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Official Rules

1. You are NOT eligible to fish the Future Pro Tour if any of the following apply:

• If you have fished more than once as a pro (boater) in Pro/Am competition.

• If you have more than once, won over $6,000 (in cash) individually or as part of a team in any one season. Money won as a amatuer in Pro/Am competition or specialty events is excluded.

• If you have finished more than once as team Anglers Of The Year in organized (non-club) pro team or amatuer team competition. This applies even if you have fished with different partners.

• If you have finished in the top 5 in the point standings more than 3 times during any pro team season.

• If you have won more than one prize boat, engine, or vehicle while fishing as a pro in any pro/am or pro team competition. Prizes won in specialty events such as Snagproof Open, Vanity Cup, etc., are excluded.

• If you have won more than one prize boat, engine, or vehicle fishing as a amatuer in any circuit.

• If you have won more than one TOC championship in any amatuer or pro team circuit. This applies even if your championship win did not include a boat, vehicle, or engine as first prize.

• The Future Pro Tour reserves the right to determine the participation eligibility of all anglers that want to participant in Future Pro Tour events. Descions regarding eligiblity are at the sole discrection of the the Future Pro Tour organization and it's Tournament Competition Committee and are final.

• No licensed guides will be allowed to fish the Future Pro Tour.

2. Boat and Motors: Each event will be divided into horsepower divisions. Each division will compete only within their own division. Division 1 will be engines with horsepower ratings between 0 and 90 horsepower. Division 2 will be engines greater than 90 horsepower.

3. Start of Tournament: Boat blast off will be in the order of sign up. For safety, the small boat division will blast off last.

4. Trophies and Awards: Cash paybacks, trophies, and out-of-the money prizes for all events will vary based on the size of the field. Please see sample payback matrix for approximate payback ratios.

5. Angler of the Year: Will be determined by the team with the most points accumulated at the end of the year. To be eligible to win angler of the year, you must fish all seven (7) FPT events. No points or events will be thrown out for AOY. The "Future" Future Pro Angler of the year title will be determined by the angler with the heaviest total weight for 7 events. Anglers of the year will receive the following:

Anglers of the Year will receive:

- Special award commemorating the AOY title, Limited product sponsorships*, Special AOY bracelets

- Up to $1,000 cash bonus based on a average team participation scale of $5 per team

Example: If the average team participation in a division for the year is 150, the anglers of the year will be awarded a cash bonus of $750.

*(Limited product sponsorships apply to big boat division only)

6. FPT Classic Qualifying/Wildcards selections (applies to both divisions and both regions)

Classic Qualifiers will be determined based on the most points accumulated for six events. To be eligible to qualify for the FPT Classic, you must fish at least 6 of the 7 scheduled Tour events. Those fishing all 7 events will be allowed to throw out their lowest score, but will be able to keep 5 "show up" points for the event thown out. The number of teams qualifying will be based on the largest average draw for that division (over 7 events) in accordance with the following table.

Please note that FPT specialty events, such as the "Swimbait Spectacular" will not be included in the formulas for FPT Classic, AOY, or FPT Classic Wildcard qualifying.

Also note that there is no "Travelers Region" in the FPT, therefore you cannot combine points from events fished in different regions to qualify for the FPT Classic, or AOY.

Div I – Small Boat Division

• 1-10 Boats: 1 Qualifier
• 11-25 Boats: 3 Qualifiers, 1 wildcard
• 25-50 Boats: 5 Qualifiers, 1 wildcard

Div II – Big Boat Division

• 25-50 Boats: 15 Qualifiers, 1 wildcard
• 51-100 Boats: 20 Qualifiers, 2 wildcards
• 101-150 Boats: 37 Qualifiers, 3 wildcards
• 151-200 Boats: 45 Qualifiers, 5 wildcards

Wildcard draws will be picked after the last event of the season. Wildcards will be selected randomly by Future Pro Tour sponsors or by Tournament Competition Committee officials. In the big boat division, wildcards will be drawn from the group of anglers sitting in the first 10 places outside of the regular qualifying bubble. For example: If 30 anglers qualify for the FPT Classic, the 2 wildcards qualifiers will be drawn only from those sitting in 31 st through 40 th places. For the small boat division the wild card(s) will be drawn from the group of anglers sitting in the first 3 places outside of the regular qualifying bubble.

