Rules And Regulations

CAFT LLC

Christian Anglers Fellowship Trail, LLC

2009/2010 Rules and Regulations

Participants and Eligibility: Open to all individuals, male and female. Those under 18 may participate with the written permission of a parent or guardian. CAFT reserves the right to reject any entry we feel is not in the best interest of the trail.

Membership: is $40.00 per competitor. This membership expires on December 31st of the same year it is purchased. Also all members in good standing that have qualified for the Championship in 2010, their 2010 membership is good for the Spring 2011 Championship only. To fish 2011 regular season, you must purchase a new 2011 membership.

Partners/Subs: A team shall consist of one or two anglers. You may fish the entire trail alone, but, the entry fee shall be the same. After you fish five tournaments alone, you cannot add a permanent partner for Championship purposes. You may substitute your regular partner three (3) times during the regular season. Permanent partner changes can only be made upon approval by CAFT Officials. Death, severe illness or accidents may be brought to the attention of the staff for approval. Military deployment and/or transfers do qualify as a hardship. Partner disagreement does not constitute a hardship. Substitutes will be allowed at the Championship provided they have competed during the regular season at least four times. Substitutes can purchase a Guest Membership for $10.00 – good for that day’s competition only.

Entry Fees: Entry fee for all regular season tournaments shall be $140.00 per team which includes big fish pot. There will be two big fish paid at regular season tournaments. You can only win one big fish per tournament. All pre-paid entries must be received no later than the Monday before Tournament Date of the same week. At this time, no checks will be accepted during late registration at boat ramp the morning of the tournament – Cash Only. There will be a $10.00 late registration fee for registering morning of the tournament. Any pre-registered team that cannot be present for the tournament that does not notify CAFT staff by 12:00 Noon the Friday before the tournament will forfeit their entry fee. A check returned for insufficient funds will be charged the standard bank charge and that team will not be allowed to fish until check is made good.

Prize Payouts: All CAFT sanctioned tournaments will have a payout based on one place for every five boats. There will be two big fish paid per tournament. You can only win one big fish per tournament. Prize money and/or prizes will be paid out immediately following the tournaments weigh-in provided there is no protest and/or a polygraph is required. We made hold any prize money and/or prizes no longer than two weeks to allow time to schedule a polygraph exam at a time suitable for all parties involved.

Championship/Qualification/Payout: The CAFT Championship will be held in the spring the following year of the regular qualifying tournaments, on lake and date announced in the later part of the qualifying year. Based on 100 – team field there will be three competition days, Thursday, Friday and Saturday with full field competing first two days and top ten teams competing on final day. CAFT reserves the right to adjust total number of teams fishing final day depending upon total entries.

Scoring: is based upon each Championship competition day (total combined weight). One big fish will be paid each day. Additional awards and prizes may be offered.

Qualification: Top seventy five (75) in points from each division will qualify for the Championship (must enter at least four tournaments). You can automatically qualify by entering at least six tournaments in any division or by accumulating 1800 points total. ( The point champions from each division will receive free entry into the Championship for that year) A team or single cannot win points division champions in two (2) or more divisions for that year.If this happens, that team will have to decide which division it want's to receive credit for points champs.Second place team will then be awarded points champions. (SEE POINT FORMAT)

Entry Fee for Championship: is $100.00 – payout will be based on number of entries. 100% payback !!

Launch Sequence/Off-Limit/Off-Limit Periods: Starting position will be determined by entry date and time. “No official” off-limit period or practice days for the regular season tournaments or Championship. Lake off-limit areas are anywhere prohibited by local, state or federal regulations or any area not accessible by 100% of the anglers competing. Other off-limit areas may be present and put in place for safety reasons. Please ask your Director for any areas that may be off-limits on your lakes or rivers.

Safety: Safe boating conduct must be observed at all times. Each competitor must wear a US Coast Guard approved life vest, suspenders or belt, securely fastened anytime the combustion engine is running. Also a kill switch must be attached to the driver anytime the combustion engine is running. Failure to do so will result in immediate disqualification and forfeiture of entry fees and any prizes. Tournament days may be shortened or canceled due to severe weather or any conditions that would danger the safety of the competitors and/or staff. All decisions will be by the tournament Director and will be final.

Boats: All boats must be equipped with a live well system capable of keeping a limit of fish alive. Each boat must also be equipped with a bilge pump and kill switch – both in proper working order. Motors cannot exceed the horsepower rating of the boat.

