TOURNEYX TOURNAMENT REGISTRATION & LEADERBOARD LINK

EVENT INFORMATION AND OFFICIAL RULES

CATCH, PHOTO, SUBMIT (CPS): Bayou Coast is running this tournament as a “catch, photo, submit” (CPS) tournament on the TourneyX Pro app. As compared to “CPR” tournaments, there is no requirement for the angler to “release” their fish back into the water. However, anglers are required to follow the strictest interpretation of Louisiana law regarding the keeping of fish as it relates to size and creel limit for all species.

FORMAT: Each angler is given lures to fish with for the tournament. You can only use these lures. POSSESSION of any other lures will result in the contestant being disqualified. Super glue, leader material, and simple speed clips or tactical clips will be allowed to be used one at a time as intended. No additional weight or weights or the use of any type of scent or dyes will be allowed. No floats or corks are allowed other than what may be provided, and no scavenging of old corks or items found afloat.

BOUNDARIES: All anglers will shotgun launch from one of the following three places: Leeville Public Launch, Top Water Marina, or Catfish Lake Public Launch.  The boundaries shall include all publicly accessible waters from these launches. You may choose ONLY ONE launch location and commit to that location for the entire tournament. You are not allowed to change launch locations at any point during the day.

OBJECT: The longest total length of up to 2 tournament slot Redfish (tournament slot requirements defined below) and 5 Speckled Trout (12” or greater) will win. Fish pictures submitted to the TourneyX Pro App will be judged by one or more individuals assigned to the job by the tournament directors. In the event of a tie, the angler with the longest fish will place higher. If the first fish does not break the tie, the anglers next largest fish will be used, and so on down their list of submissions. In the event, that the anglers are still tied, then the angler who submitted their final fish first that is used in their stringer will win.

REDFISH TOURNAMENT SLOT: Redfish must be over 16” and less than 30”. This means that the tail of Redfish may not be touching the 30” line on an angler’s board. As such, 29.75” is the maximum length for a Redfish that an angler can submit.  The maximum SCORE you can receive for a Redfish is 26.75”.  As an example, a Redfish measuring 29.75” will only receive a score of 26.75” on the leaderboard. Any attempt, or suspicion of attempt, at manipulating an over slot Redfish to make it show as under 30” will be not be scored.  This decision will be at the discretion of the assigned judge(s) and will be very strictly monitored.

ENTRY FEES: The entry fee is $35 per participant.

$18 of each entry is paid out to the winners.

$10 of each entry is held for the Championship Event.

$7 of each entry covers TourneyX platform and PayPal processing fees.

100% of the event purse is split to pay out the individual awards.

1-30 Paid Entries = Three (3) places paid out

31-50 Paid Entries = Four (4) places paid out

51-75 Paid Entries = Five (5) places paid out

76-100 Paid Entries = Six (6) places paid out

101+ Paid Entries = Seven (7) places paid out

Minimum payout = $50 with cash differentials provided by Bayou Coast.

HOURLY BIG RED CALCUTTA: There will be an option during registration to enter the Big Red calcutta for $10.00. A winner will be declared every hour for the angler who submits the biggest redfish in each hour of the tournament starting at 6:00 AM through 3:00 PM. Each “hour” will begin on the hour, 6:00 AM to 7:00 AM, 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM, and so on. In the event of a tie, the angler who submits their photograph earliest that hour wins. The winner is determined based on the time when the picture was submitted and not when the photograph was taken. The Big Red calcutta pot will be divided equally between all the winners.  Anglers can win up to a total of 2 times (as long as the photos were not taken during the same hour).

MULE TROUT CALCUTTA: There will be an option during registration to enter the Mule Trout calcutta for $5 and the winner will take all. Winner is determined by the longest Speckled Trout submitted (12” or greater), or the earliest submitted Speckled Trout in the event of a tie.

YOUTH DIVISION: There is a youth division for anglers who are 12 years of age or younger for free. Enter by sending an email or a private message through Facebook to any of the club officers. Youths compete for a prize valued at $50 (minimum) and do not compete against anglers who paid full entry fees.

REGISTRATION & TOURNAMENT IDENTIFIER: Registration will be open through the TourneyX Pro app until 6:00 PM Central Time, January 22, 2021. The 3-digit tournament identifier code will be released in the app at 8:00 PM Central Time on January 22, 2021.

