Final results for July 25, 2009 WCF Big Bass Tournament!
First place was a tie with Chris Carlson and Scott Guetti both catching a 2.6lb largemouth and splitting the $1,000 for 1st place! Second place for $500 dollars with a 2.2lb largemouth went to John McGowan! Third place was Jim Wood and 2.15lb largemouth for $350! Big striper of the day was Bill Brehm and he took home $100 for his 2.7lb striped bass!
Westcoastfishing would like to thank all the angler's who participated in the event. We would also like to thank all of our sponsor's (Fishermans Choice, Fat Bass Baits and Pro Swimbaits) who helped with the quality prizes that we gave out at the end of the tournament. I would also like to thank Don McDowell and Darla Bardelli for all of the help they provided, Arizona Bass Federation Nation for the use of their weigh equipment and of course I would like to thank Jess Bakos and Rona Brown for braving the heat and cooking the food and handling the refreshments.
We look forward to the next WCF tournament and we appreciate everybody who showed up this weekend.
More pictures and video to be posted soon!
Pictures are Chris Carlson and John McGowan.
$1,000 Guaranteed Prize Money or More!!! Fishing Tackle Raffle For All Anglers! Hamburgers, hotdogs and beverages will be compliments of Westcoastfishing.com after weigh-in. Entry fees are $50.00 per person. One big fish wins and we will be paying the first three spots! Special striper option to be announced and all rules, times and specifics will be announced shortly. Tickets can be purchased at
Fishermans Choice Pro Shop
13615 N 35th Ave
Phoenix Az 85029
602-993-1139
www.fishermanschoiceproshop.com
or call John Bakos # 602-896-7963
Tournament Rules:
OFFICIAL RULES, First Annual WCF Fishing Tournament Rules:
Please read all official tournament rules and regulations prior to signing entry form and/or participating in the tournament(s). The following items will be checked when contestants weigh in and during boat checks. Violation of any rules regarding the following items will be cause for immediate disqualification: Fishing License - Boat Registration and Proof of Insurance - Kill Switch – Live Well Operation-Horsepower Rating - Alcoholic Beverages and Illegal Substances. The tournament will be held regardless of weather at the digression of tournament officials. Should conditions threaten safety, please use caution.
DECISIONS: All decisions of the Tournament Director are FINAL. All protests must be registered in writing with the Tournament Director within 15 minutes of the designated weigh in.
ELIGIBILITY:
1. All State & Federal penal code laws shall apply at all times.
2. All State, Coast Guard, Federal Parks & Wildlife regulations shall apply at all times.
3. This tournament is designed primarily for amateurs.
4. Contestants must have a valid fishing license for tournament lake on their person during tournament hours unless exempt. License must be presented at time of weigh-in, if requested.
5. Each person must be a paid contestant of official tournament and abide by all tournament rules and regulations. Park entry fee must be paid by contestants.
6. Non-contestants are not allowed in paid contestants' boat at anytime during official tournament hours.
7. Any contestant found to be in violation of any tournament rules and regulations will be subject to disqualification from this tournament and all future tournaments.
8. All bass caught by contestants fishing together will be disqualified if any of the said contestants are found to be in violation of any tournament rules and regulations.
9. Any person who has been disqualified from any prior tournament may be subject to being refused entry into tournament.
10. Tournament officials have the right to refuse ANY ENTRY.
11. Participants under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian with written parental permission.
REGISTRATION AND ENTRY FEE:
1. Entry form with complete entry fee must be received before fishing.
2. NO REFUND OR SUBSTITUTION OF ENTRY FEES FOR ANY REASON.
3. Entries received after the Official Deadline will subject to a $10.00 late fee.
4. Registration and entry fees will be accepted at Fisherman’s Choice, 35th Ave and Thunderbird, until 8:00 PM, July 24th or Sign-up at the Tournament headquarters, Maricopa County 10 Lane Launch Ramp from 4:00-8:00 PM July 24th, 2009.
5. Upon tournament registration, present your current AZ State fishing license, current boat registration and insurance.
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES and ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES:
No alcoholic beverages or illegal substance are to be used or consumed by tournament contestants nor are alcoholic beverages or illegal substances allowed in contestants' boat , in or on his or her person during official tournament hours; unless tournament contestant is finished fishing/has had their boat inspection and polygraph for that tournament day.
