TOURNAMENT FORMAT AND RULES OF THE FLORIDA BASS FEDERATION NATION (January 1, 2009 - December 31, 2009)

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TOURNAMENT FORMAT
ENTRY RULES AND REGISTRATION
RULES AND ENTRY FEE FOR OPTIONAL SIDE POTS
POINTS SYSTEM
TOURNAMENT RULES
AWARDS

TOURNAMENT FORMAT

The Florida BASS Federation Nation (hereinafter referred to as FBFN) Tournament format shall be Boaters vs. Boaters and Non-Boaters vs. Non-Boaters. This Pro/Am Format and the distinction and separation between these two categories shall be effective in all Florida BASS Federation Nation Tournaments, including but not limited to Regional Qualifying Tournaments, Last Chance Qualifying Tournaments, and the State Championship Tournament.

REGIONAL QUALIFYING AND LAST CHANCE TOURNAMENTS
Each Region of the State shall conduct two 1-day Regional Qualifying Tournaments and one 1-day Last Chance Tournament to qualify FBFN members for participation in the State Championship Tournament.

QUALIFYING FOR THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT
The FBFN offers two methods for its members to qualify for the State Championship Tournament.

The first method allows members to qualify by participating in any of the three tournaments in their own Region. Anglers must finish in the top 60% of the field in the division (Boaters and Non-boaters) they are fishing for any one tournament. You must catch at least on legal size fish to qualify for the State Championship Tournament.

The second method allows the members to qualify for the State Championship Tournament by participating in any of the Regional Qualifying or Last Chance Tournaments being offered around the State. Any member fishing a Regional or Last Chance Tournament of another Region must have a catch that is equal to or greater than the weight of the last qualifier in the division (Boater or Non-boater) the angler is fishing.

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT
The FBFN will conduct a two-day State Championship Tournament after all Regional and Last Chance Qualifying Tournaments have been completed. The location and date of the State Tournament will be established by the Tournament Officials of the FBFN.

The results of the State Championship Tournament will establish the Angler and Co-Angler of each Region, the overall Angler and Co-Angler of the State of Florida, and the Angler and Co-Angler State Tournament Champion. Additionally, the State Championship Tournament will determine the Twelve (12) members, and two (2) alternates of Florida’s State Team that will advance to the BASS Federation Nation Southern Regional Tournament.

OFFICIAL PRACTICE DAYS
The FBFN will recognize two Official Practice Days immediately preceding each Regional Qualifying Tournament; Last Chance Tournament, and the State Championship Tournament. It is the responsibility of every competitor in a FBFN Tournament to know and observe the tournament rules during Official Practice Days.

PAYBACKS
There will be an 80% payback in all Regional Qualifying Tournaments, Last Chance Tournaments, and the State Championship Tournament. One place will be paid for every five entries received in each division (i.e. one place will be paid for every five entries on the Boater’s side and one place will be paid for every five entries received on the Non-boater’s side).

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ENTRY RULES AND REGISTRATION

All entries must be submitted on the Official Entry Form along with the appropriate fees and a copy of current boat insurance. Official Entry Forms are available on the FBFN website. The entry fees for all FBFN Regional Qualifying and Last Chance Tournaments will be $100.00 per angler. The entry fee for the FBFN State Championship Tournament will be $110.00 per angler. Tournament Officials reserve the right to suspend the acceptance of Official Tournament Entry Forms prior to established deadline, as well as the right to extend the acceptance date deadline. All checks or money orders should be made payable to the Florida BASS Federation Nation, Inc. or FBFN, Inc. Any checks returned for any reason will result in a $25.00 fee plus the amount of the original check to cover any bank fees.

All competitors must register in person with the Tournament Officials at the date, time and location prescribed, and must attend the Tournament Pairings Meeting in person, unless previously arranged with Tournament Officials.