VIRTUAL CAPTAINS MEETING: A virtual captains meeting will take place in the evening on Thursday January 21 at 7:00 PM on Facebook Live.  The details of how to attend this meeting will be announced in advance and will be posted on the club webpage, www.bayoucoast.com as well as on the club Facebook Page, Bayou Coast Kayak Fishing Club – Discussion group. The tournament directors will discuss key details of the tournament and field questions from anglers relative to the rules of the tournament, using the TourneyX Pro app, and submitting photos of fish.

LURE HANDOUT: Lures will be handed out to all anglers from 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM at Galliano Inn on Friday, January 22, 2021.  Lures will also be handed out from 4:30AM – 5:00 AM on Saturday, January 23, 2021 at Galliano Inn.  You must collect your lures no later than 5:00 AM the morning of the tournament, as those handing out the lures will also be fishing the event.

FISHING TIMES: The official LAUNCH AND LINES IN time is 6:00 AM. You may launch your kayak prior to 6:00 AM and stage within the immediate area of the launch, but DO NOT travel forth or begin fishing UNTIL the 6:00 AM launch horn is sounded. REMINDER: Be courteous, DO NOT BLOCK LAUNCHES. Anglers must stop fishing at 3:00 PM. Any photos or submissions attempted after 3:00 PM will be rejected.

AWARDS CEREMONY:  The awards ceremony will take place on Facebook Live at 7:00 PM on January 23, 2020.  We will announce the overall winners, as well as the top 20 anglers who have tentatively qualified for the championship, as well as the winners of the Hourly Big Red Calcutta and Mule Trout Calcutta. Additionally, the winner from the youth division will be announced.  The awards ceremony will take place on Facebook Live through the club Facebook Page, Bayou Coast Kayak Fishing Club – Discussion Group.

APPROVED MEASURING DEVICES:

The Hawg Trough – LINES MUST BE TRACED with a marker

Ketch Boards – All models, both plastic and metal, are accepted WITH EXCEPTION to the hinged 48” model.

Check-it Stik Kayak Elite Series – This specific model only will be accepted

These boards are expected to be clean and all lines/numbers clearly visible to the judges who view submitted pictures.

PHOTO SUBMISSION RULES / INFO: “TourneyX Pro” is the official app and tournament scoring method for Bayou Coast CPS Tournaments. It is available for Apple iOS and Android operating system smartphones. Make sure to download the PRO version as it is the only one that works. The 3-digit tournament identifier code will be released on the TourneyX PRO app at 8:00 PM on Friday, January 22, 2021. For more information on how to use the TourneyX Pro APP please visit https://tourneyx.com/app/help/ for information on the app, as well as the TourneyX Youtube page for some of their video tutorials.

The following photo submission rules are as follows:

– Photos of fish may be submitted from 6:00 AM until 3:00 PM.

– The live leaderboard will be turned off at 1:00 PM, and back on following the awards ceremony the same evening.

– The fish must be on a tournament approved measuring device and the body centered between the rails, and alive.

– Caught fish must be photographed before your next cast. This means an angler must bring a caught fish into their kayak and take a picture before they begin fishing again. A fish that the tournament directors suspect is dead due to being out of the water too long may be rejected. Examples of issues that may result in a disqualified fish are faded color, no slime coat, shriveled tail, etc.

– The fish must be facing to the left with the tail to the right and the belly of the fish facing the angler.

– The fish must be submitted at 0.25” incremental measurements

– If the tail is not obviously touching or crossing a measurement line, it will be rounded down to the next lower quarter inch length.

– The nose of fish must be pressed up against the post of the measuring device. Please ensure that shadows do not obscure the nose and post. If the judge cannot see that the nose is clearly up against the post, the angler will face a 0.5” length deduction

– You can submit pictures of as many fish as you like; however, you can only submit one picture of the fish you want judged.  In the event that a submitted fish picture is denied, you can request that the judge review another picture(s) of the same fish

– FOR SPECKLED TROUT, the mouth must be CLOSED. If the mouth is open more than the slightest crack, the angler will face a 0.5” length deduction

– There may be no lures or fish retaining tools in the fish’s mouth for the picture or the angler will face a 0.5” length reduction. This reduction may be inclusive or in addition to the open mouth penalty at the judge’s discretion.

