1. SAFETY: Safe boating conduct must be observed at all times. Each competitor is required to wear a Coast Guard approved life preserver whenever the combustion engine is operating. All boats must be equipped with an ignition kill switch. A lanyard is to be attached to the boat kill switch and operator any time the combustion engine is operating. Violation of this rule shall be reason for disqualification.

2. SPORTSMANSHIP: Tournament competitors are expected to adhere to high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety and conservation. Any infraction of these fundamental sporting principles may be deemed cause for disqualification. Consumption of alcoholic beverages or illegal possession or use of a controlled substance during the tournament or tournament functions will be grounds for disqualification from that event and all further Anglers Dream events. Any contestants cited during tournament hours for a violation of state, marine, fishing or conservation laws will be disqualified.

3. TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT: Only artificial lures may be used. (No live or prepared bait will be allowed with the exception of pork strips, rinds, etc. Commercial fish attractants are allowed) Only one casting or spinning rod, 8’ maximum length may be used at any time. Any competitor found to have in his possession equipment or baits not permitted will be disqualified.

4. HORSEPOWER REGULATIONS: Only Boats and Motors that are in compliance with the B.I.A. horsepower rating will be allowed to participate.

5. BASIC BOAT EQUIPMENT: Every boat must have all required Coast Guard safety equipment, in addition to a live well properly aerated to adequately maintain a live five bass team limit.

6. PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS: Fishing on tournament waters is permitted anywhere except those areas designated off limits on the day of the tournament or within 50 yards of another competitor’s boat which was first anchored. All angling must be done from the boat. Contestants may not depart the boat to retrieve a fish. The boat must remain in legal tournament waters on tournament days. Both team members must remain in the boat at all times except in the case of dire emergency.

7. OFFICIAL CHECK POINT: There shall be only one (1) official point for check out in the morning and check in for the afternoon. At the time of check out all boats are expected to be within full compliance of the rules.

8. SCORING: Tournament standing and final winners shall be determined by the pound and fraction of a pound of each teams catch during the day. Only largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass will be weighed. All contestants are bound by the prevailing statutes and regulations of the various states in which they fish. All bass must be caught live and in a conventional sporting manner. Any fish deemed caught foul hooked will not be weighed. At no time shall a contestant have more fish in possession than the designated limit for a team for the event. In the event that a team has more fish in their possession than the described limit, tournament officials shall cull the fish to the tournament limit starting with the largest fish down to the limit described.

9. DEAD FISH PENALTY: A penalty of one-half (1/2) of a pound will be deducted for each dead fish brought in at the time of weigh-in.

10. PAIRINGS: This is a “fish with your buddy” tournament. Two anglers per boat. Angling or non-angling guest are not permitted.

11. ELIGIBILITY: Participation is open to anglers of either sex who are members of Anglers Dream. One member of each team must be eighteen (18) years of age or older.

12. REGISTRATION: An official Anglers Dream entry form must be filled out and signed by both participants for each event they fish. At least one (1) member of the team must be present for the registration. Failure to register during the prescribed time shall result in loss of starting position and reassigned to the back of field.

13. STARTING POSITIONS: Starting positions will be drawn at the mandatory pre tournament meeting at that event.

14. SUBSTITUTION: To be considered an established team both members must fish together in at least three events. Each team member may have a substitute once during the season. This substitute must either be a regular member of Anglers Dream or pay the substitute fee of $20 per event. Substitutes are to be identified on the entry forms. A member may fish alone

15. PRE-TOURNAMENT PRACTICE: Practice or Scouting of fish will be allowed with the following exceptions. No fishing or boating will be allowed on the tournament waters on the day of the event from 12:01 A.M. until the start of the event.

16. NO WAKE ZONES: All no wake zones and areas are NO PASS zones unless the boat being passed is fishing, gives permission to pass, is inoperable or multiple boat lanes permit a different route to be taken.

17. SHORT FISH PENALTY: Any fish presented for weigh-in by a contestant that fails to measure the minimum size limit designated for the event shall not be counted in the days totals. In addition, the largest fish of that days catch for that team shall also be culled.

18. LATE PENALTY: Competitors who have not arrived at the appointed time shall be penalized one pound per each minute that they are late. Any team over ten minutes late will lose credit for that days entire catch.

19. TIES: In the event of a tie, big bass will break stringer ties and heavy stringer will break big bass ties.

20. COMPLIANCE: It shall be the sole responsibility of all entrants to comply with the said rules and regulations.

21. RULINGS: The Tournament Director and his designated appointees shall reserve the right for rules interpretations and rulings thereof. Furthermore, the tournament committee reserves the right to change dates or sites of any given tournament. Any protest must be in writing, signed by the protestor, and filed in writing within ten minutes after weigh-in. The decision of the tournament officials in all rulings shall be final. Any and all contestants are subject to a truth verification exam ( polygraph test), at the discretion of the tournament director or official. Failure to take and successfully complete this test is reason for disqualification and forfeit of all prizes from this and all future Anglers Dream events.

ANGLERS OF THE YEAR:

During the year $2 from each entry will be set in a pool. From that trophies will be purchased for this award and the remainder of the fund will be awarded to the top point finisher. This award will be presented to the anglers of the year in each division at the picnic prior to the 2008 Tournament of Champions. In the Nomads division $5 from each member will be set in a pool for that divisions Angler of the Year.

2008 TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS:

To qualify for this event two entrants must be designated as a team on the entry forms for the qualifying events that they participated in. They also must participate in a minimum of three events together. This team must accumulate 160 or more points in five events or less in any one division. Points are accumulated as following. The winner of a qualifying event that has over 20 teams participating will receive 55 points, second place 54, third 53, and fourth 52 so forth down to 30 points. The winner of an event with 19 boats or less will receive 50 points, second place 49, and third place 48 so forth down to 30 points. All team participating will be awarded a minimum of 30 points. Entry fees for teams qualifying for the Tournament of Champions will be $140. The 2008 Tournament of Champions will take place on October 25, 26th 2008 and will be held on Lake Springfield, Springfield IL. The tournament headquarters for the event will be at the Lake Beach House Pavilion across from the Lindsey Boat Launch. Lake Springfield will be off limits (4 days) from 12:01 AM Monday October 20th to Friday October 24th. Pre fishing will be allowed on Friday October 24th From Sunrise to 2:30 PM. local prevailing time (Central Standard Time). There will be no splitting of team or substitutes allowed.
A complete set of Tournament of Champions Rules can be obtained from either the Anglers Dream web site (http//www.anglers-dream.com)or by writing to Angler's Dream P.O. Box 1201 Hammond, IN 46325