Upon signing the Official Tournament Entry Form, a competitor agrees to submit to a polygraph examination for verification of tournament results or inquiries, if deemed necessary by Tournament Officials. The administration of the polygraph examination shall be the responsibility of the FBFN, and it shall be administered at their discretion by a credible firm. The date, time, location, and the scope of the questions to be asked during the polygraph examination, will be determined by the FBFN. Any competitor summonsed to take a polygraph examination agrees to be available for the examination at the selected date and time. Failure of the competitor to cooperate completely in this matter is grounds for immediate disqualification, forfeiture of all FBFN Tournament winnings, and/or other sanctions or penalties determined by the FBFN.

All winners will be required to fill out an IRS Form W-9 prior to receiving their check and will receive an IRS Form 1099 at the end of the year if their total winnings for the year total $600 or more.

INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS
All competitors operating a boat on tournament waters during the Official Practice Day(s) or during the actual competition days of a FBFN Tournament must submit a current copy of their boat insurance policy as proof of insurance to the Tournament Officials. The policy must contain coverage of at least $300,000 combined limited liability boating insurance, specifically name the boater as an “insured user”, and have the expiration date printed on the policy. If entering more than one tournament, a copy of the insurance policy must accompany each entry.

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RULES AND ENTRY FEE FOR OPTIONAL SIDE POTS

All side pots of the FBFN are OPTIONAL fees and are not part of the tournament fee. The FBFN recognizes side pots for Big Bass and Total Boat Weight.

BIG BASS SIDE POT
An optional side pot of $10.00 per person is available in each division (Boaters and Non-boaters). Only those anglers that participate in each division’s Big Bass side pot will be entitled to the monies and awards for the largest bass caught among the participants in the side pots.

If a tie should occur between two or more anglers for a Big Bass Award, the tie breaker will be the angler with the largest number of legal fish weighed in during the tournament. Should a tie still remain, then the angler with the largest number of legal LIVE fish weighed in during the tournament will prevail. In the event a tie still remains, the side pot will be split.

TOTAL BOAT WEIGHT
The Total Boat Weight will consist of the combined weight of both anglers fish paired in each boat. Only those anglers that pay to participate in this side pot will be entitled to the monies for the heaviest weight of the boat. This includes anglers fishing alone. If one angler in a boat is not in the side pot, and the other angler is, he/she will be eligible to win all the monies in the side pot based on the combined weight of the two anglers. The FBFN will not be responsible for splitting monies between two anglers in this side pot.

If a tie should occur between two or more boats, the tie breaker will be the boat with the largest number of legal fish weighed in during the tournament. Should a tie still remain, then the boat with the largest number of legal LIVE fish weighed in during the tournament will prevail. Should a tie still occur then the boat with the single largest fish will prevail. In the event a tie still remains, the side pot will be split.

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POINTS SYSTEM

The following points system will be used to determine the Regional Angler and Co-Angler of the Year and the overall Angler and Co-Angler of the Year for the State of Florida. Points will be awarded to the top 100-anglers in all FBFN Tournaments held around the State including the State Championship. The points system will start with the first place finisher in each tournament receiving 200-points and will reduce in increments of 2-points through the 100th place finisher. Table 1 below list the points an angler can expect to receive if he/she finishes within the top 100 of the Division of a Regional Qualifying, Last Chance Tournament or the State Championship Tournament.

TABLE 1 - Points System

PARTICIPATION POINTS
Every angler participating in a FBFN tournament will receive 10-participation points for fishing a tournament, regardless if the angler weighs-in a fish or not.

If a tie should occur between two or more anglers, the tie breaker will be the angler with the largest number of legal fish weighed in during the tournament. Should a tie still remain, then the angler with the largest number of legal LIVE fish weighed in during the tournament will prevail. In the event a tie still exists, both anglers will receive the same points for the tied position.

