CHATTANOOGA'S OLDEST OPEN TEAM TOURNAMENT TRAIL
CHATTANOOGA BASS ASSOCIATION
1. RULES: IT IS THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH PARTICIPANT TO BE FAMILIAR WITH AND ABIDE BY THESE RULES. THESE RULES TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER ANY OTHER PRINTED CBA INFORMATION.
2. BOAT WEIGHT: All C.B.A. tournaments are based on a 5 fish limit by boat weight (team or individual).
3. POINTS AND PLACES: The 1st place team will receive 100 points, 2nd place 99 points, etc… If a participant misses a tournament they will receive the same points as their partner if that partner fishes alone, as long as that team has fished every tournament together. A participant will receive points for a missed tournament a maximum of two (2) times during the season.
4. POINTS CHAMPION: The point champions for 2022 receive one (1) free entry per tournament month into the 2023 C.B.A. open tournament events.
5. BIG FISH: The big fish of the tournament prize will be $200. There will only be one big fish per tournament. There will also be a $10 optional big fish sidepot that is winner take all (if there are 70 boats that participate in the $10 optional sidepot then the largest bass weighed by someone entered into the sidepot will receive $700). You cannot weigh a dead fish for a big fish of the tournament prize.
6. TIES: Regular tournament ties will be decided by the flip of a coin or decision to split the prize. In the case of a tie for the classic winner a fish-off will be held. In the case of a tie for the points championship, from separate boats, the winner will be determined by the most total weight for the 7 regular season open tournament months used for the basis of the point total.
7. FISH: All bass must be caught in a sporting manner and kept in an aerated live well. All fish brought to the weigh-in site become the sole property of the CBA. At the time you catch your sixth fish you must cull down to five (5) fish. No culling bags are allowed. No more than five (5) bass may be brought to the scales. Trolling as a means of catching fish is NOT ALLOWED. Spooling and long-lining will be allowed only using the trolling motor. If the blade of the trolling motor is running you must have the reel in freespool. You cannot use the trolling motor to assist with getting the bait to dive deeper. Culling of Dead Fish is prohibited. Culling at the Dock is Prohibited. All site fish caught must be hooked on the inside of the mouth.
8. LEGAL FISH: All fish are measured for length with the mouth closed.
A. LARGEMOUTH BASS: Must be no less than 15 inches in length.
B. SMALLMOUTH BASS: Must be no less than 18 inches in length, one (1) smallmouth per contestant may be weighed.
C. KENTUCKY SPOTTED BASS: Must be no less than 12 inches in length. A fish that appears to be a smallmouth and has a tooth patch will not be weighed as spotted bass. They will be considered a smallmouth. The decision of the tournament official is final in regards to this, and every, rule.
D. SHORT FISH: If a short fish is brought to the scales your entire catch will be disqualified. A courtesy board will be available to check your fish if requested.
E. DEAD FISH: No more than one (1) dead fish can be weighed. A ½ pound (.50) penalty will be deducted if a dead fish is weighed. If more than one (1) dead fish is brought to the scales only the live fish and the largest dead fish will be weighed.
9. PARTICIPATION AND ENTRY FEES: A one time yearly process fee of $60.00 is required for each participant. You may either fish with a partner or fish alone. Each participant must purchase a $60 processing card at the beginning of the season. There will be no white cards this year. There will be three divisions in the CBA this year;
Blue Team-$150 Entry Fee per tournament ($120 per tournament if you prepay)**
New Team- $150 Entry Fee per tournament ($90 per tournament if you prepay)**
Youth Team- $60 Entry Fee per tournament ($40 per tournament if you prepay)**
In order to be eligible to fish as a youth team one (1) participant must be currently enrolled in high school or younger
** There will be one date in which you can prepay for the entire season, February 20th. In order to take advantage of the discount you must pre-pay for the entire season (9 DAY events) plus your processing card prior to the first tournament of the season.
There will be 2 Open Night Tournaments this season. The entry Fee will be $120/Team or $60/ Youth Team. Everyone must pay an entry fee. The pre-pay for the season was for the 9 Day events only.
No refund will be given on entry fees unless approved by officers.
10. SAFETY: Each Person must wear a coast guard approved PFD (personal flotation device) when the combustion engine is running. Boats must have a working kill switch connected to the drivers PFD when the combustion engine is running. Each boat must also have working running lights. Safe boating must be observed at all times by each competitor. Life jackets must remain on until the conclusion of the tournament.
11. TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT: Only artificial lures, including pork trailers, may be used. NO live bait!! Only one (1) rod per person may be in use at anytime.
The Alabama- Tennessee Umbrella rig will follow state regulations. You may use an unlimited number of wires but can only have three hooks total on your rig.
