YOUTH
FISHING LEAGUE YFL TOURNAMENT TRAIL
2020
RULES AND REGULATIONS
1. Rules These rules shall remain
unchanged throughout the tournament season. Interpretation and enforcement of
Youth Fishing League rules shall be left exclusively to the tournament
director. The Tournament director may impose sanctions as deemed appropriate
for rule infractions without limitation e.g. disqualification. weigh deduction
penalties. Forfeit of prizes and or entry fee and prohibition from
participation in subsequent tournaments. Tournament Director's decisions are
final in all matters. Federal state local and water body authority laws and
rules must be obeyed at all times and shall supersede YFL rules when in
conflict.
2. Participation & Eligibility
This Tournament is open to all individuals, male or female, ages 6 through 18
and signed for by a Parent or Legal Guardian. Membership in the Youth Fishing
League is required. $25 Annual Dues. January 1st through December 31st
Participants without membership may join at the event.
3. Non-Boaters If you are a non-boat
owner and have friends that fish with the YFL you are welcome to join them as
long as you have secured a boat to fish from.
If you are unable to secure a boat to fish from notify a member of this
within 72 hours prior to the start of a tournament. The YFL will try but there
are no guarantees that we will be able to find a boat. Most boat are full. No bank fishing is allowed.
4. Liability Waiver Upon entering
any Youth Fishing League Tournament, contestants release Youth Fishing League
officials and sponsors from liability of accidents losses or thefts.
Contestants are responsible for knowing and understanding these rules and
signing Membership Application Tournament Waiver. NOTE It is the sole
responsibility of the boat owner to have adequate general liability insurance
covering him, her and passengers.
5. Divisions Age as of January 1st
of tournament Year
Little League Ages 6 7 8 and 9
Minor League Ages 10 11 and 12
Major League Ages 13 14 and 15
All Stars Ages 16 17 and 18
Participants may fish in the
division above theirs if they so desire. Two participants may fish from the
same boat even if they are in the same division. Each angler must keep his or
hers fish tagged separately. Only one Division may be fished per tournament and
points earned will be counted for that Division only.
6.
Scoring Fish Each participant may weigh in five 5 fish per day a minimum of 14
inches in length regardless if it is a largemouth, Spotted or Kentucky bass 16
inches on Conroe, measured on a flat board with mouth closed and tail
compressed ( the official board for the YFL is a check it stick). If
you are running a Skeeter boat please double check
your board they have been known to be short.
Any contestant weighing in a fish shorter than the legal tournament
length will be assessed a 2lb. penalty per short fish plus the loss of all
short fish. Any contestant bringing more than five 5 fish to the scales will be
disqualified. A penalty of .50 pounds per dead fish will be deducted from the
total weight. A dead Big Bass will be penalized .50 pounds due to this being a
separate prize. Only Largemouth Spotted or Kentucky Bass will be scored. Fish
will be measured on an official tournament measuring board. Ties for prizes
will be settled by the largest bass between tied contestants. Points will be
awarded equally for tying contestants. Any contestant’s weight will not be
counted if not checked in by the designated check in time.
Short
Fish -2.0 pounds
Dead
Fish -.50 pounds
Late:
1 lb per minute after 15 minutes disqualified.
7. Sportsmanship ADULTS MAY NOT
FISH. Assistance is allowed ONLY for
boat operation, tying on or removal of lures, and netting of the fish. In the
Little League Division assisting with casting is permissible however, the reel
must not be engaged before handing it to the youth angler. The adult may NOT
set the hook and hand child the rod. In ALL Divisions the child MUST catch
their own fish.
7A. TEAM
EVENT: 2 Youths may fish as a team as long as there
is an adult over the age of 20 years old in the boat
to operate. They also must have a valid boaters
id card or have taken the required boaters education
class.
7B. Anglers
13 and older will be allowed to drive during
tournament hours, if they have taken and passed
and they have a valid boaters ed license. This
must be on them while driving and during tournament
hours. They are still required to have an
adult over the age of 20 on board the boat with
them at all times.
