HIGHLAND MARINA RESORT TEAM TRAIL - OFFICIAL RULES

1. Polygraph Examination - There will be at least 2 random polygraph examinations during the year. As a contestant in the Highland Marina Team Trail, I do hereby contractually agree that the result of said polygraph examination will be the final decision of the polygraph operators to whether I, as a contestant, will be eliminated as a recipient of any prize or award as a result of my participation in said tournament.

2. Participation & Eligibility - These tournaments are open to all persons. At least one team member must be 18 years or older.

3. Registration - Each competitor must register in person, complete this application, enter team name for points standing verification, and have a rule briefing and boat check prior to blast off.

4. Safety - Safe boating conduct must be observed at all times. Each contestant must have a Coast Guard approved life vest and motor kill switch secured at all times while the combustion engine is running.

5. Sportsmanship - All competitors are expected to show courtesy to other competitors and non-competitors alike. No alcoholic beverages or other stimulants will be allowed in boats. No firearms will be allowed in boats. The only exception being those person(s) affiliated with recognized law enforcement agencies. No competitor shall have a non-competitor sit on a hole or hold a hole for him.

6. Protest - All protests must be filed after the rules briefing prior to blast off, or no later than15 minutes after weigh in is completed. Any competitor who is caught accusing another competitor of an infraction of the tournament rules without filing a formal complaint with the tournament director can be disqualified from the tournament trail for unsportsmanlike conduct.

7. Tackle & Equipment - Only artificial lures may be used. No live baits. All bass must be caught live and in a conventional manner using rod and reel.

8. Boat Equipment - Safety equipment adequate to pass Coast Guard regulations must be in the boat at all times. Carelessness or unsafe operation of any boat shall not be tolerated and is grounds for disqualification. Each boat must have an aerated live well with space adequate to maintain a tournament limit of bass.

9. Permitted Fishing Locations - Fishing on tournament waters is permitted anywhere on West Point Lake. Fishing is only allowed on navigable waters, contestants must be able to run the boat to all fishing areas without getting out of the boat. Fishing is not permitted 50 yards from any marina gas pump, the Highland Marina Beach area which is marked by white poles with red stripes out to the end of the rental boat docks, areas designated as no fishing areas by state or local officials, or 50 yards from another contestant's boat which is first anchored with their trolling motor up.

Contestants may not cast into, hook, or land a fish in these areas.

10. Scoring - Largemouth & Spotted bass will be weighed. The limit shall be 5 fish per boat. All largemouth bass must be 14 inches in length or larger and all spotted bass (must have tooth patch on tongue) must be 12 inches in length or larger measured on a golden rule with the mouth closed and by moving the tail from side to side.

11. Dead/Short Fish Penalty - There will be an 8-ounce penalty for each dead fish weighed in. If a dead fish is in the running for big fish, the 8-ounce penalty will apply to that fish also. Culling of dead fish is not allowed. At no time shall a team have more than 5 fish in it's possession. Upon catching the 6^th fish you must cull. If a short fish is brought to the scales, the penalty will be the loss of your big fish or a minimum of 3 pounds, whichever is greater.

12. Late Penalty - Competitors who are not in the official checkpoint area (the Highland Marina outer "no wake" buoy) at the appointed time shall be penalized at the rate of 1 pound per minute which will be deducted from the total weight counted that day including any weight towards big fish. Any competitor more than 15 minutes late shall be disqualified.

13. Emergencies - Competitors shall remain in their boats and with their partners at all times during the tournament, except in the event of sickness or severe storm. Partners may be momentarily out of sight of each other for the sole purpose of performing nature calls.

14. Fishing Method - Highland Marina recognizes only the following methods to catch bass: casting & retrieving a lure, and any form of pitching or flipping. Drifting is allowed only when it is "wind aided". You may use your trolling motor to adjust your "wind aided" drift pattern.

15. Tournament Hours - Tournament hours shall be from safe light, as determined by the tournament director until 3:00 PM unless otherwise stated at the tournament briefing.

16. Rule Changes - Interpretation of these rules shall be left exclusively to the tournament officials. The decision of the tournament director shall be final in all matters. Infraction of these rules could be grounds for disqualification for this and future tournaments.

17. Pre-fish off limits - There is no pre-fishing off limits for these tournaments.

18. Top Qualifying Teams - Qualifying will be determined by a points only system (25 points for first down to 1 point for 25th place), ties in points will be determined by overall team weight . In order for points to be accumulated teams must have the same partners but may use two alternate partners throughout the year. It is permissible for one of the partners of a team to fish alone and accumulate points for the team providing that his normal partner is not fishing the same tournament. If different partners are used after using the two allowable alternates, points and pounds will be accumulated for the "new team".

19. Classic Qualifying - The top ten teams at the end of the year in points and/or pounds will qualify for the year end Classic, in addition, 5 teams who have fished at least 8 tournaments during the year will be drawn at random for a wild card position in the Classic. The qualified team must fish together with their primary partner, no alternates or substitutions may be made. If one team member is unable to fish in the Classic, the other team member may fish alone.

20. Cancellation/Re-schedule - Highland Marina Resort reserves the right to cancel or reschedule any tournament at any time.