Rules and Registration

1. Rule changes – These rules will remain unchanged during the year 2010. Interpretation of these rules will be left exclusively to the Tournament Director. Decisions of the tournament director are final in all matters and are not subject to appeal. Protests must be made in writing within 30 minutes of the official check-in time of the final flight of each tournament day.

2. Participation – All contestants must have a valid fishing license and are required to follow all applicable federal, state and local regulations and laws. Any violation of such regulations and laws may result in disqualification from the tournament. Teams may consist of one, two or three members. For teams consisting of three members, only two of the members may be 16 or older, must have proof of age.

3. Entry Fees, Registration & Pre-tournament meeting – There is an entry fee of $200 per event. Registration can be completed by pre-registering or registering the morning of the tournament (cash only entries will be accepted the morning of the tournament). Pre-registration may be accomplished by completion of entry form sent through email, postal mailing or online at www.LaSaltwaterseries.com All teams will be assigned boat numbers according to the order of registration. There will be a pre-tournament meeting held just prior to blast off, the morning of the tournament, all teams are expected to be present.

4. 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 in operation. Each boat must have all required U.S. Coast Guard safety equipment. For the safety of all contestants, all boats must be equipped with some type of operable ignition shut-off device. This ignition shut-off (Kill Switch) must be attached to the driver anytime the combustion engine is operating and in gear. At the discretion of the tournament director, tournament days may be shortened or canceled due to unsafe weather or water conditions. The tournament will not start under a U.S. Coast Guard “Gale or Storm Warning” or until “Safe Light” is determined.

5. Sportsmanship – All contestants are required to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety, conservation and to conduct themselves in a manner that will be a credit to themselves to “LA Saltwater Series”, its sponsors, and the sport of fishing. Examples of conduct not complying with those standards include but are not limited to, the following: 1) Consumption of alcoholic beverages or any mind-altering substance prior to taking of the polygraph test, 2) Any other words, conduct or actions reflecting unfavorably on “LA Saltwater Series” tournaments or the sponsors of those tournaments or reflecting unfavorably upon efforts to promote safety, sportsmanship, fair competition and compliance with tournament rules. If conduct does not comply with the standards set forth, the “LA Saltwater Series” and its director or officers shall have the right to refuse any entry, or to deny a confirmed entry by returning the entry fee of a previously accepted entry or disqualify a contestant. The “LA Saltwater Series” reserves the right to place an official observer in a contestant’s boat at any time during competition hours.

6. Communication – During tournament hours, contestants may not obtain or receive assistance from non-competitors, follow a non-competitor’s boat or participate in the practice of “hole-sitting” or the placing of markers by anyone. The use of mobile communication devices, including, but not limited to, cellular telephones, marine radios, walkie-talkies, CBs, etc., during tournament hours is strictly prohibited except in an emergency (severe weather, etc.).

7. Boat and horsepower regulation – All boats must be a minimum of 15 feet in length with a console and steering wheel, no stick or tiller steering. Each boat must have all required U.S. Coast Guard safety equipment. A serviceable VHF is mandatory for all tournament boats. The official “LA Saltwater Series” channel will be assigned at the pretournament meeting. Boats must contain a properly aerated live-well space to adequately maintain a live limit catch of redfish. Maximum horsepower for all outboards used in tournament competition will be 300 horsepower, not to exceed the horsepower capacity set forth on the “Maximum Capacities” placard described below. Each boat must have a clearly legible “Maximum Capacities” (or comparably titled) placard that includes a maximum horsepower rating affixed to the boat by the manufacturer. The horsepower of the outboard engine must not exceed the maximum horsepower capacity specified on this placard or the 300 horsepower maximum set by “LA Saltwater Series”. By signing the entry form, each contestant agrees to submit their boat and/or motor to an inspection by “LA Saltwater Series” personnel. Falsifying information on entry forms or altering the horsepower numbers on the motor or rating placard will be cause for disqualification from the tournament and may result in ineligibility to compete in future “LA Saltwater Series” events. 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.

