1. ELIGIBILITY: Teams by definition must be composed of one Male Gender and one Female Gender to participate in the Morton Marine/H&H Marine Couples Trail. Any under age Contestants must have written permission from Parent or Legal Guardian.
2. REGISTRATION AND ENTRY FEES: Membership fees are $50 per person, ($100/team) for 2008. All Contestants must be a Member to fish the Couples Trail. Team Substitutions must also pay a $25 Membership fee. Entry Fee per Tournament will be $150.00 per couple. A $25.00 fee will be charged for all returned checks by the Banks.
3. SAFETY AND LAWS: Life Jackets (Coast Guard Approved) and Kill Switch must be worn when the Boat is on Plane. All Morton Marine/H&H Marine Couples Trail, Federal, State, and Local Laws MUST BE OBEYED and it is THE CONTESTANTS RESPONSIBILITY TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAQND THESE RULES AND LAWS. ALl bridges in the Couples Trail are NO WAKE. RUnning any Bridge or breaking any of the above mentioned rules is Grounds for Disqualification.
4. BOATS: Any safe boat with working aerated live-wells is allowed. All Boats must meet Coast Guard and State Regulations.
5. METHOD OF FISHING AND TACKLE: Only artificial baits or lures may be used. Pork style baits used as a trailer will be allowed. Only one Rod and Reel may be used per angler at a time. No trolling or snagging will be allowed. No seeding of Bass will be allowed.
6. SCORING: A five fish limit, 14-inch minimum length limit, measured on a flat board in a relaxed manner with mouth closed and tail lobes pressed together in any manner necessary to hit the mark. Only largemouth, spotted and smallmouth bass will be counted. Total weight per team will determine place. Ties will be broken by large bass first then by number of bass weighed in. If a tie still exists, the award will be divided by the tying teams. Any bass not within the legal limits will result in a one pound penalty deduction, plus the loss of the fish in question. Any Dead fish will be weighed at the Tournament Director's discretion. A 1/2 pound penalty deduction will be made for each dead fish weighed in. 14" Length limit unless otherwise announced at pre-tournament meeting or lake regulations. BIG BASS: For those who weight-in for the Big Bass Award, those fish must be taged for ID and the person, man or woman must be present at the time of the weigh-in and must be the person who presents the fish for weigh-in.
7. PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS: Anywhere on the Tournament Lake, except 50 yards of another contestants anchored boat. Tournament Launch Ramp area will be off limits. It will be each teams responsibility to obtain the exact off limits. This information will be avilable during the pre-tournament meeting or from a tournament official. All fishing will be from the Contestants boat. You should not leave the boat for any reason except for emergencies, the use of the rest rooms, or other necessity. You may not elave the boat to retrieve al ure or to aid in the landing of a tournament fish.
8. MEETING: A non-mandatory meeting will be held every Friday night preceding the tournament at 7:00 PM at the weigh-in site. Drawing for take off positions will take place at this meeting. Rules and other information will be discussed at this meeting. Questions and suggestions are also welcome at this meeting. In most cases the meeting will will be held at the pavilion next to the ramp area.
9. FISHING ALONE: A Contestant may fish ONE (1) Tournament alone. The full entry fee ($150.00) must be paid if you fish a tournament alone.
10. SUBSTITUTIONS: The Couples Tour will allow one substitute for the year. These Substitute's must be the same gender that they are substitutiong for. That is a female substitute must sub for the female substitute that normally fish the tournament or a Male sub for the Male Contestant. A Substitute for the Championship, must have fished one of the four regular qualifying tournaments. Team Substitutions must also pay a $25.00 Membership fee.
11. DEAD WATER: None. Practice is allowed up to the Pre-tournament meeting time (7:00 pm) the day preceding the Tournament.
