2009 JC Outdoors Rules

1.  These rules shall apply to all entrants of the J C Outdoors team/Individual tournaments. It is the contestant’s responsibility to read, understand and obey all rules of the tournament. Violation of any of these rules can result in disqualification from the current event and at tournament director’s decision all future J C Outdoors tournaments.

2.  All State, Federal, and Local laws must be obeyed.

3.  All entrants are subject to take a polygraph test. Failure to take and or pass polygraph test will result in disqualification. Anyone who has ever failed a polygraph administered at a fishing tournament for cheating is not elegible to fish J C Outdoors events.

4.  Any protest must be received in writing with TX numbers and signed within 15 minutes of final check-in deadline to be considered. Tournament director’s decisions will be final in all matters.

5. All contestants are required to follow high standards of sportsmanship and courtesy at all J C Outdoors events. Alcohol and narcotics will not be allowed in the possession of contestants whether on their person or in there boat at any J C Outdoors event, unless prescription medicine as prescribed for tournament entrant.

6.  A U.S. Coast Guard approved chest type PFD or custom chest type lifejacket such as Lifeline must be on and fastened anytime the combustion engine is in gear. (If tournament contestant is using a custom lifejacket a U.S. Coast Guard approved chest type PFD must be on board for each contestant as well) All boats must meet U.S. Coast Guard standards. Outboard motors must not exceed boat manufactures ratings. Jet drive and air boats are not allowed. All boats must have an emergency kill-switch and driver must be attached to kill switch anytime the combustion engine is in gear.

7.   Off limits period of the lake for fishing, locating bass, and shoreline spotting will begin at sundown on the Wednesday evening before the tournament. Practice Thursday, Friday, and/or Saturday with a paid entry only. Boat slips, stalls, or beaching of boats is allowed on the night before tournament for convenience and easing of traffic at host marina. Contestants do not have to launch at host marina, but all contestants must depart in numbered order from host marina after check-in.

8.  Official tournament hours and checkpoints will be given at registration and are the responsibility of each contestant. All boats will take off in numbered order at first safelight from host marina.

9.  Weigh-in will be staggered in flight intervals of 20 boats based on order of when entry received. 1st flight must be checked in by 3:00 pm. Additional flights will be staggered at 15-minute intervals thereafter. Failure to go through boat check-in the morning or failure to check-in at the official check in point in the afternoon will result in disqualification. All fishing must cease upon afternoon check-in.

10.  Upon entering this tournament, contestants release J C Outdoors officials and sponsors from liability of accidents, losses, or thefts.

11.   Registration may be by mail (if postmarked on or before Monday prior to event) and at take-off site on the morning of the tournament beginning at 1-½ hours prior to start time. Contact tournament director for additional times and/or locations.

12.  Championship Qualification is determined by accumulated yearly point standings from teams/individuals that have fished at least 4 tournaments in a series. Automatically qualify for the championship if you fish all events in a series.

The five Spring Team Trails will have a combined championship at a neutral non-qualifying lake in the North Texas area. Championship Lake info for the Spring Qualifiers will be released July 1^st. The $10,000 guaranteed first place Combined Spring Team Championship will have a $200 entry fee with a $20 BB Option paying big bass both days.

All other trail championships will be noted on their tournament page.

A minimum of the top 25 teams who fished 4 or more events in a series will qualify for the championship for that series. If tournament averages more than 50 teams then one half of the average attendance of the largest 3 tournaments will qualify. If one team member is absent, team may fish by themselves or substitute a partner one time during series and still accumulate points for their team. Substitute must become a member unless substitute is 16 years or younger. ***An adult angler who chooses to fish by himself or with one or more partners age 16 and under can still accumulate points as a team. Yearly point standings will be determined by a point and pound system. Teams/Individuals not weighing fish will be awarded one half of the points awarded to the last team/individual who weighed fish.

