1. RULES: Federal, state, local and lake laws and rules must always be obeyed. Interpretation and enforcement of these rules shall be left exclusively to the tournament director.
https://mdc.mo.gov/fishing/regulations?field_relevant_species_target_id=155
2. PARTICIPANTS AND ELIGIBILITY: Membership is required to participate in any Freshwater FX tournament. One team member must be at least 18 years of age. Freshwater FX, LLC reserves the right to decline any membership or entry that it feels is not in the best interest of the tournament or series. Must have a valid Missouri fishing license.
3. ENTRY/MEMBERSHIP FEE: Entry fee is $150 per team, which includes Big Bass. The Championship entry fee will be $200. Entries will be accepted by mail, online (PayPal), or at the ramp. There will be an annual membership fee of $30 per angler. Take-off positions are determined by order of paid entry. There are no late fees. Ramp launch fees are paid by the competing teams. No refunds.
4. ALTERNATES: An alternate may fish up to three (3) tournaments, including the Championship (if team qualified). Due to a percentage (10%) of Series tournament entry fees going toward the Championship, an alternate must have fished at least one (1) Series tournament to be eligible to participate in the Championship. A full $30 membership fee is required.
5. SAFETY: Boating safety must always be observed. A chest-type life preserver (PFD) must be worn and properly fastened any time the combustible engine is in operation and the kill switch must be attached to the driver. Drugs and alcohol are strictly prohibited during tournament hours.
6. BOATS AND MOTORS: Any boat 16-feet or longer that meets the Coast Guard requirements and has a functioning kill switch, functional bilge pump, and a properly aerated live well will be allowed.
7. INSURANCE: Boat owners must have at least $100,000.00 of Boating Liability Insurance. Proof of insurance may be asked for at any time.
8. TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT: Rod and reel method only. Only one rod may be in use at any time. Allowable baits will be artificial and/or pork-style.
9. PAYBACK: One (1) place will be paid for every five (5) teams. 80% payback of paid entries. One (1) Big Bass will be paid ($10 per boat/100% payback). 10% of Series paid entries goes toward the Championship payouts. 10% of paid entries goes toward operational expenses. Championship is a 100% payback.
10. POINTS: Each team will receive 10 paid registration points. In addition, the first-place team will receive 100 points, second-place will receive 99 points, third-place will receive 98, and so on. The Series points-leading team will receive the first launch position for the following season's Series tournaments (if participating). The Championship launch goes in order of points.
11. CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFICATION: To qualify for the Championship, one (1) member must finish in the top seventy-five percent (75%) in overall points or fish three (3) of the four (4) Series Tournaments. If a team is unable to compete in the Championship, the next team in points will be added to the field.
12. CHECK-IN AND PRE-MEETING: One (1) team member must check-in the morning of the tournament. Live wells will be checked on the water. The pre-meeting will take place on the water approximately five (5) minutes before take-off.
13. SCORING: Each team may weigh-in five (5) fish—15” minimum. Freshwater FX Fishing Series will be using a Golden Rule ruler as an official measuring board. Any team that weighs in a short fish will result in an automatic disqualification. Any team that brings more than five (5) fish to weigh-in will have their largest fish removed down to the allowable five (5) fish. A penalty of one (1) pound per dead fish will be deducted from the total weight. A dead fish may not be weighed in for Big Bass. Any team late to weigh-in will result in a 1 lbs. deduction per minute up to 5 minutes. 5+ minutes will result in an automatic disqualification.
14. TIEBREAKERS: There will be no ties. First tiebreaker: Total number of fish weighed in. Second tiebreaker: Number of live fish. Third tiebreaker: Single largest fish (weight). Fourth tiebreaker: Highest launch position.
15. PROTESTS: All protests must be submitted in writing prior to the official closing of the scales.
16. PERMITTED FISHING WATERS: No fishing is allowed within the buoys of the take-off ramp. No fishing is allowed within fifty (50) yards of another anchored tournament boat. Participants cannot leave the boat to land a fish or to gain access to a fishing area.
17. CULLING FISH: Dead fish may not be culled. No culling allowed in the restricted boat ramp area.
18. BREAKDOWNS: Participants must leave and return to the official ramp by boat. In the event of equipment failure, participants may be towed by water or one partner may enter another boat with the team’s fish. Those fish must be kept separate from any fish already on the retrieving boat.