The officers of the CBA will maintain a ZERO tolerance policy in regards to rule infractions concerning the rig. Anyone caught, seen or suspected of breaking this rule will be subjected to a polygraph test. Anyone proven guilty of breaking this particular rule is subject to a complete banning from all the CBA events for 2020.
12. SPORTSMANSHIP: At no time during any C.B.A. event will a competitor act to give themselves an unfair advantage over other C.B.A. competitors. The use of cellular phones to give or receive fishing information, or locations, during tournament hours is strictly prohibited. Any participant causing dissension in any tournament could be disqualified for the rest of the tournament season.
13. PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS: Fishing is permitted on Chickamauga, Watts-Bar, and Nickajack waters, which are accessible by all tournament boats. Boats must stay 50 feet from a first anchored tournament boat (the definition of anchored is either their trolling motor in the water or if they have power poles down). All boats must remain 50 ft. apart except during a lock through, emergency situation, or to pass by to access a creek or slough.
14. TOURNAMENT BOATS: Your boat must remain in tournament waters at all times and all participants must remain in their boat except in case of dire emergency or boat breakdown. Leaving the boat to land a fish or recover a lure is not permitted. Fueling is permitted. A competitor from a disabled boat may return to weigh his/her fish by another tournament boat. All fish must return to the official C.B.A. weigh-in site by tournament boat. All tournament boats must pass by the blast-off dock with live well open running lights on and kill switch attached to body for boat check. It is each participants responsibility to be in the water prior to start. Tournaments will start just after first light based on the opinion of the officers. We will start at that time, if you are not in the water and ready at that time you will go after those that are ready. If you remove your boat from tournament waters prior to the end of tournament hours you must check in at the dock during the check in time. It is the responsibility of each participant to check in or you will be considered late and will be disqualified. Check in will begin on the dock 15 minutes before the end of tournament hours. If you remove your boat from tournament waters prior to check in you must remain in the parking lot until check in for your catch to be counted. All fish are to remain in the live well until you have checked in. Any boat not checked in or late will be disqualified.
15. BOAT BREAKDOWN: If boat problems are experienced during tournament hours you may change boats if the following guidelines are followed.
1. You must notify one of the six (6) tournament officials that you are going to change boats.
2. You must have your live well checked before changing boats and again after changing boats.
3. A tournament official can check your boat both before and after changing boats. Another tournament participant can check your boat prior to the boat change, but a different tournament participant from another tournament boat, or an official, must check your boat after the boat change prior to starting to fish again.
4. You must notify a tournament official of the names of the tournament participants that checked your boat prior to starting to fish again.
5. OFFICIALS CELL PHONE NUMBERS: SHANE FRAZIER 421-6022, JAYME COPENHAVER 413-0162, BRENT HAYES 504-1842, LANCE NUNLEY 667-4868
16. POLYGRAPH TEST: The C.B.A. reserves the right to require a polygraph test be taken and passed, in the opinion of the polygraph operator and the C.B.A. officials, before any points or prizes will be awarded.
17. PROTEST: All protests must be made in writing and turned in within fifteen (15) minutes after the last fish are weighed. Any protest will be turned over to the C.B.A. officials for evaluation and their decision concerning the matter will be final.
18. DRUGS: No alcohol or illegal drugs will be allowed during any tournament.
19. STATE/FEDERAL LAWS: State and federal laws must be obeyed pertinent to safety and fishing in off limit areas in all tournaments.
20. DECISIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS: All decisions made by, and instructions given by, the C.B.A. tournament officials are final and binding in any and all matters.
21. REGISTRATION: The deadline for sign-up will be 6:00 PM Friday night before each tournament. Late entries will be accepted up to 30 minutes prior to the start of the tournament INCLUDING all participants that are Pay at Ramp. Late entries will not count in the boat total payout for that tournament. All changes on the entry form must be reported to the officials no later than 15 minutes prior to the start of the tournament.
22. CLASSIC PARTICIPATION: You must fish a minimum of (7) tournament months in order to be eligible to fish the Classic. Point standings point totals will be based on seven (7) tournament months (in the final point standings of the year you will not be allowed to drop a DNF). There are three (3) ways to be eligible to participate in the classic championship. During the Classic Championship individual participants that are eligible may fish with another eligible participant even if they were not partners during the regular season.
1. All participants in the top twenty five teams (25) in the final point standings from the open tournaments in 2022 can participate in the classic championship by paying only the $20.00 big fish entry. There will be an optional sidepot for an extra $10 per day of the classic. You will NOT be able to drop a DNF. All DNF's will be counted in your points total.
2. All participants winning one of the 2022 open point tournaments, that have fished at least seven (7) tournament months, can participate in the classic championship by paying only the $20.00 big fish entry. There will be an optional sidepot for an extra $10 per day of the classic.
