WEST VIRGINIA BASS FESTIVAL
OFFICIAL TOURNAMENT RULES

IT IS YOUR TEAM'S RESPONSIBILITY TO READ AND HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THESE RULES. INFORMATION CONCERNING RULES MAY BE ADDED IN THE MANDATORY PRE-TOURNAMENT MEETING, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THE RULES PLEASE ADDRESS THEM AT THIS MEETING.

This tournament event is open to all persons, both male and female to participate as a team. Teams will consist of no more than 2 persons to a boat. Any adult choosing a minor as a partner assumes full responsibility for the minor and must be the minor's legal guardian. A properly completed entry form and the $ 215 fee per boat must be paid by June 1, 2006. Refund of entry fee will be made only if proper notification is made to the Tournament Committee ten (10) days prior to the date of the tournament. A $ 50 (fifty dollar) administration will be assessed for any refund. The Tournament Committee reserves the right to discontinue acceptance of applications prior to the deadline and also has the right to extend the acceptance date and number of entries. The tournament committee reserves the right and may take precautionary measures to protect the West Virginia Bass Festival event by denying registration to the event or other measures as they deem necessary.

1. Rules Interpretation - The tournament directors/Committee decisions in any and all matters pertaining to the operation, execution, and rule(s) interpretation of this tournament event is final. Interpretation of these rules shall be left exclusively to the Tournament Committee.
2. Off-limits Period - All tournament waters will be off-limits from 6 p.m. Sunday, June 4, until 6 a.m. Thursday, June 8, 2006. Obtaining information from any persons fishing tournament waters during this period will be deemed unsportsman-like conduct and will cause a team to be immediately disqualified.
3. Polygraph Test - Any team participating in this event can be requested to take a polygraph examination. Refusal to do so will result in any and all prize forfeiture and loss of entry fee. There will be a mandatory polygraph given to at least one team.
4. Scoring - Only largemouth, spotted and smallmouth bass will be weighted that are 12 inches in length and greater on a golden rule with the mouth closed. 6 fish meeting the above requirement will be considered a limit. Culling must be done at the time the 7th fish is caught; any team with more than 6 fish in their livewell will be disqualified. Any fish presented for weigh-in will be released, the only exception being in the event of a possible state record. All competitors are bound by the prevailing statutes and regulations of the various sates in which they fish. Winners will be determined by total pound and ounces of a team's catch.
5. Dead Fish & Short Fish - A penalty of 8 (eight) ounces per dead fish will be assessed to a teams total weight. A penalty of 1 (one) pound will be assessed to any fish failing to measure 12 (twelve) inches on the golden rule on our weigh-in table.
6. Tackle and Fishing Methods - Only artificial lures may be used. No live bait or cut baits may be used. All bass must be caught in a legal, live conventional manner using a rod and reel. Each competitor may only have one rod in use at a time. The following methods are recognized: casting and retrieving a lure, the flipping or pitching of a jig or other bait. Length of rods cannot exceed 7 1/2 feet and fly rods are not permitted. The trolling or strolling methods of catching bass are not allowed.
7. Boat Operation - All teams are expected to abide by state, federal and local regulations and laws. Teams failing to do so will be disqualified. Lifejackets must be on and securely fasten when under power of the boat's outboard engine, even at idle speeds.
8. Arrival Time - Any team showing up late will be required to first sign in at the weigh-in trailer and will be held until the last boat is out before being allowed to start.
9. Boat Identification - Prior to the start of the tournament, each boat will be given a number. This number must be in the boat at all times.
10. Permitted Fishing Location - Fishing on designated tournament waters is permitted, except any water within these boundries posted Off-Limits or No Fishing by state or federal agencies will be OFF-LIMITS. All angling must be done from the boat. Contestants must leave and return to official checkpoint by boat. Both competitors must remain in the boat at all times except in case of emergency. In such an emergency, competitors may be removed from their boat; placed in a boat operated by other competitors; or a rescue boat so designated by tournament officials. Partners must remain together at all times in sight of each other's catch, under the conditions sited above, in order for their catch to be scored in the tournament. If a competitor must violate any of the above conditions, his catch shall not be counted in the tournament. Trailering of boats during the tournament hours, for the purpose of moving from one fishing location to another, is prohibited. Tournament waters will be Ohio River and Tributaries to first lock or riffle.
11. Return Times & Procedure - Each team will be issued a card with their boat number on it. Times will be announced during the pre-tournament meeting that your card must be turned in to tournament officials. Teams that fail to return the card by the assigned time will not be permitted to weigh-in and will forfeit any and all prizes including random drawings.
