Section A. SAFETY AND CONDUCT

1. Participants are expected to follow all applicable laws and rules for safe boating, including those regarding U. S. C. G. equipment requirements.
2. Participants are expected to follow all applicable laws pertaining to the taking of marine fish.
3. Participants are expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship and courtesy. Any participant who exhibits threatening behavior or who otherwise engage in disorderly, illegal or improper conduct of any kind is subject to immediate disqualification by the Fishing Tournament Judge.
4. Willful violations of marine laws or other violations of safe and proper conduct may lead to disqualification as provided in Section J.

Section B. REGISTRATION

1. Registration may be completed in advance by email or website registration.
2. The final deadline for entry by any means is 6:00AM, Saturday the day the contest starts.
3. No angler will be eligible to win any tournament prize unless properly registered, with payment of the applicable fees, before catching the entered fish.

Section C. ELIGIBILITY

1. All Division and categories: Open to all Big Bend Sportsman Bash registrants.
2. Participants are eligible to compete in all divisions they want too.
3. Individuals who have been barred from participation for previous violations are ineligible to compete in any division.

1. Fish species eligible for scoring in the tournament, with minimum qualifying lengths (see 2. below) are:

2. Fish brought to weigh-in must be in a fresh, edible condition and must not have been frozen.
3. Minimum qualifying lengths are measured as total length with the tail in a pinched position except those noted as FORK, which are measured to the middle of the fork of the tail.
4. Fish must have been caught personally by the registered entrant who is credited with the catch in tournament scoring, using legal methods as defined in Section H, during legal hours of tournament fishing as defined in Section I.
5. Fish must be intact with no evidence of spearing, bangsticks, weight tampering, or other rules violations.

1. Scoring by weight: All scoring in the tournament is based on the weight of single fish entered by registered anglers in any of the eligible species categories for their division.
2. One point is awarded by every pound
3. Official Weigh Stations: All fish to be considered for scoring must be weighed on an official scale at an Official Weigh Station. (See Section I - Official Schedule).

Section F. PRIZES:

Only registered participants can weigh in fish and claim prizes

1. Prizes are paid out evenly among the 4 groups from monies collected with 20% being retained by the Big Bend Sportsman Inc.  
2. In the case where no fish is entered for a particular species. That division of money is returned to the pot and split evenly among the categories that do have fish.

Section G. FISHING AREAS:

1. Departure points:  Tournament Dock
2. Boundaries on water: Providing stated limits on points of departure are observed, there are no boundary restrictions on the waters tournament entrants may fish.

Section H. TACKLE AND METHODS:

1. The entrant credited with a catch in tournament scoring must have hooked and played the fish to boatside or shore personally, without assistance. Normal sportfishing practices for landing a fish (e.g. gaffing, wiring, or landing nets) may be assisted.
2. Fish must be hooked and landed on a single rod and reel, pole, or handline.
3. Electrically driven reels on a free-standing rod (e.g. "Electramates") are forbidden.
4. Expressly prohibited fishing methods for purposes of this tournament include: mounted winch devices ("one-armed bandits"), motor-driven longlines, spearing, gigging, netting, shooting (including use of bangsticks), or any method of catch in violations of State or Federal laws. Evidence of prohibited methods will disqualify the catch and all entrants fishing aboard the vessel on which such rule violations were committed.
5. Presence of prohibited gear on a contestant's boat will be considered evidence of use and shall be considered grounds for disqualifying the catch and all entrants fishing aboard the vessel.

Section I. OFFICIAL SCHEDULE:

1. Official Time: All times given represent Eastern time zone times
    
2. Tournament fishing hours begins 6 AM (First Lines in the Water) Friday and again on Saturday and continues without interruption until 3:00 PM of the same day.
    
3. Official Weigh Station hours are: 3:00 Pm to 4:30 PM.

4. Location of Official Weigh Station will be announced at the Captains meeting or prior to start of tournament.

Section J. RULINGS AND RULES COMPLIANCE:

All decisions by Tournament Directors are final.

Section K. LIABILITY

1. All entrants participate in the tournament at their own risk.
2. Tournament officials, Official Weigh Stations and all other persons directly or indirectly connected with the operation of the tournament are exempt from any liability for loss, damage, injury, negligence, or harm to any entrant, their companions or other participants, boat captains, crew members, vessels, or equipment which may occur during the tournament.

Section L. COMMUNICATIONS:

Ship-to-shore communication for safety and for periodic tournament announcements will be maintained throughout the tournament on marine VHF channel 68.