2009 - Shoreline Bass Tournament Rules
Tournament Committee will make interpretation and final decision of the following rules.

1. There is a one-time yearly membership fee of $20.00 per person. This must also be paid by all subs.
2. The entry fee for each tournament is $110.00 per boat.  $10.00 of
   this is big bass.  $25.50 of this goes into the classic Fund/Angler of the
   Year incentive. The Big Bass pot is split 60% (1st)/40% (2nd).  You may only
   weigh one big bass at any one tournament.  An additional $8.50 per boat is
   taken for tournament cost.  The remaining $66.00 will be paid out at each
   tournament.  For a grand total of 92.7% pay back.
3. Entries will be received as a team entry or single entry.  If you
   enter as a team, you will be allowed to use one sub per person per team.  If
   you enter as a single, you get no subs.  Your team is determined by how you
   sign up to fish the first tournament.  Each team member must sign the entry
   form and register prior to the pre-tournament meeting.  You must decide on
   your team or single classification on your first entry.
4. Registration will begin at the tournament site at 5:00 a.m. with the
   tournament meeting taking place at 6:00 a.m.  Start time for the tournament
   will be at 6:30 a.m. light permitting.  You should be in the water at 6:30
   a.m. and ready to take off.  We will take off at 6:30 am light permitting.
   Boats one through thirty should be towards the front of the line.
5. Total weight will determine the winning boat.  If there is a tie,
   then the place will be split between the two tying teams.  The classic points
   will also be awarded to each team for that one place.  If you are late for
   the weigh-in you will be disqualified.  No exceptions!
6. Any violation of a Michigan State Fishing Law or Michigan Boating
   Regulations is an automatic disqualification.
7. You will be fishing for five fish per boat.  Only Largemouth or
   Smallmouth Bass are accepted.  A minimum length of 14 inches with the mouth
   closed on a Golden Rule.  If you bring in a short fish, it will be culled,
   along with the largest fish in your creel.  There will be a .250 penalty for
   each dead fish.
8. NO live bait.  Artificial lures only.
9. We will use a 50 point system.  First= 50 points.  Second= 49
   points, etc.  Total points at the end of the 5th Classic Qualifier will
   determine the final standings.  We will average the entrants in the 5 Classic
   Qualifiers and the top 20% will be invited to the Classic.  Any boat that
   fished team or single in all Classic Qualifiers will go into a drawing for
   the wildcard team to attend the Classic.  There will be 20 bonus points
   awarded to those teams that fish all 5 qualifiers.
10. Safety:  Life jackets MUST be worn when the gasoline engine is
    running.  NO “tiller” steering motors are allowed in any Shoreline Bass Tour
    Tournament.  Operating a boat in a careless or unsafe manner could result in
    disqualification.  Kill switches are mandatory and will be checked.
11. NO consumption of alcohol during the tournament or until after the
    payback is completed.
12. NO passing in a NO WAKE ZONE.
13. Off Limits:  There will be times when certain stretches of water will
    be off limits due to released fish, etc.  This will be up to the tournament
    directors.  Lake Michigan will be off limits for all tournaments.
14. You must leave and return to the tournament site by boat.  If you
    break down, one person from the team may return in another contestant’s boat
    with your fish to be weighed in.
15. The tournament directors and a committee of three tournament members
    selected by the tournament directors will decide protests.  Protest must be
    submitted within 5 minutes of close of weigh-in.
16. Before starting your big engine, you must cull down to 5 fish.  You
    may never return for a weigh-in with more than 5 fish in your live well.  You
    will be disqualified.
17. If a team wins one of the five qualifiers for that year then that
    team will automatically qualify for the end of the year Classic only if the
    team has fished all five qualifiers as a team.  The tournament director will
    make any other rulings on this.
18. A team that wins Angler of the Year for the season will have their
    entire entry fee and Big Bass paid for the next season.  This is not a cash
    award.  If a team splits up for the following year, then the entry will be
    paid for only the person on the new team that was part of the Angler of the
    Year prize winning team.  The prize winning team will still have to pay their
    membership fee for the season.  The tournament director will make any other
    rulings on this interpretation.
19. Sportsmanship:  Each participant will practice a high level of
    sportsmanship both on and off the water.  The tournament director and a
    committee of three tournament members have the right to disqualify a team if
    this high level of sportsmanship is not met.
20. Tournament Director has final ruling on any of these rules or in
    any other situation that may arise in a Shoreline Bass Tour tournament.