Rules

These rules shall apply to all entrants of the Billy Dyson Foundation Team/Individual Foundation tournaments. It is the contestant’s responsibility to read, understand and obey all rules of the tournament. Violation of any of these rules can result in disqualification from the current event and, at tournament director’s decision, all future Billy Dyson Foundation tournaments.

All State, Federal, and Local laws must be obeyed.

All entrants are subject to take a polygraph test. Failure to take and/or pass the polygraph test is grounds for disqualification. Any person who has failed a polygraph test in connection with any bass tournament are not eligible to compete. Any angler or anglers who have been disqualified from any fishing organization for rule violations that would leave in question the angler’s moral character, integrity or honesty are ineligible to compete in any Billy Dyson Foundation.

Any protest must be received in writing with TX numbers and signed within 15 minutes of the final check-in deadline to be considered. The tournament director’s decisions will be final in all matters.

All contestants are required to follow high standards of sportsmanship and courtesy at all Billy Dyson Foundation events. Alcohol and narcotics will not be allowed in the possession of contestants, whether on their person or in their boat, at any Billy Dyson Foundation event unless prescription medicine as prescribed for tournament entrant.

A U.S. Coast Guard approved PFD must be on and fastened anytime the combustion engine is in gear. All boats must meet U.S. Coast Guard standards. Outboard motors must not exceed boat manufacturer’s ratings. Jet drive and air boats are not allowed. All boats must have an emergency kill switch, and driver must be attached to kill switch anytime the combustion engine is in gear.

Off-limits period of the lake for fishing, locating bass, and shoreline spotting will begin at sundown on the Friday and/or Saturday evening before the tournament. Contestants do not have to launch at host marina. All Billy Dyson Foundation events are trailering events.

All fishing must cease by 3:00pm. All teams/individuals weighing fish have until 4:00 PM to be in line with fish.

Upon entering this tournament, contestants release Billy Dyson Foundation officials, host marina, and sponsors from liability of accidents, losses, or thefts.
Each Lake Fork Team/Individual will have a .50 lb penalty for each dead fish weighed (dead fish may not be culled). Scales will be open at 3:00pm each tournament day. We recommend the use of live-well additives made by Sure-Life to increase the odds of healthy fish being returned to the lakes. There will be a 2lb penalty for fish not meeting the predetermined size requirements that is brought to the scale, plus the loss of same fish. Lake Fork Bass – all species – cannot touch the 16-inch mark and must touch the 24-inch mark to be legal. No iced or frozen fish will be weighed.

Team/Individual Tournament allows no more than 2 persons per boat. All persons in boat must be registered contestants.

No fishing within 25 yards of another contestant’s boat without mutual consent.

All fishing must be done with artificial lures only. Contestants may use only one rod and reel at a time. No trolling with combustion engine is allowed. All fish must be caught in a legal and sporting manner during tournament hours from tournament waters. Contestants may not leave the boat to land a bass. Underwater cameras or tracking devices may not be used during tournament hours. Hole sitting by or for contestants is not allowed. The act of moving bass (known as loading a hole, brush pile or dock) from one area of the lake to another area of the same lake at any time, during practice days or competition days, will not be allowed.

Boats must have a live well and operating aeration system. Teams may keep no more than 5 bass in the boat/live well at any time during the tournament hours. This does not include fish temporarily on board for culling purposes. Once again this does not apply to fish temporarily on board for culling purposes. Anglers who have retained more than 5 bass for a period over 5 minutes at any time during the day, or who bring more than 5 bass to the weigh-in, will forfeit the day’s weight

Scoring will be determined by the total weight of not more than 5 bass per team meeting designated size requirements. Fish will be measured on a Pro Rule measuring board with tail pinched/swished for maximum length. Each team may have only 1 Big Bass entry angler weighing fish. Anglers will need to declare which fish is to be weighed. Combining two cash awards and splitting the total between tied anglers will settle ties for cash prizes

Trailering is allowed.

Eligibility: Billy Dyson Foundation tournaments are open to all anglers except professional anglers and Lake Fork fishing guides. A professional angler is defined as someone who has competed in more than one tournament in the last 6 months prior to the event to be entered with an entry fee greater than $2500. Fishing guides who have guided or have intent to guide on tournament waters at any time or for any compensation in 2024 will not be eligible to compete.

During hours of competition, contestants cannot receive fishing information from non- competitors, or use cell phones/communication devices to share/receive fishing info anytime during tournament hours. Cell phones or other communication devices can be used for non-fishing related conversations with family and/or emergency reasons in case of boat trouble and/or accident.
All fish become the property of the tournament and will be released (exception – trophy or dead fish).
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Tournament Director: Mark Howard (214) 773-5451 mhowardc@aol.com

Proceeds from the tournament benefit the Billy Dyson Foundation.

TIME
First Cast
6:50am
Launch from any boat ramp

Last Cast
Fishing ceases at 3pm
Weight-In Arrive no later than 4pm

LOCATION
Lake Fork Marina & Motel
275 Co Rd 1558,
Alba, TX 75410

REGISTER EARLY
Friday, September 13, 2024
5:00-7:00pm

REGISTRATION
Saturday, September 14, 2024
5:30-7:30am

https://billydysonfoundation.org/

Reminder September 14th:
Billy Dyson Foundation Tournament

Guaranteed $2000 first place.

All Anglers can now register online and view rules at : https://BillyDysonFoundation.org

Show up at the weigh-in to get a ticket for the drawing of GIVE AWAYS: TearTuff XL Tree Lounger, 6 Volt Digital Timer Feeder Kit, 12 Volt Timer Kit, Massimo E-Kooler, Fishing Reel, Dobyns Rods, Lance Vick Boat Lane Trails, caps, and baits.

Great Job getting this all put together Kay. I so happy to be back in Texas and looking forward to seeing you all there to support our Brother Billy D. The sponsors for the give-a-ways just keep getting better and better as well. The weather is cooling of and you might as well fish this one, to prefish for the McDonald's the following week. See you all there

Good turnout and was good to see some old friends , gotta practice for the next one !

Good to see you again Chris

Courtesy of Kay Dyson
Another year in the books for the Billy Dyson Foundation Tournament.
Thank you to our sponsors, anglers, and all of our volunteers who made it successful. We had 37 teams this year.

" Priceless"!