13.  All teams/individuals must be checked in by there designated weigh-in times. Each team/individual will be issued a poker chip with their team number and must have that chip placed in a bucket at the weigh-in site by their weigh in time posted on chip. Chip must be placed in the bucket by one of the members of that team, no fishing after chip is turned in. You must be in weigh line within 15 minutes of your designated weigh in time. There will be a .50 lb penalty for each dead fish weighed (dead fish may not be culled-state law.) Scales will be open at 2:00pm each tournament day. We recommend the use of live well additives made by Sure-Life to increase the odds of healthy fish being returned to the lakes. There will be a 2lb penalty for fish not meeting the predetermined size requirements that is brought to the scale plus the loss of same fish. (Lake Fork Bass all species cannot touch the 16-inch mark and must touch the 24-inch mark to be legal.) No iced or frozen fish will be weighed.

14.   Team Tournament allows no more than 2 persons per boat. All persons in boat must be registered contestants. Individual Tournament allows no more than one person per boat with the exception of anglers 16 years of age and under. (Individual trail junior anglers will compete on there on with a one fish weigh-in for prizes)

15.  No Fishing within 25 yards of another contestants boat without mutual consent.  

16. All fishing must be done with artificial lures only. Pork is permitted. Contestants may use only one rod and reel at a time. No trolling with combustion engine is allowed. All fish must be caught in a legal and sporting manner during tournament hours from tournament waters. Contestants may not leave the boat to land a bass. Underwater cameras or tracking devices may not be used during tournament hours. Hole sitting by or for contestants is not allowed.

17. Boats must have a live well and operating aeration system. Teams/Individuals may keep no more than 5 bass in the live well at any time during tournament.

18. Scoring will be determined by the total weight of not more than 5 bass per team meeting designated size requirements. All lakes except Lake Fork will have a 14inch minimum length limit all species of bass (largemouth, small mouth and spotted bass). Fish will be measured on a Pro Rule measuring board with tail closed. Each team may have only 1 BB entry; angler-weighing fish has to declare which fish is to be weighed. Combining two cash awards and splitting the total between tied anglers will settle ties for cash prizes. Points will be awarded equally as well.

19. Trailering to and from the weigh-in during tournament hours is not allowed, unless permitted by tournament director for safety or emergency reasons. All fishing must be from a previously inspected boat.

20. Fishing guides who have guided for black bass on tournament lake (30 days) before tournament date will not be eligible to compete. Tournament director reserves the right to refuse entry of any person.

21. Membership Fee is $25 per person for all anglers 17 years of age or older and is good for all 2009 events hosted by J C Outdoors. This may be paid by mail, during tournament registration, or any other time prior to competing. Membership expires on the last day of 2009.

J C Outdoors Jr. Anglers

In order to encourage getting the youngsters involved we have provided this opportunity for adult anglers to bring children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, children of friends or any young angler who would like to compete out to these events.

 At all of our Individual Trail events this season we will allow a Jr. Angler to compete in their own tournament as long as they are 16 or under on the day of the first event they compete in this season. Even if they turn 17 before the end of the series they may still compete as long as they were 16 when they first entered.

The top finisher will receive a gift card or prize valued at $50 or more, as well as a plaque to commemorate their win.

Jr. Angler championship will be held the same day as the Individual Championship scheduled for September 27, 2009 Championship payout will pay 3 places with prizes and plaques furnished by our sponsors.

Jr. Angler Rules

1. Jr. Angler must be 16 years or under at first event they enter.

2. Adult individual trail contestants may only bring 1 Jr. Angler to each event to compete.

3. Jr. Anglers may only keep one bass for weigh in and the largest bass wins. Bass must be kept separate from adult competitors fish or tagged to keep it from being added to adult anglers creel.

4. Jr. Anglers may not assist in adult anglers in landing of their fish or operation of the boat during competition.

5. Coaches may assist Jr. Anglers in netting or landing of their fish.

6. Jr. Anglers must follow all rules observed by their adult anglers during tournament.

7. Jr. Anglers who have participated in any 1 or more event in the series during the year are automatically entered into the Jr. Anglers championship. Adult anglers do not have to be qualified for the adult championship to coach a Jr. Angler at the championship.