8. Culling No more than a maximum of
five 5 fish may be in a live well at any time per angler. No culling is allowed
in the host marina area. Per state law
no culling of dead fish.
9. Entry Fee and Registration Entry
fee is $55 for all Divisions. Registration will only be done online,
we will no longer do at the door or same day registrations.
Online registration will close the Wednesday
before the tournament date. Contestants will receive boat I.D. numbers according to order in which they
registered. Official tournament hours will be announced the morning of the
event online via our website and facebook pages.. The YFL can change departure times or weigh in times if weather or lake
conditions are an issue. All anglers and
boat captains will be notified before start of an event.
10. Boats and Motors All boats must
have an emergency kill switch. All boats must have an aerated live well. All
fishing must be done from a previously inspected boat. Any boat that has NOT
gone through a live well inspection will not have their catch allowed for that
day.
11. Safety During tournament
competition a U.S. Coast Guard approved chest type life preserver PDF Type III
or higher, must be worn and properly fastened any time the engine is operating
and in gear and the kill switch must be attached to the driver with a lanyard.
All participants under the age of 13 will be required to wear a life jacket as
required by the State of Texas during tournament hours.
12. Tackle and Equipment Intentional
snagging of fish will not be allowed. Trolling with the aid of combustion motor
is not permitted. Only artificial lures may be used. No live bait or prepared
bait permitted with the exception of pork rinds and Berkley Gulp Liquid and
aerosol attractants are allowed. Only one 1 rod may be used at any one time.
The use of underwater cameras is not allowed during competition.
13. Permitted Fishing Waters No tube
bank or wade fishing allowed. No fishing is allowed within 25 yards of another
tournament boat without mutual consent. Hole sitting, or having a
non-contestant sit on a hole for you shall not be tolerated. Contestants must
be able to get the boat into the fishing area without getting out of the boat.
Navigable waters are the only waters to be fished during the tournament.
Contestants cannot leave the boat to land a fish. Restricting natural movement
of fish by any means such as but not limited to use of nets, tanks or dams will
result in immediate disqualification. Restricting access to waters normally
accessible to anglers by any means such as but not limited to felling of trees
or placement of obstructions will result in disqualification.
14. Guides No hiring of guides 14
days prior to any YFL tournament.
15. Championship Points Championship
Points will be based on a pure point format beginning with 100 points for first
place and descending down by one 1 point per place. In each event First Place
will receive 100 points, e.g. 1st Place 100 points 2nd Place 99. This procedure
will be followed for all contestants weighing fish. All remaining contestants
that did not weigh fish will receive twenty 20 points less than the last person
weighing a fish. If a contestant pays
for an event but does not fish the event, that contestant will get forty 40
points less than the last person weighing a fish. In case of a tie for Angler of the Year AOY
the total weight between competitors will determine the winner.
16. Championship Qualification: To
qualify for The Championship, an angler must fish a minimum of four (4) events
and finish in the Top Six 6 of their Division. OR pay for all 5 prior to the
event and fish a minimum of 4 events to qualify. NO BACK PAYING FOR ANY TOURNAMENT EVENT.
17. Weather, Change of Venue: Tournament Officials YFL Board of Directors
have the right to delay, shorten or cancel the start of the official tournament
day due to bad weather or other factors that would endanger the safety of the
competitors. The tournament waters may
also be restricted, moved or re-scheduled at any time due to bad weather and or
lake conditions.
18. PLEASE
NOTE Due to the growth of the YFL we are going to allow the Directors who fish
with their kids an early departure by 15 min.
The three directors who will depart early will also have to be in for
weigh in 15 min early. This will allow
us to get everything ready for weigh in and speed up the weigh in process. Also we are not going to open the scales up
early any more. If the weigh in is at 2
PM you need to weigh in at 2 not 12:30.
If you must get off the water before your designated time please load
your boat and keep your fish in your live wells with the pump continuously
running. Once the scales open at the
designated time you may bring your fish to the
scales. If you have to get off the water
due to an emergency please let a board member know.
Boat Captain
Name: Anglers Name: _
Boat Captain
Signature: Date: _
Printable
2020 Rules