Tulsa Metro 2003 Rules

  1. TULSA METRO BASS LEAGUE 2003: Tulsa Metro Bass League 2003 (TMBL) Directors and/or Rules Committee reserves the right to refuse entry to anyone.
  2. ELIGIBILITY: At least one member of each team must be 18 years of age. Under age contestants must have written consent fro parent or legal guardian. A professional guide of the host lake is not eligible to participate in a tournament held on that lake if they have guided on that lake within 7 (seven) days prior to the tournament. The use of a professional guide on a host lake within 10 (ten) days of the tournament date is not permitted.
  3. FEES: Membership fees are $35.00 per person. Everyone must be a member to fish the TMBL. Each regular season tournament entry fee is $60.00 per team. The TMBL Championship entry fee is also $70.00 per team. A member can fish any tournament alone at the full entry fee ($60.00). Entries can be mailed to the Tournament Director or taken in person to Okiebug, but must be received no later than Thursday prior to the tournament at 6:00pm to be in the drawing for position. Late entries will be accepted at the ramp but will be assessed a $20.00 late fee and will be placed at the end of the field. However, late entries will be required to weigh-in with the first flight. A $20.00 fee will be assessed on all returned checks.
  4. SAFETY: Coast Guard approved life jackets, kill switch and working bow and stern running lights are mandatory. Life jackets and kill switch must be worn when the boat is on plane. Breaking any state or federal boating law may be cause for disqualification.
  5. BOATS: Any safe boat with working aerated livewells is allowed. All boats must meet U.S. Coast Guard and State regulations.
  6. TACKLE: Only artificial baits or lures may be used. No trolling or live bait is allowed. Pork style baits and commercial scents are allowed.  All bass must be caught on rod and reel and in a legal, sporting manner. Only one rod and reel per contestant is allowed in use at any one time. Underwater cameras are not allowed during tournament hours and may result in disqualification. Dip nets are allowed.
  7. SCORING: 5 fish limit, 14 inches, only largemouth/black bass, Kentucky/spotted bass or smallmouth bass are allowed. Bass must measure 14 inches or more on flat board, mouth closed in any way to get tail to touch. Total stringer weight will determine winners. Any team bringing more than 5 (five) fish to the weigh-in will have their entire catch for that day disqualified. Once the fish have been turned over to the tournament officials, they become the property of the tournament and no fish may be added to the catch. Big Bass will be weighed at the discretion of the Weigh Master or by request of the team representative. A short fish is a 1 lb penalty and loss of that fish. The Director and/or Rules Committee reserves the right to refuse the weighing of any dead bass.
  8. DEAD FISH PENALTY: A 1 lb penalty per dead bass will be deducted from the total weight of the stringer.
  9. CULLING: No culling is allowed after check-in with check-in boat.
  10. LATE PENALTY: Contestants late to the weigh-in will be assessed a 1 lb per minute penalty with a maximum of 10 minutes allowed. Contestants will be disqualified after 10 minutes.
  11. PERMITTED FISHING AREAS: Fishing is allowed from boat only and confined to waters specified in the tournament. Contestants must leave the designated launch ramp via boat and return via boat. Contestants must not depart the boat to fish or land fish. No contestant will be allowed to fish within 25 yards of an operating gas dock. No fishing within 25 yards of another contestant's anchored boat will be allowed without permission of the first boat to arrive. Both contestants must remain in the boat at all times except in the case of emergency or life threatening situation. In such an emergency, contestants may be removed from their boat to another contestant's boat or rescue boat. In case of boat or motor problems, one or both contestants can hitch a ride to the weigh-in with another contestant. The Tournament Director is to be notified immediately of such problems.
  12. RESTRICTING BASS: Restricting bass by any method which disallows it natural movement or travel throughout the entire impoundment is prohibited and is cause for disqualification.
  13. SEEDING BASS: Seeding bass captured from another impoundment is prohibited and is cause for disqualification.
  14. MEETING: A non-mandatory meeting will be held every Thursday night preceding the tournament at 6:00pm at Okiebug. Drawing for take off position will take place for all paid entrants during those meetings.
  15. SUBSTITUTES: Each team may consist of three members. Everyone must be a member to fish the TMBL. The third member may be used as a substitute throughout the season but must be declared prior to the final regular season tournament. The third member must have fished at least on regular season tournament to qualify to fish in the Championship. The "team" must fish 4 of 5 regular season's tournaments to qualify for Championship.
