1. All tournament functions, to include a drive through weigh in, will be conducted at the Zapata County Expo Center located on the fair grounds in Zapata, Texas.
2. All State, Federal, International, and Local Rules shall be obeyed. Please note: Falcon Lake is an international lake and any time a boat enters Mexican waters for any reason a current Mexican boat permit and a valid Mexican fishing license for all parties in the boat will be required.
3. All clubs and club members must be in good standing of T.A.B.C. with tournament entry fees paid prior to the start of the Captain’s meeting.
4. A club’s up to eight- (8) member team shall fish in teams of two (2) from four (4) boats with no more than two (2) persons per boat. The heaviest weights from three (3) of the four (4) boats will be the club’s score PER day. This allows each club to drop the lightest weight each day. Clubs are encouraged to send more than one eight (8) man team.
5. Each boat is permitted a daily limit of five (5) bass. No pooling of bass will be allowed between boats. THIS WILL BE A POLYGRAPH QUESTION.
6. All fish – Largemouth, Smallmouth, Kentucky spotted or Guadalupe Bass will be a minimum of fourteen (14) inches or the lake’s minimum size limit if greater than fourteen (14) inches. All fish will be measured at the weigh-in using an official Golden Rule board. IF A SHORT FISH IS BROUGHT TO THE OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN, THAT BOAT WILL BE DISQUALIFIED FOR THE DAY.
7. All fish must be taken by rod and reel methods only, using artificial baits only. Prepared pork strips, buck tails, and feathered type lures are considered artificial baits. Only one (1) rod and reel may be in use by each person at one time. Other rods may be rigged in the boat, but not in use.
8. All fishing shall be done from a boat. No wading, bank fishing, inner tubes, or kayaks will be allowed while fishing. You may not leave the boat to retrieve fish. Electronic tracking equipment, with the exception of depth finders and GPS units, are prohibited.
9. All boats must be equipped with a working kill switch. While the boat is on plane, all boat occupants must wear a Coast Guard approved life jacket and the kill switch must be hooked up to the driver. NOT HAVING THE KILL SWITCH HOOKED UP TO THE DRIVER OR NOT WEARING OF THE LIFE JACKETS BY ALL BOAT OCCUPANTS WHILE THE BOAT IS ON PLANE WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION FOR THAT DAY. THIS WILL BE A POLYGRAPH QUESTION.
10. No trolling allowed. Electric motors may be used to maneuver a boat, but cannot be used to activate or drag a lure. Drift fishing with the wind or windsock is allowed.
11. The T.A.B.C. Board will set all starting times as well as determine the cut off time to be in the weigh-in line at the Expo Center. These times will be posted and announced at the Captain’s meeting. To insure equal fishing time for all clubs, teams will reverse weigh-in times for tournament day 2 or Sunday. Boats may launch upon completion of boat checks (live wells and kill switches) beginning at 5AM each tournament day at County Ramp, State Park Ramp, Oso Blanco Ramp or Beacon Ramp.
12. No cell phones, walkie-talkies, C.B. Radios, or any other communication device, can be used to communicate fishing spots, information or locations during the tournament fishing hours of the event, with the exception of a life or death emergency.
13. All participants with or without fish, MUST CHECK IN. Not checking in will result in Team disqualifications.
14. Anglers must not start fishing before the official starting time announced at the Captain’s meeting. THIS WILL BE A POLYGRAPH QUESTION.
15. All fish must be taken from the public areas of Tournament Lake; however, at no time will a club’s boat be allowed to fish within one hundred fifty (150) feet of another boat unless that boat is a member of that club’s team. No fishing is allowed within fifty (50) yards of an anchored or tied tournament boat with the trolling motor up without permission from that boat’s occupants. THIS WILL BE A POLYGRAPH QUESTION.
16. No pale-gilled fish will be allowed. Ice may be added to the live well to aid in the survival of your fish. A .50-pound (one half pound) deduction will be assessed PER dead fish at the weigh-in.
17. Fishing with a licensed or active guide who guides on the Tournament Lake during a sixty- (60) day period prior to the T.A.B.C. Tournament is prohibited. Licensed or active guides will be eligible to enter this tournament provided that they have not guided on the Tournament Lakes at any time sixty (60) days immediately prior to the tournament and they are current T.A.B.C. member(s).
18. There will be no alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs allowed on board or consumed by any fishing participant while on the water or during tournament hours.
19. Firearms are not allowed in any tournament boat for any reason during tournament hours nor carried during registration, the awards ceremony, or any T.A.B.C. activities, with exception of Licensed Law Enforcement Officers. WARNING: Carrying firearms or ammunition into Mexican waters is against Mexican law and could result in severe penalties to include confiscation of boat and fishing equipment and jail time.
20. Only one (1) Bass per boat may be eligible for the Big Bass per day. Participant must declare fish to be weighed for Big Bass prior to weighing it in.
21. There are no off limit days for this tournament.
22. All boats/equipment must meet U.S. Coast Guard and State Regulations. No motor shall exceed the BIA rating for that boat. All boats must have: a working kill switch, lights and fire extinguisher along with an aerated live well.
23. While in Mexican waters all contestants must posses a current Mexican boat permit and valid Mexican fishing license. Please check with your insurance company to insure you are insured while in Mexican waters.
24. All contestants are required to cooperate with requests from tournament officials on and off the water.
25. Any contestant who displays poor sportsmanship, violates these rules or any federal, state or local laws or brings unfavorable publicity to the sport of bass fishing will be disqualified.
26. All contestants are subject to polygraph examination at the request of the tournament director. Failure to submit to a polygraph or to pass will result in immediate disqualification of the team’s weight or participation in the tournaments awards.
27. Any protest involving scoring must be made IN WRITING to the tournament director within 30 minutes after the results are posted each day.
28. All decisions of the tournament director will be final.