ILF Kahlo Team Trail Rules

1. LAWS, BOATS, SAFETY AND WEATHER

• All ILF Anglers must adhere to all federal, state and local laws. ILF Anglers are required to contact the ILF Commissioner in Charge with any questions or concerns about an Angler’s potential action that may violate a law and must immediately report an Angler’s violation of a law to the ILF Commissioner in Charge. Based on the set of circumstances in connection with the violation, the Commissioner in Charge who, at his discretion, will issue an immediate penalty and or disqualification.
• Each Angler will be permitted to use their boat for tournament competition that is fully equipped with all essentials to meet state water safety requirements including proper insurance.
• The ILF Angler or other appointed driver must have his boat’s Kill Switch connected any time the combustion engine is in gear. If the ILF Angler does not comply with the Kill Switch rule the boat must be shut down until ILF Angler or other appointed drive attaches the Kill Switch.
• The ILF Commissioner or his designee has the right to delay, shorten or cancel the start of an event because of bad weather or other factors that would endanger the safety of the competitors. Competition waters may also be restricted at any time because of bad weather. ILF will monitor the weather during the competition day and will communicate to the Boater or Team via text message and phone.
• In the event dangerous conditions develop, ILF will suspend the competition for all participants and instruct you to immediately take cover. If at any time an Angler feels they are in danger, and you have not been contacted, you should take cover and immediately contact the ILF Commissioner in Charge. The ILF Commissioner in Charge will suspend the competition until the conditions improve.

2. PERSONAL FLOTATION DEVICE

• Each Angler must wear a Coast Guard-approved chest-type life preserver and must be strapped, snapped or zippered securely and maintained in that condition any time the combustion engine is in gear. If the ILF Angler does not comply with the above the boat must be shut down until all passengers have met the Flotation Device rule.

3. KILL SWITCH

• The Boater must have his boats kill switch connected any time the combustion engine is in gear. If the any Angler observes that Boater does not comply with the above the boat must be shut down until Boater attaches the Kill Switch.

4. SPORTSMANSHIP

• ILF Competitors are expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety and conservation. Any violation of the standards may be deemed cause for disqualification.
• Use of alcohol or drugs (other than drugs purchased over-the-counter or prescribed by a licensed physician) by any competitor during ILF Events including the award presentation after the event could be cause for automatic disqualification.
• Maximum courtesy is always to be practiced especially regarding boating and angling in the vicinity of non-competitors who may be on tournament waters.
• ILF Anglers have the responsibility of reporting to the Commissioner an ILF Angler’s sportsmanship violation or a flagrant violation for any act that reflects unfavorably upon efforts to promote fisheries conservation and/or clean waters.

5. ILF SPORTSMANSHIP – BACK BOATING

• Back Boating is defined as a boater continually placing the back of the boat in a position that does not allow the non-boater areas to fish. The boater needs to reasonably operate the trolling motor in a way the gives the non-boater a reasonable opportunity to catch fish. Interpretation and enforcement of rules shall be left exclusively to the ILF Commissioner and/or his assigned designees at the competition.

6. ILF COMMISSIONER’S ROLE

• aInterpretation and enforcement of rules shall be left exclusively to the ILF Commissioner and/or his assigned designees at the competition.
• In the event of a rule violation, the ILF Commissioner and/or his designees may impose such sanctions as disqualification and/or prohibition from participation in subsequent ILF Competitions.
• Subject to appeal, the decision of the ILF Commissioner and/or his designees, or a special rules committee established by the ILF Commissioner shall be final in all matters.
• Supervises the training program for all ILF Boat Officials or the ILF scoring system.
• Serves as the on-site liaison between the ILF Anglers as required.

7. THE WEIGHING OF BASS

• All ILF Events shall utilize the ILF term “scorable bass". A scorable bass is any bass caught that weighs one (1) pound or greater. Any bass caught that weighs less than one (1) pound shall be deemed “un-scorable.” Weight is the only determining factor for a bass being scorable or un-scorable.
• There is no limit to the number of scorable bass an ILF Angler can catch and record during ILF Event competition.
• Only the ILF Angler catching a fish will handle bass caught during competition. Once a bass is caught, the bass should be weighed using the official ILF scale. The scale must be set to zero (0) before the bass is attached to the clip.
• The catching Angler is responsible for weighing the catch and the non-catching Angler is to observe reading of the weight. Both Anglers must agree on the final weight.
• Should the bass be less than one (1) pound, it is deemed to be un-scorable.
• If the weight is challenged by the either ILF Angler, the scale should be reset zero (0) re-weighed. There can be two (2) additional re-weighs, the non-catching Angler will than make the final weight call. The bass cannot be dipped into the water between re-weighs.
• After the official weight is announced (or after a bass is deemed un-scorable) the ILF Angler is to remove the bass from the scale clip, properly release the bass into the water and resume fishing.
• Should an ILF Angler catch a bass on a bait which is illegal in the waters being fished, the bass caught will be deemed a non-scorable bass. Illegal baits should be immediately reported to the ILF Commissioner.

