53rd Annual St Jude

Sardis Bass Classic

Official Rules for the 53rd Annual St Jude Sardis Bass Classic

Brought to you by the Casting for Cure (Nonprofit)

Registration:

 Tournament teams must register at Batesville Civic Center

290 Civic Center Dr. Batesville, MS 38606

 If you plan to register at the Civic Center, all paperwork must be filled out prior to registration.

 Both boat and flight numbers will be determined at registration.

 There will also be a second chance drawing for boat numbers for a cash donation of $20.00 at

registration. If you don’t like the boat number, pay the donation and redraw.

 Registration will be from 1:00 PM until 3:00 PM.

 No registrations will be accepted after 3:00 PM.

 Both team members are encouraged to attend the registration.

 Casting for Cures carries a tournament insurance policy. Boat owners will need a $300,000

liability policy to qualify for the tournament insurance. We do not require you to carry

insurance for this event, but it’s highly encouraged.

 This tournament will be limited to 350 boats.

 There is a BIG BASS POT of $20.00 cash only at registration. The payout will be 80% to the

winner and 20% to the St Jude Childre’s Research Hospital.

 100% of the proceeds from this event, will go to, St Jude Childre’s Research Hospital.

Blast Off:

 Blast off will be at first safe light. Approximately 5:30 AM. Unless the inclement weather

doesn’t allow a safe blast off.

 Blast off rules will be strictly enforced, so come early.

 Teams may launch from any lake ramp, except Beach Point. All boats must have their live well

checked before the tournament. Livewell checks are done at Engineers Point ramp or at the

pontoon boat with the flashing yellow light. If your live well hasn’t been checked and your boat

number recorded, your catch will be disqualified. Once your live well has been checked, stage

inside the Sardis Lake Marina harbor by 5:00 AM.

 No boats arriving after 5:00 AM will be allowed in the harbor and must proceed to the late

staging area, No Exceptions.

 The St Jude Pontoon boat will be staged at the harbor entrance to direct the late boats to the

arrival staging area.

 Late arrivals will be staged outside of the harbor at the end of the Sardis Lake Marina fuel

dock, away from the fuel pumps and launch area.

 There will be a Tournament director at the late arrival staging area to record your boat number

and verify your live well has been checked.

 The tournament director must have your boat number prior to entering the staging area.

 Late arrivals will remain in the late staging area until the blast off has been completed.

 Late arrivals will then proceed to stage inside the harbor for the final safety and live well check,

then launch by perspective boat number.

 All boats will need to stage in the back of the marina until your flight number is called.

 Boaters will not be allowed to get on plane until they are clear of the pontoon boat with the

flashing light.

 Any special request, special needs, and parking for blast off will have to be sent to the

tournament director prior to the tournament. Any late request will be subject to availability.

Contact Victor “Vic” Lucas 901-606-3851 or send an email to; stjudesardisbass@gmail.com.

 Check-in times will not change.

Off Limits:

 No fishing within 200 feet of any fuel dock.

 No fishing 100 feet of the boat ramp.

 No fishing within 25 yards of another fishing boat that is anchored.

 Anchored means trolling motor in the up stowed position with anchor or hydraulic anchor

deployed.

 Any disregard to the above rules needs to be reported to the Tournament Director immediately.

Check-in:

 All teams will have to check in on time to record their boat number at the St Jude Pontoon boat

with the flashing yellow light prior to entering Engineers Point boat ramp area. This will be you

check in time.

 Teams will need to keep their boat number paddles to turn in at weigh in.

 Please be courteous when you approach the pontoon boat, IDLE ONLY.

 Teams will have to declare their NO FISH POT intentions at the St Jude pontoon boat during

check in. If you do not declare your intentions, you will not be eligible for the drawing.

 You will need to release your fish before leaving the water if you declare no fish.

 A team member will have 25 minutes to be in the weigh in line once they are checked in.

 The last flight will need to be checked in no later than 3;30 PM.

 Teams will be penalized one pound for every minute late up to 5 minutes after their required

check in time. After the 5-minute requirement, the team will forfeit their entry.

Flight Times:

 1st Flight will check in @ 2:30 PM 4th Flight will check in @ 3:15 PM

 2nd Flight will check in @ 2:45 PM 5th Flight will check in @ 3:30 PM

 3rd Flight will check in @ 3:00 PM

Fishing Methods:

 Trolling of any kind will be prohibited during tournament hours.

 The use of more than one rod at a time per angler is prohibited.

 The use of any lure/bail other than artificial lures is prohibited.

 Teams may use artificial pork trailers.

 No Hole Setting will be allowed for non-tournament participants.

Fishing Location:

 Teams are not allowed to leave the boat for any reason during tournament hours.

 Casting within 50’ radius to another tournament angler with the trolling motor deployed will be

prohibited unless given permission by the other angler.

 Boats must remain in the tournament waters during tournament hours.

 Teams must leave and return back to the official check in point.

 In the case of a boat being disabled one team member will be allowed to enter another tournament teams

boat with their fish to come in for weigh in. You must notify the tournament directors prior to changing

boats.

 The check-in times will not change.

 In case of breakdown call (901) 606-3851 or (731)460-8888. In case of emergency call 911.

Safety:

 At the sole discretions of the tournament director’s this event can be postponed or canceled for any

reason due to inclement weather or unsafe conditions.

 Safe and courteous boating must be observed at all times, any unsafe act or lack of good sportsmanship

will lead to immediate disqualification.

 All boats must meet and follow all United States Coast Guard, State and Corp of Engineers boating

regulations and laws.

 Boats may not exceed the outboard manufacturers’ horsepower requirement limit.

 Boats are required to have operating live wells for fish preservation.

 All boats must be equipped with an operational emergency kill switch and must be attached to the driver

while outboard is in operation.

 Team members must have in possession and wear the appropriate life jacket securely attached while the

outboard is in operation.

 Any use or presence of drugs or alcohol during tournament hour will result in disqualification.

Scoring:

 Tournament winners will be determined by the total weight of 5 fish or less with the minimum length of

12” and must comply with the current State Fish and Game laws.

 The Golden Rule Board will be the official measuring board.

 Contestants may not have in their possession more than 5 fish in the boat at any time, upon catching the

6th fish you must cull one immediately.

 Only Largemouth and Spotted bass will be weighed.

 All short fish weighed in will be thrown out along with the biggest fish.

 Any fish that looks to be mangled, mashed, or altered in any way will not be weighed.

 Any dead fish weighed in will be penalized ¼ pound per fish up to two fish.

 Any dead fish that goes over the limit of 2 will have a penalty of (1) pound per fish.

 All fish that are weighed in become the property of the St. Jude Open Bass Classic to be released.

 A random selection of all contestants will be required to submit and pass the polygraph test to receive

any prizes and or awards.

 Any refusal of this request will result in disqualification.

Protests:

 Any team that wishes to protest any violations of the tournament rules must do so in person to the,

Tournament Directors: Victor Lucas (901) 606-3851 Steve Hearn (731) 460-8888

 Protest must be reported within 30 minutes after their scheduled weigh in time.

 The decision of the Tournament Directors will be final.

Changing Partners:

 Changing partners will be allowed but changes must be made at registration.

 Please contact the following people regarding any changes:

Victor Lucas 901-606-3851