2012 RAA TOUR RULES AND REGULATIONS
Rules: All rules stated below will remain in effect for the 2012 RAA Tour. All decisions made by the tournament director and/or tournament officials will be final in all matters. The tournament director and/or the tournament officials can make a change when the safety of a contestant is in question or by a unanimous decision by the tournament committee. Any changes to the rules will be posted on the website www.redfishseries.com and communicated to the tournament members in the pre-tournament meeting before the tournaments. Warnings, penalties and disqualifications will be determined by the tournament officials. Read the following rules prior to signing of entry form. The RAA Tour is an extension of the Redfish Series Tournaments. Teams who fish the RAA Tour must fish the Redfish Series event the previous day. RAA Teams will fish in the Redfish Series events, receive points for the Redfish Series Team of the Year and prize money from the Redfish Series events. RAA Tour participants weights from the Redfish Series the previous day will carry over and be added to the RAA Tour weight from Sunday for a total weight for the two days.
1) Applicable Laws: Federal, State and Local laws are to be obeyed by contestants at all times. Violation of any federal, state and/or local laws will result in the disqualification of the individual and the team the individual belongs to from the RAA TOUR.
2) Tournament Eligibility: In order to participate in the RAA TOUR, both team members must be members in good standing of the Redfish Anglers Association (RAA). Contestants under 18 years old must fish with their legal guardian as their teammate or another adult approved by the minors legal guardian. The RAA TOUR reserves the right to refuse membership and participation in any event to an individual and/or team at the discretion of the tournament committee.
3) Alcoholic Beverages and Illegal Drugs: Consumption of any alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs during tournament hours is prohibited and will result in disqualification. Alcoholic beverages and illegal drugs may not be possessed in a team’s boat.
4) Sportsmanship: RAA TOUR participants are expected to follow the highest standards of sportsmanship, courtesy and ethics. Un-sportsmanlike and unethical conduct will result in disqualification (at the tournament committee’s discretion). Please refer to the Texas Boating Safety Rules.
5) Permitted Tournament Fishing Waters: Contestants may fish in any inshore public water accessible by boat. Boats must fish inshore and are not permitted tofish offshore waters (beyond the jetties). No fishing is allowed within 300 yards of tournament site.
• Participants are not allowed to fish within 150 feet (50 yards) of another anchored boat unless they are invited in by the team. If a team invites another team into their 50 yard area, this waives their right to the area to any team in the tournament.
• Wade-fisherman must remain within 300 yards of their boat.
• If a fishing area is in question, the boat anchored first has the right to the area. An anchored boat has the first right to the area within 150 feet of the anchored boat. An anchored boat is a boat held in a stable position by a line attached to an anchor, a weight, push pole, power pole, etc. with the trolling motor in the up position.
• If the boat does not have a trolling motor the definition of anchored still applies.
6) Wade Fishing is Allowed: Participants must leave from and return to the official checkpoint by boat. Wade fishing is permitted in the RAA TOUR. Teams who wish to wade fish must remain within 300 yards of the participant’s boat. Participants may not leave the boat to net a fish hooked while in the boat. Wade-fishermen must net their own fish. Teams may not have one participant fishing out of the boat with another teammate wade fishing (fishing is defined in this instance as casting and retrieving). Both team members must be in the boat before the combustion engine is started.
7) Checkpoints: Each tournament will have only one checkpoint. The same checkpoint will be used in the morning and in the afternoon. Each boat must go through the checkpoint in the morning in the pre-selected order. The checkout point and times will be communicated to the teams at the pre-tournament meeting. All tournament boats must be inspected by a tournament official at the official tournament site before they are released to fish. Flight numbers will be drawn by each team at the mandatory registration the Friday before each tournament begins. RAA Tour Teams will leave in the opposite order of Saturday. Once a flight number is drawn, it may not be changed, traded or sold to another team. It is the contestants' responsibility to know their flight number, official time and check-in time. Failure to go through the checkpoint will result in
disqualification. Every boat must go through the checkpoint before weighing-in regardless if the team has fish to weigh in. Once a boat has checked in, fishing must cease. Check-in times will be between 2:00 PM and 3:00 PM. Contestants who are not at the official check-in area at the appointed time will be penalized at the rate of one-half pound per minute which will be deducted from the total weight including any weight to be counted toward a big fish award. Any contestant more than fifteen (15) minutes late will be disqualified. Teams who are not able to check in due to equipment failure or other unforeseen circumstances are
responsible for contacting the tournament director before the official check-in is over.