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TOURNAMENT RULES

GENERAL

1. The following Tournament Rules were developed for the Florida BASS Federation Nation (hereinafter referred to as the “FBFN”) and approved by the Board of Directors. These rules shall apply to all FBFN Qualifying Tournaments, Last Chance Qualifying Tournaments, and State Championship Tournament.
2. The interpretation and enforcement of these rules is the responsibility of the State Tournament Director and the tournament staff (hereinafter referred to as “Tournament Officials”) of the FBFN, which may impose appropriate sanctions for rules violations that may include but are not limited to disqualification, forfeiture of prizes or prize money or suspension from participation in future FBFN Tournaments.
3. All competitors are expected to obey all applicable Florida Boating or Fishing and Wildlife Statutes or Rules. Violation of such rules may result in your disqualification from tournaments and being banned from future participation in FBFN Tournaments. All local, state, and federal laws supersede all FBFN Tournament Rules and By-laws should there be a conflict.
4. It is the duty and responsibility of every competitor in a FBFN Tournament to report any violations or infractions of these Tournament Rules to the Tournament Officials. Failure to report violations or suggestions to violate these rules is cause for disqualification.
5. Competitors, who wish to lodge a protest concerning a “rules violation” during a FBFN Tournament, must do so within thirty (30) minutes after the tournament weigh-in has been completed, but prior to the presentation of the awards. All protest must be presented in writing to a Tournament Official.
6. Falsifying any official weigh-in form or any other official FBFN Tournament document will be cause for disqualification.
7. The decision of the Tournament Official shall be final in these and all matters.
   

SPORTSMANSHIP

1. Competitors in FBFN Tournaments are expected to follow the highest standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety and conservation. Any infractions of these basic and fundamental sporting principles may be cause for disqualification,
2. The use of alcohol or illicit drugs by a competitor during an Official Practice Day or a FBFN Tournament will not be tolerated and will be cause for automatic disqualification from the current tournament and future FBFN Tournaments.
3. It is the duty and responsibility of all FBFN Tournament competitors to show extreme courtesy toward non-competitors who may be angling or boating on the tournament waters. Any actions of tournament competitors that may reflect unfavorably on the FBFN’s efforts to promote fisheries conservation, clean waters, courtesy and safety are grounds for disqualification from the tournament.
4. Any competitor registered for a FBFN Tournament not showing up on tournament morning will be suspended for a period of one (1) year from the infraction date. Petitions for reconsideration of penalties may be entertained by the FBFN in the event of a health issue or other emergency situations that resulted in the “no-show” by the competitor.
5. Alcoholic beverages, illegal stimulants or depressants will not be allowed in a competitor’s boat during an Official Practice Day or a FBFN Tournament. This rule shall apply to the weigh-in area as well.
6. Chemical substance addiction or abuse, conviction of any felony, crimes involving moral turpitude, or any other conduct that may reflect unfavorably upon the FBFN and its efforts to promote safety, sportsmanship, fair and healthy competition, or inhibit compliance with these tournament rules will be grounds for rejection of an application for participation in a tournament or disqualification.

SAFETY

1. Safe boat operation is the responsibility of all tournament competitors on an Official Practice Day and during a FBFN Tournament.
2. All competitors are required to wear a Coast Guard approved “chest-type” life jacket anytime the boat’s combustion engine is operating. The life jacket must remain securely fastened until the competitor reaches his fishing location and the combustion engine is shut off. A violation of this rule shall be reason for disqualification.
3. Tournament Officials may delay or cancel the start of a FBFN Tournament for inclement weather or other factors that would endanger the safety of the competitors. Additionally, tournament waters may be restricted because of inclement weather or other safety reasons during the event.

PARTICIPANTS AND ELIGIBILITY

1. Participation in FBFN tournaments is by invitation and is open to “members in good standing”, who are sixteen (16) years of age or older, and who are active members of a FBFN affiliated club.
2. Affiliated club members must be eighteen (18) years of age or older to participate in any FBFN Tournament as a Boater. It is the responsibility of the competitor to provide Tournament Officials with the appropriate documentation to satisfy any “proof of age” concerns or discrepancies.
3. A candidate for competition in a FBFN Tournament who, in the judgment of the Tournament Officials is handicapped in such a manner as to unfairly hinder or endanger the safety and well-being of other competitors shall not be eligible to participate.
4. Disqualification, suspension or any other disciplinary action taken against an angler by any other fishing organization shall be grounds for rejection of an application for participation in a FBFN Tournament.