– The mouth, eye, and tail must be visible for the picture to be accepted, with the tail flat on the measuring board. Only the angler’s hand may obscure the body of the fish, either to hold the fish down or pinch the tail, but not both.

– The top lobe of the tail of your fish must be inside the boundaries of your board. If using a Check It-Stik, the top lobe must be over the lines on the flat (bottom) portion of your board, and not over the curved lip on the sides. Judges will make a best attempt to score the length of the fish in relation to visible numbers and lines which the tail clearly crosses.

– The picture must be taken overhead and not at an extreme angle.

– Pictures will only be accepted if they include original metadata which contains GPS coordinates.  Note: Assigned judges will NOT have access to GPS metadata information.  Only a single Bayou Coast officer has access to this information. The only situation in which it will be viewed is if a valid location-based protest is submitted to the tournament directors, or there is a genuine suspicion that the angler was not fishing within the legal boundaries.

– The 3-digit tournament identifier code must be visible in the picture (written on a card or the back of your hand). If written on a card, it may be placed on the back of your hand, or next to the fish, BUT not on the fish.

– If the judge deems your picture to be inauthentic or otherwise too problematic to accept, it will be rejected. Appeals may be made to the tournament directors as described below in the protests section.

– Following completion of the tournament and awards ceremony, anglers may make a formal written request that their entry is deleted from TourneyX to the tournament directors. Doing so will delete all of the fish pictures, metadata, GPS, and statistics from the angler’s TourneyX account. This means these pictures/metadata/GPS will no longer be accessible to anyone including the tournament directors. This is a permanent irreversible decision. Making this request will not disqualify the angler from qualifying for awards in the tournament.

ANGLER OF THE YEAR / CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFICATION: The top 20 anglers on the leaderboard of Minimalist Challenge are eligible to qualify for the Bayou Coast Championship in November. To qualify, an angler must also have an additional paid entry to one of the other 3 Championship Series qualifying tournaments and be a paid club member in good standing with Bayou Coast prior to entry into the tournament in which they qualified.

Points are awarded for Angler of the Year at each tournament with 1st receiving 300 points, 2nd receiving 299 points, 3rd receiving 298 points, and so on down the line. To receive points, an angler must weigh in at least a single legal fish and be a Bayou Coast member in good standing. The winners for Angler of the Year will have accumulated the most points from the 4 qualifying tournaments plus the Bayou Coast Championship but will be allowed a drop of the worst placing tournament for each individual angler.

At the end of all 4 qualifying tournaments, at least the top 2 anglers in angler of the year points (who had not previously qualified in a tournament) will gain entry to the championship via wildcard. Points accumulated in all 4 qualifying tournaments will count in determining the wildcard spots.  If there are still less than 40 anglers qualified for the championship after the initial 2 wildcards are earned, up to 3 more wildcard places may be awarded to the next highest Angler of the Year points earners so that a minimum of 40 anglers qualify for the championship.

PADDLE/PEDAL CRAFT ONLY: This event allows human powered craft only. Trolling motors, sails, gas engines, and “mother ships,” are not allowed. Your pedal or paddle craft must be human powered and includes tandem kayaks, canoes, pirogues, and paddleboards. A participant is allowed to wade fish or fish from the bank but ONLY if they remain within 100′ of their LAUNCHED paddle craft. Launched is defined as your paddle/pedal craft being off of your vehicle/trailer and that a portion of the craft is in fishable waters.

PRIVATE LAUNCHES & PRIVATE FISHING AREAS: Leeville Public Launch, Top Water Marina, and Catfish Lake Public Launch are the only permitted launches for this tournament. Fishing behind gated areas of the marsh is not allowed unless the angler has arranged for all other participants to also fish the area that day AND has made that possibility known to all by posting appropriate information on our forums at least one week in advance.

WATER COURTESY / ENCROACHMENT: Do your best not to disturb someone else’s fishing area, by encroachment, or noise. An angler officially establishes his/her fishing area by having their craft anchored in place. If you come upon an angler in an egress area, as quietly as you can, ask which side he or she would like you to cross at. A good rule of thumb is that if you can both cast to a common point you’re too close. Respect others and use the golden rule.

