Notice: All anglers entering a tournament are subjected to the rules and by entering the tournament you are agreeing that you have read the rules, accept the rules and will abide by the rules.

RULES

By your participation in this Tournament, you agree to comply with the following rules, and agree to submit to and pass a POLYGRAPH TEST or similar truth test in order to qualify for the receipt of any prize. Tests will be given to teams at ACT discretion.

1. ENTRY: Entries will be per person. You may have up to two anglers in a boat. Each Boat will be allowed to have one youth angler (15 years or younger) that will only be allowed to fish in the youth division. Every youth angler in the youth division will have a FREE entry fee. If a youth angler would like to participate outside of the Youth Division, they will be required to pay the entry fee.

2. RULES MEETING: One team member must be present at Rules Meeting and remain until the Rules Meeting is dismissed unless approved by Tournament Director for emergency reasons.

3. WEATHER: In the case of extreme weather/water conditions or National emergencies, ACT shall have the right to postpone or cancel any tournaments with the return of entry fees by mail.

4. FISHING HOURS: Fishing hours and session times will be posted on the Tournament Information Page and will be announced at the Rules Meeting.

5. ENTRY FEES/REFUNDS: Tournament entry can be done by mail, phone or internet. ACT will not refund or forward entry fees for lake conditions, fishing condition or bite. Team must request forward/ refund for personal, family or work emergencies in writing or electronic mail stating the reason for the request. You may sign up until the conclusion of the rules meeting the night before the event.

6. STATE LAW: Teams must comply with all State and boating regulations throughout the entire year, including the use of P.F.D.’s and kill switches. Fishing, boating regulations, and licenses are the responsibility of team members. State fishing laws and boating regulations supersede tournament rules. Violation of State or Lake laws is grounds for disqualification.

7. MINORS: Any minor (under 18) who participates, must make arrangements to have a parent or guardian present at the weigh-in to sign a release form or have the release on the entry form signed prior to the tournament, to allow a polygraph examination if required by the tournament director.

8. FISH: Anglers will only be allowed to have one fish in their live well at any time throughout the day (culling is allowed). Each Angler will be allowed to weigh in one time during each session. 

9. MEMBERSHIP: ACT membership is required to fish all ACT events. Failure to have an active/paid membership is grounds for disqualification. ACT reserves the right to refuse and/or revoke memberships without cause, reason and/or explanation and without recourse at our own discretion. Membership does not guarantee the ability to enter a tournament. ACT may deny tournament entry to a member without cause, reason, explanation or recourse.

10. PRIZES: Prizes will be given after the tournament. Teams must be present to receive prize.

11. OFF LIMITS: Tournament waters are off limits at 4:00 pm the day prior to the start of the competition unless otherwise stated on the Tournament Information page. Anglers must stop fishing at 4:00 pm the day prior to the start of competition, then exit the tournament waters immediately.

12. FISHABLE WATERS: Fishing within 50 feet of a Marina gas pump or within 50 feet of a competitor’s boat, which is first anchored, is prohibited (Trolling motors must be in up position and anchor rope visible or any shallow water anchoring device must be deployed to be considered anchored). A safe and courteous distance (50 feet) should be maintained when trolling motors are in use. Fishable waters are areas that tournament officials can access the fishing team via a John boat with a gasoline propelled tiller handle with lower unit. Boats may fish anywhere except areas designated as “off limits” or “no fishing” by Local, State or Federal officials or as posted on the Tournament Information page or announced at the Seminar. Any violation of off-limits water will result in disqualification. Participants are not allowed to exit the boat to gain access to fishable waters. Teams may enter fishable waters at any designated boat ramp listed on the Tournament Information Page or as announced in the Rules Meeting. Trailering is allowed but must be communicated with the Tournament Director prior to trailering.

13. ALCOHOL: Alcohol beverages are not allowed during the tournaments or during the weigh-in. Use of alcohol or non-prescribed drugs during tournament hours is prohibited and will result in disqualification.

14. COMPENSATION: No one can be hired, compensated, or offered compensation in any way to fish with you, mark fishing spots for you, or help you gain a competitive advantage in anyway 3 days prior to any tournament.

15. BOATS: You must fish from a boat. Rubber Rafts, Canoes and Go-Devils are not allowed.

16. POLES: Limit of four (4) poles per angler during tournament applies except where a state limit is set at a lesser number. Teams may use rod and reel combos, hand-held pole and reel combos or hand-held poles.

17. BAITS: A maximum of two baits per pole may be used during tournament hours if in accordance with Local and State laws. Live and artificial bait may be used unless announced differently on the Tournament Information Page or at the Rules Meeting.

18. MOTORS: All tournament boats are required to have a minimum 9.9 HP or greater motor.

19. OTHER EQUIPMENT: Binoculars and other magnifying devices are not allowed during tournament hours. Under water cameras during competition is not allowed. The use of mobile communication devices such as cellular phones, marine radios, walkie-talkies, CB’S, etc. to communicate fishing information during tournament hours is prohibited.

20. SPOTTING: During tournament hours no one may spot fish for you or mark fishing spots for you.

21. LANDING FISH: Crappie must be hooked and landed with a rod or pole by team member(s). Crappie must be hooked through the lip or in the mouth. Landing nets may be used.