PAIRING OF CONTESTANTS

1. Two anglers will be assigned to each boat. The announcement of your fishing partner shall be made at the tournament “pairings” meeting.
2. Partner Assignments: Boaters will be guaranteed to use their boats at all FBFN Tournaments but will not be guaranteed a partner in every tournament. In the event there is a shortage of non-boaters, boaters will be entitled to fish alone.
3. Guaranteed Non-Boaters: Any non-boater who guaranties a boater by submitting an Official Tournament Entry Form naming the guaranteed boater on it will be guaranteed to fish the tournament.
4. A non-boater not guarantying a boater may sign-up prior to or at the pairings meeting but participation will be based on boater availability and the order in which the competitors application was received. In the event there is a shortage of boaters, competitors not paired will be entitled to a refund of their entry fee.
5. Partners are responsible to establish a mutually agreed-upon meeting location, with sufficient time to reach the ramp area before the tournament launch time. FBFN Tournament Officials shall have no responsibility for finding “missing” partners. It is suggested that a minimum of sixty (60) minutes is required for preparation to depart to the launch area.
6. Once a boat leaves the launch area at the start of the tournament, the two anglers must stay together and within sight of each other, and each other’s catch, throughout the day until weigh-in is completed, except for “natures call” or a credible emergency. A competitor will not allow any bass caught by him to be counted on the score (weight) of another competitor. In such case, both competitors shall be disqualified from this tournament and from all future tournaments conducted by the Florida BASS Federation Nation.
7. It is suggested the Non-Boater compensate the Boater a minimum of $30 for fuel and other expenses for each tournament day.

BOAT AND MOTOR

1. All boats must be equipped with all required U.S. Coast Guard safety equipment.
2. The maximum horsepower rating for all outboard motors used in FBFN Tournament competition shall be 250 hp. Additionally, the maximum horsepower of an outboard motor shall not exceed the rating set by the U.S. Coast Guard for the particular boat it is mounted on and listed on a “manufacturers” plate attached to the boat.
3. Any boat manufactured prior to November 1, 1972 must adhere to the rating set by the U.S. Coast Guard for similar boats. Upon signing the FBFN Official Tournament Entry Form, all competitors agree to submit to a boat inspection and have the outboard motor checked by factory trained personnel, if there is any reason to suspect the horsepower of the outboard motor exceeds the maximum rating (250 hp) or exceeds the listed boat manufacturer’s plate attached to the boat.
4. Normal maintenance to increase the performance of an outboard motor is authorized, however, changing or altering standard factory parts of an outboard motor to increase the horsepower over the factory horsepower rating is forbidden, and will result in disqualification.
5. For safety reasons, ALL boats must be equipped with an operable ignition “kill” switch that must be attached to the driver’s body anytime the combustion engine is operating.
6. Anytime a boat is “under way” with the combustion engine running, a driver/boat operator must be in the driver’s seat and in full control of the craft.
7. Fishing boats seventeen feet or more in length may be used in a FBFN Tournament.
8. Boats with “Raised Platforms” higher than the “gunnels” of the boat will not be allowed.
9. An electric trolling motor may be used for slow maneuvering. The use of the electric controlling motor or the combustion engine for trolling as a method of fishing is prohibited.
10. Bladder tanks and other types of auxiliary gas tanks that are not installed by the boat manufacturer are prohibited. Additional “factory options” gasoline tanks that are installed by a manufacturer’s authorized dealer are allowed. Boats that do not have factory installed gasoline tanks are restricted to a maximum of 18 gallons of gasoline in portable tanks, which must meet U.S. Coast Guard regulations, and must be properly secured in the boat.
11. No portable tanks or containers capable of holding gasoline may be placed anywhere on the tournament waters or shoreline, for use by tournament competitors during an Official Practice Day or during a FBFN Tournament.
12. Barges or similar cumbersome water crafts are not permitted for use in a FBFN Tournament. Tournament boats must be capable of reaching all tournament waters and return in a reasonable amount of time, so as not to handicap any contestant.
13. Boats equipped with “Stick Steering” shall not be permitted to be used by any competitor during an Official Practice Day or during a FBFN Tournament.
14. No air boats may be used to fish during an Official Practice Day or during a FBFN Tournament.
15. All boats must have a functional “bilge pump” and live-well, properly aerated to adequately maintain alive, a limit catch of bass by two anglers in the boat. The Tournament Officials shall have the sole responsibility for determining whether aeration and capacity is "proper and adequate."
16. None the aforementioned rules shall prohibit a properly designated Tournament Official from approaching or boarding any competitor’s boat at any time during the Official Practice Day(s) or during the actual FBFN Tournament competition for the purpose of inspecting the boat for violations of these rules. A Competitor who refuses to allow his/her boat to be inspected by a FBFN Tournament Official shall be disqualified from the tournament and all entry fees and prizes or prize money shall be forfeited. The Tournament Director, at his discretion, may impose additional sanctions regarding future FBFN Tournaments.