General Rules

1. It is your responsibility, as a participant, to read and comply with all written tournament rules and know any special tournament rules, year-end qualification rights and any applicable local, state or federal rules and regulations PRIOR to each event you participate in.

2. Sportsmanship: any contestant who displays poor sportsmanship and/or violates any of these rules will be disqualified. Disorderly conduct at any official tournament or event meeting/seminar will be grounds for disqualification.

3. Participants And Eligibility: Anyone under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult ( Parent or legal guardian ) while fishing any Future Pro Tour event.

4. Participation: You must be a paid member in good standing to participate in any Future Pro Tour event. Future Pro Tour reserves the right to refuse entry to anyone for any reason. Any and all points will be forfeited if your membership is not current.

5. Safety: Safe boating conduct and all safety precautions must be observed at all times by all contestants. Anyone fishing in a tournament must wear a Coast Guard approved flotation device any time the main engine is running. Such flotation devices must be worn and properly fastened when inspected at the checkout point. In an emergency or when safety dictates, fisherman may take their catch, get into another boat, and return to the weigh in site. All boats must be equipped with an engine shutoff or emergency " Kill " switch device. In case of an event cancellation due to unsafe conditions, five hours of the event will constitute a complete event. With less than five hours of fishing, the event in its entirety will be rescheduled. In the highly unlikely case of an act of God cancellation, all entry fees will automatically be transferred to the rescheduled event .

6. Fishing License: Each contestant will observe State Fish and Game laws and have in his or her possession a valid state fishing license.

7. Beverages: No alcoholic beverages or drugs are allowed in the boat or to be consumed during official tournament hours prior to weigh in.

8. Boat And Motor: The tournament director reserves the right to prohibit any boat from participating in the start if such boat is considered unsafe or the operator unqualified. Boats equipped with motor horsepower in excess of factory or BIA rating will not be allowed in tournament competition. A functional kill switch must be hooked up and operational at any time the main motor is running.

9. Registration: All tournaments will require a payment of entry fees. Deadline for payment of entries is 12 noon on Thursday prior to the event Entry forms must be filled out completely, including membership number, and sent only to the appropriate address. Late sign-ups, however, will be accepted at the lake (See rule #10 for details).

10. Late Sign-ups: Late entries are accepted at the lake the morning of the event. However, a late fee of $10 will be charged.

11. Entry Fees refund/transfers: Entry fees are non-refundable. If you have pre-paid for an event and cannot fish, you may transfer the entry to the next event. This option may be exercised ONE TIME ONLY. Last event of the year entries will be transferred to the following season.

12. Confirmation: If you wish verbal confirmation of entry, it is your responsibility to contact the Future Pro Tour office for a verbal or e-mail confirmation.

13. Checkpoints: Contestants must check in and out at the official checkpoint. Contestants' boats will be assigned a number which must be shown at check-in and check-out stations.

14. Weigh Slips/Start Number: Your weigh slip must be signed by a tournament official for all on-ramp inspections. An officials signature will not be required for drive-by inspections. If you are issued a weigh slip, you must retain it; no fish will be weighed without a weigh slip. This is strictly a procedural rule and may cause disqualification subject to a final decision to the director.

15. Drive-By Inspection: Drive by inspections will be conducted when and where facilities permit. Each boat will pass by the inspection dock, in proper order, live wells open, running lights on, aerators running, life jackets on, and engine cut off switch attached to driver. Boats that do not come by the inspection station will be disqualified.

