Tournament Rules
1) RULES. These rules apply to all contestants participating in Central Utah Bass team trail. Ignorance of the rules is not a defense for violation of them. Interpretation of these rules will be left exclusively to the tournament director. Decisions of the tournament director are final in all matters.
2) SAFETY. Safe boating must be observed at all times. During competition, each contestant is required to wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket or floatation device anytime the combustion engine is in operation. Anyone found operating a boat in an unsafe manner in the opinion of the Tournament Director may be disqualified. The kill switch must be attached to the driver anytime the combustion engine is in operation.
2.5) SAFETY/ BLAST OFF. Blast off will not happen until participants boats are arranged in way that launching can take place from a single file line. You must idle past the launch boat in single file line only as your number is called. All boats will leave the take off area from the same location. That location will be determined by the Tournament Director. All boats must pass single file line within 25 feet of the launch boat. You may not leave until your number is called and you have given the boat in front of you 10 seconds to leave or until that boat is on plane and 100 yards away. Failure to comply with the launch rules will result in disqualification. These rules are for your safety and others.
3) PARTICIPATION AND ELIGIBILITY. Membership for C.U.B. is open to everyone, at least one member of each team must be 18 years of age or older. A contestant under the age of 18 years must have written consent of parent or guardian to participate in any event. C.U.B. reserves the right to refuse membership and participation to anyone.
4) SPORTSMANSHIP. All contestants are required to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy and conservation and to conduct themselves in a manner that will be a credit to themselves, the tournament directors, organizers, tournament sponsors, and the sport of bass fishing. Any contestant, who displays poor sportsmanship, violates these rules or violates the state fishing laws or lake rules may be disqualified.
5) OFF LIMITS. All tournament waters will be off limits 5 days prior to the event. Out of town tournaments are subject to change and are up to the tournament director to decide off limit times.
6) PARTNERS. A member may fish the events alone or with a partner. In the event one partner can not make the event you can have a fill in team partner twice during the season and keep your AOY points. The fill in team partner must be part of the club by paying the yearly club dues and bring the signed waiver. Partners may not be substituted during the classic event. You must fish with your designated partner or alone.
7) EQUIPMENT. Each boat must contain all required U.S. Coast Guard safety equipment and must meet all Coast Guard regulations. Boat owners must carry proper liability insurance. All boats must contain a properly aerated livewell to maintain a live limit of fish. All boats must be equipped with an emergency ignition shut-off device (kill switch), which must be securely attached to the driver’s body whenever the combustion engine is in operation. All boats 16’ or over in length must have a float cushion on board. Any vessel deemed “unsuitable” by the Tournament Director will not be allowed to participate in the event.
8) ASSISTANCE. Each contestant shall provide their own on-the-water assistance if needed. It is not the responsibility of the Tournament Director or any tournament sponsor to provide assistance in on-the-water repairs or rescues at any time. It is the responsibility of the contestants to notify the tournament director regarding any reasons for not returning to the check in location on time.
9) PERMITTED FISHING METHODS AND TACKLE. All fish must be caught live in a conventional and sporting manner. Only artificial lures may be used with the exception of pork rind. The intentional snagging of fish is strictly prohibited. Landing nets are permitted and only one rod and reel may be used at a time.
10) PERMITTED FISHING WATERS. Contestants may fish anywhere accessible by boat, except areas designated as “off limits” or “no fishing” by the Tournament Director, local, state or federal officials. All angling must be conducted from the boat. At no time may a contestant leave the boat to land a fish or to make the boat more accessible to fishing waters.
11) ENCROACHMENT. A “25 yard rule” is in effect at all times during competition. No contestant’s boat may move within 25 yards of another contestant’s boat at any time for the purpose of fishing without the consent of all contestants involved. A boat moving from one area to another may infringe upon this zone as long as the parties that are moving do not fish and do not intentionally disrupt the area. Anglers should give all others enough room to make a reasonable cast to fish an area. No contestant’s boat may “tie up” or “protect” an area for the purpose of blocking access to an area to other anglers. Boats may be tied or secured to trees, rocks, etc., so long as both contestants remain within the boat, an anchored or tied boat must have the trolling motor out of the water in the stored position.
12) EQUIPMENT FAILURE OR EMERGENCY. In the event of equipment failure or emergency a contestant’s boat may be towed to the check-in. If it is necessary to transfer fish to another boat, it must be another contestant’s boat. At least one member of the team must accompany the fish to the weigh-in site.
13) FISHING HOURS AND LATE PENALTY. Official fishing hours will be announced at tournament sign-up prior to the event. All contestants must check in at the weigh-in site. Contestants who are not at the official check-in area at the appointed time will be disqualified. Culling of fish in the host marina is prohibited.