SAFETY (THE FOLLOWING IS MANDATORY):
1. All boats must be equipped with some type of emergency ignition cut-off device (kill switch) on any remote steered outboard while main engine is in use. Ignition cut-off device (kill switch) must be attached to boat operator at all times while main engine is in use. Kill switch must operate properly. When the kill switch is activated; the outboard main engine must stop running immediately. However, kill switches are not required with hand operated engines unless equipped with one when manufactured.
2. Boat operator must show proof of valid registration and current Insurance.
3. US Coast Guard approved life jackets are required for each person in boat. Life jackets must be worn and fastened while main engine is in use.
4. No boat shall have a motor of higher horsepower than the approved Coast Guard maximum.
5. An emergency telephone number will be provided to contestants who encounter mechanical failure or medical emergencies IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, COMPETITORS SHOULDCALL 911 FIRST AND THEN NOTIFY TOURNAMENT OFFICIALS.
6. COMPETITORS ARE ALLOWED TO LEAVE THE BOAT AND SEEK SAFE SHELTER IN BAD WEATHER WHERE DANGER MAY BE IMMINENT.
7. The use of cell phones, text messaging, CB or VHF radio or any other type communication devices are prohibited for the use of locating fish.
8. Tournament officials have the right to delay, shorten or cancel the start of an official tournament day because of bad weather or other factors that would endanger the safety of the competitors. Tournament waters may also be restricted at any time because of bad weather. Weather delays on full field days resulting in half of the tournament day being lost (first flight take-off and check in) shall result in cancellation. Full fields may be carried over to cut days.
9. WCF reserves the right to impose boat speed limits during any or all tournaments. Whether or not to impose a speed limit, the area covered by the speed limit and/or the actual speed limit imposed shall be left exclusively to the discretion of the tournament director.
PERMITTED FISHING AREAS & HOURS:
1. Only bass caught during tournament hours on tournament day (Safelight-12:00pm) may only be weighed in during official tournament weigh in hours (11:30am-Noon) on that day. Scales will be closed at 12:00pm (Noon) Contestants must be checked in at the weigh-in site and in line prior to 12:00 noon.
2. No fishing is allowed during official "off Limits" which begins at 8pm prior to tournament day.
3. Contestants must leave from the Maricopa County 10 Lane Boat launch ramp.
4. No fishing within 50 yards of a marina gas pump or other legally posted areas and weigh-in site.
5. No Wake, No Entry, Navigation and Hazard Buoys are to observed at all times as well standard navigations rules including lake traffic patterns
TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT:
1. All bass must be caught on artificial bait and legal by casting methods. Live bait is not allowed.
2. Snagging is not allowed, all fish must be mouth caught. Fish that show signs of snagging will be disqualified.
3. No trolling with big motor. Contestants may use only one rod at any one time. Additional rods may be in the boat for substitute purposes.
4. Bank fishing is not permissible (Must be in a boat).
5. No electronic tracking devices (implanted microchips) may be used to locate fish for tournament purposes. (Depth finders and graph charts are the only exception).
6. All boat must be equipped with an approved live well, water in-take, circulation and aeration system.
WEIGH-IN, SPORTSMANSHIP AND CONSERVATION: Weigh-In will be held at Scorpion Bay Dock (End of boat docks)
1. Sportsmanship, courtesy, safety and conservation are expected from every participant. Unsportsman like conduct, unsafe boat operation or killing or wasting fish will be grounds for disqualification.
2. All bass weighed-in become the property of the Tournament and will be released back into the lake each tournament day alive, if possible.
3. All contestants shall be required to bring their boat and respective partner(s) with them to the weigh-in site when weighing in bass.
4. Trailering is permissible to the weigh-in site, if applicable.
5. No bass on ice. Dead Bass will be disqualified. Bass must be alive to be weighed in. (Except for striped bass. All striped bass caught must be kept taken to the tournament weigh master for disposal of fish.) If you are in the Striper option, anglers are asked to keep the Stripers on ice so they don't spoil and can be consumed or used at later date. All stripers not filleted for consumption will be donated to AZ Game & Fish, Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center to feed to birds and animals in rehabilitation.