BOAT OPERATION

1. During tournament hours, the Boater is in complete control of the boat, to include fishing location(s) and boat operation. Boaters may, at their discretion, choose to fish locations suggested by the non-boater. During tournament hours, boaters are to fish from the front of the boat and non-boaters are to fish from the rear of the boat however one partner may assist the other, when requested, in landing a fish by using a net, etc.
2. Any boater who operates or positions the boat in such a manner as to unfairly handicap their non-boater will be subject to disqualification.
3. Any non-boater sharing their boater partner’s fishing locations with other competitors will be disqualified, along with the person utilizing this information.
4. During tournament hours, contestants may not obtain or receive assistance from non-competitors, follow a non-competitor’s boat or participate in the practice of “hole-sitting” or the placing of markers by anyone.
5. The use of mobile communication devices, including, but not limited to, cellular phones, marine radios, walkie-talkies, CB radios, etc., during tournament hours, is strictly prohibited except in an emergency (severe weather, disabled boat, etc.) or to communicate with lockmasters.
6. Contestants are expected to remain on tournament waters and compete until the official end of the tournament, emergency situations not withstanding. Failure to do so may result in ineligibility to compete in future FBFN Tournaments.
7. A competitor may not leave the boat to land a fish.
8. In a credible emergency situation, such as an inoperable boat, one or both competitors may transfer to another tournament boat, or a rescue boat, for immediate return to the weigh-in site. Should one competitor elect to stay behind with the boat to await rescue, the returning competitor may transfer the catch of both partners to the rescue boat and transfer them to the weigh-in-site, under scrutiny of the rescue boat occupants.
9. A competitor who chooses to remain with the disabled boat to await rescue, waives the right to protest or challenge the official weight of his catch. All competitors involved in the rescue must cease fishing at this point, and their catch must be verified by a Tournament Official in order to be counted in the official tournament weigh-in.
10. If after the emergency situation is resolved by the Tournament Officials and enough time is left for the anglers to resume fishing, a “restart” will be allowed and the competitors may continue fishing and their catch will be counted. The aforementioned procedure applies only to a credible emergency.
11. Failure of a competitor to render assistance to another competitor in a credible emergency situation, when requested, may be cause for immediate disqualification.
12. A boat must remain in tournament waters at all times during tournament hours. Contestants must leave and return to the official check-in point by boat, and both competitors must remain in the boat at all times except in the case of “natures call” or a credible emergency.
13. No Trailering: Loading a boat onto a trailer and driving to a ramp other than the official tournament launch site, during tournament hours, is strictly prohibited, except under the express direction and authority of the Tournament Officials.

TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT

1. Competitors in a FBFN Tournament may use only artificial lures as bait. No “live bait” or “prepared bait” will be permitted, with the exception of pork strips, rinds, etc.
2. Only one casting or spin-casting or spinning rod (maximum length eight feet) and one reel may be used by a competitor at a time. Other similar types of rigs may be in the boat, ready for use, however only one (1) rig is permitted to be used at a time.
3. All bass must be caught alive, and in a conventional sporting manner. A competitor who is guilty of “snatching” or “snagging” fish on spawning beds will have their day's catch disqualified. When visually fishing for “bedding bass”, all bass must be hooked inside of the mouth to be counted as a legal fish.
4. The use of “grippers” to land a bass is prohibited.

PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS

1. The Tournament Officials shall establish any boundaries on the tournament waters for all FBFN Tournaments. It is the responsibility of each competitor to obtain this information from the Tournament Officials prior to Official Practice Day(s) and tournaments.
2. Only that water open to all public fishing will be considered “Tournament Waters”. Fishing on the tournament waters is permitted anywhere except:
   (a.) Within 50-yards of any marina gas pump.
   (b.) Within 50-yards (150-feet) of another angler’s boat which is first anchored or secured in a fix position. Competitors are not permitted to allow select competitors to fish within the 100-yard circle and exclude other anglers.
   (c.) Any water within these boundaries posted “Off-Limits” or “NO Fishing” by state or federal agencies will be off limits. This includes positioning boats outside areas posted “Off-Limits” or “NO Fishing” and casting into the posted areas. This action is strictly forbidden and any competitor violating this rule will be disqualified from the tournament.
   (d.) The live bass release area established by Tournament Officials will be off limits and will be announced at the tournament briefing.
   (e.) Any waters closed to public fishing will be closed to tournament anglers.
3. All fishing must be done from the boat.
4. During an Official Practice Day, or the FBFN Tournament, a competitor may not "SKIN DIVE" or "SCUBA DIVE" on tournament waters during an Official Practice Day.
5. A competitor may not buy or barter for “fishing locations” from other competitors for use during a competition day.
6. Each competitor is responsible for keeping their fish separate from their partner’s.

OFFICIAL CHECKPOINT

1. The Official launch site and “check-in” points will be established by the Tournament Officials for each FBFN Tournament.
2. At each pairings meeting, the Tournament Officials will announce a blast off time, otherwise tournament hours are safe daylight until 3:00 p.m. Tournament hours can be increased or decreased by the Tournament Officials.
3. Prior to launch time, all competitors’ boats will be inspected by a Tournament Official for compliance with tournament requirements.
4. Prior to the start of a FBFN Tournament, each boat operator will be assigned a boat/competitor number. At the end of the tournament day, all competitors will “check-in” with this assigned boat/competitor number before proceeding to the weigh-in area. This includes boats with no fish. Any boat that fails to “check-in” at the end of the tournament day may be subject to disqualification. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in disqualification the tournament and all future FBFN Tournaments.
5. After proper recognition at the check-in point, all fishing must cease and competitors should immediately proceed to the weigh-in area.
6. Upon the commencement of the two-day FBFN State Championship Tournament, fishing or being on the tournament waters is prohibited except during the tournament hours.

