2012 TCBFT Qualifier
#1
September 17
Wheeler Lake
Joe Wheeler State Park Ramp in Rogersville, AL
2012
TCBFT Qualifier #2
October 8
Lake Normandy
Barton Springs Ramp in Normandy, TN
2012
TCBFT Qualifier #3
November 12th
Chickamauga Lake
Chester Frost Park in Hixson, TN
2012
TCBFT Qualifier #4
March 3rd & 4th
Guntersville Lake
Waterfront in Scottsboro, AL
$1,000 Guaranteed 1st Place
FLYER
2012
TCBFT Qualifier #5
April 15th
Kentucky Lake
Birdsong Marina in Camden, TN
2012
TCBFT Qualifier #6
April 29th
Nickajack Lake
Sullivan's Ramp in Kimball, TN
2012
TCBFT Qualifier #7
May 19th
Watt's Bar Lake
Watt's Bar Dam in Spring City, TN
2012
TCBFT CHAMPIONSHIP
June 8th & 9th
Chickamauga Lake
Chester Frost Park in Hixson, TN
$1,500 Guaranteed 1st Place
2012
TCBFT TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS
July 7th
Tim's Ford Lake
Devil's Step Ramp in Winchester, TN
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Welcome all to the 2012 Tennessee Collegiate Bass Fishing Trail (TCBFT) hosted by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) Bass Anglers Sports Club. This will be the second year of the TCBFT and we are really excited about this upcoming season. Last year we had a lot of fun and had some great competition. Our team has been working hard this summer trying to figure out which lakes would be best to fish and which dates would be best to fish them.
Our goal in hosting the 2012 TCBFT is threefold:
1) To provide a competitive and affordable tournament trail in Tennessee, that is centrally located for many colleges (Tennessee borders eight states).
2) To fish different lakes across the state as to learn multiple fishing techniques.
3) To reward the top anglers (with plaques and prizes) for each qualifying event as well as for overall performance throughout the TCBFT.
We have a traditional
invitational format to our Qualifiers and Championship, but there is a point
system in place which will factor into who wins Angler of the Year as well as
who qualifies for our 9th and final event of the series, the TCBFT
Tournament of Champions. This tournament will have no entry fee and will be a
1st Place takes all format. We are still working the details out for this
tournament but it will be an invite only tournament so anglers will have to
earn or qualify their way into the event.
Anglers can qualify for the TCBFT Tournament of Champions in a number of ways:
1) Top 10 in the Angler of the Year Points (after Championship Event)
2) Placing 1st in any of the 7 TCBFT Qualifying events
3) Placing in the Top 3 at the TCBFT Championship
4) Catching Big Bass of the Season (includes Championship event)
5) Having an Undefeated Head-to-Head Record (at least 5-0)
6) Angler of the Year Wild Card Pick (AOY gets to select one angler/boat to
fish as a wild-card)
We are adding a team element
this year so after boat numbers are drawn at the tournament meeting, those
anglers will draw a second boat number and this is the boat they are directly
competing against for that day (total LBs vs. total LBs). If one boat
catches more weight than the boat they are competing against, they will become
1-0 and will be paired against another undefeated boat at the next qualifier.
Boats with 1 loss will then be paired up against other boats with one loss. We
thought this would be fun for rivalry sake and it is one of the 6 ways to
qualify for the TCBFT Tournament of Champions. At the conclusion of the TCBFT
Championship, we will crown a Head-to-Head Champion as well as the School with
the highest head-to-head winning percentage (minimum 15 matches).
As far as the AOY race goes,
we will have two drop tournaments out of the 8 qualifiers because we understand
everyone won't be able to fish every event. In other words, each anglers
two worst qualifying tournament scores will be dropped. Last year the points race came down to the
final day of the Championship so I predict this year will be even closer.
I hope this helps explain the 2011 TCBFT a little better. Please help spread the word about this trail
because the more boats we can get, the bigger the payouts, and there is a good
possibility that our Championship will be televised on Versus if we have good
attendance this year. If you have any
questions please visit our website www.utcbassfishing.com. Feel free to check out the 2012 TCBFT page
which has a tournament schedule and an online tournament registration
tool.
Thanks and looking forward to a great year!
James Childers
UT-Chattanooga Bass Fishing President
TCBFT Tournament Director
931-247-3062
utcbassfishing@gmail.com
Practice & Off Limits
Official Checkpoint & Late Penalty
The official checkpoint will be designated by a tournament director at the
pre-launch meeting that will take place the morning of the event at least one
hour before launch. All boats must be at the checkpoint at the
predetermined time by flights given out during the pre tournament meeting.
Failure to be in at the official time will result in a 1.00lb/per minute
penalty and after 15 minutes it will result in the disqualification of that
day’s catch. Please note that if you weigh in a limit of five bass in a
TCBFT Qualifying Event, you will receive an extra point unless you are fifteen
or more minutes late to the official checkpoint.
