Bardstown Bass & Bourbon Bonanza Rules and Regulations

1. RULE CHANGES: Interpretation and enforcement of these rules shall be left exclusively to the Tournament Director. In the event of a rule violation, the Tournament Director may impose such sanctions, as he deems appropriate. Including, without limitation, disqualification, forfeiture of prizes and prohibition from participation in subsequent tournaments. The decision of the Tournament Director shall be final in all matters.
2. PARTICIPANTS & ELIGIBILITY: This tournament is open only to contestants that have entered by the contest deadline and who are 21 years of age or older and have a current Kentucky Fishing license.
3. REGISTRATION: Each competitor is required to submit an official entry form the day of the tournament. Competitors are required to attend the pre-tournament meeting. If you cannot attend the pre-tournament meeting, you must have a representative, who is competing in the tournament, in your behalf to attend. A pre-tournament meeting will be at 7:30 a.m. local time, at the tournament pre-designated meeting point, the morning of June 10th. Pre-tournament check will begin at 6:00 am and go until 7:30 am tournament day.
4. WEATHER: The tournament director has the right to delay or cancel the start of an official tournament day because of bad weather or other factors that would endanger the SAFETY of the competitors.
5. SPORTSMANSHIP: Competitors fishing the Bardstown Bass & Bourbon Bonanza 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. Use of Alcohol by any competitor during the tournament, pre-tournament meeting or in the weigh-in area will not be tolerated and shall be cause for automatic disqualification from this tournament. The use of drugs (other than those purchased over the counter or prescribed by a licensed physician) by any competitor during the tournament, pre-tournament meeting or in the weigh-in area will not be tolerated and shall be cause for automatic disqualification from this tournament. Maximum courtesy must be practiced at all times, especially with regard to angling in the vicinity of other competitors who may be on tournament waters. Any act of a competitor which reflects unfavorably upon the Bardstown Bass & Bourbon Bonanza effort to promote fisheries conservation, clean waters, and courtesy shall be reason for disqualification.
6. TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT: Only artificial lures may be used. No "live bait" or "prepared bait" will be permitted, with the exception of port strips, rinds, etc. Only ONE casting, spin-casting or spinning rod (8 foot maximum length from butt of handle to rod tip) and reel may be used at any one time. All other types prohibited. All bass must be caught live and in a conventional sporting manner. Anyone guilty of snatching or snagging fish on spawning beds will have their day's catch disqualified.
7. PERMITTED FISHING LOCATION: Tournament waters will be established by the Tournament Director for the Bourbon, Bass & Bourbon Bonanza tournament. Any water within boundaries posted Off-Limits or No Fishing by state or federal agencies will be OFF LIMITS. Also, the live-bass release area established by the Tournament Director will be OFF LIMITS and will be announced at the Tournament Briefing. Only that water open to ALL contestants that are fishing will be considered tournament waters. Any waters closed to public fishing will be closed to tournament contestants. All angling must be done from the bank.
8. OFFICIAL CHECKPOINT: There shall be only one official point for checkout in the morning and check-in after the tournament ends. This point shall be designated at the Tournament Briefing. At the time of check-out, all competitors shall be in full conformance with all rules set forth by the Tournament Director. After proper recognition at the check-in point, competitors will be allowed ample time to proceed to the weigh-in site; however, all fishing must cease upon check-in. After the tournament begins, fishing the tournament waters is prohibited except during the tournament hours. Exact starting and check-in times will be announced at the Pre-Tournament Briefing.
9. SCORING: Tournament standing, auxiliary awards and final winner shall be determined by the pound and hundredths weight of each competitor catch during the competition days of the tournament. Only Largemouth, Spotted, Red Eye or Smallmouth bass will be weighed. The limit shall be one of the above species and varieties. All competitors are bound by the prevailing statues and regulations of the state of Kentucky. At no time shall a competitor have reduced to possession more than the One (1) Fish Limit described above. Tournament officials will conduct checks for violation of the provision, and in the event a competitor has increased more than the One (1) Fish Limit above-described in their possession, the Tournament Director shall cull the largest bass first, down to the limit described. The official length for bass shall be determined by the Tournament Director and announced at the Tournament Briefing. Only bass as described above which measure the official length or more on the longest straight line shall be weighed in. Bass presented for weigh-in fail to measure the official length shall, accrue a penalty at the rate of 1 pound for such bass. This penalty shall be deducted from the total score of the competitor. Any bass that appears to have been mangled, mashed, mauled or otherwise altered will be weighed and credited only at the discretion of the Tournament Director. After a competitor checks in at the official checkpoint he/she MUST present all LEGAL fish in their possession to a tournament official to be counted, measured and weighed. Once a competitors catch is measured, counted and verified by a tournament official, that contestant may not return to the lake bank until his catch has been weighed and recorded. Weigh-in bags will be furnished by the Tournament Director, and only these bags may be used for the weigh-in.
10. DON'T KILL YOUR CATCH: Each competitor is expected to keep his catch alive by use of a properly aerated tank that will be provided by tournament officials.
11. TIES: In case of a tie for top qualifiers, members of the following tie breakers will be used in order: 1) The individual with the largest number of legal fish weighed in during the competition; 2) The individual with the largest number of legal LIVE fish weighed in during the competition; 3) The individual with the heaviest single day's catch during the competition; 4) The individual with the second heaviest single day's catch during the competition. In the unlikely event that they remain tied after these four tie-breakers are employed, then a flip of a coin will be used to determine the winner(s) and the money, if any, will be equally split. Ties for lesser positions shall be resolved by means selected by the Tournament Director.
12. HOURS: The tournament hours are 8:00am - 10:00am on June 30th. Each contestant is allowed one weigh-in every half hour. This will allow a total of four fish to be weighed during the two hour tournament. HOWEVER, ONLY THE CONTESTANTS LARGEST BASS WEIGHED-IN DURING THE EVENT WILL COUNT TOWARD THE WINNING WEIGHT...NOT THE TOTAL WEIGHT OF UP-TO FOUR BASS. If you find that the time is close on the half hour, you must notify a tournament official to let them know you are going to be weighing a fish in.