8. Permitted fishing methods & locations – All Redfish must be caught alive and in a conventional sporting manner. Only artificial lures may be used during competition. Anglers may not catch fish or weigh in fish that have been caged or confined in an area prior to the tournament. Contestants may fish anywhere on tournament waters accessible to the public by boat, except areas designated as “off limits” or “no fishing” by private ownership or local, state and federal officials. All angling must be conducted from the boat. At no time may a contestant leave the boat to land a fish or to make the boat more accessible to fishing water. The boat must remain in the tournament waters during the tournament day. No tournament boat may be loaded on the trailer before the weigh-in except with the permission of the tournament director. In the event of equipment failure or emergency, there will be only two permitted methods of team members returning to the official check-in: by both partners remaining in their boat and being towed by water, or by one of the partners entering the boat of another tournament contestant. Under these two conditions, the team’s catch may be counted without a penalty (except for late penalties, dead-fish penalties or other penalties pertaining to other tournament rules). Teams that elect to return to the official check-in by any other means than cited above will forfeit their day’s catch to that point in time of the tournament day. Any team returning to the check-in point will be eligible to restart and resume competition under the supervision of the tournament director or his designated tournament official. It is the sole responsibility of teams to locate the tournament director to request a restart. If a team must violate any part of this rule due to an emergency or for any other reason, their catch for that day will not be counted.

9. Official Checkpoints & Late Penalty – There will be only one official checkpoint for boat check in the morning and one official check-in point in the afternoon. Failure to go through boat check, checkout in the morning and/or failure to check-in at the check-in point will result in disqualification. All fishing must cease upon check-in. Contestants who are not at the official check-in area at the appointed time will be disqualified.

10. Scoring & Live Fish – Tournament standings and winners shall be determined by the total weight measured in pounds and 100th of a pound of each teams catch during the tournament. Only Redfish/Red Drum will be weighed and the limit shall be 2 fish per day per team. Additionally, teams may bring in the remainder of their Louisiana daily limit to be tagged by Aquarium of the Americas personnel and placed in the monitoring system before releasing. Teams will receive a ticket for each additional redfish surrendered with a drawing at the weigh-in for a valuable prize. Fish must be within an 18″ to 27″ slot measured on a flat board. Any fish outside of the slot will be disqualified and a 1 pound penalty will be assessed to the remaining weight. All Redfish will be measured with mouth closed and with pinched tail. Any fish that appears to have been iced, penned, mangled, mashed, mauled or otherwise altered will not be weighed at the discretion of the weigh master. In the event a tie should occur, the largest fish will be the tie breaker for a one day event, total cumulative weight for the year will be the tie breaker for the team of the year. Every effort must be made to keep redfish alive. A .5 (1/2) pound penalty will be deducted from the total weight for each dead redfish presented for weigh-in.

11. Insurance & Liability – All contestants must have sufficient health, accident and liability insurance to cover any bodily or property injury claim arising from their participation in any “LA Saltwater Series” event. By signing this application, I hereby clearly state that I agree to be bound by the rules, which govern “LA Saltwater Series” tournament. I hereby waive and release all other contestants, officials, sponsors, and/or tournament officials from all claims, and/or damages incurred in connection with my participation in the “LA Saltwater Series” tournament. I acknowledge that my personal safety and the safety of my property are my sole responsibility. I understand and agree that the “LA Saltwater Series” reserves the right to refund fees for any reason. I understand and agree that the “LA Saltwater Series” reserves the right to not allow my continued participation in the “LA Saltwater Series” for any reason. I agree and consent to undergo a polygraph test, if requested, and if there is a problem passing the test, I understand that this will result in my forfeiting all fees and awards from the event entered and will preclude participation in any future “LA Saltwater Series” events. I agree to sign whatever forms are required by the polygraph examiner and to release and hold him harmless from liability associated with the polygraph test. Refusal to submit to the polygraph test will result in an automatic disqualification. In consideration of my participation in the “LA Saltwater Series”, I hereby waive all claims for damages or loss to my person or property which may be caused by any act or failure to act of the “LA Saltwater Series”, its officials, officers, agents, sponsors, or members. I am aware of the risk of all dangerous conditions associated with boating and participation in fishing tournaments and waive any and all specific notice of the existence of such conditions.

12. Points - 200 points will be awarded to the winning team of each tournament, 199 points to 2nd, 198 points to 3rd, etc. Teams that fail to weigh a fish or teams that pay for an event but do not participate will be awarded 100 points. Points from each team’s best four (4) finishes will count towards Team of the Year (TOY). The TOY will receive a cash payout.

13. Championship & Qualification – The Championship will be no entry fee. Payout will be for first place only and be a percentage of all entry fees paid in all regular season events. Championship payout for all other places (2nd, 3rd, etc.) will be based upon individual teams participation in a calcutta type format. All teams that participate or pay entry fees for at least three (3) events will qualify for the Championship.