Official Rules Updated 4/11/2011

2011 Saginaw Bay Bed Busters Saginaw Bay Open Rules

1. RULES. The following rules are the official rules of Saginaw Bay Bed Busters Saginaw Bay Open Tournaments (“Saginaw Bay Open”). Interpretation of these rules shall be left up to the Saginaw Bay Open Tournament Director. The decision of the Tournament Director shall be final in all matters. THE SAGINAW BAY OPEN RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REFUSE ENTRY TO ANY INDIVIDUAL OR TEAM FOR ANY REASON OR NO REASON THAT THE SAGINAW BAY OPEN MAY DEEM APPROPRIATE.

2. PARTICIPATION AND ELIGIBILITY. Participation is open to anyone 16 years of age and older, all contestants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a contestant 18 years of age or older. All contestants must complete an official entry form and pay the proper entry fee and any applicable late fees before the tournament deadline which is the pre-tournament meeting.

3. REGISTRATION AND Pre-TOURNAMENT MEETING. Both members of each team must be present to register at least a half hour prior to sunrise at the designated boat launch the morning of the tournament. Contestants pre registered may change up to one member of the team at the pre tournament meeting if necessary. All entrants must attend a mandatory pre-tournament meeting a half hour prior to sunrise at the designated boat launch the morning of the tournament.

4. INSURANCE. All boats competing in the SAGINAW BAY OPEN shall maintain their own liability insurance during all practice and tournament hours. Contestants assume all risks of loss and waive any or all claims they may have for injury, property damage, consequential damages, or any damage of any nature against any director, official, sponsor or any contestant or other person connected with the SAGINAW BAY OPEN and related events.

5. BOAT LAUNCH AND WEIGH-IN AREA. SAGINAW BAY OPEN boat launch and weigh-in area will be announced prior to each event, check flier or website for details or contact tournament director.

6. BOATS. BOATS MUST BE A MINIMUM OF 16 FEET IN LENGTH, comply with all Michigan DNR and Coast Guard regulations and have an adequate live well capable of keeping a one day limit of fish alive. All boats shall be equipped with an emergency ignition shut-off device (“kill-switch”). Maximum horsepower for all outboards used in tournament competition will not to exceed the horsepower capacity set forth on the “Maximum Capacities” placard described below.
• Each boat must have a clearly legible “Maximum Capacities” (or comparably titled) placard that includes a maximum horsepower rating affixed to the boat by the manufacturer.

7. BOAT POSITION. Boat position will be determined by the order in which the mail entries are received. For all entries at the ramp boat position will be determined by the order in which they are received. Boat Position will be discussed at the pre-tournament meeting. Boat position is solely determined by the tournament director and is not subject to protest.

8. BOAT INSPECTION. All boats will be made available before the start of competition for inspection. At this time all live-wells, all compartments and storage areas as well as anything in the boat will be made accessible to SAGINAW BAY OPEN inspection personnel. NO boat shall be allowed to compete that has not been inspected the day of competition. All boats will also be made available for inspection during and after competition. Any participants who refuse boat inspection by a tournament official will be immediately disqualified and will be ineligible to participate in future Saginaw Bay Open events as well as any other events sanctioned by The Bass Federation of Michigan.

9. FISHING RULES. All Michigan rules regarding fishing will be observed unless the tournament director specifies more stringent regulations. Only those fish caught in normal angling methods will be accepted. ONLY ARTIFICIAL BAIT MAY BE USED. Gulp, Gulp Alive and pork trailers are considered artificial bait. No Live or Prepared Bait allowed! Entrants must possess any required licenses. Only 1 rod per person may be used at any one time during tournament fishing. All fish must be hooked INSIDE of the mouth, any fish hooked outside of the mouth must be immediately released. Use common sense but for close calls along the edge of the mouth “INSIDE of the mouth” is deemed as a penetrated hook point that is not visible when the fish’s mouth is closed. Immediate culling required, a team’s 6^th fish must be released before fishing can resume. Any team that does not cull and release their 6^th fish in a reasonable amount of time will be disqualified. At no time shall a team poses more than 5 bass other then when culling. No culling after boat check-in.

10. SCORING. Scoring will be based on total weight of bass. There will be a 5 fish limit per 2-man team. A minimum length of 14 inches will be strictly enforced. Bass presented for weigh-in which fail to measure 14 inches shall accrue penalties at the rate of 1 pound for each such bass. DON’T KILL YOUR CATCH a penalty of 0.5 pound will be enforced for each dead fish presented for weigh-in. Fish judged to be improper will not be weighed (i.e. white gill, sunken eyes, missing scales, etc.) Big bass will be awarded to the team who weighs the largest smallmouth or largemouth bass. Largemouth big bass bounty will be awarded to the team who weighs the largest largemouth bass. A single Largemouth Bass can win both Big Bass awards as well as option pots. In the event of a big bass tie, the prizes will be divided between the tied teams. In the event that no one weighs a Largemouth Bass, the Largemouth Big Bass prize will be added to the regular Big Bass Prize or distributed at the tournament director’s discretion. Teams may weigh more than one big bass at the discretion of tournament director, only one largemouth and one smallmouth will be recorded in the official scoring.

11. BOUNDARIES. Fishing will be allowed in all legal waters of the Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron and all connecting waterways. A 25-yard distance between anchored/powerpole boats with trolling motor up will be enforced. Competitors boats my not come into contact with another boat unless in the case of an emergency. The use of a trolling motor while anchored to position the boat, thus blocking other boats is prohibited.