8) Polygraphs: By signature on the official tournament entry form, each contestant agrees to submit to a polygraph test and abide by its conclusion. Polygraph tests will be issued at the discretion of the tournament director/committee if any rules or regulations are in question.The first place team in each event is required to take the polygraph and will not receive their winnings until the test has been administered. The results of the polygraph are final and can not be reviewed by a court of law.
9) Insurance and Liability: A minimum of $100,000 liability insurance is required of all contestants fishing and/or using his or her boat in any RAA TOUR event. It is the responsibility of the boat owner to carry liability insurance covering the boat owner and passengers. A current copy of the team’s insurance policy and a signed DECLARATION, WAIVER, RELEASE, AND HOLD HARMLESS AGREEMENT is due in the RAA TOUR office before a team may compete in any RAA TOUR event. All tournament participants are required to sign a waiver absolving all tournament officials, officers, participants, sponsors and co-sponsors from any responsibility for damage or personal injury sustained as a result of their participation in the tournament or its related activities.
10) Registration and Pre-Tournament Meeting: Teams must be registered for all five 2012 RAA Tour events on or before March 23, 2012. The pre-tournament meeting will be held on Friday night at the Redfish Series Captain’s Meeting.
11) Communication during tournament hours: No communication will be allowed from outside sources during tournament hours. Purchasing of information and/or hiring of services from local experts or guides will not be permitted within 7 days prior to the competition. Information shared between two teams during tournament hours may not be used to give either team an advantage over other teams. No communication is allowed via cell phone, radio, pager or any other electrical device during competition hours. If a team has an emergency, a mechanical problem, or needs immediate assistance, teams may contact local authorities, emergency services, the Coast Guard or the tournament director. Teams must notify the tournament director immediately if these circumstances exist.
12) Entry Fees, Tournament Registration and Identification: All entrants must be a member of the RAA. The entry fee for each event is $250.00 in addition to the $400.00 entry fee for the Redfish Series, per two-person team. A $100.00 non-refundable deposit is required to secure a team’s spot in the RAA Tour. The deposit may not be transferred to another tournament. Teams must have 100% of the tournaments entry fee paid in full 14 days prior to the event date. A late fee of $30.00 will be assessed to teams who pay less than 14 days prior to the event. All entry fees and deposits are non-refundable.
13) Boat, Motor and Horsepower Regulations: All boats must be a minimum of 15 feet in length and be equipped with a minimum of 25 hp motor. Each boat must have all required U.S. Coast Guard safety equipment. In addition, each boat must have a properly aerated live well. The live well must be properly aerated to adequately maintain alive two redfish. The Tournament Director shall have the sole responsibility for determining whether aeration and capacity is adequate. Live wells will be inspected upon checkout the morning of the tournament. ALL BOATS MUST BE EQUIPPED WITH AN OPERABLE IGNITION KILL SWITCH. The kill switch device must be attached to the driver's body anytime the combustion engine is operating. Anytime the combustion engine is operating and in
gear, there must be a driver in the driver's seat in full control of the boat. Any fuel tanks that are not installed by the boat manufacturer are prohibited. Fuel may be carried only in factory installed (built-in) fuel tanks. Any additional fuel used during the tournament day must be purchased from a retail facility open to the public.
14) Safety: Safe boating will be observed at all times. Each contestant is required to wear a fastened, U.S. Coast Guard approved, personal floatation device anytime the combustion engine is on. Tournament days may be shortened or canceled due to unsafe weather or water conditions. The decision to shorten or to cancel will be left totally to the discretion of the tournament director/committee. A 4-hour period shall constitute a day of fishing. It is the competitor’s responsibility to communicate with the Tournament Director if cancellation of the event is suspected. Cancellations will be communicated via VHF radios on a channel decided at the Pre-Tournament Meeting. If conditions are not safe on the tournament day, the RAA TOUR reserves the right to hold the
tournament the following day (Sunday). If conditions are not favorable the following day (Sunday), an alternate date will be published on the RAA TOUR website, www.Redfishseries.com.
15) Tackle and Equipment: Only artificial lures may be used. No live bait, dead bait or prepared bait will be permitted. Only one rod and reel may be used at any one time per angler.
16) Live Fish: Contestants are responsible for keeping their Redfish alive. Any dead fish brought in to weigh-in will be assessed an eight-ounce penalty. No altered, mutilated or iced fish will be accepted. Redfish will be inspected for alterations in size, length and weight. Any altered fish will result in the disqualification of the team weighing in the altered fish.
