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National Guard College Fishing

2010 National Guard FLW College Fishing Rules

  1. RULE CHANGES: These rules will remain unchanged during 2010. Interpretation of these rules will be left exclusively to the tournament director. Decisions of the tournament director are final in all matters and are not subject to appeal. Each competitor agrees to report any rule violation to the tournament director immediately upon discovery of the violation. Failure to report violations may be cause for disqualification. Violation of a tournament rule may result in weight loss (late penalty), the loss of weight up until a particular time in the tournament day (eligible for a restart), loss of weight for the entire day, disqualification for the entire tournament, or in an extreme circumstance, ineligibility to compete in future FLW Outdoors events. To be considered, protests must be made in writing within 30 minutes of the check-in time of the final flight of each tournament day.

  2. PARTICIPATION AND ELIGIBILITY:
    QUALIFYING EVENTS – Participation is open to students who are registered, full-time undergraduate students at a four-year college or university. Tournament participants must be members of FLW Outdoors and members of a college fishing club. Tournament participants under the age of 18 (19 in Alabama and Nebraska) must also have the signature of a parent or legal guardian in the provided space on the entry form. Tournament participants must have in their possession a current student identification card from the college or university they are representing and a valid fishing license for the waters to be fished and are required to follow all applicable federal, state and local regulations and laws. Any violation of such regulations and laws may result in disqualification from the tournament.

    FLW Outdoors has established five geographic divisions in which collegiate teams will compete. Each division will have four qualifying events, and each event will be limited to a maximum of 40 teams. Each team will consist of two anglers. Each team must compete in the division in which their college or university is located (a division map is located at CollegeFishing.com). Fishing clubs will establish their own methods to determine the number of teams and the entry priority for each team (order in which teams will be selected, No. 1 team, No. 2 team, etc.) that will apply to represent their school in each qualifying event. Entries will be taken in order of date and time recorded on CollegeFishing.com. The number of teams accepted from each club will be determined by the total number of clubs entering each event. If 40 clubs enter, each club will be represented by one team. If fewer than 40 clubs enter, each club will be represented by at least one team, and any openings remaining will be distributed among clubs entering multiple teams. Entries received after the field has filled will be placed on a waiting list. Entries may be made online at CollegeFishing.com. Entries for the 2010 season will be accepted for each qualifying tournament starting at 6 p.m. Central time December 7, 2009. Accepted teams will be confirmed and notified via e-mail at least 12 days prior to each tournament.

    NATIONAL GUARD FLW COLLEGE FISHING REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS – The top five teams from each of the four qualifying events in a division (a total of 20 teams) will advance to a three-day, televised National Guard FLW College Fishing Regional Championship. The full field will compete on days 1 and 2. Only the top five teams based on heaviest combined weight from days 1 and 2 will compete on day 3. The winning team will be determined by the heaviest combined weight from days 1, 2 and 3.

    NATIONAL GUARD FLW COLLEGE FISHING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP – The top five teams from each of the five National Guard FLW College Fishing Regional Championships (a total of 25 teams) will compete in the three-day, televised National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship. The full field will compete on days 1 and 2. Only the top five teams based on heaviest combined weight from days 1 and 2 will compete on day 3. The winning team will be determined by the heaviest combined weight from days 1, 2 and 3.

    FORREST WOOD CUP – The winning team in the National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship will qualify for the Forrest Wood Cup. The winning team member with the heaviest total weight in the National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship will compete in the pro division and the other member of the winning team will compete in the co-angler division of the Forrest Wood Cup.

    If any team is unable to attend a National Guard FLW College Fishing Regional Championship, the National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship or the Forrest Wood Cup, the next team in rank may be invited. The invitation is at the sole discretion of FLW Outdoors.

  3. PRACTICE AND OFF-LIMITS:
    QUALIFYING EVENTS – There will be no practice day.Tournament waters will go off-limits for collegiate competitors five days prior to competition. During competition, competitors may not obtain GPS coordinates, fishing locations or specific bait information from noncompetitors or follow a noncompetitor’s boat or participate in the practice of “hole sitting” or the placing of markers by anyone. The purchasing of, or bartering for, information or the hiring of services will not be permitted within 15 days of any tournament. Violation of this rule may result in disqualification.