SCORING AND FISH CARE DURING TOURNAMENTS

1. Only Largemouth, Smallmouth, Spotted, Red Eyes, Shoal and Suwannee Bass will be weighed at FBFN Tournaments.
2. The tournament limit for each competitor shall be five (5) bass. A competitor may not have more than the tournament limit of bass in the “live well” at any given time during the tournament. Any angler bringing in more than five (5) bass will be penalized that days catch.
3. The pound and ounce weight of each competitor’s catch during the tournament shall determine the tournament standings, auxiliary awards, and final winners of all FBFN Tournaments.
4. The Official Tournament length for bass shall be fourteen (14) inches, unless the state limit is different, in which case the state limit will prevail. Only bass described above that measure 14 inches or more in length on an "Official Golden Rule" with mouth closed will be weighed. The exception to this rule occurs when “exemption” cards have been made available by the Tournament Official to each competitor prior to the start of the tournament. A “short” fish brought to the scales for weigh-in shall result in the loss of that fish and the competitor’s big fish of that day's catch. No courtesy measurements will be permitted at the weigh-in station.
5. Don’t Kill Your Catch! A competitor should make every effort to maintain the welfare of his catch throughout the day.
   (a.) Each competitor is expected to keep his bass alive by use of a properly aerated livewell.
   (b.) A bass that appears to have been mangled, mashed, mauled or other wise altered may, at the Tournament Officials discretion, not be weighed-in.
   (c.) The culling of a “dead” fish is strictly prohibited.
6. Each competitor must present their catch to the weigh-in official. Partners should stay together until their fish are weighed.
7. All fish will be weighed based on boat number order or launch order. Tournament Officials will announce the boat numbers being weighed and only those anglers with fish from those boats will be permitted to approach the scales. Anyone bringing fish to the scales before their boat number has been called will not be permitted to weigh their fish.
8. Penalty Points: Tournament Officials shall have the sole authority for assessing penalty points.
   (a.) Dead fish will be determined at the scales by the Tournament Official. For the purpose of this rule only, a “Dead Fish” will be considered any fish that is not moving. For each legal dead fish presented at weigh-in, the angler will be penalized a quarter of a pound of weight (4 ounces).
   (b.) Anglers will be penalized 1 pound for each minute they are late checking in at the official check point designated by Tournament Officials. After 15 minutes, the angler’s catch for that day will be disqualified.
9. The Tournament Officials may make available special weigh-in bags that are designed to help increase the survival rate of the bass. These bags will be available to all competitors in the weigh-in area. No other bags are to be used to bring fish to the weigh-in area when these bags are in use. These weigh-in bags are the property of the FBFN and must be returned. Anyone caught with a FBFN weigh-in bag in their possession after a tournament is over may be disqualified from future FBFN tournaments.
   Special Exception: If special weigh-in bags are not in use, competitors may bring their fish to the scales in their own bags and only when instructed by Tournament Officials.
10. Ties: In case of a tie, the following measures should be employed in this order to break the tie.
    (a.) The individual with the largest number of legal fish weighed in during the competition
    (b.) The individual with the largest number of legal LIVE fish weighed in during the competition
    (c.) The individual with the heaviest single day's catch during competition.
    (d.) The individual with the second heaviest single day's catch during competition.
    (e.) In the unlikely event that there is still a tie, a “coin toss” will be used to determine the winner, and the monies for first and second place shall be evenly split between the two competitors.

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AWARDS

REGIONAL ANGLER AND CO-ANGLER OF THE YEAR AWARD
Using the point system above, the Regional Angler and Co-Angler of the Year honors will be awarded to the anglers in each division (Boater and Non-boater) with the highest points from two regional tournaments and the State Championship Tournament. To be eligible for the Regional Angler and Co-Angler of Year honors, anglers must meet the following requirements:

1. May only count points received for participating in tournaments of their own Region.
2. Must fish at least two of the three tournaments offered in the Region. Any angler that participates in all three regional tournaments will only count the best two tournaments so long as they are in the same division.
3. Must fish the State Championship Tournament in the division they qualified and can expect to receive points based on finish against other anglers participating in the State Championship Tournament in their Region.

In case of a tie, the angler with the heaviest weight caught at the State Championship Tournament will serve as the tie breaker. Should a tie still occur, then the angler with the largest bass in the State Championship Tournament will be the tie breaker.

STATE ANGLER AND CO-ANGLER OF THE YEAR AWARD
The Angler and Co-Angler of the Year Award for the State of Florida will go to the Regional Angler and Co-Angler with the highest overall points in their Division in the State Championship Tournament.

In case of a tie, the angler with the heaviest weight caught at the State Championship Tournament will serve as the tie breaker. Should a tie still occur, then the angler with the largest bass in the State Championship Tournament will be the tie breaker.

ANGLER AND CO-ANGLER STATE TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS
The Angler and Co-Angler with the heaviest weights at the State Championship Tournament will be recognized as the State Tournament Champion in each Division.

QUALIFYING FOR THE FLORIDA STATE TEAM AND ALTERNATES
The State Championship Tournament will determine the twelve (12) members and two (2) alternates of Florida’s State Team that will advance to the BASS Federation Nation Southern Regional Tournament. The team shall be made up of a guaranteed six (6) anglers from the Boater Division and a guaranteed three (3) anglers from the Non-boater Division. The last three (3) positions will be determined by the percentage of boater and non-boater participation in the State Championship Tournament. It is expected that the first six (6) boaters will represent the state team at the BASS Southern Divisional as boaters. The first alternate will be a boater and the second alternate will be a non-boater not making the State Team.

BIG BASS AWARDS OF THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT
The anglers in each division catching the Big Bass of the State Championship Tournament will be recognized and awarded the Big Bass of the tournament.

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