6. All bass brought to weigh in station must be in weigh bag, provided by the Tournament Officials with at least two gallons of water.
7. Only one bass per weigh-in bag is allowed. This is a one bass per contestant tournament. One striped bass per contestant if entered in striper option.
8. Bass must be weighed in by the contestant who originally caught the bass and it must be in said contestant’s physical possession in the weigh-in line until hand off to the weigh master.
9. Any artificially weighted or preserved bass will be disqualified and that contestant will be subject to prosecution under federal laws.
10. Any questionable entry will be subject to inspection by a marine biologist or similarly qualified expert.
11. Official measuring board is the CHECK-IT-STICK.
12. Only Largemouth and Small mouth will be weighed in for Big Bass. One striped per person if contestant is entered in the striper option. Minimum fish shall be 13”.
13. No contestant may have more than one bass in possession at any time during official Tournament hours (Two per boat if fishing with two contestants). Stripers are exempt from this rule.
14. This is a mandatory catch and release program during Official Tournament hours (With the exception for striped bass). When tournament is officially over each day all bass must be released back into tournament waters.
15. Contestants are to be attentive to litter and should make every effort to maintain their trash in their boat and dispose of it properly.
16. No culling of striped bass! All stripers must be kept and turned in at weigh time. Contestant may choose one striped bass to be weighed-in if several are caught.
17. Anglers are encouraged to use ice in live wells to keep water temperatures in suitable temperate range to ensure Bass survival. Refer to Tournament Fish Care Tips Below.
TOP 10 TOURNAMENT FISH CARE TIPS
1.Minimize handling and air exposure time. Land fish and remove hook as quickly as possible.
2.Protect the slim coat. Don’t let the fish flop on the carpet or deck.
3.When surface water temperature is less than 75 degrees (F) aerate the livewell by flushing with fresh water.
4.Run recirculating aeration continuously when the boat is moving and cannot pump in fresh water.
5.When surface temperatures exceed 75 degrees, use continuous recirculation. Add a block of ice to cool the water.
Surface Water TemperatureTarget Livewell Water Temp
75-80 degrees………………………………………………………………75 degrees
81-85 degrees………………………………………………………………78 degrees
+ 85 degrees……………………………………………………………….80 degrees
6.When operating livewell in recirculation mode with more 5 lbs of bass, replace half of the livewell water with fresh water every 3 hours to remove ammonia. Add ice to lower temperature to the target livewell temperature range.
7.When recirculating, add 1/3 cup of non-iodized salt for each 5 gallons of livewell water.
8.At weigh-in use only bags provided by the tournament officials. Fill with at least 2 gallons of livewell water.
9.While waiting in line, dip fresh water into your bag several times from life-support tanks.
10.Handle fish with wet hands, hold bass vertically by the lower jaw or support the fish with 2 hands.
For more information visit Bassmaster.com/conservation or contact Don McDowell, Conservation Direction, AZ Bass Federation Nation, 623-221-7655
BOAT INSPECTION:
1. All contestants, by entering this Tournament, hereby agree to allow their boats to be boarded and inspected by Tournament officials at any time during Tournament hours.
2. Items to be checked include, but not limited to, boat registration and proof of insurance, Coast Guard horsepower rating plate, and boat contents to include live well and live well operation including aeration and water circulation, rod boxes, closed storage compartments, tackle boxes, life jackets, PFD's and safety equipment. Refer to checklist above.
POLYGRAPH:
1. Each contestant, by signing the entry form and/or participation in the tournament, agrees to submit to a polygraph examination.
2. Polygraph test will be given on a random basis and must be passed.
3. There will be random polygraph tests given after the conclusion of each official tournament hour as soon as that hour has elapsed. All contestants who have placed during said hour, their respective partners and boats, if any, must remain at the official Tournament site until winners are declared official. If not present, contestants will automatically be disqualified.
4. Any contestant determined by the polygraph examination or other Tournament officials to be intoxicated or on any type of illegal drugs at the time or in violation of Tournament rules, will be disqualified from this and all future tournaments.
5. Any contestant found to be in possession of any illegal substance will be subject to disqualification and prosecution.
* The above mentioned rules are for everyone’s safety * we want everyone to have fun, be safe and catch fish!
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