16. On Ramp Inspection: On-ramp boat inspections will be conducted by tournament officials whenever necessary. Officials will be checking for fish, safety equipment, live bait, alcohol, etc. Your weigh slip must be signed for all on-ramp inspections. Unsigned weigh slips will result in disqualification. It is your responsibility to be sure your weigh slip is endorsed.

17. Running Lights Must Be On: at blast off and until contestants arrive at their first fishing spot. This a procedural rule that is now required by our insurance company and will cause you to be sent to the end of the line and be the last boat (s) out in the event.

18. Partners Must Remain Together: throughout the fishing day and may not leave the boat unless approved by a tournament official ( exception: use of rest room facilities ). A contestant may not leave for the purpose of carrying, towing, or pushing his boat or to reduce weight to improve floatability for the purpose of gaining access to fishing waters that are otherwise inaccessible. If a boat is inadvertently stuck on a sand bar you may leave the boat in an effort to regain float ability back to point of entry only. Not forward past the sand bar.

19. Permitted Fishing Methods: Only artificial lures may be used. No prepared or live bait other than pork rind strips are permitted. Rods are not to exceed eight feet in length. Only one rod may be used at one time. However, any number of rigged rods may be in the boat for substitute purposes. Trolling, as a method of fishing, is prohibited. All fish must be caught live and in a conventional angling method. All fishing must be done from a boat.

20. Sight fishing for Bedding Bass: A sight or bedding fish is defined as one that can be seen and watched as it approaches the lure. Fish being caught under these conditions must be caught by hook and line and by the fish ingesting the lure. Any bass caught that is either a "sight" or "bed" fish must be caught "hook in mouth with the hook point entering from the inside of the mouth" - and must be verified as a legal catch by the angler's in-boat partner. Any "sight" or "bed" fish caught by snagging or with hook starting from outside the mouth shall be deemed an illegally caught fish and must be released. This same fish may be caught again by the legal method - with the hook starting from inside the mouth. Any angler catching a fish under these conditions and not verifying the hook location with the other person in the boat may be disqualified from the tournament.

21. Platforms in Boat: The use of any device to raise a contestant above the normal freeboard of a boat is prohibited. This rules includes any device that is constructed to raise the contestant up to a higher position as to allow them to cast into areas that would not normally be accessible or which would allow a contestant to see fish from a better angle.

22. Infringements/Permitted Fishing Areas: A "50-yard rule" is in effect at all times during competition. No contestant's boat may move within 50 yards of another contestants boat at any time for the purpose of fishing. A boat moving from one area to another may infringe upon this distance as long as the transient fisherman do not attempt to fish while moving. Exceptions to the 50-yard rule apply only to docks, breakwalls, and slough channels.

Exception example 1: If you wish to fish a boat dock next to a boat dock another team is fishing, and it falls inside the 50 yard parameter, you are allowed to fish it. In all cases please be courteous.

Exception example 2: If you wish to fish in a slough channel that is longer than 50 yards, and there is another team fishing inside of it, you must continue pass them 50 YARDS before you can start fishing. If you wish to fish the opposite side of the slough channel, you may do so. In all cases please be courteous.

23. Boat Control: Contestants must leave and return to the tournament weigh-in site by boat. Boats cannot be trailed from one fishing location to another during tournament hours. This rule includes non contestant boats as well as contestant boats, except emergency situations.

24. Fish Size/Culling: Fish will be measured flat, mouth open on a Wil-E-Go belly board or a Bass-Board on the belly (dish) side, with a 13 inch minimum size. No measuring or culling inside of 5 mph buoys or the area between the check-in point and the weigh-in site will be permitted. Infractions will result in disqualification. It is YOUR responsbility to declare to the weighmaster that you want to weigh a big fish BEFORE they are weighed and recorded. You will not be asked if you want to weigh a big fish by the weighmaster.  Once your fish are weighed, and recorded, you will not be allowed to weigh your big fish.