PROTESTS: All protests must be written and submitted electronically by 5:00 PM to be considered. The tournament director is the final authority on deciding the merits/outcomes of a protest.

CHEATING/FOUL PLAY: All anglers are encouraged to report violations. Cheating and contest fraud in a fishing tournament is a crime in the state of Louisiana. Bayou Coast will enforce a zero-tolerance policy with regard to cheating.

POLYGRAPH EXAMINATION: All participants, by signing up, agree to take a polygraph examination if requested. Any participant can be asked to submit to a polygraph examination. No explanation shall be required from the hosts of the tournament as to why a specific individual is asked to submit to a polygraph examination. Refusal to submit to or failure of a polygraph examination will result in disqualification from the tournament, forfeiture of any and all prizes / awards, and potential banishment from all future Bayou Coast events. No refunds for tournament fees will be granted for person(s) refusing to submit to or failing a polygraph examination.

RELEASE OF LIABILITY AND COVENANT NOT TO SUE: A waiver, release of liability, and covenant not to sue are part of the entry form. It is required that all contestants take responsibility for themselves while participating in event activities. Please DO NOT let your competitive nature push you into doing dangerous things. You must agree to the Waiver to participate. The Waiver is in the online registration page linked below. BE SAFE, BE SEEN, AND WEAR YOUR PFD!

DEPTH FINDERS: Depth finders / fish finders are allowed.

BAITS: Each angler is given lures to fish with for the tournament. You can only use these lures. POSSESSION of any other lures will result in the contestant being disqualified. Super glue, leader material, swivels, and simple speed clips or tactical clips will be allowed to be used one at a time as intended. No additional weight or weights or the use of any type of scent or dyes will be allowed. No floats or corks are allowed other than what may be provided, and no scavenging of old corks or items found afloat.

COMMUNICATION: Cell or electronic communication “to and from” non-tournament anglers during tournament hours will not be allowed except if it is not fishing related (Example: your wife, work, etc.).

PFD REQUIREMENT: You must properly wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved PFD while afloat in your watercraft during all Bayou Coast events. Failure to comply with this rule during competition could result in disqualification from the tournament. Disqualification will be determined by the Tournament Director based on investigation of any specific incident.

RULE CHANGES: Interpretation of rules is exclusively left to the Tournament Directors and Bayou Coast Officers. The decisions of this group are final in all matters and are not subject to appeal. Please do your part in not providing a reason to place them in a position where they must make rulings, decisions, etc. Keep it simple, keep it clean, and when in doubt…do the right thing.

PARTICIPATION AND ELIGIBILITY: Participation is open to anyone 18 years of age or older. Minors are eligible to participate with a parent or legal guardian. That parent or guardian, not Bayou Coast, is responsible for the safety and well-being of that minor. All participants represent that they are physically and mentally competent and fit and able to participate. By entering, all participants agree to assume ALL risks of personal injury, death, and damage to or loss of property and further agree to indemnify and hold Bayou Coast, its officers, members, agents, and sponsors harmless from and against any and all claims, liabilities, and causes of action resulting directly or indirectly from participation.

LEGAL FISH: Each participant must catch their own fish. You may not give fish to another participant. You may not net a fish for another (adult) participant. Youths should hook and retrieve their own catch. A parent/guardian may net fish for them and may handle the fish once it is netted.

DRONE/UAS USAGE: Tournament participants are not allowed to use unmanned aircraft systems (drones) during the tournament day to scout for fish, spy on other anglers, or any other means that may be viewed as benefiting/advancing their fishing.

PORTAGING: As most of you are aware, Minimalist is normally a shotgun launch from the public launch in Leeville. In the past, we have allowed anglers to portage across areas after they have launched. Due to COVID, we have decided to increase the number of launch spots to three: Public Launch in Leeville, Topwater in Leeville, and the Golden Meadow public launch. Anglers will still be allowed to portage their kayaks, however they cannot do so direct from any of the three launches. This is in keeping with the Minimalist tradition, you must launch and go forth before finding any areas to portage. PLEASE NOTE that once you launch, you are not allowed to pick up and move to either of the other two launches. You must make a decision for that day and commit to it.

TOURNEYX TOURNAMENT REGISTRATION & LEADERBOARD LINK