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Rock-N-Reel Fishing Tournament Rules

1.  RULES CHANGES: These rules will remain unchanged during 2008. The decisions of the tournament director are final. It is the responsibility of each contestant to familiarize himself with, and abide by, all rules established by Rock-N-Reel Fishing Tournament.

2.  ELIGIBILITY OF COMPETITORS: The tournament will not be open to a competitor who has (1) declined or failed a polygraph screening in a previous tournament for cheating or; (2) been barred from a tournament trail, a previous tournament or disqualified from a tournament for fighting or other acts of disorderly conduct; (3) conviction of a felony within the past 36 months. In case of any conduct not complying with the standards set forth above in rule #2. Rock-N-Reel Fishing Tournament shall have the right to refuse any application, or to deny a confirmed application by returning the entire entry fee of a previously accepted application, or to disqualify a contestant.

3.  PARTICIPATION: At least one team member must be 21 years or older. A properly completed entry form and entry fee must be postmarked no later than Monday prior to the tournament. All late entries must be accompanied by a $20.00 non-refundable late fee and submitted no later than 7:00 p.m. local time, Friday at Roane County Park.

4.  REGISTRATION: At least one team member or representative (can be another team) must register in person at Roane County Park during the official registration hours (4:00-7:00 p.m. local time the day before the tournament). The representative will be responsible for boat numbers, flight times (blast off weigh-in), off limits areas, size and creel limits, etc. Failure to attend the registration without first gaining permission from the tournament director will result in team being placed at the end of last flight blast-off and first flight weight-in.

5.    PRE-TOURNAMENT PRACTICE: NO OFF LIMITS.

6.  SAFETY: Safe boating will be observed at all times. During competitions, each contestant is required to wear a chest type life preserver anytime the combustion  engine is

in operation. All boats must be equipped with an emergency shut-off device which must be attached to the driver's body whenever the combustion engine is in operation. During the official tournament hours, a competitor may not use communication devices such as cellular telephones, marine radios,  walkie talkies,  CB's, etc. for the purpose of gathering or relaying information concerning fishing locations, techniques, lures, etc. Mobile communication devices can be used to contact  Lock Masters.

7.  SPORTSMANSHIP: All teams are expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety and conservation. This includes crowding another competitor. At no time during tournament hours are any alcoholic beverages or drugs other than prescriptions allowed in the boat or to be consumed. At no time will firearms be permitted in the boat or at weigh-in site. Any violation of this rule (7) may be deemed cause for disqualification.

8.  BOAT & HORSEPOWER REGULATIONS: All boats must be minimum of 15 feet in length. All boats must be equipped with ignition kill switch (see rule 6). Each boat must have all required U.S. Guard Safety Equipment. Boats must contain a properly aerated or recirculating live well space to maintain alive a limit catch. Each boat must have a U.S. Coast Guard horsepower rating plate attached to the boat by the manufacturer. The horse power of the outboard engine must not exceed the rating specified on the plate. By signing the entry form, each contestant agrees to submit his boat and/or motor to any inspection by factory trained personnel. Falsifying information on entry forms will be cause for disqualification and loss of entry fee.

9.  PERMITTED FISHING METHODS: All bass must be caught live in a conventional sporting manner. Only artificial lures may be used with the exception of pork trailers. Only one fishing rod may be used at a time. Trolling or assisting in presentation of lures with the combustion engine is prohibited.

10.  PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS:  Contestants may fish anywhere on tournament waters accessible by boat, except areas designated as "off limit" or "no fishing" by local, state, federal, or tournament officials. Locking through will be determined at tournament directors discretion. There will be no fishing allowed within fifty yards of host marine gas dock or another contestant's anchored boat (trolling motor up). During competition, contestants may not obtain or receive assistance or follow a non-competitor's boat for the purpose of locating fish.

11.  EQUIPMENT FAILURE OR EMERGENCY:  In the event of equipment failure or emergency, there will be only two permitted methods of returning to the official check-in: (1) by both partners remaining in their boat and being towed by water, or (2) by one partner entering the boat of another Rock-N-Reel Fishing Tournament contestant. Under these two conditions, catches may be counted (normal penalties apply, dead fish, late penalty, etc.). No tournament boat may be loaded on the trailer before the weighing of fish, except first gaining permission from the tournament director. If a team must violate any part of this rule due to emergency, or for any other reason, their catch for that day will not be counted.

12.  OFFICIAL CHECKPOINTS: There will be only one official checkpoint for boat check-in the morning and check-in that afternoon. Failure to go through either will result in disqualification. All fishing must cease upon check-in. No culling after check-in.

13.  SCORING:  Scoring will be determined by the pounds and ounces of each team's catch. Only Largemouth, Spotted or Smallmouth bass are accepted specie. The limit will be five (5) unless the state or lake limit is less, in which case, the state or lake limit will prevail. At no time should contestants possess more than the tournament limit. Any team who possesses more than the tournament limit will have his catch culled to the tournament limit beginning with the largest fish. The official length limit for bass will be set at tournament directors discretion. Penalty for short fish will be loss of fish plus one pound penalty off total weight for each short fish. Each team's catch must be presented in an official weigh-in bag. Bass may not be stringed or placed in cull nets at any time during the tournament.

14.  LIVE FISH:  20/100 (.20) pounds will be deducted from the total weight only for each dead bass presented for weight-in.

15.  LATE PENALTY:  Teams who are not at the official check-in area at the appointed time will be penalized at one (1) pound per minute deducted from the total weight, including any weight to be counted toward a big bass award. Any contestant more than fifteen (15) minutes late will lose credit for that day's catch.

16.  TIES:  In case of ties, positions will be resolved by combining the award and dividing equally.

POLYGRAPH:  All contestants, winners and non-winners, are subject to a polygraph test. Penalties resulting from polygraph will be determined by tournament director. Failure to submit to a polygraph test will result in immediate disqualification.

Mail entries to & make check payable to:

Roane County Chamber of Commerce
1209 N. Kentucky Street
Kingston, TN 37763

For more information, contact:
Beverly Stroh
865-376-4201
1-800-FUN-IN-TN