3. All participants that participate in at least seven (7) tournament months can participate in the classic championship by paying a $240.00 entry fee for Blue Teams, $180 entry fee for new teams, and youth teams will be $120.00. The entry fee includes the tournament big fish fee. There will be an optional sidepot for an extra $10 per day of the classic.
23. PARTICIPATION: The C.B.A. tournament officials, at their sole discretion, retain the right to refuse anyone’s admittance into C.B.A. events. Entry fees will not be refunded. Any disruption, verbal or otherwise, during tournament hours, including blast-off and weigh in, that affects the ability of the C.B.A. officials to conduct the tournaments in an orderly manner will result in disqualification in that event and possibly the remainder of the season.
24. BOAT BOARDING: Any tournament boat may be boarded by a C.B.A. official at anytime during the tournament hours.
25. THE TOURNAMENT START WILL BE AN EASE OFF: Boats will leave by their numbered position assigned at the time you signed up for the tournament. Swapping numbers is not permitted. No passing of tournament boats will be allowed until you reach the mouth of the park at the river.
26. ELIGIBILITY: Tournaments are open to all ages. If you are under the age of 16 you must be accompanied by an adult. Participants that will act as boaters under the age of 18 years must have documentation that He or She has completed satisfactory a Tenn. Safety Boaters Course. All boats used in these tournaments must have liability insurance, Proof of insurance must be on board will be randomly checked. Proof of age to the satisfaction of tournament officials is the responsibility of the potential competitor. All participants must sign a copy of the rules.
27. BASSMASTER TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP: The number of teams that qualify for the Bassmaster Team Championship is based on the total number of people that purchase processing cards throughout the season. The CBA will be able to send 1 team for every 25 teams that purchase processing cards throughout the season. A single person is not allowed to qualify for the team championship.You and your partner must both be available to travel to the team championship event or we will offer your spot to the next qualifying team in line. If you or your partner has fished an FLW Wal-Mart Major or a BASS Elite event then you cannot qualify for the Team Championship. In order to qualify for the Team Championship both members of the team must purchase a CBA processing card.Based on having 2 teams invited the Points Champion for the Season and the 2nd place team in points will be invited. Based on the number of invites the CBA receives the order in which invites will be given is solely based on end of the year point standings.
28: DIVISIONS AND YEAR END PRIZES: There will only be three divisions this year and three colors of weigh-in cards. New Teams will fish on Yellow Cards. Youth Teams will fish on Orange Cards. Everyone else will fish on Blue Cards.
New Team (Yellow Card) $150/Boat: In order to qualify for the new team division neither member of the team is allowed to have fished more than 1 CBA in the previous season. The end of the year prize is $500 Cash that will be paid out at the Classic signup/ End of the year awards ceremony.
Youth Division (Orange Card) $60/Boat: In order to qualify for the Youth Division one member of the team must be in high school or younger. The end of the year prize is $500 Cash that will be paid out at the Classic signup/ End of the year awards ceremony
29: TOURNAMENT PAYOUT: We will pay 1 place for every 5 paid entries. For example, if we have 60 paid entries we will pay 12 places. In tournaments where we have 60 paid entries or more 1st place will be $2,500. On tournaments with less than 60 full paid entries first place will be $2,000.
30: ALTERNATE PARTNER: You may use an alternate in one event during the season per team. The alternate must purchase a $60 membership card prior to the tournament they will be competing in. The CBA will also allow a one-time partner change for the season in extreme circumstances only, and will be reviewed and approved on a case by case basis by the CBA officers.
By my signature below I verify that I have read and understand the rules and documented proof of boating liability insurance
Participant’s Signature: ___________________________________________________________Date_____________
Participant’s Signature: ___________________________________________________________Date_____________
Age if under 18: _________________________________________________________Date____________
PRINT CONTESTANT NAME HERE FOR PARENTS/GUARDIANS OF MINORITY AGE PARTIPANTS (UNDER AGE 18 AT TIME OF REGISTRATION)
I, AS PARENT/GUARDIAN DO HEREBY CERTIFY THAT I HAVE LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PARTICIPANT AND I AGREE AND GIVE MY CONSENT TO HIS/HER RELEASE AS PROVIDED ABOVE OF ALL THE RELEASEES, AND, FORMYSELF, MY HEIRS, ASSIGNEES THE RELEASEES FROM ANY AND ALL LIABILITIES INCIDENT TO MY MINOR CHILD’S OR WARD’S INVOLVEMENT OR FROM THE NEGLIGENCE OF TH RELEASEES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.
Date:________________________________________________PARENT’S / GUARDIAN’S SIGNATURE