1. Participation and Eligibility: Team Bass Xtreme Thursday night tournaments (hereinafter “Tnt Series”) events are open to anyone eighteen (18) years of age or older or minors participating with their legal guardian
2. Membership Requirements: To be eligible to participate in any TBX event, each participant is REQUIRED TO READ AND SIGN THE TEAM BASS XTREME WAIVER OF LIABILITY AND ASSUMPTION OF RISK FORM, a copy of which can be obtained by visiting the TNT Series website at www.tntseries.com , or by contacting a TNT Series tournament director. TBX must have in its possession an original signed copy of this form before any participant will be eligible to participate in any event.
3. Entry Fees: Entry fees are $35.00 per boat, per event. The $35.00 entry fee includes the $5.00 Big Bass. The previous season’s Champions will fish for free during the current season
4. Teams and Substitutes: Each team will consist of a one or two person team. Each team is allowed to use two (2) additional people as a substitute during the regular tournament season. Substitutes may be used up to 4 times during the season and must be acknowledged on the waiver of liability and assumption of risk form before the first regular season event in order to be eligible to participate in any event. A substitute may fish alone if neither of the original team members cannot attend an event. The local director must be notified of this at the tournament registration. Substitutes must read and sign the Team Bass Xtreme Waiver of Liability and Assumption of Risk form mentioned above. Substitutes are eligible to participate one day in the fish-off . The director must be notified 2 days prior to the event.
5. Paybacks: Seventy percent (70%) of all entry fees collected at each regular season event will be paid back at the ramp on the day of the event. The remaining thirty percent (30%) of all entry fees will be placed into a “fish-off fund”. One hundred percent (100%) of the “fish-off fund”, along with any additional sponsor contributions will be paid out at the year end fish-off.
6. Big Bass:The big bass pot will pay one (1) place at every regular season event. Ties for big bass will split the pot. Dead bass will not be weighed for big bass. Dead fish will not be weighed for big bass.
7. Tournament Hours: Events start promptly at 5:30 pm by the number drawn at the time of sign-in. You Must Pass Within 50’ Of The Bullhorn Boat. All participants desiring to fish within the confines of the blast-off area, Must Still Pass Around The Bullhorn Boat.
8. OFF LIMITS AREAS/TIMES: No Fishing On Tournament Waters The Day Of The Event! At Alum Creek Lake, no fishing within 50’, either side, of the marina gas dock. At O’Shaughnessy, the Izaak Walton League’s Cove by the Zoo as well as the Home Road Marina, in its entirety. There will be no fishing, at either site, the day prior to the Fish-Off.
9. Limit: There is a five (5) fish limit per boat/team. Any boat/team bringing in more than five (5) fish to the scales will have their sack culled to the five (5) fish limit, starting with their biggest fish and then proceeding in descending order of weight. All culling must be done on the water and not on the bank. Participants are not to have more than five (5) fish in their livewell at any given time. Fish that appear to be altered or mangled will only be weighed at the discretion of the tournament director. TBX strives to be a 100% catch and release circuit. Therefore, all live fish must be returned to the water from which they were taken.
10. Short Fish Penalties: All fish must be of legal size for the body of water from which they are taken. All participants are responsible for checking the length of their fish before bringing them to the scales. A courtesy board will be available at the weigh-in sink. Teams may check only 2 fish on their own at the courtesy board as to not hold up the weigh in proccess. Ounce you give your fish to the T.B.X official at the weigh in sink , it is up to their discresion to make sure that the fish measure to the correct size limit. Short fish will be culled from participants’ sacks, and any team bringing a short fish to the scales will receive a one (1) pound penalty for each short fish . If two (2) or more short fish are brought to the scales, the team will be disqualified.
11. Dead Fish Penalty: Any bass brought to the scales in which the gills are not working properly on their own will be considered a dead fish. A one (1) pound penalty will be assessed to a team’s total weight for each dead fish brought to the scales by the violating team. If a team brings more than 2 dead fish to the scales at an event, the team will be disqualified. Dead fish will not be weighed for big bass.
12. Permitted Fishing Methods: All bass must be caught alive and in a conventional sporting manner. Only one (1) rod may be used at a time by each participant. Trolling as a method of fishing is absolutely prohibited. Only artificial lures can be used in all tournaments. The use of pork trailers is permitted.
13. Late Check-Ins: A one (1) pound per minute penalty will be assessed to any team that is late to check-in at the end of a tournament. Teams arriving more than five (5) minutes past the check-in time will automatically be disqualified. Check-in time will be announced prior to the launch of each tournament.
14. Scoring: Only largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass can be weighed-in by participants. All tournaments are scored in pounds and hundredths of pounds, with points awarded to teams by order of their place of finish. Points will start at one hundred (100) for first place. There will be a one (1) point difference between places of finish for teams weighing-in fish at each tournament. Teams that do not weigh-in any fish will receive points equal to twenty (20) points less than the last place team weighing-in any fish. If a team is disqualified during a tournament, for any reason, show points will be awarded and no money will be refunded. Whether a team is disqualified is the sole decision of the tournament director. BUY-INS: Teams unable to fish may choose to “buy” their points (Show-Up Points) if they give prior notice of their intent to do so which may be via email, phone or in-person prior to the start time of the event.