25. Number of fish in Limit: No fisherman may hold in the live well more fish than the limit imposed by the event fished. For all normal points race team tournaments the limit is 5 fish per team / or 5 fish per team during each half of a split weigh-in event. Failure to comply will result in disqualification.

26. Breakdowns/Emergencies: Anglers are not permitted to leave their boats nor touch another boat, with the exception of an emergency or major equipment failure. In this case, it is permitted to be towed either to safety or back to the weigh-in area by any safe means available. You may not transport fish by land if you choose to trailer back to the weigh-in area, however, you may have your fished transported to the weigh-in by another tournament boat participating in the same event. At least one person must stay with your fish at all times and neither angler is permitted to fish while under the assistance of another boat during the breakdown period. PLEASE NOTE: FPT officials cannot be responsible for ensuring that you make it back to the weigh-in site in the case of an emergency or breakdown. If you call and reach FPT officials during an emergency or breakdown, we will do our best to dispatch emergency services to assist you, but cannot guarantee that someone will be sent out for you. It is your responsibility to take the necessary precautions (i.e. cell phones/911 numbers/emergency equipment) with you BEFORE you participate in FPT events to call any necessary public or private emergency services personnel.

27. Penalties : Teams who have not checked in at the official check in point on time - as noted by the official check in boat - will be deducted 1 pound for each minute late, up to 5 mins, after which time the team(s) will be disqualified. Teams that are late will be notified of this after all contestants have weighed in and scoring has been completed. All decisions on this matter by the tournament director are final. Boat and motor problems are no excuse for tardiness! Anyone weighing in fish smaller than 13-inch minimum length will loose that fish and have one pound subtracted from the remaining total weight. Any fish that appears to have been altered or mutilated, in the Tournament Director's judgment, will be deemed illegal, and one pound will be subtracted from the total weight for each such fish. The penalty in any Future Pro Tour event for dead fish will be progressive- (1 dead fish-.20, 2 dead fish-.40, 3 dead fish -.80, 4 dead fish-1.60, 5 or more-3.00 lbs). Remember, It's illegal to cull a dead fish. Entry points will not be thrown out.

If any member of a team is disqualified for any reason, the entire team is disqualified. Any team disqualified from a Future Pro Tour event will lose all entry fees submitted.

28. Cheating: Anyone caught cheating in any event will be disqualified from entering future events for a length of time to be determined by Future Pro Tour's Tournament Competition Committee, and at the TCC's discretion, could possibly be banned from EVER fishing FPT events. Violators may also be subject to full criminal prosecution as dictated by law. All participants in Future Pro Tour events may be subject to polygraph testing. Refusal to take polygraph testing will result in immediate disqualification and forfeiture of cash and/or prizes. Teams disqualified from a Future Pro Tour event will lose all entry fees submitted.

29. Official Boats: officials may be on the lake during contest hours, and can approach or observe any contestants boat. Each contestant is requested to cooperate with all reasonable requests from media representatives or officials. Official boats may not be used as contestant replacement boats.

30. Live Wells: Adequate Live Wells are mandatory on each boat and must provide proper aeration to maintain fish in good condition, as all fish will be released alive after the weigh- in. In the case of a boat without built in livewells, a large Ice Chest with portable aerators with be acceptable. You will be asked to show the aerators working.

31. Trophy Bass: Contestants will not retain any bass after a tournament. However, a trophy bass meeting minimum Fish and Game Commission sizes: Largemouth- 10 pounds, smallmouth- 6 pounds, and spotted bass-6 pounds. may be kept if designated at weigh in time as such.

32 Scoring: is determined by the total weight of each participants catch for the overall event, less any penalty for dead fish weighed in. There is no bonus for live fish. Points are awarded to each entrant of the event up to the top 200 places. Five participation points will be awarded to all entrants of the event.

33. Lake Off-Limits: There is No off limits period for any Future Pro Tour event with the exception of the Future Pro Tour Classic, to be held at the end of each season. The off limits for the Future Pro Tour Classic will be given to each contestant prior to the event. Please call the FPT office for details regarding Classic off-limit periods and special rules.

