Official "Reel Team" Rules (2010)

1. All standings from the tournaments will be posted on this web site.
2. 'Reel Team' tournaments are open to all anglers with a valid Minnesota fishing license. Boat captains must be eighteen (18) years of age or older.
3. Team tournament (two anglers per boat). In an extreme situation where an alternate cannot be found to fill a vacant position an angler may elect to fish alone, but by so doing limits him/herself to a six (6) fish limit.
4. Artificial baits only. No live bait or 'dead baiting' with the exception of composite baits (i.e. pork, powerbaits, etc).
5. Bag limit per team will be eight (8) largemouth and/or smallmouth bass with a minimum length of twelve (12) inches.
6. All boats must have a livewell or recirculation system capable of supporting eight (8) fish. At no time will any team have more than eight (8) fish in the livewell.
7. A two-tenths (.2) pound penalty will be deducted for a dead fish. This will be deducted from the total bag weight.
8. Boat checks will commence approximately one hour prior to ease-off. All boats must be checked prior to fishing. Late boats checking in will be last out.
9. Short fish will result in a one pound penalty not counting the weight of the short fish. No courtesy measurements.
10. Winners will be determined by total bag weight. Ties will be broken by 1) Number of fish; 2) Big fish; 3) Coin flip.
11. A 'two cast' buffer zone and 50 yards from an attended marker buoy will be observed between tournament angers during tournament hours. In general, no crowding. Communicate your intentions with other anglers when fishing in the same vicinity.
12. All anglers will wear a flotation vest/jacket while the combustion engine is running.
13. No alcoholic beverages will be allowed in boats during tournament hours or in other restricted areas.
14. Any boats late for weigh-in will be disqualified for the lake. No exceptions.
15. No tournament boat shall touch any other watercraft or appear to do so between ease-off and weigh-in with the exception of emergencies.
16. Basic liability insurance must be current on all tournament boats.
17. There is a forty-five (45) team limit, plus tournament directors on all tournament events.
18. The "Team of the Year" award will be given to the team who attains the season's highest combined bag weight. A team does not need to fish in all three events to qualify for this award. However, any team using an alternate more than once during the seaon will be taken out of the running for this award. Ties for this award will be broken by rule #10.
19. The Tournament of Champions will take the season's top ten teams and compete on an area lake after completion of the regular tournament season as scheduling permits. There will be no entry fee for this tournament since ten dollars per entry will be added to the "Champions" fund. The Tournament of Champions will be 100% payback.
20. Breaking of State and/or local fish and boating laws and/or tournament rules will be grounds for immediate disqualification with no refunds. This includes unsportsmanlike conduct.
21. The tournament reserves the right to refuse entry to any team or individual who has a history of grievances, violations, inappropriate behavior and the like in past event - both in the tournaments and also but not limited to other tournament trails.
22. Fish to be weighed in must be accompanied with our weigh-in bags.
23. Boat numbers 15 and 30 will be part of the rules council. Tournament director's decisions are final on all matters.