times for additional flights will be staggered @ 15-minute intervals thereafter. Weigh-in line will close 30 minutes after last flight is due in. Registration will begin @ 6:00 pm for our night events with tournament start time to begin @ 8:00pm and first flight check-n @ 8:00am the following morning.

4. LATE PENALTY: Any team that has not checked in by their designated time will have ½ lb. per minute deducted from their total weight. Any team more than 15 minutes late will not be allowed to weigh-in.

5. OFFICIAL CHECKPOINT: There will be only one official checkpoint for boat check-in the morning and only one official check-in point in the afternoon. Failure to go through boat check-in the morning or failure to check-in @ the official check-in point in the afternoon will result in disqualification. All fishing must cease upon check-in.

6. PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS: Fishing to be done on tournament lake only. Contestants may fish anywhere on tournament waters accessible by boat & WITH NO VISIBLE GROUND SEPARATION, except those areas designated as “off limits” or “keep out” by state/federal or lake officials, within 25 yards of another tournament boat for any reason unless by mutual consent or as per tournament director discretion in special situations.

7. OFF LIMITS: Tournament off limits will begin @ 3:00 PM the Friday immediately prior to tournament until tournament start time.

8. TRAILERING: Trailering will not be allowed except for safety reasons as determined by tournament director. Any boat ramp may be used for launching purposes, but all boats must pass through the official morning checkpoint @ registration prior to fishing. It is each contestant’s responsibility to make sure his or her team is in position to start tournament prior to safe light. Tournament start time will not be delayed unless for safety reasons as determined by tournament director.

9. LAWS: All STATE, FEDERAL and LOCAL laws must be strictly obeyed by all contestants at all times during tournament hours.

10. TEAMS: C.A.B.A. Open tournaments are open to all anglers except pros. A Pro is defined as any person that has entered a bass tournament that required an entry fee greater than $1,499 in 2009. Fishing Guides who have guided for black bass on tournament lake during the 60 days immediately prior to tournament will not be eligible to participate, unless he or she has fished the preceding tournament in the respective division. Only tournament participants will be allowed in boat during tournament hours. A team will consist of no more than two individuals or one individual providing that individual pays full entry fee. Tournament participants cannot have participated in a guided trip, paid for a guide trip for another individual or followed a guide on tournament lake for 5 days immediately prior to any C.A.B.A. event.

11. FISH LENGTHS & LIMITS: Scoring will be determined by the total weight of not more than 5 fish with a minimum length of 14 inches unless lake limits require or allow otherwise. A penalty of ½ lb. will be deducted from total weight for each dead fish weighed. No iced or frozen fish will be weighed. No white-gilled fish will be weighed. No more than a tournament limit is allowed in the livewell at any one time. Only Largemouth, Spotted or Smallmouth bass are accepted species.

12. SHORT FISH: A team will be penalized 1 lb. per short fish and the short fish will not be weighed. Fish will be measured on an official C.A.B.A. Golden Rule measuring board with mouth closed and tail compressed. An official C.A.B.A. courtesy Golden Rule measuring board will be available for contestants to check fish prior to entering the weigh-in line.

13. TIES: In the event of a tie in any position, prize money for that position will be determined in the following manner; A. Number of fish weighed; B. Largest fish weighed; C. Number of live fish weighed.

14. PROTESTS: All protests must be presented in writing to tournament director within 15 minutes after the closing of scales. Tournament director’s decisions will be final in all matters.

15. PERMITTED FISHING METHODS: Only artificial lures may be used with the exception of pork trailers. For 2 man teams 1 rod and reel per contestant may be used at a time. For 1 man teams 2 rods and reels may be used at a time. No trolling with the combustion engine will be allowed. All fish must be caught in a legal and sporting manner. No fishing is to be done while the big motor is running and in gear. "Hole sitting" or the placing of markers by non-competitors is NOT allowed. The use of mobile communication devices such as cellular phones, marine & CB radios, walkie-talkies, or any similar device to communicate fishing information during tournament hours is strictly prohibited. Your team may only weigh-in fish caught by your team. Switching or sharing fish with other teams will result in immediate disqualification from the current event & at tournament directors’ discretion, all future C.A.B.A. events. All fishing must be done from a US Coast Guard approved boat. At no time during tournament hours may a contestant leave their boat to make their boat more accessible to fishing waters or to land a fish. Standing on the fishing seats or outboard motor will not be allowed in any C.A.B.A. event.

16. BOATS & MOTORS: Anglers will be permitted to use prop or jet style propulsion boats only. THE SAME TYPE OF BOAT (PROP OR JET) MUST BE USED FOR ALL EVENTS FISHED. CHANGING BOAT PROPULSION TYPES WILL NOT BE ALLOWED FOR ANY REASON. Tournament boats must have all required US Coast Guard safety equipment. No engine may exceed the BIA horsepower rating for the boat on which it is used. Any altering of the horsepower numbers on the motor or rating plate will result in immediate disqualification. All boats must have an aerated livewell large enough to sustain a tournament limit of fish in releasable condition. All boats must have an operational emergency KILL switch ATTACHED to the driver and all contestants must wear a FASTENED US Coast Guard approved “PFD” Personal Flotation Device any time the combustible engine is running and in gear. All boats MUST display a chartreuse ribbon, which is provided at registration, on the upper portion of trolling motor during tournament hours. No contestant may have a platform, raised deck, or ladder which is higher than the gunnels of their boat.

17. CHRISTIAN ANGLERS BASS ASSOCIATION TEAM TOURNAMENTS will be conducted in a CHRIST-LIKE and SPORTSMANSHIP manner. All contestants are required to follow high standards of sportsmanship, and courtesy and to conduct themselves in a manner that will be a credit to themselves, to C.A.B.A., our sponsors, the sport of fishing and all C.A.B.A. efforts to promote the sport. Examples of conduct not complying with those standards include, but are not limited to: 1) Consumption and/or possession of alcoholic beverages or any mind-altering substance before and during tournament hours extending through the weigh-in procedure. 2) Abuse of, or addiction to, mind altering substances. 3.) Any words, conduct or actions reflecting unfavorably on C.A.B.A. tournaments, our sponsors or reflecting unfavorably upon efforts to promote safety, sportsmanship, fair competition and compliance with tournament rules. If conduct does not comply with the standards set forth, by C.A.B.A., the tournament director shall have the right to refuse any entry, or to deny a confirmed entry, by returning the entry fee previously accepted, or to disqualify a contestant. Any team that places in the money may be required to take a polygraph test. Failure to submit to and pass such a test will result in disqualification from that event.

18. SWITCHING/CHANGING BOATS: Switching or changing boats during tournament competition for any reason other than mechanical failure to boat, motor or trolling motor will not be allowed. Should this situation occur, tournament director must be notified. CHANGING BOAT PROPULSION TYPES WILL NOT BE ALLOWED FOR ANY REASON.

19. NO WAKE ZONES: Any areas of tournament waters marked as such by lake authorities and as per tournament directors discretion.

For more information contact

C.A.B.A.

2307 Highridge Dr. ● Sachse, Texas 75048 ● (214) 801-9944

May the LORD of GLORY richly bless you and yours.

2010 Open Schedule

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