34. Off-Limit Areas: Every lake may have off-limit areas. If no specific off-limit areas are announced, then 50 yards from any gas pumps and the host marina will always be enforced.

35. Pre-Fish: There is an open pre-fish for all regular events, (except the Future Pro Tour Classic) and pre-fishing can be conducted with anyone you chose - including licensed guides. During the Future Pro Tour's official pre-fishing period however, you CANNOT fish with anyone other than your team partner. Violation of this rule will result in disqualification. Also during the pre fish period for the Future Pro Tour Classic, you CANNOT solicit information from anyone other than your team partner. Violation of this rule will result in immedate disqualification.

36. Reserved Areas: No person may "hold" or "reserve" a fishing area for a contestant at any time. Infraction of this rule will result in disqualification of all parties involved.

37. Radio or Phone Transmitting: of information concerning any aspect of fishing during a tournament is prohibited. Communication between contestants and/or land lines may, however, be used for breakdowns, emergencies, business, or personal reasons.

38. Speed-Restricted Areas: No boat may pass another contestant's boat in a restricted speed zone, in an effort to gain an advantage.

39. Live release: The contestants may be required to return the fish to the lake. Fisherman are required to handle the fish with the utmost care according to the Fish an Game guidelines (i.e., 5 pound plus fish in a separate bag). If the fish, for any reason, are not returned to the designated release area, immediate disqualification will result.

40. Expenses: In all pre-fish and event days, it will be the responsibility of the fishing partners to mutually agree on a basis of sharing operational expenses.

41. Paybacks: Cash paybacks, trophies, and out-of-the money prizes for all events will vary based on the size of the field. (please see sample payback matrix for approximate payback ratios). Future Pro Tour reserves the right to substitute products advertised for prizes of equal or greater value depending on availability.

41a. Angler pre-qualification process - All entries for participation recieved BEFORE the event deadline (the Thursday before each event), will be evaluated by the FPT offiice and/or Tournament Competition Committee members to determine if anglers are eligible to fish FPT events. If you are deemed ineligible to fish the Tour, you will not be allowed to fish the FPT, and fees will be sent back to you via USPS as soon as possible. Those that are deemed eligible to fish the FPT, will be noted as such on the tournament roster as pre-qualified, and will therefore receive all money and prizes due them after all FPT events they participate in. Those entries recieved after the deadline, or on the day of the event, will be placed in "pending eligibility" status, and after eligibility status is approved by the FPT office and/or TCC members, these teams will recieve all monies due them within one week after the event. Once a team has been deemed pre-qualified, they will placed in pre-qualified status for the remainder of the year as long as they abide within stated FPT qualifying rules.

42. Awards/Prizes: Any person unable to attend the awards ceremony should have a designated representative, other than a tournament official, claim all prizes and awards for the event. If you cannot be present at the awards ceremony, your cash award will be mailed to you. All product prizes will be either given to the "runner up" contestants, or given away in a random drawing. *Please note that the FPT reserves the right to subsistute all prizes awarded with prizes of equal or greater value.

43. Integrity of Future Pro Tour Events: You may fish FPT events alone. Anyone fishing alone must receive approval from the tournament director prior to the start of the event. Please note: Future Pro Tour always reserves the right to require a contestant fishing without a partner to secure an observer to ride along with that boat. If this is required, director must approve of observer selected. The limit for anglers fishing alone is 5-fish.

44. Early Weighing In: The FPT is not obligated to weigh your fish in before the desginated weigh-in time.Weighing in early is permissible only if arrangements are made and approved by the tournament director prior to the start of the tournament.

46. Special Rules: The tournament director may add specifics rules when necessary. These special rules will be in effect for the length of the tournament and should not be considered regular rules, but will be announced and enforced as such. Interpretation of all rules will be left exclusively to the tournament director, whose decision will be final in all matters.