14) LIVE FISH. Contestants shall make every effort to keep all fish alive through the use of a properly aerated livewell. A penalty of half of a pound will be deducted from the total weight for each dead fish presented for weigh-in. The Tournament Director or a designee will make all judgments of fish mortality. Culling of dead fish is prohibited and may result in disqualification.
15) SCORING. Scoring will be determined by the total weight of each teams catch. The limit shall be five (5) fish per two-angler team, five fish for an angler fishing alone. The official minimum length for bass shall be twelve (12) inches in length unless state or lake size limit is different. Bass will be measured laying flat down, mouth open / tail fanned, on a FLAT board. No culling of fish inside the "No Wake" buoys of the host marina. Bass presented for weigh-in, which fail to measure the prescribed minimum length limit, shall be removed from the catch and a penalty of one (1) pound will be deducted from the remaining weight. At no time shall a team possess more than a tournament limit of fish in a live well. Any team returning to the weigh in site with more than the tournament limit of fish will be disqualified. Any team returning to the official check in site LATE will be disqualified.
16) POINT SYSTEM. Points for each event will be awarded, plus the total bag weight of each teams catch starting with 100 points for 1st place, 99 points 2nd and descending down by 1 point per place. EXAMPLE: Team Smith and Johnson finish in 1st place with a total weight of 14.39 lbs. They would receive 100 points for 1st place plus (+) 14.39 lbs. bag weight. (100 + 14.39 = 114.39 points.) 2nd place, 99 +13.29 = 112.29 points. This system will be followed on down for each team that weighs fish. Any team that did not weigh fish will receive ½ of the last place team points. EXAMPLE: If the last place team that weighs in fish finishes in 23rd place and weighs in 2.33 lbs. they would receive 78 points + 2.33 lbs. for a total of 80.33 points. Each team that did not weigh fish would be awarded ½ of 78 points (39points), this system is designed to award a team points even if they did not weigh in fish.
17) Utah Bass Classic/Qualification. You must qualify to fish in the classic event. There will be twelve spots in the classic. Classic spots will be awarded to any team that has won an event during that years season. The remaining twelve places will be filled from the top teams in the AOY standings. The classic will be a free entry event. Ten dollars from every boat entry for the season will be put aside for the payout of the classic. The classic will only pay One position it is a winner takes all event. For example if the club averages 15 boats a tournament the classic payout will be $1,050 dollars paid to the winning team.
18) ANGLER OF THE YEAR. Angler/Team of the year will be decided by the normal season events. The Classic will not contribute to AOY points. AOY/TOY will receive awards and next years club dues will be waived.
19) PROTESTS. All protests must be in writing and submitted to the tournament director no more than 10 min. after the official closing of the weigh scales. Protests will be charged 25 dollars to submit a protest. If the protest stands the protestor will receive the 25 dollars back. Protests will be decided between the tournament director and 2 uninvolved individuals of the directors choosing.
20) TIES. In the event of a tie for the total weight of a team’s catch, the team registering the larger “big bass” weight will win the tie. If neither team weighs a “big bass”, a coin toss will break the tie.
21) OFFICIAL BOATS. Tournament Officials may be on the water during tournament hours and approach, photograph or observe any contestant’s boat. Each contestant is requested to cooperate with all reasonable requests.
22) WAIVER AND RELEASE. Each contestant must be a current member of C.U.B. to participate in any team tournament. Each contestant must sign a waiver and release form prior to the first event of each season.
23) REGISTRATION AND PRE-TOURNAMENT SIGN-UP. Each contestant may register in person at the designated registration site during the official registration hours or by contacting the tournament director by phone or E-mail for other methods of registration.
24) BOATS AND MOTORS. All boats must meet state and U.S. Coast Guard regulations, no engine may be in excess of BIA horsepower rating. All boats must have an emergency kill switch. All boats must have an aerated live well.
25) NO ALCOHOL AND DRUGS. No alcoholic beverages or narcotic drugs are allowed during tournament hours. No alcoholic beverages or narcotic drugs are allowed in any tournament boat during competition hours.
26) CITATIONS. Any contestant cited for a violation of State or Federal boating and fishing rules and regulations will be subject to disqualification.
27) BOAT INSPECTION. Boat inspection instructions will be given at the sign-up site. Failure to obtain a sign-off at boat inspection may result in disqualification.
28) ATTENTION ANGLERS. All participants must have and display the paper from the DNR website that states they have taken the yearly qualga muscle course. And display the printed form on your dash during the event. https://stdofthesea.utah.gov
C.U.B reserves the right to deny participation to individuals to any events.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR WOULD LIKE FURTHER INTERPRETATION OF THESE RULES CONTACT THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR