Trey Burford Memorial Tournament Rules
- All State, Coast Guard, Federal Parks & Wildlife regulations shall apply at all times.
- ONLY paid team members or tournament officials are permitted in a team’s boat during tournament hours.
- Any person who has been disqualified from any prior tournament may be subject to being refused entry into tournament.
- Tournament director may refuse any entry.
- Entry form (online or handwritten) with complete entry fee must be received before tournament hours begin.
- All bass weighed in will become the property of the Tournament Director and will be released back into the tournament waters.
- Minor’s Release: Team Members under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or adult and a signed minor’s release is required. (See Form Section for on Website Minor’s Release) If a team consists of two minors (no captain permitted in boat), both minors MUST have completed the Texas Boaters Safety Course and submitted a minor’s release for both minors.
- Refunds: No refund of entry fees will be allowed nor will entry fees be transferred to a future tournament.
- Alcoholic Beverages: No alcoholic beverages are to be consumed by any team member during tournament hours or until team required to polygraph has been selected; nor are alcoholic beverages allowed in a team’s boat during official tournament hours. Violation of any of the above will result in disqualification of said team.
- PFD & Kill Switch: All boats must be equipped with emergency kill switch. Kill switch must be attached to boat operator at all times while boat is powered by the combustible engine and underway. Kill switch must operate properly. US Coast Guard approved life jackets are required for each person in boat. Life jackets must be worn and fastened when combustible engine is in use.
- Trailering: Trailering is allowed. Contestants may leave from any launch site. No fishing until Official Start Time. Official Start & Official Stop times will be determined by AT&T cell phone service.
- Method of Fishing: All bass must be caught on artificial bait by casting. No trolling with main outboard motor. Contestant may use only one rod at any one time.
- Dead Fish Penalty: Any dead bass weighed in will result in a deduction of 1 pound per dead fish. Any fish that has been on ice will not be allowed to be weighed in.
- Big Bass must be alive to be eligible for Big Bass Prize.
- Minimum Length: Minimum length of bass to be weighed in is 14 inches. Official measuring board is the CHECK-IT-STIK. Only Largemouth and Kentucky Spotted Bass will be weighed in. Bass presented for weigh-in, which fail to measure the prescribed length limit, will result in loss of that particular fish and a one pound penalty to the weight of the remaining fish.
- Culling: No team may have more than five fish in their possession at any time during official tournament hours, except during the culling process whereas six fish are allowed. While one team member is culling the other team member may fish, however both anglers cannot resume fishing until culling has been completed and team possesses only five fish.
- Polygraph Exam: Each team member, by signing the entry form, agrees to submit to a polygraph test and accept the results. Should a team member fail to pass a polygraph test, team will be disqualified. No alcohol or mind-altering drugs may be consumed prior to a team’s polygraph exam.
- Protests: Any protest must be submitted to the tournament director in writing within 15 minutes of closing of scales..
- Check In Time: Any team wishing to weigh fish must be in the weigh in line prior to their assigned weigh in time.
- Late Penalty: 1 pound per minute penalty; after 15 minutes, you are disqualified.
- Culling Of Dead Fish: Culling of dead fish is NOT PERMITTED.
- Tournament Officials reserve the right to place an official observer in a team’s boat at any time during competition hours, and/or have an observation boat follow a team any time during competition hours.
- Off Limits: - There is no off-limits period.
- All decisions of the tournament director are final.
- Violation of any of the aforementioned rules (with exception to rule #13 & #20) will result in an automatic surrender of a team’s catch for the day and disqualification from the tournament.
- Boats and Motors: No engine shall exceed the maximum HP rating for the boat on which it is used. All boats must meet US Coast Guard and state regulations. All boats must have a functioning live well that is adequate to keep the tournament limit of fish alive.
- Cell Phones: No cell phone usage or data usage during tournament hours unless it is an emergency
- Outside Help: Anglers cannot receive any fishing information during tournament hours.