12. TROLLING: No trolling allowed. Also the use of Planner Boards are prohibited.

13. PRACTICE. There in no official practice period pre-tournament practice fishing can be done anytime up until the day of the tournament.

14. TOURNAMENT HOURS. Blast off will start at Safelight weather permitting, and check-in time will be announced at pre-tournament meeting. BOAT INSPECTION WILL BEGIN one (1) hour prior to sunrise. To be considered checked-in your chip must be in the hand of the tournament director by the designated check-in time at the pre tournament meeting. It is the responsibility of the contestants to check in appropriately.

BOAT CHECK-IN WILL BE AT THE BOAT RAMP!!!! PLEASE LEAVE TIME FOR NO WAKE IDLE!!!

15. PROTESTS. A $50 protest fee is required to protest another team. Fee will be refunded if protest is deemed valid, this fee can be waived at the discretion of the tournament director.

16. TIES. In case of a tie, the team with the heaviest big bass weight shall be determined as the 1st place winners. This is for the 1st place only. Ties for lower places shall divide the total prizes of tied places amongst the tied teams. (i.e. a tie for 3rd shall add prize money for 3rd and 4th and divide it equally between the teams).

17. LATE RULE. Check in time will be announced at the pre-tournament meeting. Any contestants who do not check-in by the designated check-in time will be disqualified. Check in time will be announced at the pre tournament meeting.

18. SAFETY. Safe boating shall be observed at all times. During competition, each contestant shall wear a chest type life preserver anytime the main combustion engine is running. All boats shall be equipped with an emergency ignition shut-off device (“kill-switch”), which must be securely attached to the driver whenever the main combustion engine is in operation.

19. SPORTSMANSHIP. All contestants are required to follow the highest standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, and conservation at all times. Drunkenness will be cause for immediate disqualification at anytime during this contest. The use of illegal drugs will also mean disqualification from this event.

20. SEVERE WEATHER. Under normal conditions, no contestant may leave his/her boat during the tournament hours, except at the weigh-in/launch area. The exception to this rule would be in the event of severe weather or emergency. In this case you may seek shelter at the nearest shoreline or shelter as you deem appropriate.

21. ALCOHOL USE. At no time will there be any alcoholic beverages aboard any tournament boat during tournament hours. There will be no use of alcoholic beverages before start of day’s competition.

22. NO WAKE ZONES. Boating safety is a must in this tournament! Any and all no wake zones will be observed. This also pertains to areas near other fishing boats please be courteous.

23. BREAKDOWNS. In the event that your boat becomes inoperable, you may be towed to the weigh-in area or ride in with another tournament participant. You may receive a tow from any other boat including U.S. Coast Guard, a non-tournament boat, or a tournament boat. You may not leave your boat unless in the case of an emergency or breakdown. The non tournament participant towboats must not come in contact with your boat in any other way than the towrope. Breakdowns are not an exception to the late rule. All contestants must return via water, anyone traveling on land will be disqualified.

24. USE OF RADIOS OR CELLULAR PHONES. We strongly recommend that each boat have an emergency communication system of either a marine radio or cellular phone. No fishing information may be relayed via radios or phones. Communication between tournament participants via cellular phones or radios is strictly prohibited except in the event of an emergency. Binoculars or cameras with telephoto lenses will not be allowed to be used in tournament boats.

25. Cheating: Anyone found to be cheating or suspected of cheating will be suspended from all further tournaments sponsored by Saginaw Bay Bed Busters Bass Club and prosecuted to fullest extent of the law. None of the above rules shall prohibit a properly designated tournament official from approaching or boarding any competitor’s boat at any time during tournament hours. Polygraph: Each competitor agrees to submit to a polygraph test should he be accused of any rule violation. The administration and interpretation of the polygraph test shall be solely the responsibility of the Tournament Director and his agents, and shall be used (or not used) at the discretion of the Tournament Director.

2011 Lee’s Global Tackle Heavy Weight Bonus!

The team weighing the most total weight through both 2011 Saginaw Bay Open events will be awarded a prize package courtesy of Lee’s Global Tackle. A team must have 1 member that participated in both events or 1 substitute allowed. Prizes will be awarded to team members participating in second event.

2011 Leverage Landing Net Big Bass Bonus!

The team that wins big bass and lands the big bass with a registered leverage landing net will receive a $200 bonus. To be eligible teams must register their leverage landing net at the pre tournament meeting.

Option Pot Rules (All tournament rules apply to option pots)

2011 Saginaw Bay Open Bonus Pot Rules

100% Bonus Pot Payback Join all 3 for $20 per team

Bonus Pot- $10 Team Entry

100% of the Bonus Pot entries will awarded to the highest finishing team participating in the bonus pot.

6 Pounder Bonus Pot- $5 Team Entry

The pot will start with a balance of $130 for 2011. 100% of the 6 Pounder Bonus Pot entries will be added to the pot. The team weighing the largest bass 6lbs or over will win the balance of the pot. In the event that no team weighs a bass 6lbs or over the balance of the pot will roll over to the 6 Pounder Bonus Pot for the next event.

25lb Limit Bonus Pot- $5 Team Entry

The pot will start with a balance of $130 for 2011. 100% of the 25lb Limit Bonus Pot entries will be added to the pot. The team weighing the largest bag of fish (does not have to be 5 fish) 25lbs or over will win the balance of the pot. In the event that no team weighs a limit 25lbs or over the balance of the pot will roll over to the 25lb Limit Bonus Pot for next year’s event.