12. Sportsmanship Conduct - Sportsmanship: Competitors in this tournament are expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety and conservation. Any infraction of these fundamental sporting principles may be deemed cause for disqualification. Drunkenness by any competitor during the tournament will not be tolerated. Maximum courtesy must be practiced at all times, especially with regard to boating and angling in the vicinity of non-competitors who may be on tournament waters. Any act of a competitor which reflects unfavorably upon the West Virginia Bass Festival Association's effort to promote fisheries conservation, clean water and courtesy shall be reason for immediate disqualification. No alcoholic beverage or other stimulants or depressants shall be allowed in the boats or at the weigh-in. Any form of poor conduct should be reported to the tournament director as soon as possible. "Stocking" is unsportsman-like conduct.
13. Ties - In the event of a tie the tournament director will have three means of solution, the first being total number of fish caught and the second being the earliest entry date and the final solution being a flip of a coin.
14. Safety - Safe boating conduct must be observed at all times by all tournament competitors. Caution and safety on the morning start must be observed. Each competitor is required to wear a Coast Guard approved chest-type life preserver. This preserver must be worn at any time the combustion engine is operating. The preserver must be strapped, snapped or zipped securely and maintained in that condition until the competitor reaches his fishing location and the combustion engine is shut off. All anchors or anchoring devices must be in the boat during operation of the combustion engine. Mechanical latches on anchor mates or similar devices shall not be depended upon for holding anchors. Violations of these safety rules shall be reason for immediate disqualification and every boat MUST have all required Coast Guard safety equipment, such as life jackets, fire extinguishers, etc. All boats must be equipped with a working kill switch in use any time the combustion engine is operating.
15. Breakdowns - In the event your team has boat problems that prohibit you from returning to the weigh-in, we will allow one partner to bring the fish in another competitors boat as long as the fish can be kept separated in different livewells or by other means.
16. Boat Requirements - A competitor answering affirmatively to the question "Will you bring a boat and motor?" will be expected to make that boat and motor available for use by himself and his partner. Boat Requirements: 14'0" Boat and 25 H.P. Motor. No boats will be permitted whose outboard exceeds the B.I.A. rating of the boat. All boats must be factory rigged bass boats with through hull aerator systems and kill switch.
17. Contestants - It shall be the responsibility of each partner to appear at a mutually agreed upon location with sufficient time remaining to check out at the official checkpoint an start on time. Tournament Officials shall have no responsibility for finding missing partners. It is suggested that a MINIMUM of 60 minutes is required for preparation to depart to the check-out point. Team members must stay together and within sight of each other throughout the day until the weigh-in is completed except in case of emergency or breakdown as noted above.
18. Acknowledgement - Payment of entry to fish this tournament shall be interpreted as acknowledgement that you have read and understand the conditions set forth in these rules.
19. Partnership or Unit Changes - Payment of entry fee will be considered a commitment. However, partnership or even boat unit changes will be permitted with proper notification being made to the Tournament Director. This may require completion and signing of a new entry form.
20. Early Weigh-Ins - are permissible. After 2:00 p.m. weigh-in with your flight only.
21. Mandatory Meeting - A pre-tournament meeting will be conducted on Friday, June 9, 2006. It is required at least one member from each team attend this meeting. Any team failing to attend this meeting will forfeit their entry fee and will not be permitted to fish. Meeting at Pleasants County Middle School located in Belmont 7:00 p.m.
22. Starting Position - Contestant's boat numbers will be assigned by a random number generator software program at the pre-tournament meeting. Boats will start in reverse order on Sunday.

22nd Annual West Virginia Bass Festival
June 10-11, 2006
St. Marys Marina

St. Marys, West Virginia - All of Ohio River & Tributaries
(To First Lock or Riffle)

Entry Fee $215 per boat (Includes $10 lunker & launch fee)

Payback guaranteed as follows:
90% of $ 200 Entry Fee
100% of $ 10 Lunker Fee

Sample payback based on full-field of 150 boats:
1st place $10,000
2nd place $5,000
3rd place $3,000
4th place $1,000
5th place $900
6th place $800
7th place $700
8th place $600
9th place $500
10th place $400
11th place $300
12th - 30th place $200
Lunker $1,500

Conducted by
WEST VIRGINIA BASS FEDERATION

PRINTABLE WEST VIRGINIA BASS FESTIVAL ENTRY FORM
Click on the link above to go to a printable entry form.