Fishing Tackle/Equipment & Tournament Procedures
To be considered eligible for tournament winnings and TCBFT points, all boats must return to the tournament launch site to bring their catch to the scales to be weighed. In the event of equipment failure or other emergency, there will only be two permitted methods of returning to official check-in:
1) by both partners remaining in boat and being towed by water,
OR
2) by one partner leaving with the team’s catch and entering
another competitor’s boat or other pre-checked boat and returning to check-in
site.
It is the sole responsibility of the team involved in the emergency to contact a tournament director and make them aware of the situation. Cell phones may be used during the tournament to communicate with your team members. The only other use of cell phones will be to call the tournament director Taylor Massingill at 423-667-8228.
General Boating Safety
All boats and motors must be equipped with an ignition kill or shut off switch and must be attached to the driver when the motor is running (idle, no wake, or on plane). When the boat is running (no wake, or on plane) both driver and passenger must be seated with life vests secured
Sportsmanship
State of Tennessee Marine regulations are to be followed at all times. Each angler should familiarize themselves with these regulations. Each member of each team is representing themselves, their club (and its sponsors), their university, and this trail. Please maintain a professional demeanor throughout the entire event. Several additional rules will be in effect:
Tournament Disputes
All disputes must be verbally submitted to a tournament director
within 30 minutes of the final team weigh in. These disputes will be
resolved by the tournament directors Taylor Massingill.
Discrepancy in posted scoring will be adjusted as needed and will not
hold to a time limit.
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2012 TCBFT Points System
The points system for the 2012 Tennessee Collegiate Bass Fishing Trail is as
follows:
Each angler will receive points for each TCBFT Qualifying Tournament with the first place team anglers receiving 100 points, 2nd team receiving 99 pts, 3rd team receiving 98 pts, and so on. Points will be doubled for the two-day TCBFT Championship with the first place team anglers receiving 200 pts, 2nd team receiving 198 points, 3rd team receiving 196 points, and so on.
For every team that brings in a limit of five bass per TCBFT Qualifying Tournament, one extra point will be added to each anglers score for that event.
*Please note that anglers will need to bring in a five bass limit on both days of the TCBFT Championship to be eligible to receive an extra point.
For the team that brings in big bass each TCBFT Qualifying Tournament, two extra points will be added to both anglers score for that event.
*Please note that in order to receive two extra points for big bass in the TCBFT Championship, it must be the biggest bass weighed out of both days of competition. In other words, there will only be one big bass awarded for the TCBFT Championship.
For example:
A. If a team finishes in 2nd place in a TCBFT Qualifying Tournament, each angler would receive 99 points.
B. If a team finishes in 5th place and catches a limit of five bass in a TCBFT Qualifying Tournament, each angler would receive 97 points. (96 points for 5th place finish + 1 point for catching a five bass limit)
C. If a team finishes in 7th place and brings in big bass in a TCBFT Qualifying Tournament, each angler would receive 96 points. (94 points for 7th place finish + 2 points for catching big bass)
D. If a team finishes in 1st place, catches a limit of five bass, AND brings in big bass in a TCBFT Qualifying Tournament, each angler would receive 103 points. (100 points for 1st place finish + 1 point for catching a five bass limit + 2 points for catching big bass)
E. If a team finishes in 1st place in the TCBFT Championship, each angler would receive 200 points.
F. If a team finishes in 4th place and catches a limit of ten bass (five each day) in the TCBFT Championship, each angler would receive 195 points. (194 points for 4th place finish + 1 point for catching a ten bass limit)
G. If a team finishes in 3rd place and brings in big bass in the TCBFT Championship, each angler would receive 198 points. (196 points for 3rd place finish + 2 points for catching big bass)
H. If a team finishes in 6th place, catches a limit of
ten bass or five each day, AND brings in big bass in the TCBFT Championship,
each angler would receive 193 points. (190 points for 6th place finish +1
point for catching a ten bass limit, +2 points for catching big bass)
To keep the TCBFT as competitive as possible, we will be dropping each
angler's worst two tournament score. We realize that every tournament
angler will not be able to compete in every TCBFT event, thus by allowing two
"drop" score, competitors can miss two tournaments or have two low
finishes and still be in contention for the end of the year awards.
Only Largemouth,
Smallmouth, and Spotted Bass will be weighed in the 2012 TCBFT. The
“maximum” length of any species of bass will be used to measure all
types of bass. The limit will be five (5) fish per boat. Culling will
begin as soon as the sixth (6) fish is boated. Any team found to have more than five (5) fish in their live wells will be disqualified. All fish will be measured on the Golden Rule Tournament Board.
A penalty of loss of big fish and loss of short fish will be assessed
to those who weigh in a short fish. A .50 pound (1/2 lb or 8 oz)
penalty will be assessed for every dead fish weighed in. All
live fish will be released. Courtesy length checks are available upon
request before fish are weighed in. Culling will not be allowed at the
weigh-in site. Dead fish may not be culled; however, a team weighing a
limit of five bass will be awarded an extra point regardless if dead
fish are present.