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Rule x Regulations
RULE CHANGES
These rules will remain unchanged. Interpretation of these rules shall be left exclusively to the tournament director. The decision of the tournament director shall be final in all matters. Failure to comply with any rule may result in disqualification. All rules have “loopholes”; contestants are reminded that the spirit of the rule will prevail in all judgement cases.AGE LIMIT
Contestants under 18 years of age must have the signature of his/her parent or legal guardian on the entry form, as well as the contestant’s signature.ELIGIBILITY
All participants must be current members of the Minnesota Tournament Trail. Tournament officials reserve the right to refund any entry fee, if it shall choose, for any reason not to accept the application for membership. SAFETY
Safe boating must be observed at all times. Each contestant must wear a Coast Guard approved personal floatation device at all times when the combustion engine is operating above trolling speed. The floatation device must be fastened securely and the safety – stop switch attached. BOAT REQUIREMENTS
All boats must meet Coast Guard and State requirements. Motors may not exceed BIA rating established by the manufacturer. All boats must have an aerated livewell large enough to sustain the limit of fish in releasable condition. All boats are required to carry a minimum of $100,000 of liability insurance. No boats over 24ft 6in”. All boats are required to have a Marine Band Radio (Permanent Mount or Handheld).SPORTSMANSHIP
All contestants are expected to follow high standards of safety, conservation, and sportsmanship. No alcoholic beverages or non-prescription drugs are allowed in the boat at any time.PARTNER SUBSTITUTION
Each team must declare a Captain and Partner. Substitution is allowed, and the substitute must be a member of the Minnesota Tournament Trail. A substitute does not receive points. Substitutes cannot be a member of another team to accumulate points unless prior approval from the MTT is given. Any substitute fishing the championship must have fished a prior event with said team.TIES
In case of a tie, positions shall be determined by combining the awards and dividing them equally among the contestants.TOURNAMENT ENTRIES/CANCELLATIONS
Tournament entries are based on a first received, first entered basis. A $50 processing fee for transfers will be assessed.MEMBERSHIP
All anglers must be members of the Minnesota Tournament Trail. The annual membership fee is $50. Membership includes a subscription to MidWest Outdoors Magazine (official publication of the MTT), a membership card. ($5 of each membership fee will go to the Championship purse).BOAT INSPECTION
There will be mandatory boat inspection prior to every tournament start. All teams are subject to inspection anytime during tournament hours.RULES AND BAG LIMITS
All fish must be caught live and, in a manner, consistent to rules and regulations governing said body of water. All rules regarding species to be weighed, bag limits, and minimum size, will be determined by each individual event. Rules for individual events will be gone over at the rules meeting. No boat may come in contact with another boat during tournament hours. Contestants may not pass or receive information, tackle, bait, or other items from any other boat during tournament hours. Contestants may not have another boat hold or reserve fishing locations.WEIGH-IN
Teams must come to the official weigh-in site by water. Weigh-in slips must be signed by one partner to verify weight. Teams must check in by official check-in time or be disqualified for the day. Boats within line of sight and off plane at official time are considered on time. You must check-in whether weighing fish or not.REGISTRATION AND RULES MEETING
Set times for registration and rules meetings will be determined by the tournament director and posted as such.WEATHER CONDITIONS
Tournament officials will only begin tournaments during acceptable weather conditions. It is solely the responsibility of the contestants to be aware of changing weather conditions. If conditions change during tournament hours to unsafe conditions, the contestants are permitted to seek safe shelter until weather conditions pass. Cellular phones, CBs or marine radios are allowed for emergencies only.PROTESTS
The protest must be in writing and accompanied by a $2000.00 check made out to Minnesota Tournament Trail. The protest must be handed to the tournament director within 15 minutes after the scales have closed. The burden of proof will be on the team filing the protest. If necessary, the tournament officials will investigate the protest and employ a polygraph test. If the protest is found invalid, the Minnesota Tournament Trail will cash the $2000.00 check, and the team filing the protest will be financially responsible for all costs incurred. If the protest is valid, the disqualified team will be responsible for all costs incurred and the $2000.00 fee will be returned to the filing team. All decisions by the tournament officials will be final and without recourse. Protest deemed frivolous will be dealt with in a severe manner. Only tournament contestants can file a protest.POLYGRAPH -VOICE STRESS TEST/RANDOM OBSERVER
All contestants by signing the entry form agree to submit to a polygraph-voice stress test and the possibility of having a random observer placed in their boat during competition days. Upon completion of the tournament, or upon a protest filed with tournament officials, one (1) member of a randomly drawn team (top 5) or one member of the team against whom the protest was filed, must submit to a polygraph examination and/or any other test deemed necessary, as determined by tournament officials, to determine compliance with tournament rules. The team member submitting to the examination MUST NOT be under the influence of any intoxicants. If in the opinion of the polygraph examiner, or other applicable examiner, an examination cannot be completed due to an avoidable physiological condition, such as intoxication, the winning prize will be withheld until such time that an examination may be completed. Only one member of the team will be tested. In the opinion of the examiner, the person tested exhibits deception, the team will be disqualified and neither member of the team will be awarded the prize. The opinion of the polygraph examiner will be final. Contestants agree to release the individual polygraph examiner, or other examiner utilized, and any company contracted to provide testing services for this tournament, the Minnesota Tournament Trail, and its sponsors of these events, from liability arising from the administration of the examination and/or the decision of the examiner.
The above rules are not all-inclusive regarding sportsmanship and ethical behavior. The Minnesota Tournament Trail reserves the right to interpret and enforce rule violations not covered above at their discretion.
POINT STRUCTURE
One-day events will be worth a total of 500 points. Finishing positions will be awarded in 2-point decreasing increments. 100 Points will be awarded to any entered team not weighing fish. Two-day events will be worth a total of 1000 points with 5-point decreasing increments. 200 points will be awarded to any entered team not weighing fish. To be eligible to fish a two-day event, a team must have entered into at least one – one-day event.Team of the year and special awards will be based on points received at the top 5 one-day events and one two-day event plus points received during the championship.
Championship points will be based on 1000 points with 5-point decreasing increments. 200 points will be awarded to any entered team not weighing fish. For special awards and Team of the Year, only points accumulated with the same partner will be used. $2500.00 will be awarded to the Team of the Year.
CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFICATION
Top 75 teams by points and any team who entered 4 one-day events and one two-day event, will be invited to the championship. Championship will be held September 15-16, 2022 at Lake of the Woods. Headquarters are Border View Lodge 1-800-PRO-FISH (1-800-776-3474).