Sportsmanship: Each contestant is expected to follow the highest standards of sportsmanship and courtesy. No boat may fish within 50 yards of another competitor who was first anchored with the trolling motor up. Furthermore, no competitor may fish within 25 yards of another competitor without the permission of the other team. Permission shall not be granted to one team at the exclusion of another. Fighting will not be tolerated and may result in disqualification and the member/members may be permanently banned. Hole sitting by a non- competitor to aid a participant will result in disqualification of that team. Cell phones may not be used during tournament hours to relay fishing information to another competitor – also will result in disqualifications of those teams.

Tackle and Fishing Methods: Only artificial baits may be used except pork chunks or strips. All bass must be caught in a sporting manner. When sight fishing the fish must be hooked inside the mouth. No snagging or chumming. No live bait may be in a competitor’s boat at any time during tournament hours. A competitor may use only one rod at any given time. No trolling with combustion engine. No rods over 8 ft. in length may be used during competition. No competitor may leave the boat to land or to catch a fish.

State Laws and Regulations: All participants must abide by all local, state, federal and wildlife laws. No alcoholic beverages or drugs may be consumed at any time during the tournament until the time you weigh your fish. Prescription medication may be taken if under a doctor’s orders.

10.

Scoring: A tournament limit shall consist of five bass (largemouth, smallmouth, or spotted bass) may be weighed in with minumun length of no less than 14" (inches). Closed mouth and swinging the tail gently. Length will be measured on a Golden Rule. Length limit will vary depending on local or state game laws.

Penalties: (Late Penalty) Competitor’s not back at the weigh-in area on time will be penalized 1 lb. per minute late. After ten minutes the team will be disqualified. The team will still earn last place points.

Short Fish: Penalty shall be 1 lb. for short fish and loss of short fish.

Dead Fish: Penalty shall be .25 lbs. (4 oz.) per dead fish. Dead fish penalty applies to big fish as well.

Culling: All culling must be done on the lake and not at the weigh-in area or marina. At no time can you have more than six (6) fish in the boat. No culling is allowed after you have checked-in. Once the bag is handed over to tournament officials it is considered CAFT property and no fish may be added to the catch.

11.

Emergencies: Competitors shall not leave the boat except in emergencies, sickness, severe storms, nature calls, etc. are deemed emergencies. If a boat breaks down, you may ride back with another competitor while the other partner stays with the disabled boat. You may be towed in by anyone. Any penalties incurred will still apply. You must return by boat to the weigh-in site. If you must trailer back to weigh-in site, your catch will be disqualified for that day.

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Point Format: First place in each regular season tournament will receive 300 points, second place 299, third place 298, and so on. Teams not weighing fish will receive 10 points less than the last place team weighing fish. The last tournament in each division will be a double points tournament. The team having the most points after the conclusion of the 6th Divisional Tournament will be Points Champions and will receive free entry for that season’s Championship. This team will not be included in the pay-out schedule for the Championship. (Example: Five Divisions, Five Free Entries into Championship. So, if there is 100 Boats – there would be 95 paid entries /so pay scale would be for 95 entries.) Final point standings based on all 6 tournaments will be used for Championship qualifying purposes.

13.

Protests/Polygraphs: Any protest must be submitted in writing to the tournament Director within 15 minutes of scale closing. The CAFT committee reserves the right to ask a member to submit to a polygraph exam at any time. Failure to do so will result in immediate disqualification and all entry fees and prizes will be forfeited. By signing membership form/entry form participants agree to abide by the results of the polygraph exam.

14.

Liability Insurance: All boaters must carry a minimum of $100,000 in liability insurance at all times. CAFT reserves the right to spot check at any tournament, failure to prove insurance coverage will result in disqualification and forfeiture of entry for that day and for any prizes for that day. It is boater’s responsibility to provide proof of coverage at any CAFT sanctioned event if spot checked.

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Liability/Camera Release: By signing an official entry form, you agree to assume all risk associated with the tournament and to release CAFT, LLC, it’s sponsors, advertisers, directors, employees and hosts from any and all damages, claims, demands and expenses relating to an injury of any person(s) including yourself and to damages of any property which you may sustain or which you may cause by reason of participating in a CAFT, LLC event. You also grant the CAFT, LLC, it’s sponsors, and host the unconditional use of your name, voice or photographic likeness for use in any video, audio or print media and our press releases. You understand that you shall not be entitled to any monies, royalties or other compensation in connection with such use.

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Rules Interpretation: Interpretation will be left up to each individual tournament director or his/her assistant. Infraction of any rule may result in disqualification of catch and forfeiture of entry fee and/or prizes. The decisions of CAFT, LLC officials are final.

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Miscellaneous: Please understand that acts of war, terrorism, civil unrest, strikes, natural disasters and severe weather may cause CAFT, LLC to adjust payouts and schedules. Also sponsor commitments may cause adjustment to payout or bonus programs.