Invisible Wounds Fishing Tournament Rules

1. All Federal, State, and Local laws must be obeyed or contestants will be subject to disqualification. 
2. Contestants may launch their boat at any available public boat ramp other than the designated take-off location, but all contestants must meet at the registration table located at Temple Lake Park for a poker chip drawing to determine the order of boat launch. 
3. Boats can register and pay online for the tournament. Online registration closes on May 29th. Cash Only registration will be accepted the morning of the tournament.   
4. All fish must be caught on artificial lures by casting. No trolling, strolling, or live bait allowed.  
5. A team consists of two contestants fishing from the same boat (in the event of a hardship, one contestant paying full team entry fee is eligible) No more than two people in a boat without permission from Fishing in the Dark officials before start of tournament.  
6. No fish will be weighed which has been kept on ice or is pale–gilled.  
7. A penalty of .25 pounds will be assessed for any dead fish (EACH). Please try to keep your fish alive. If caught throwing a dead fish in a lake you will be disqualified from the tournament.  Fishing in the Dark member and members guest will abide by state and federal laws.  
8. Only 5 fish will be weighed per a team. Tournament officials have the right to inspect live wells before, during and after the tournament.  
9. Ties will be decided by flip of a coin. All decisions of the appointed tournament officials are final.  
10. Trailering is allowed if decided before start of tournament by Fishing in the Dark officials.  
11. Tournament officials will be announced before start of tournament by Fishing in the Dark officials.  
12. Contestants must have valid fishing license.  
13. Contestants can only use one rod at a time.  
14. Sportsmanship, courtesy, safety, and conservation are expected from every participant. 
15.  No consuming alcohol the morning of and during tournament hours. Drinking during weigh in is fine. Fishing in the Dark is not responsible for your actions or results of your actions.  
16. No fishing within 25 yards of other contestants without permission. The Fishing in the Dark President and or Administrators are responsible for choosing when they deem safe light during take off the morning of Fishing in the Dark tournaments.  
17. The Fishing in the Dark President and or Administrators may also implement a systematic way of take off the morning of the Fishing in the Dark tournaments if there is a seemingly larger number of Fishing in the Dark contestants.  Safety First!  The Fishing in the Dark president or president’s administration will also advise at the start of a tournament when a tournament time ends and give specific details, i.e. your boat being inside of the buoys to qualify to weigh your fish, etc.  If caught coming in late, contestants will be disqualified from the tournament and will not count towards the championship. 
18. Fishing in the Dark contestants cannot fish (spot lock, trolling, etc) within 100 yards around the host boat ramp or host marina within 1 hour of the start of the tournament.  
19. All Spots, Guadalupe, White, Kentucky, or other species of  bass must be a 14 inch minimum by standards. If you are unsure of a measurement, request to use the administrators CHECK-IT STIK at the weigh station before handing your bag to the administrator.  If you or your partner have an under (14in) in your 5 bag limit and bring it to the weigh station, you will be disqualified from the tournament. The Fishing in the Dark utilizes a CHECK-IT STIK for bass measurements.  Fishing in the Dark highly recommends investing in one.  Academy Sports and Outdoors online has the 25″ CHECK-IT STIK for $17.99 as of 12/11/18. 
20.  No checks/money orders/gift cards are to be accepted as a form of payment for tournament fees on the day of the tournament.  Only CASH on the day of the tournament will be accepted to register.  Also, exact change in the amount of $100.00 is greatly appreciated. We will not accept $50.00 from an angler and have to wait for your teammates $50.00 at the time of payment.  All $100.00 will be required before drawing a boat number the morning of a tournament.   
21. All Fishing in the Dark anglers shall respect the no-wake zones at each respective lake. Disobeying a no-wake zone may result in a disqualification from an administrator for that individual tournament.   
22. All persons fishing in a Fishing in the Dark tournament shall have a life vest (USCG-approved) with kill switch attached (STATE LAW) while your big engine is on and traveling on a lake. (exception loading/unloading boat)  
23. At any time during a Fishing in the Dark tournament if you catch an over seven (7) pound bass you may find the selected administrator for that tournament on the lake and weigh that fish with the official Fishing in the Dark scale.  
24. If a Fishing in the Dark angler is caught throwing a dead fish in the lake (State Law) after weighing your fish, you will be disqualified from the following tournament. Dead fish are your responsibility.  
25. If you are caught tampering with another angler’s tackle prior, during or after a tournament, you will be disqualified from all future events. 
26. Rules are Subject to change. Local, State and Federal laws will be followed by all. If not, Fishing in the Dark anglers may face criminal/civil charges and or removed/disqualified from the Fishing in the Dark Invisible Wounds Tournament.  Fishing in the Dark will not be held liable for your illegal actions. Any changes will be posted on the Fishing in the Dark Facebook page and communicated before the tournament starts.  If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask. 

We would like to thank all of our sponsors and participants for making this year's Invisible Wounds Fishing Tournament our best one yet!