Dreams Come True Bass Tournament Rules

Tournament rules are included herein with special notations. It is each participant’s responsibility to read all items before entering. Rules will apply in all events unless superseded by federal, state or local laws. We reserve the right to refuse tournament entry fees or entry forms for any reason. We reserve the right to make needed changes to these rules in order to ensure the safety, welfare of the anglers, and/or the public and preserve the integrity of the Event. Any rule changes will immediately supersede all previously published copies of these rules. Officials and Tournament Director’s decisions and interpretation will be final in all matters.

1. ELIGIBILITY: Participation is open to a person of any age. However, if the participant is less than 16 years of age, they must be accompanied by a person 18 years and older. Any participant 16 years of age and less than 18 years of age must possess a valid Florida boater learner’s permit to operate a boat and have the signature of his/her parent or legal guardian on the tournament entry form. You may fish alone but are required to pay full tournament entry fees.
2. PRE-REGISTRATION & SIGN UP: Teams will take off in the order in which entry fees are received. Sign-up at the ramp will be allowed and acceptable methods of payment that will be considered are cash, credit or debit card. NO CHECKS WILL BE ACCEPTED AT RAMP SIGN- UP. Each team will be assigned a boat number at sign-up the morning of the tournament.
3. BOAT & HORSEPOWER REGULATIONS: Each boat must have all required U.S. Coast Guard safety equipment. All boats must contain a properly aerated live well space to maintain a limit of fish. All boats must have an operating kill switch that must be attached to the operator at all times when the outboard motor is running and in gear. Violation of any of the above rules may be cause for disqualification. If running lights are not working you may be held at take-off. Event officials or directors reserve the right to refuse entry to any boat that does not meet tournament standards. No airboats, canoes, or pontoon boats are permitted.
4. LIFE JACKETS & KILL SWITCH: Life Jackets or Vest shall be worn by both team members any time the outboard motor is in gear and running above IDLE. The Kill Switch shall be connected to boat operator any time the outboard motor is running and in gear.
5. TACKLE & EQUIPMENT: You may not fish on or from any structure above the deck. All fishing must be done from the boat deck. Only artificial lures may be used, except for pork products. No wading or trolling is allowed. All fish must be caught from the boat. All traditional rods & reels are allowed. Only one rod and reel may be used at any given time by each angler. No rod may be left unattended with line or lure in water. No netting of free-swimming bass or snagging is allowed. Any fish that "free jumps” into the boat must be immediately returned to the water and may not be weighed in.
6. TOURNAMENT HOURS: Tournament blast off will begin at safe light. The Tournament Director may delay blast off due to fog or visibility issues. However, weigh-in times will not be adjusted due to blast off delays. Weigh-in will begin at 3:00 pm and continue based upon the adjusted flight weigh-in times provided to each contestant at the time of registration. Each contestant is responsible for knowing their scheduled weigh-in time. There will be a weigh-in boat near the weigh-in docks. All teams participating in the weight-in, must check in with the weigh-in boat before their designated weigh-in time. Any team checking in after their announced check-in time will be assessed a one pound per minute penalty until 10 minutes at which time they will be disqualified.
7. FISH LIMITS, PENALTIES & WEIGH-IN: 5 fish limit. Permit waivers will be provided for this tournament. There will be no minimum fish length. No culling of dead fish. No culling at ramp or in host marina. Dead fish penalty will be .50 pounds per dead fish. Teams shall not have more than (5) fish in the livewell at any time. All contestants are responsible for their own weigh bags and must use care in handling and keeping fish alive for release after weigh-in. All fish will be brought to the weigh scales in weigh bags with sufficient water to keep the fish covered until weigh-in. Any team that brings more than 5 fish to the scales will forfeit the largest fish. FOR BIG BASS, only one fish per boat is allowed to be entered in the Big Bass payout. 
8. PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS: St. Johns River and all rivers, creeks and canals connecting to St. Johns River. Only that water open to ALL public fishing will be considered tournament waters. Any waters closed to public fishing will be closed to this tournament’s contestants. Rodman Reservoir will be considered tournament waters. There are some Lake George canals that have been deeded to the property owners. These canals are on the west shore of Lake George (Ponderosa). If the canal is posted as “no fishing/trespassing” then it is Off Limits. Anglers may not leave their boat except in an emergency. You must fish water that is available to all competitors. No fishing within 50 yards of any boat anchored, with trolling motor up. Common courtesy should be used between unanchored boats and generally a distance of two casting lengths should be maintained between tournament competitors. No fishing in areas designated off limits by governmental agencies. No fishing within 50 yards of Launch Site. No fishing within 50 yards of a marina gas pump.
9. TEAM CHECK-IN: Any team checking in after his announced check-in time will be assessed a one pound per minute penalty until 10 minutes at which time they will be disqualified. If you will be late due to the rescue of a stranded boater, your fish will be weighed provided you have notified the Tournament Director prior to the rescue and the Tournament Director has been kept abreast of the rescue in progress.
10. EMERGENCY OR BREAK DOWN: One or both anglers must identify their fish with some sort of marker or separation system before entering the rescue boat with fish, to return to launch site. The "rescuee" may not fish from "rescuer" boat and their (ruscuee’s) fishing day is over. The “rescuer” may continue to fish. One or both parties shall notify the Tournament Director prior to rescue and during the course of the rescue if it will result in the boat returning to the dock late.
11. SPORTSMANSHIP: Each team is expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, safety, courtesy, and conservation. Any team found in violation of these rules or any federal, state, or local laws may be disqualified. The use of a non-competitor for “spot sitting” or spot blocking is not acceptable and is prohibited. The use, possession or consumption of any alcoholic beverages during tournament hours, which conclude upon the completion of payout, is discouraged. Anyone found to be intoxicated prior to awards presentation shall be cause for disqualification from current and future events. The use of any illegal nonprescription drugs will not be permitted or tolerated.
12. PROTEST: Anyone may submit a protest during the tournament morning prior to launch or immediately following the weigh-in of the last team’s catch, but before the start of the awards presentation. Protests shall be made in writing. The burden of proof of a rule’s infraction will be the responsibility of the angler filling the protest. Any angler making an accusation against another contestant without submitting a written protest may be subject to disqualification from current and future events.
13. CELLULAR PHONES AND RADIOS: Cellular phones and radios are encouraged for safety reasons but are prohibited during tournament hours unless of an emergency or communications with the Tournament Director. You may not receive information concerning fish location from non-competitors during fishing tournament hours.

All  participants in the event will be required to sign both a registration form and a waiver of liability. All participants also understand they can be subject to a computer voice stress analysis (CVSA) performed by a certified examiner.

Weigh In Times

Scales will open at 2:30 PM

      Boats 1-50                                    3:00 PM

             Boats 51-100                                3:15 PM

      Boats 101-150                              3:30 PM

          Boats 151-200                              3:45 PM    

      Boats 201-250                              4:00 PM

      Boats 251 +                                  4:15 PM

*boat numbers above 250 will be weighed-in every 15 minutes in flights of 50