12. TAKE OFF: There will be no organized take off. Teams must check in each morning of the tournament, at the Tournament Trailer, have their live wells checked, then they may launch their boats only at the tournament site. They may then leave at their option to their fishing locations. Their starting time for fishiong depends on the flight number they are in. Flight numbers are determined at the pre-tournment meeting. Anchoring is only permitted after your official starting time. For those teams that enter after the pre-tournament meeting they will be in the last flight, but must check-in with the first flight (3:00 PM).
13. WEIGH-IN: A Check-in Boat will be position for Weigh-in by 2:45 PM at each tournament. There will be a flight for each 25 boats in the tournament. There will be fifiteen (15) minuite separation between flights. (example 1st flight-3:00 PM weight-in; 2nd flight 3:15 PM weight-in, etc.) Teams must check-in no later than their assigned flight time. For safety purposes and your protection, teams without fish need to also check-in. Early Check-in may be made at the tournament trailer.
14. LATE PENALTY: Teams checking in late will be assessed a one ound per minute penalty with a maximum of 10 minutes, then disqualifification.
15. CULLING: It is the responsibility of each couple to keep nore more than a maximum of a limit (5) fish in a livewell. If more than (5) fish are present in the livewell during the event you will be subject to disqualification. No culling is allowed after you have checked in.
16. POINTS SYSTEM:The Team with the Highest Points will be The Anglers of the Year. Anglers of the Year will receive their choice of $500.00 or free entry fees to the following year tournaments. They will also receive Anglers of the Year Jackets. Points will be awarded for the four regular season events as well as the final two day tournament. Points will be awarded as follows: The Teams with the highest weight will receive 100 oints plus their weight of fish for the tournament. i.e. first place with 15.50 lbs of fish will receive 115.50 points, 2nd place will receive 99 points plus their weight of fish. Couples not weighing any fish, will receive 10 points less than the last team weighing in fish.
TIES, will be broken by the total number of fish weighed-in, if a tie still exists, then that place and the next place money will be added together and divided equally and both teams receive the same number of points.
17. POLYGRAPH: By signing the Waiver Form, contestants agree to a polygraph test by a qualified examiner. Refusal to submit to a polygraph test will result in immediate disqualification. Failure of the polygraph test or refusal to submit to the polygraph test will result in forfeiture of all monies and the contestant(s) will be banned from future Morton Marine/H&H Marine Couples Tournaments.
18. GRAND CLASSIC (formerly championship): All Couples Team must fish three of the four regular tournaments to be eligible to participate in the Championship Tournament. Entry fee for the Championship will be the same as the regular tournaments, $150.00. Extra money will be added to this event.
19. ALCOHOLIC AND DRUGS: No Alcohol or illegal Drugs or illegal use of Prescription Drugs are allowed during tournament hours and/or prior to taking polygraph.
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ANY ANNOUNCEMENT MADE BY THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR AT THE TOURNAMENT SITE TAKES PRECEDENCE OVER THESE WRITTEN RULES. BY PARTICIPATING IN THIS EVENT, EACH PERSON AGREES THAT ALL DECISIONS MADE BY THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR ARE NOT SUBJECT TO LEGAL CHALLENGE.
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BAD WEATHER: On extreme Weather Conditions, or Sickness of a contestant (at the Tournament Directors Discretion) That Contestant may be allowed to join their Partner at 10:00 AM of that Tournament day, but must be in the boat by 10:00 AM.
TRAILERING: On extreme weather conditions, Trailering may be allowed. This will be discussed at the pre-tournament meeting, (these condtions include: severe weather, storms, cold & windy weather). Contestants who trailer will need to make the Morning Boat & Live well check-in. Instructinos will be given at that time such as flight number, starting time, and check in time. When contestants trailer only ONE BOAT LAUNCH. No multi stops. Check in can be made by either water or by Trailer.
PAYOUT: One check will be made out payable to both partners. It's the teams resonsibility to handle the division of money. For Tax purposes, 1099's will be issued to the Team Captain.
