Tournament Trails

OFFICIAL RULES OF ANGLER’S EDGE ROCK RIVER BASS LEAGUE TOURNAMENTS

(RBL Rockford Bass League)

Entrants and Eligibility:

1.Angler’s Edge RBL events are open to adult individuals or minors accompanied by a parent, legal guardian or with written consent that said minor may participate with another adult. Anglers must be in good standing with Angler’s Edge Tournaments. 

Membership:

1. There are NO membership requirements or fees at the time of the writing of these rules, 12/19.

2. In all Angler’s Edge events participation is at the sole discretion of Angler’s Edge and the Tour Director.

Team Makeup & Participation:

1. Angler’s Edge RBL Tournaments are team tournaments with a Five (5) fish limit per boat. 

2. A maximum of two (2) anglers per team.

3. This does not preclude an angler from competing alone as long as full entries as outlined are paid.

Substitutes:

1. A team may consist of numerous coanglers without objection.

2. Should a team qualify for the RBL Classic, the team will consist of the angler and co-angler who competed in the most tournaments as a team.

3. A substitute for the RBL Classic event must be made known prior to the day of the RBL Classic.

a. Substitute must be approved by the tournamnet director.

b. Substitute cannot be a guide or someone picked from the RBL Classic location for the benefit of creating an advantage.

c. A written document with signatures of all coanglers must be submitted to the Tour Director that all anglers are in agreement.

Entry Fees:

1. RBL entry fees will be $75.00 per boat

2. Big Bass will be an optional $10.00 pot. a. A live or dead Big Bass will be weighed. There will be no penalty for dead bass levied for the Big Bass pot. The weighing of a dead fish will be at the sole discretion of the Tour Director taking into consideration the appearance and state of the fish.

3. Mega Bass will be an optional $10.00 pot.

4. There will be a $10.00 fee collected that will be placed into the RBL Classic fund to be paid out at 100%.

5. There will be a $7.00 credit card convenience fee applied to entries paid via credit card.

Refunds:

1. No refunds will be given if notification is not provided to Angler’s Edge by the close of business the day prior to the tournament.

2. Messages left on the Anglers Edge answering machine are not considered notification.

Payouts:

1. RBL entry Fee: 80% will be paid out the day of the tournament.

2. RBL Big Bass Option: 100% paid out the day of the tournament.

3. RBL Mega Bass Option: 100 % paid out for a 3.5 pounds bass or heavier.

a. The pot will roll over until there is a winner.

b. If a team has not participated in the Mega Bass in previous tournaments they will need to pay $10.00 for each tournament that has been completed and the tournament of the day to compete.

Ramp Fees:

1.Ramp fees are the sole responsibility of the anglers competing in the watercraft.

Start Positions:

Start positions are determined by the date and time entries are received.

Inspections:

1. Each boat will be inspected prior to take off; there will be no exceptions.

2. All boats should be inspected and in the water prior to the pre tour meeting. One team member must attend the meeting.

3. Any late boat will not be guaranteed to fish. If allowed to fish the watercraft will be inspected after the launch is complete and rules have been reviewed.

4. If the tournament has started and boats have left the launch; a team may still fish if they can locate Tour Director Dan Degner, Angler’s Edge Owners either A.J. or E.J. Dilonardo so the boat can be inspected.

5. There will be no refund of an entry fee paid if a team does not participate.

Pre Tour Meeting:

1. The pre tour meeting will take place at designated and announced times.

2. At least one member of the team must attend the pre tourn meeting.

3. Meeting will be held close to the water so those anglers fishing alone can attend from their boat.

Tournament Start Times:

1. The take off will be immediately following the pre tour meeting at Tour Directors discretion.

2. All start times are at the discretion of the Tour Director taking into consideration the weather and safe light conditions.

Tournament End Times:

1. Tour end times will be posted in all written schedules.

2. The tour end time will be announced at the pre tournament meeting.

3. Exact time will be noted to sync anglers.

4. For RBL events in Rockford on the Rock River anglers must be in Sportscore within view and lines out of the water.

5. For RBL events in Beloit on the Rock River anglers must be South of the Hendricks bridge or North of the tennis courts in view of the ramp with lines out of the water.