17) Scoring: Tournament standings, auxiliary awards and final winners shall be determined by the total weight of two redfish measured in pounds and 100ths of a pound of each team’s catch during the tournament. Only Redfish/Red Drum between 20 inches and 28 inches may be weighed-in. All redfish must be brought to weigh station in a live weigh-in tournament bag. Fish may not be brought to weigh-in on a stringer or in a basket. Teams may not possess more than two redfish at any time during the tournament.
18) Tie Breaker: If two or more teams have the same two-fish weight in the same tournament, it will be considered a tie. A tie breaker will be decided by the team’s total weight for the season. The team with the most accumulative weight for the season will be declared the winner of the tie. In the event of a tie for the first event of the season, the accumulative weight from the previous season will determine the tie. In the event that both teams do not have previous weights, the prize money from the two places will be combined and split between the teams. The tour reward bonus percentage (where applicable) will be applied after the split amount is determined.
19) Points: All teams fishing the RAA TOUR will receive points (with the exception of disqualified teams). The first place team will receive 100 points, the second place team will receive 99 points, etc. Teams weighing in no fish will receive 20 points less than the last team to weigh-in fish. Team points will remain with the team captain in the event of a team "break-up". The Team of the Year race is determined by total team points at the end of the season.
20) Protest Procedure: All protests must be submitted in writing, along with a $100 cash deposit. Protests must be submitted to the tournament director no later than 15 minutes following the weigh-in of the last fish. All decisions will be made by the tournament director and committee and are final. If the protest is upheld, the cash deposit will be returned to the person submitting the protest. The protester agrees that by filing a protest, the protester may be subject to a polygraph test.
21) Permission to be filmed for Television: I agree to be filmed, photographed, taped, quoted or otherwise mentioned (without compensation) by the Redfish Series organizers, or by anyone authorized by the RAA Tour organizers. This includes but is not limited to the official photographers, writers, hosts, or sponsors of this event under the conditions authorized by the RAA Tour organizers. I give the RAA Tour organizers, and anyone authorized by the RAA Tour, the right to use (without compensation) my name, picture, likeness, quotes, and biographical information, whether audio or visual, before, during and after the period of my individual or team participation in this event.
Rules: All rules stated below will remain in effect for the 2012 RAA Tour. All decisions made by the tournament director and/or tournament officials will be final in all matters. The tournament director and/or the tournament officials can make a change when the safety of a contestant is in question or by a unanimous decision by the tournament committee. Any changes to the rules will be posted on the website www.redfishseries.com and communicated to the tournament members in the pre-tournament meeting before the tournaments. Warnings, penalties and disqualifications will be determined by the tournament officials. Read the following rules prior to signing of entry form. The RAA Tour is an extension of the Redfish Series Tournaments. Teams who fish the RAA Tour must fish the Redfish Series event the previous day. RAA Teams will fish in the Redfish Series events, receive points for the Redfish Series Team of the Year and prize money from the Redfish Series events. RAA Tour participants weights from the Redfish Series the previous day will carry over and be added to the RAA Tour weight from Sunday for a total weight for the two days.
1) Applicable Laws: Federal, State and Local laws are to be obeyed by contestants at all times. Violation of any federal, state and/or local laws will result in the disqualification of the individual and the team the individual belongs to from the RAA TOUR.
2) Tournament Eligibility: In order to participate in the RAA TOUR, both team members must be members in good standing of the Redfish Anglers Association (RAA). Contestants under 18 years old must fish with their legal guardian as their teammate or another adult approved by the minors legal guardian. The RAA TOUR reserves the right to refuse membership and participation in any event to an individual and/or team at the discretion of the tournament committee.
3) Alcoholic Beverages and Illegal Drugs: Consumption of any alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs during tournament hours is prohibited and will result in disqualification. Alcoholic beverages and illegal drugs may not be possessed in a team’s boat.
4) Sportsmanship: RAA TOUR participants are expected to follow the highest standards of sportsmanship, courtesy and ethics. Un-sportsmanlike and unethical conduct will result in disqualification (at the tournament committee’s discretion). Please refer to the Texas Boating Safety Rules.
5) Permitted Tournament Fishing Waters: Contestants may fish in any inshore public water accessible by boat. Boats must fish inshore and are not permitted tofish offshore waters (beyond the jetties). No fishing is allowed within 300 yards of tournament site.