    NATIONAL GUARD FLW COLLEGE FISHING REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS AND NATIONAL GUARD FLW COLLEGE FISHING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP – Tournament waters will open for a practice day on the Wednesday prior to the start of competition.Tournament waters will go off-limits for collegiate competitors nine days prior to the practice day. During the off-limits period, practice and competition days, competitors may not solicit and/or receive GPS coordinates, fishing locations or specific bait information from anyone except confirmed competitors and through publicly available sources. Competitors may not follow a noncompetitor’s boat or participate in the practice of “hole sitting” or the placing of markers by anyone. Competitors in the top-five cut may not solicit or receive GPS coordinates, fishing locations or specific bait information from anyone except other top-five competitors. The purchasing of, or bartering for, information or the hiring of services will not be permitted within 15 days of any tournament. Violation of this rule may result in disqualification.

  4. ON-SITE REGISTRATION: Both team members must register in person at the National Guard FLW College Fishing mobile headquarters located at the designated tournament launch site 30 minutes prior to takeoff. The takeoff time, designated tournament launch site and tournament boundaries will be provided in a confirmation e-mail at least 12 days prior to each tournament.

  5. BOAT ASSIGNMENTS:
    QUALIFYING EVENTS – Takeoff order (boat number) will be determined by order of entry. Each team will be paired with a professional angler during on-site registration. This professional angler (who is not permitted to fish) will provide a boat and act as a tournament official during the event.

    NATIONAL GUARD FLW COLLEGE FISHING REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS AND NATIONAL GUARD FLW COLLEGE FISHING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP – Takeoff order (boat number) will be determined by random draw. Each team will be paired with a tournament official (who is not permitted to fish) during on-site registration, and FLW Outdoors will provide boats for use by each team.

  6. SAFETY: Safe boating must be observed at all times. Each contestant is required to bring and wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device while in the boat anytime the combustion engine is in operation during practice and from boat check until weigh-in each day of the tournament. Violation of this rule may result in disqualification. At the discretion of the tournament director, tournament days may be shortened, postponed or canceled due to unsafe weather or water conditions.

  7. 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, to FLW Outdoors, FLW Outdoors’ sponsors, to the school the team is representing, the sport of fishing and FLW Outdoors’ efforts to promote the sport. Conduct not complying with these standards includes, but is not limited to, the following:

    • Violation of, or failure to comply with, any of the rules for the 2010 National Guard FLW College Fishing season.
    • Consumption and/or possession of alcoholic beverages or any kind of mind-altering substance during registration or during tournament hours extending through the weigh-in procedure.
    • Abuse of, or addiction to, mind-altering substances.
    • Conviction of a felony within the past 36 months.
    • Suspension/disqualification from any tournament or fishing organization.
    • Any other words, conduct or actions reflecting unfavorably upon efforts to promote safety, sportsmanship, fair competition and compliance with tournament rules, or which fail to comply with the standards set forth in the first sentence of paragraph 7.

    In case of any conduct not complying with the standards outlined above or any others deemed unsportsmanlike by FLW Outdoors, FLW Outdoors shall have the right to refuse an application to compete, to deny a confirmed application to compete or to disqualify a contestant.

  8. BOAT OPERATION:
    QUALIFYING EVENTS – FLW Outdoors will secure professional anglers who will provide boats and act as tournament officials. These professional anglers (who are not permitted to fish) will drive the boats. College Fishing team anglers will determine fishing locations and operate the trolling motor. Team anglers may not ask for or receive fishing advice or assistance from the tournament officials.

    NATIONAL GUARD FLW COLLEGE FISHING REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS AND NATIONAL GUARD FLW COLLEGE FISHING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP – FLW Outdoors will provide tournament officials (who are not permitted to fish) and boats for use by qualifying teams. College Fishing team anglers will determine fishing locations and operate the trolling motor. Team anglers may drive the boats or request that their assigned tournament official drive. Team anglers may not ask for or receive fishing advice or assistance from the tournament officials.

    FORREST WOOD CUP – FLW Outdoors will provide a Ranger boat and Chevy tow vehicle for use by the National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship team angler fishing in the Pro Division at the Forrest Wood Cup.

    The use of mobile communication devices, including but not limited to, cell phones, marine radios, walkie-talkies, CBs, etc., during tournament hours is strictly prohibited except in an emergency (severe weather, etc.) or to communicate with lockmasters about locking or with the tournament director.

  9. PERMITTED FISHING METHODS: All bass must be caught alive in a conventional sporting manner. Only artificial lures may be used, with the exception of pork trailers and biodegradable soft baits. Each contestant is limited to a maximum of five fishing rods and reels. Only one fishing rod per contestant may be used at a time. Trolling as a method of fishing is prohibited. Fishing is defined as having a lure attached to a line and a rod and reel with the lure in the water. All bass caught while sight fishing must be hooked inside the mouth and immediately shown to their tournament official or FLW Outdoors camera operator for verification.