22. HOLE- SITTING: No hole sitting by a competitor or non-competitor boat during the tournament will be allowed.

23. LIFE JACKETS: Life jackets or personal flotation devices must be worn at all times while your combustion engine is operating. Life jackets must be properly secured and maintained secured until the combustion engine is turned off. Kill switches must be properly attached at all times the combustion engine is on. All State and Local rules and regulations supersede tournament rules.

24. VOUCHER: A weigh-in voucher will be issued to each angler at the Registration/ Rules Meeting sign-up. That voucher must be presented back to the tournament official before weighing in.

25. WEIGH IN:  Will be set up at the start of fishing hours through the final weigh in session. 

26. TAKE OFF: Anglers will be allowed to launch one hour before the official start time from any public boat ramp.

27. WEIGH-IN SITE: Crappie must be weighed at the official ACT tournament Weigh-In site. You must check in at the official Weigh-In Line by the announced time on the Tournament Information Page or as announced at the Rules Meeting and present your Weigh-In Voucher to be counted in for that session.  The Tournament Director will make the announcement when the Weigh-In Line is closed for that session and the last team in line will have their voucher marked.

28. TOURNAMENT/ SESSION HOURS: All crappie brought to the weighed must have been caught during the tournament hours from tournament waters by the angler bringing them to the scales. Tournament hours and sessions are posted on the Tournament Information Page and announced at the Rules Meeting.

29. FINAL WINNER: Biggest fish weighed between both days of competition will be declared the overall Grand Champion. Each Session will have awards throughout the event. 

30. TIES: In the case of a tie for all paying positions that prize will be split evenly between anglers.

31. AWARDS: All Prizes and Awards will be awarded at the conclusion of the final day weigh in.

SPORTSMANSHIP

Team members/ACT members are required to follow high standards of sportsmanship, honesty, courtesy, safety, conservation and to conduct themselves in a manner that will be a credit to themselves ACT, ACT sponsors, the sport of fishing, and ACT efforts to promote the sport. Examples of conduct not complying with those standards include, but are not limited to, the following: • Violation of or failure to comply with any of the official rules. • Consumption of alcoholic beverages or any kind of mind-altering substance during registration or during tournament hours. • Conviction of a felony. • Suspension/disqualification from any tournament or fishing organization for cheating, refusing or failing a polygraph. • Any other words, conduct or actions (including and not limited to discussion forums and internet sites) reflecting unfavorably upon efforts to promote safety, sportsmanship, fair competition and compliance with the tournament rules, or which fail to comply with these standards set forth in the first sentence of this paragraph.

32. CONDUCT: In case of any conduct not complying with the standards, ACT shall have the right to refuse any entry application, deny a paid entry application, or revoke a membership by returning the entry fee/membership fee of a previously accepted application, or to disqualify a team. Unsportsmanlike conduct can be grounds for disqualification if circumstances require and will be at the discretion of the Tournament Director. Unsportsmanlike conduct could result in membership revocation.

33. PROTEST: Protest must be made in writing to the Tournament Director within 30 minutes following the end of the Official Weigh-In. Protests must cite the rule allegedly broken. Protests must be given to the Tournament Director. Protest must be deemed a legitimate protest by Tournament Director. Both parties may be subjected to a polygraph. All parties involved and all grievances, protests, and complaints shall be handled in house with confidentiality. The Tournament Director’s decision is final in all matters.

34. COMPLAINTS: Complaints about teams outside of protest times should be made directly to ACT. Board of Directors. Complaints must be in written format. ACT decisions in handling complaints is final in all matters.

35. SPOTTERS/OBSERVERS: ACT shall have the right to place a spotter boat/and/or an observer in the boat with any competitive team at any time during the competition, from the start of competition to the finish. Any refusal will be grounds for disqualification.

36. BOAT/LIVEWELL/STORAGE: ACT  tournament officials shall have the right to at random, board and inspect the boat of any competing members, at any time from Registration until the end of the tournament. Refusal to allow inspection is grounds for disqualification.

37. POLYGRAPH: By your participation in a ACT  tournament, you agree to comply with the rules, and agree to submit to and pass a polygraph test or similar truth test in order to qualify for the receipt of any prize. ACT  shall have the right to polygraph any competing team, at ACT discretion. Any team having a member who has failed or refused to take a polygraph test or was a team that was disqualified or denied a prize because either member of that team failed or refused to take a polygraph or who has ever been denied a prize because he or she misrepresented compliance with a tournament rule or because of unsportsmanlike conduct may be disqualified and/or have their membership revoked. A team member who failed to pass a polygraph or whose condition does not permit the administration of a test because of team member’s use of alcohol or drugs will be disqualified. The use of alcohol or non-prescribed drugs during tournament hours is prohibited.

RELEASE

At the request of ACT, one member of each team that qualified for a prize must submit to and pass a polygraph test and/or any other test deemed necessary to determine compliance with tournament rules. Contestants agree to release ACT, its staff and all sponsors from any liability arising from the administration of the test and/or the decisions made in result of the test. All decisions regarding compliance with these rules and the interpretation of these rules will be made by the Tournament Director and ACT, which reserves the right to make additional reasonable rules for the conduct of its tournaments if circumstances require. All decisions are final and all matters are not subject to appeal. A pre-tournament Seminar is held for the review of the rules. You are liable to abide by the rule changes made during the Seminar, therefore, one team member is required to attend unless absence is pre-approved by Tournament Director ACT does not discriminate for reasons of race, creed, color or national origin.