33rd Annual Tournament Announcement

Pre-Registration for our 33rd Annual Tournament will ONLY be offered through our website. Pre-Registration will be open at 8:00 AM on Monday, January 27, 2025 through 5:00 PM on Thursday, April 10, 2025. The tournament fee for this year’s tournament is $50.00 per team of one or two anglers. Pre-Registration is a two-step process: Part 1- Official Tournament Registration Form and Part 2- Tournament Registration Fee. Once you have completed Part 1 and click “Submit”, you will need to complete Part 2. Once both Part 1 and Part 2 are received, we will send your Boat Number for the tournament via email to the email address you provided during registration. Registration will be offered on site the morning of the tournament as well. On Site Registrations will be the last flight out of the tournament. Tournament fees on site can be paid with cash, credit, or debit cards. 

The morning of the tournament there will be two lanes (Pre-Registered and On Site) leading up to the launch ramp once you enter the parking area. We ask you go down the correct lane based upon your registration method for the tournament. If you have pre-registered for the tournament, we will have a member in the that lane to check you in to keep you from having to come up to the registration tent. If you are registering on site, one team member will be required to come to the registration tent to register the team for the tournament. We will have members in each lane to check your live well(s). 

For any questions related to the registration process for the tournament, please contact us at info@hawkinscorescuesquad.org for the quickest response. Our Station phone is not always manned by a representative from our agency. 

1. Rules: Interpretation of these rules shall be left exclusively to the Tournament Committee, and their decision shall be final in all matters.

2. Parings: (Single entry or Buddy System) pick your own partner. Two (2) people per boat maximum, you may not leave your boat and fish from the bank.

3. Safety: Safe boating conduct must always be observed by all tournament competitors. Every tournament boat must be equipped with all required Coast Guard safety equipment. All TWRA boating rules and regulations shall apply. 

4. Tackle and Equipment: ONLY artificial lures may be used, no live bait or prepared bait, except for pork-type baits maybe be used.

5. Live Fish: Every effort must be made keep the fish (bass) alive by the use of properly aerated live wells. Dead fish will NOT qualify for weigh-in. 

6. Scoring: Scoring will be determined by pounds and ounces. The tournament winners will be determined by the total pounds and ounces accumulated per boat during the tournament. Only Largemouth, Smallmouth, and Spotted Bass will be weighted. Five (5) Bass per boat maximum. The official length will comply with the current Tennessee regulations. Bass presented for weight-in which fail to minimum length shall accrue penalties at the rate of one (1) pound per fish, subtracted from the total weight, plus loss of short fish. 

7. Late Penalty for end of Tournament: Contestants who are not in the official docking area on time shall be penalized one (1) pound for each minute he or she is late. Any contestant signing in more than five (5) minutes late shall lose all credits. 

8. Lunker: The chance to win will be determined by weight and must be caught in accordance will all rules and regulations for the tournament. (In the event of a tie, decision will be made by the flip of a coin for one (1) winner.)

9. All fishing caught and weighed in at this tournament shall be released immediately after they have been weighed. This is the responsibility of the respective team.

10. In the event of a tie, a decision will be decided by the flip of a coin for one (1) winner, with the loser assuming the next lower place.

11. NO alcoholic beverages or drugs will be permitted during the course of the tournament. 

12. First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Lunker award winners may be given a polygraph test before the prize money will be awarded.

13. Each team will be required to carry liability insurance on the team boat.