15. Year End Fish-Off: The Series will end with a 2 day Fish-Off whose field will consist of 60% of the average number of boats, per Event, of the total Series as well as one “Wild Card” boat drawn from the next five placed qualifiers. To Fish In The Fish-Off, All Qualifiers Must Be Entered In The Final Regular Event. No fee for the Fish-Off. Take-off position for the fish-off will be determined by draw.
16. Take-Off: Take-off position will be assigned by draw at the registration location for all participants. There will be no shot-gun starts. Participants must be in line and prepared to take-off when their number is called or the next starting position will be called.
17. Boat Inspection: All livewells will be checked by the tournament committee prior to the start of each tournament at the boat ramp.
18. Safety: Safe boating must be observed at all times. Each participant is required to wear a chest type life preserver and have the safety kill switch lanyard attached to their person at all times while the boat is on plane. The tournament directors reserve the right to refuse any rig which is extremely overpowered or deemed dangerous. During poor weather, participants may take to the closest shelter. During any emergency, participants must return to the tournament launch ramp if possible. Participants must remain with their partners in their boat at all times during the tournament, except in the event of: sickness; brief restroom breaks; severe weather; or other harmful or threatening events or emergencies. If for any reason a team must leave the water early, they must first notify the tournament director. The tournament director(s) shall have the sole authority in making rulings pertaining to this section.
19. Sportsmanship: All participants are required to follow the highest standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety and conservation. Flagrant sportsmanship violations may result in disqualification. Any participant whose conduct reflects unfavorably upon efforts to promote safety, sportsmanship, fair competition or compliance with tournament rules is subject to disqualification at the sole discretion of the tournament director.
20. Alcoholic Beverages or Drug Use: The use of alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs before and during tournament hours (extending through the close of weigh-in) is strictly prohibited and is cause for immediate disqualification.
21. HIGH WATERS: If high water conditions render one of the sites unfishable then the other site will be fished, however, scheduled rotations will not change. We will make every attempt to notify participants of changes
22. Cheating: Any participant caught cheating in any tournament event will be immediately barred from all future TBX events. TBX reserves the right to have a random truth verification test (lie detector test) performed at any time. Refusal to take the truth verification test or the failure of such test is grounds for immediate disqualification.
23. Boat and Motors: The boat and motor that each participating team will or may be using during the season must be listed on the membership form. Liability insurance is required for a boat to be eligible. A maximum of two (2) boats may be used during the season, unless otherwise determined by the tournament director. All boats must be equipped with an emergency kill-switch device, securely attached to the driver’s body whenever the boat is on plane. All boats must be a minimum of fourteen (14) feet in length. All motor makes and styles are permitted to be used in tournament events. Each boat must have all required U.S. Coast Guard safety equipment on board at all times. Boats must contain a properly aerated livewell space that is capable of keeping the day’s catch alive. Maximum horsepower for all motors used in tournament competition shall not exceed the horsepower limitations as set by the U.S. Coast Guard for the vessel. Each boat must have a U.S. Coast Guard horsepower rating plate attached to the boat by the manufacturer. Fuel may be carried only in U.S. Coast Guard approved mounted or secured fuel tanks.
24. Protest: All protests must be submitted in writing to a tournament director no later than the close of weigh-in. Participants can obtain an official protest form from their director. Verbal protests will not be accepted. Decisions regarding protests will be made solely by the tournament director.
25. Local Director: As compensation for their services to the TNT Series, The directors will have all regular season entry fees waived.
26. TBX Rules and Government Regulations: All TBX Rules and Regulations and all federal, state and local laws and regulations must be followed at all times. Failure to abide by any of the above may result in disqualification.
27. Insurance: All members must carry a minimum of a $300,000 liability insurance policy on any boat they plan to use during any TNT Series event. Failure to carry the requisite insurance or the reporting of false or misleading information to TBX will result in disqualification. Participants must provide their policy information for any boat that they will be using if asked by the director in order to be eligible to participate. Random policy checks may be performed by TBX directors, without notice.
28. Unfavorable Conduct: Any act of any participant which reflects unfavorably upon TBX’s efforts to promote fisheries conservation, clean waters, and/or general courtesy shall be reason for disqualification. Chemical substance addiction or abuse, conviction of a felony or other crimes involving moral turpitude, or other conduct reflecting unfavorably upon TBX’s efforts to promote safety, sportsmanship and compliance with tournament rules and regulations may be grounds for disqualification, at the sole discretion of the tournament director.
29. Communications: Citizen band radios, marine radios and cellular phones are allowed in the boat for emergency use only. Any transmission of information via any communicative device concerning any aspect of fishing is prohibited during tournament hours.
30. Trail Divisions: Divisions will consist of a minimum of ten (10) teams. Divisions will be limited to a membership base of sixty (60) teams.
31. Rules and Regulations: Participants are expected to be familiar with these Rules and Regulations before entering any TBX event. These Rules and Regulations are subject to change (with proper notice to participants) at the discretion of the tournament director. Any decision made by the tournament director will be final in all matters.