  16. DEADWATER: Deadwater will be observed Wednesday through Friday prior to official tournament dates for regular season tournaments and for the league Championship. Violation of this rule WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION.
  17. TAKE-OFF: Begins at safe light, 1 boat at a time. Contestants should have their livewell checked prior to take off. If a team is late to take off and misses livewell check, then the team must have their livewell checked by 2 separate competing TMBL 2003 teams before proceeding to fish. This violation must be reported to the Tournament Director upon arrival at the weigh-in. No contestant may begin fishing or leave by boat before the starter boat calls his number. The penalty for this is disqualification from the tournament.
  18. WEIGH-IN: The weigh-in will begin with the first flight at 3:00pm at each tournament. Each team must check in prior to the weigh-in time with the check-in boat or be assessed a late penalty. The check-in boat will be in position at 2:40pm. Boats are allowed to be loaded onto their trailers prior to weighing fish, provided their fish are brought to the scales for weighing in a timely manner. A last call will be announced for fish to be weighed. All fish must be weighed at that time.
  19. OFFICIAL TIME: The official timekeeper for the tournament is the Tulsa Metro Bass League 2003 Tournament Director.
  20. TIES: All ties shall be decided by the total number of fish. If a tie still exists, that awards will be divided between the teams.
  21. PROTESTS: Any protest should be made in writing at the weigh-in within 15 minutes of the conclusion of the weigh-in.
  22. WAIVER: All contestants must sign a Waiver Form releasing all tournament officials, contestants, hosts, and sponsors from any and all claims, injuries and/or damages incurred with the TMBL 2003 before participation will be allowed.
  23. SPORTSMANSHIP: All contestants are expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety and conservation. Any contestant who displays poor sportsmanship, violates these rules, or any State, Federal or local laws, or brings unfavorable publicity to the sport of bass fishing will be disqualified. Contestants must have a valid Oklahoma fishing license (unless exempt) and another form of  identification as required by law, on their person.
  24. POLYGRAPH: By signing the Waiver Form, contestants agree to a polygraph test by a qualified examiner. Refusal to submit to a polygraph test will result in immediate disqualification. Failure of the polygraph test or refusal to submit to the polygraph test will result in forfeiture of all monies and the contestant(s) will be banned from future TMBL tournaments.
  25. CHEATING: Anyone who has been banned from another organization or has been convicted of cheating in any other fishing tournament or contest is not eligible to join or fish with TMBL 2003.
  26. CHAMPIONSHIP: The winners will receive a G3 with a 40hp Yamaha outboard boat/motor/trailer package, total valued at over $7,500. Each team must fish 4 of 5 regular season tournaments, to qualify for the league Championship.
  27. POINTS SYSTEM FOR ANGLERS OF THE YEAR: Each team will receive their points for place of finish, i.e. 1st place - 200 points, 2nd place - 199 points. Teams that are in the tournament, but do not weight any fish will receive 25 points less than the last team to weigh fish. Teams that are not in the tournament will not receive points. High point total at the end of the regular season, after adding 6 regular season events, will be awarded the Anglers of the Year title. Anglers of the Year will receive free entry fees for the 2004 Tulsa Metro Bass League as well as Angler of the Year plaques.
  28. RULES AND LAWS: All TMBL, Federal, State and local laws MUST BE OBEYED and IT IS THE CONTESTANT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THESE RULES AND LAWS. Regardless of your understanding concerning the law about running under bridges, the rule in this tournament is all bridges are no wake with the exception of the Navigation Channel. Contestants are allowed to run the Navigation Channel bridges. Running under any other bridge, on any other water is grounds for disqualification.
  29. ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES: Alcoholic Beverages and Illegal Drugs or illegal use of Prescription Drugs are not allowed during tournament hours and/or prior to taking polygraph.

**ANY ANNOUNCEMENT MADE BY THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR AT THE TOURNAMENT SITE TAKES PRECEDENCE OVER THESE WRITTEN RULES. BY PARTICIPATING IN THIS EVENT, EACH PERSON AGREES THAT ALL DECISIONS MADE BY THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR ARE FINAL AND NOT SUBJECT TO LEGAL CHALLENGE.

Click here to return to Tulsa Metro Bass League's main page