Limits Of Fish:

1. There will be a Five (5) fish creel limit for all events.

2. Size limits for the Rock River in the Rockford and Beloit pool is 14” minimum for Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass. Species: Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass will be accepted for weighin.

Bump Table:

1.All fish will be given to the weighmaster for inspection. Once the fish have been presented to the weighmaster they become the property of Angler’s Edge until returned to the anglers.

Dead or Mutilated Fish:

1. Decision to weigh in fish based on their condition is the responsibility of the tournament director and weighmaster.

2. Teams will be penalized ¼ pound per dead fish.

3. If teams present dead fish they will be subject to a livewell inspection and instruction in handling fish prior to the next tour date. This will not be done at the next tour inspection.

Scoring:  

 Teams not weighing in fish will be awarded 500 pts for competing. Big Bass for each event will be awarded 10 pts. Teams paying for a tour event and not fishing do not receive participation points.

Ties:

1. Ties for Big Bass will be broken by using the total weight of the bag presented

2. The largest bass will break ties for total weight.

3. It is imperative that anglers weighin a big bass.

Classic Qualification:

1. Anglers in good standing.

2. Compete in or pay for all RBL events and be automatically invited to the RBL Classic.

3. Compete in a minimum of four (4) RBL events and be in the top 50% of standings.

Disqualification:

1. Over Limit: Presenting more than five (5) fish to the weighmaster.

2. Short Fish: Presenting short fish to the weighmaster. The Golden Rule will be the measuring device of Angler’s Edge RBL.

3. Adding Weight: Presenting fish with foreign substances inside to add weight. Fish may be randomly scanned with metal detectors. 4. Game

Law Violation: Any violations presented to tournament director by a DNR representative will be grounds for disqualification and will be subject to review.

Watercraft & Boating Violations:

Any violation presented to the tournament director by a governing agency will be grounds for disqualification and will be subject to review.

Tournament Committee Make Up:

1. Each RBL tour event will have a committee.

2. Tour Director, Weighmaster, Angler’s Edge representative will serve.

3. A team from the tour event will be appointed to be part of the committee.

Anchoring: 1. A boat that is anchored either via a rope and anchor, or PowerPole / Talon device and has the trolling motor out of the water will be considered to have secured the water up to and including fifty (50) feet in all directions around the watercraft.

2. The anchored boat may not selectively allow other boats to fish this area it is theirs alone.

3. An entrant may not anchor in a creek or passage way that would limit another entrant from passing on to another fishing area. 4. Common sense, courtesy and judgement must be used in all instances.

Grievances:

1. All grievances must be submitted in writing with $25.00 pror to the end of the weighin.

2. The grievance will be submitted to the tour committee for review.

3. If the grievance is founded the fee will be returned.

Safety:

1. Safe boating actions must be observed at all times.

2. The vest shall be snapped and or zipped and kept in that position until fishing location is reached and the combustion motor is turned off.

3. Each entrant will be required to wear a Coast Guard approved life vest any time the combustion motor is operating.

4. Cumbustion motors must have an emergency kill switch that will be attached to the driver.

5. Violation of these rules is grounds for immediate disqualification.

Care of Fish:

1.All watercraft must have a functioning livewell.

Boat and Motor:

1.All entrants must comply with all applicable Coast Guard, State and Federal boat and motor requirements.

Tackle and Equipment:

1. NO LIVE BAIT, or any bait that was once alive.

2. Only artifical lures may be used.

3. Only one pole may be fished at a time.

4. There is no combustion motor trolling.

Insurance:

1.Each boat owner or operator must carry and have proof of boat insurance.

Governing Law:

1.All Federal, State and Local laws, statutes and ordinances will be enforced. 

Licenses:

1.It is the responsibility of anglers to have in their possession the appropriate licenses required for the waters of the tour event.

Conclusion: These rules should not be considered all inclusive or self limiting. Any rule found to be in violation of law, ordinance, statute or civil right will be addressed and adjusted to be in compliance to fulfill the intent of the rule.

 217 East Riverside Blvd * Loves Park, Il 61111 * 815-877-6062