  10. PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS AND BOUNDARIES: Contestants may fish anywhere on designated tournament waters, within the boundaries defined on CollegeFishing.com, that are available to the public and accessible by boat, except areas designated as “off-limits,” “no boats” or “no fishing” by FLW Outdoors, local, state or federal officials, or within 50 yards of a competitor’s boat that was first anchored. An anchored boat is a boat held in a stable position by a line attached to a weight or by a Power-Pole with the trolling motor in the up position. All fishing 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. Contestants must leave and return to the checkpoint by boat. The boat must remain in the tournament waters during the tournament day. Teams must remain together at all times and within sight of their tournament official until check-in in order for their catch for that day to be counted. The momentary condition of being out of sight of each other for restroom breaks is permitted. Violation of this rule may result in disqualification.

  11. CHECKPOINTS: The National Guard FLW College Fishing mobile headquarters kiosk will serve as the only checkpoint for on-site registration in the morning. A checkpoint for the afternoon check-in will be designated prior to takeoff. Failure to register by having a team member swipe his or her membership card at the kiosk in the morning before the start of competition or failure to check in at the designated checkpoint at the close of competition will result in disqualification.

  12. LATE PENALTY: Teams not checking in at the designated afternoon checkpoint at the appointed time will be penalized 1 pound per minute, deducted from the total weight. Teams more than 15 minutes late will lose credit for that day’s weight.

  13. LIVE FISH: Every effort must be made to keep bass alive. FLW Outdoors recommends the use of Rejuvenade, which promotes the healthy return of bass to their natural habitat. Only live fish may be presented for weigh-in.

  14. SCORING: Scoring will be determined by the pounds and ounces of each team’s catch during each tournament. Only largemouth, spotted, redeye or smallmouth bass are accepted species. The tournament limit will be five bass per angler unless the state or lake limit is less than five, in which case the state or lake limit will prevail. Only three bass per angler will be weighed, and only live bass will be weighed. Each contestant may weigh only the bass he or she caught. Weighing in bass caught by a teammate is prohibited. Contestants possessing more than the tournament limit will have their catch to that point disqualified.

    MEASURING FOR MINIMUM LENGTH
    Bass will be measured to their longest length with mouth closed. The minimum length limit for bass will be 12 inches unless the state or lake limit is more than 12 inches, in which case the state or lake limit will prevail. Each competitor will measure their own bass on the board provided and the tournament official will verify length and record it on camera at the time of the catch. Each contestant’s catch (only live fish may be presented for weigh-in) must be presented in an official weigh-in bag.

  15. TIES:
    QUALIFYING EVENTS – In the event of a tie, the team whose member has the lightest individual total weight for the tournament will take the lower finish. Should a tie remain, it will be broken by order of entry for the tournament.

    NATIONAL GUARD FLW COLLEGE FISHING REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS – Ties will be broken by the highest finish in a qualifying event. Should a tie remain, the team whose member has the lightest individual total weight in the tournament will take the lower finish. Should a tie still remain, it will be broken by the heaviest team weight recorded in a qualifying event.

    NATIONAL GUARD FLW COLLEGE FISHING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP – Ties will be broken by the highest finish in a National Guard FLW College Fishing Regional Championship. Should a tie remain, the team whose member has the lightest individual total weight in the tournament will take the lower finish. Should a tie still remain, it will be broken by the heaviest team weight recorded in a National Guard FLW College Fishing Regional Championship.

  16. LOGO USAGE AND TELEVISION COVERAGE: During National Guard FLW College Fishing Regional Championships and the National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship, anglers must use boats, clothing and PFDs provided by FLW Outdoors. During National Guard FLW College Fishing Regional Championships and the National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship, no logos, patches or decals may be worn or displayed other than FLW Outdoors sponsor logos; Ranger, Stratos and Champion dealer logos; or logos representing a team’s college or university. Alcohol and/or tobacco logos may not be worn or displayed at any tournament. Competitors may not smoke or use tobacco products during tournament hours, including weigh-in, at any event.

  17. ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO: Alcohol and/or tobacco logos may not be worn or displayed at any tournament. Competitors may not smoke or use tobacco products during tournament hours, including weigh-in, at any event.

  18. TRUTH VERIFICATION TEST: Each contestant agrees to submit, by signature on the tournament entry form, to a polygraph or voice stress analysis examination and to abide by its conclusion. Failure to pass an examination will result in disqualification. Truth verification tests will be used at FLW Outdoors’ sole discretion and the determination of the meaning of the results will be made solely by FLW Outdoors.

  19. CAPTIONS: The captions at the beginning of each paragraph are intended to facilitate convenience in referring to the various rules. The captions are not part of the substance of the paragraph and should not be used in construction of any paragraph or this overall set of rules.

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