47. Protests: Protests must be lodged prior to the official closing of the scales.

48. Ties: In case of a tie for first place at the Future Pro Classic, or for the Anglers of the Year titles a "sudden death" style fish-off will be held immediately, or at a later date determined by the tournament director. In case of a tie for any other event, it is the contestants responsibility to split equally the sum total of the prizes between them. A flip of a coin will be used to determine which team receives the trophies

To break a tie between contestants that have the same weight, the following "tie-breaking" rules will apply - in the following order:

1) The contestant that has the largest "big fish" declared
2) The contestant that weighs in the most fish

49. Show-Up Points: Five participation points will be awarded to each point-earning event with none thrown out, to establish strong participation and higher paybacks.

50. Damages and Claims: All contestants by entering a Future Pro Tour event here by waive and release the tournament officials, sponsoring organizations and Owners of Future Pro Tour from all claims for injury and/or damage incurred in connection with this event.

51. Insurance: It is the responsibility of all boat owner to have current boat insurance to participate in any Future Pro Tour event. Failure to do so could result in your not being allowed to participate in or being disqualified from the event.

52. Release of Fish: At all events, after weigh-in, fish must be released at least 1/4 mile away from host marina and weigh-in location.

AGAIN - If you do not meet ALL of the criteria as described by Ranger Cup promotion during the FPT verification process, you will not receive Ranger Cup money. The money will fall to the next Ranger Cup participant who meets ALL criteria set.

You must be registered in Div II (big boat division) to participate in Ranger Cup. Those anglers owing Ranger boats with 90hp or less must declare at registration time if they will be competing in Div II.

54. Guides: One of the FPT ‘s mission goals is to promote learning. We fully encourage participating anglers to use the services of qualified guides to help them cutback the “learning curve” associated with competitive angling. To this end, the following rules will apply to anglers using guide services:

Anglers may use guide services only up to the Friday one week prior to a tournament event. This allows you and your team partner to learn and apply the principles – YOURSELF on the water the week leading up to the event.

No licensed bass guides will be allowed to fish the Future Pro Tour as a contestant.

55. Dock Patrol Officials: During the weigh-in process, all participant must follow ALL instructions given to them by designated “Dock Patrol” officials. To eliminate confusion and expedite the weigh in process, “Dock Patrol” officials will give instructions regarding which teams can proceed to the scales, boat slip assignments etc. For example: If you are instructed by “Dock Patrol ” to keep your fish in the livewell, or to stay in your boat until called up to the scale, you MUST comply.

SAMPLE PAYBACK MATRIX: (This is a sample payback and may vary slightly)

Please note - The first two teams out of the money receive $100 in prizes

4" TRU-LIFE Swimbait

The new Tru-Life 4” swimbait becomes the latest in Tru-Tungsten’s line of big baits albeit, as a smaller counterpart to its two predecessors.

The Tru-Life 4” is tiny in relation to traditional swimbaits to which we are growing more and more accustomed. As the name for this bait describes, it is a mere four inches in length. It is available in two models, a floater/moderate sinker and a moderate sinker/fast sinker. The bait is also available in 6 colors, Shad, Bluegill, Chartreuse Shad, Baby Bass, Perch and Blue Back Herring.

Each of the two models of the bait can be configured to run at different depths by inserting or removing tungsten balls. These balls are placed in a small chamber in the belly of the bait, and each bait can hold up to two 4.5 millimeter tungsten balls giving each version three different weights (no balls, 1 ball, 2 balls). Both versions of the bait will retail at $19.99.

As the big bait phenomenon spreads across the country, smaller swimbaits are becoming a popular new trend from many of the manufacturers. Tru-Tungsten’s entry into this new small swimbait class looks promising. The Tru-Life 4” swimbait is expected to hit store shelves early this coming fall in both models and all six colors.

email: matt_newman_2001@yahoo.com or visit www.tru-tungsten.com for more info!