• Participants are not allowed to fish within 150 feet (50 yards) of another anchored boat unless they are invited in by the team. If a team invites another team into their 50 yard area, this waives their right to the area to any team in the tournament.
• Wade-fisherman must remain within 300 yards of their boat.
• If a fishing area is in question, the boat anchored first has the right to the area. An anchored boat has the first right to the area within 150 feet of the anchored boat. An anchored boat is a boat held in a stable position by a line attached to an anchor, a weight, push pole, power pole, etc. with the trolling motor in the up position.
• If the boat does not have a trolling motor the definition of anchored still applies.
6) Wade Fishing is Allowed: Participants must leave from and return to the official checkpoint by boat. Wade fishing is permitted in the RAA TOUR. Teams who wish to wade fish must remain within 300 yards of the participant’s boat. Participants may not leave the boat to net a fish hooked while in the boat. Wade-fishermen must net their own fish. Teams may not have one participant fishing out of the boat with another teammate wade fishing (fishing is defined in this instance as casting and retrieving). Both team members must be in the boat before the combustion engine is started.
7) Checkpoints: Each tournament will have only one checkpoint. The same checkpoint will be used in the morning and in the afternoon. Each boat must go through the checkpoint in the morning in the pre-selected order. The checkout point and times will be communicated to the teams at the pre-tournament meeting. All tournament boats must be inspected by a tournament official at the official tournament site before they are released to fish. Flight numbers will be drawn by each team at the mandatory registration the Friday before each tournament begins. RAA Tour Teams will leave in the opposite order of Saturday. Once a flight number is drawn, it may not be changed, traded or sold to another team. It is the contestants' responsibility to know their flight number, official time and check-in time. Failure to go through the checkpoint will result in
disqualification. Every boat must go through the checkpoint before weighing-in regardless if the team has fish to weigh in. Once a boat has checked in, fishing must cease. Check-in times will be between 2:00 PM and 3:00 PM. Contestants who are not at the official check-in area at the appointed time will be penalized at the rate of one-half pound per minute which will be deducted from the total weight including any weight to be counted toward a big fish award. Any contestant more than fifteen (15) minutes late will be disqualified. Teams who are not able to check in due to equipment failure or other unforeseen circumstances are
responsible for contacting the tournament director before the official check-in is over.
8) Polygraphs: By signature on the official tournament entry form, each contestant agrees to submit to a polygraph test and abide by its conclusion. Polygraph tests will be issued at the discretion of the tournament director/committee if any rules or regulations are in question.The first place team in each event is required to take the polygraph and will not receive their winnings until the test has been administered. The results of the polygraph are final and can not be reviewed by a court of law.
9) Insurance and Liability: A minimum of $100,000 liability insurance is required of all contestants fishing and/or using his or her boat in any RAA TOUR event. It is the responsibility of the boat owner to carry liability insurance covering the boat owner and passengers. A current copy of the team’s insurance policy and a signed DECLARATION, WAIVER, RELEASE, AND HOLD HARMLESS AGREEMENT is due in the RAA TOUR office before a team may compete in any RAA TOUR event. All tournament participants are required to sign a waiver absolving all tournament officials, officers, participants, sponsors and co-sponsors from any responsibility for damage or personal injury sustained as a result of their participation in the tournament or its related activities.
10) Registration and Pre-Tournament Meeting: Teams must be registered for all five 2012 RAA Tour events on or before March 23, 2012. The pre-tournament meeting will be held on Friday night at the Redfish Series Captain’s Meeting.
11) Communication during tournament hours: No communication will be allowed from outside sources during tournament hours. Purchasing of information and/or hiring of services from local experts or guides will not be permitted within 7 days prior to the competition. Information shared between two teams during tournament hours may not be used to give either team an advantage over other teams. No communication is allowed via cell phone, radio, pager or any other electrical device during competition hours. If a team has an emergency, a mechanical problem, or needs immediate assistance, teams may contact local authorities, emergency services, the Coast Guard or the tournament director. Teams must notify the tournament director immediately if these circumstances exist.
12) Entry Fees, Tournament Registration and Identification: All entrants must be a member of the RAA. The entry fee for each event is $250.00 in addition to the $400.00 entry fee for the Redfish Series, per two-person team. A $100.00 non-refundable deposit is required to secure a team’s spot in the RAA Tour. The deposit may not be transferred to another tournament. Teams must have 100% of the tournaments entry fee paid in full 14 days prior to the event date. A late fee of $30.00 will be assessed to teams who pay less than 14 days prior to the event. All entry fees and deposits are non-refundable.