8. SCORING A FISH

• Each Boat will receive a bag containing the Official Manual Score Book, an ILF Official Scale, two pens and one extra battery.
• Once a Scorable Bass (1 pound or more) is agreed upon the ILF non-catching Angler will immediately record the weight in writing the ILF “Log Book Scoring Sheet” and then enter the weight into the official ILF Electronic Scoring System being used.
• At any time during an event Anglers can check the Leaderboard on their SmartPhone device.

9. LINES IN, LINES OUT

• There is no ride around time allow for the Team Trail Events.
• The starting time (Lines In) for each Boater and None Boater will be based on the Flight they are released in. Boaters will be released in two Flights of 15 Boats every 15 minutes.
• Anglers will fish two (2) three-hour periods. Each Angler in a boat is responsible for setting an alarm on their SmartPhone device as to the ending time of the first period.
• Boaters are required to return to a designated rendezvous area immediately after period one (1). Each boat will be given a floating number device at the beginning of their event which must be turned in at the end of Period one (1) at the rendezvous check point.
• Once check-in the Boater will be released to begin Period 2. Anglers should again set an alarm on the SmartPhone device for the ending time of the event (Lines-Out).
• Regarding the final cast of any period, any bass hooked on the final cast must be “inside the boat” - visibly inside the gunnel - before the time expires to be scored. The legality or illegality of a period-end catch will be determined by the non-catching Angler.

10. TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT

• Use of nets and grippers for landing a bass is prohibited.
• Only artificial lures can be used and lures must follow state guidelines.
• All bass must be caught in a conventional sporting manner.
• Any bass caught while “visually fishing” must be hooked inside the mouth and verified by the non-catching Angler before being unhooked. The weight of a bass caught by the technique of “visual fishing” can only be scored once during that day.
• ILF Anglers will be permitted the use of a lure retriever; however, ILF Anglers must supply their own lure retriever.

11. NO INFORMATION RULE

• Anglers are only to use their Cell Phones for the purpose of scoring a fish, checking the leaderboard or keeping track of time. If an Angler receives a call or a text the Angler must show his phone to the other Angler to verify that there has been no fishing information obtained or received. If it is determined that information was received the Anglers should notify the Commissioner immediately. Any information that was received that would give the Angler an advantage will then be shared with all Anglers.
• Once the event has started ILF Anglers, including eliminated ILF Anglers, are not allowed to seek information from locals and anyone else except for authorized ILF media personnel about the body of water that would give them an unfair advantage.
• Should an ILF Angler receive information that potentially gives him a competitive advantage, such as locations: baits, topography, conditions, etc., including unsolicited information, he is required to share that information with the ILF Commissioner. The ILF Commissioner shall determine whether this information should be subsequently shared with any or all other ILF Anglers.

12. ALCOHOL, DRUGS and DRESS CODE

• Use of alcohol or drugs (other than drugs purchased over-the-counter or prescribed by a licensed physician) by any competitor during ILF Events including the award presentation after the event could be cause for automatic disqualification.
• Anglers and Boat Officials must be clothed with photo or video appropiate apperal during the entire event and cannot go shirtless.

13. OUT OF BOUNDS

• On some bodies of water, ILF Anglers will compete in a pre-determined zone each day. The boat must be positioned inside the zone boundaries. Fishing outside of the boundaries is allowed only if the boat position remains inside the boundaries.

14. ENCROACHMENT RULE:

• There is no official buoy distance rule. However, at no time is an ILF Angler allowed to interfere with another ILF Angler’s line. If an ILF Angler casts close to another ILF Angler and hooks into his line, the casting ILF Angler will be penalized. ILF Anglers approaching another Anglers area are expected express their intentions and follow ILF Sportsmanship rules.

15. LEAVING BOAT TO FISH:

• ILF Angler may not leave the boat for the purpose of fishing. Leaving the boat to assist in landing a hooked bass, is an act of fishing.

16. MECHANICAL FAILURE:

• If the ILF Boater Anger experiences a mechanical failure with the boat or trolling motor those Anglers will have to finish the competition in the best means possible.

17. IMBEDDED HOOK IN ANGLERS BODY:

• If an Angler has an imbedded hook in any part of his body, NO TIME OUT will be called.