13) Boat, Motor and Horsepower Regulations: All boats must be a minimum of 15 feet in length and be equipped with a minimum of 25 hp motor. Each boat must have all required U.S. Coast Guard safety equipment. In addition, each boat must have a properly aerated live well. The live well must be properly aerated to adequately maintain alive two redfish. The Tournament Director shall have the sole responsibility for determining whether aeration and capacity is adequate. Live wells will be inspected upon checkout the morning of the tournament. ALL BOATS MUST BE EQUIPPED WITH AN OPERABLE IGNITION KILL SWITCH. The kill switch device must be attached to the driver's body anytime the combustion engine is operating. Anytime the combustion engine is operating and in
gear, there must be a driver in the driver's seat in full control of the boat. Any fuel tanks that are not installed by the boat manufacturer are prohibited. Fuel may be carried only in factory installed (built-in) fuel tanks. Any additional fuel used during the tournament day must be purchased from a retail facility open to the public.
14) Safety: Safe boating will be observed at all times. Each contestant is required to wear a fastened, U.S. Coast Guard approved, personal floatation device anytime the combustion engine is on. Tournament days may be shortened or canceled due to unsafe weather or water conditions. The decision to shorten or to cancel will be left totally to the discretion of the tournament director/committee. A 4-hour period shall constitute a day of fishing. It is the competitor’s responsibility to communicate with the Tournament Director if cancellation of the event is suspected. Cancellations will be communicated via VHF radios on a channel decided at the Pre-Tournament Meeting. If conditions are not safe on the tournament day, the RAA TOUR reserves the right to hold the
tournament the following day (Sunday). If conditions are not favorable the following day (Sunday), an alternate date will be published on the RAA TOUR website, www.Redfishseries.com.
15) Tackle and Equipment: Only artificial lures may be used. No live bait, dead bait or prepared bait will be permitted. Only one rod and reel may be used at any one time per angler.
16) Live Fish: Contestants are responsible for keeping their Redfish alive. Any dead fish brought in to weigh-in will be assessed an eight-ounce penalty. No altered, mutilated or iced fish will be accepted. Redfish will be inspected for alterations in size, length and weight. Any altered fish will result in the disqualification of the team weighing in the altered fish.
17) Scoring: Tournament standings, auxiliary awards and final winners shall be determined by the total weight of two redfish measured in pounds and 100ths of a pound of each team’s catch during the tournament. Only Redfish/Red Drum between 20 inches and 28 inches may be weighed-in. All redfish must be brought to weigh station in a live weigh-in tournament bag. Fish may not be brought to weigh-in on a stringer or in a basket. Teams may not possess more than two redfish at any time during the tournament.
18) Tie Breaker: If two or more teams have the same two-fish weight in the same tournament, it will be considered a tie. A tie breaker will be decided by the team’s total weight for the season. The team with the most accumulative weight for the season will be declared the winner of the tie. In the event of a tie for the first event of the season, the accumulative weight from the previous season will determine the tie. In the event that both teams do not have previous weights, the prize money from the two places will be combined and split between the teams. The tour reward bonus percentage (where applicable) will be applied after the split amount is determined.
19) Points: All teams fishing the RAA TOUR will receive points (with the exception of disqualified teams). The first place team will receive 100 points, the second place team will receive 99 points, etc. Teams weighing in no fish will receive 20 points less than the last team to weigh-in fish. Team points will remain with the team captain in the event of a team "break-up". The Team of the Year race is determined by total team points at the end of the season.
20) Protest Procedure: All protests must be submitted in writing, along with a $100 cash deposit. Protests must be submitted to the tournament director no later than 15 minutes following the weigh-in of the last fish. All decisions will be made by the tournament director and committee and are final. If the protest is upheld, the cash deposit will be returned to the person submitting the protest. The protester agrees that by filing a protest, the protester may be subject to a polygraph test.
21) Permission to be filmed for Television: I agree to be filmed, photographed, taped, quoted or otherwise mentioned (without compensation) by the Redfish Series organizers, or by anyone authorized by the RAA Tour organizers. This includes but is not limited to the official photographers, writers, hosts, or sponsors of this event under the conditions authorized by the RAA Tour organizers. I give the RAA Tour organizers, and anyone authorized by the RAA Tour, the right to use (without compensation) my name, picture, likeness, quotes, and biographical information, whether audio or visual, before, during and after the period of my individual or team participation in this event.