Championship qualifications
To qualify for the Championship, an angler has 2 options:Option 1: FISH 4 out of the 5 regular season qualifying events.Option 2: FISH 3 out of the 5 regular season qualifying events AND place 1st-4th in one of those events.
The Next Gen Texas Tournament Trail expects strict adherence to the following rules by allcontestants. In the event of an emergency, please call 911 first and then notify the tournament director.
The Next Gen Texas Tournament Trail expects strict adherence to the following rules by allcontestants. In the event of an emergency, please call 911 first and then notify the tournament director.
RULES
NEXTGEN TEXAS TOURNAMENT TRAIL RULES AND REGULATIONS1. SANCTIONING AND GOVERNING BODY – NextGen is sanctioned by TBF Student Angler Federation. You must be a member toparticipate in all NextGen qualifying events and the Championship. TBF Student Angler Federation membership is $25 and is valid for one year beginning September 1st of each year. Memberships may be obtained at https://highschoolfishing.org/. DO NOT REGISTER BEFORE SEPTEMBER 1ST.
2. REGISTRATION AND CHECK-IN – Registration forms are online at NGTTT.COM. TEAM registration, Coach/Boat Captain, and Participant Release of Liability Form must be filled out and submitted to NextGen by Thursday 12:00PM prior to that weekend’s tournament. Registration form must be filled out for each tournament, Coach/Boat Captain information only needs to be filled out once UNLESS there is a substitution. Forms should be emailed to nextgentexastournamenttrail@gmail.com. Coach/Boat CaptainBackground Checks should be complete and maintained throughout the season, NextGen reserves the right to ask for this information at any time. Coack/Boat Captain Substitutions are limited and must be approved by the NextGen Tournament Director. Tournament fee is $50 if pre-registered online, and $60 the day of the tournament. Registration will close 30 minutes prior to take-off and then re-open after take-off if necessary. Once the competition has started, no more registrations will be accepted. Late Registrations will not affect the number of places awarded for the tournament.
3. OFF-LIMITS – The lake will go off limits for all Student Anglers and Coach/Boat Captains at sunset the night before the tournament.
4. TOURNAMENT DAY – You will be assigned a Team Number upon initial registration; this will be your Team Number throughout theseason. We will have a numbered take-off; order will be determined by “Chip” draw at check-in. This “Chip” must be kept in your possession throughout the tournament and then returned at weigh-in, this allows us keep track off all teams and assure that everyone has made it in safely. You must check-in and return your “Chip” regardless of weighing in fish. A lost “Chip” fee will be $20 and due prior to the next tournament on the schedule. FAILURE TO CHECK IN WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION FROM THE TOURNAMENT. In case of emergency and you can not make it to check in, please call or text the Tournament Director at 254-227-3729 with your name and Team Number. Boats will line up in order of number draw, after our opening prayer and National Anthem, when your number is called you will pass be a designated location with live wells open, life vests on, and safety kill switch connected.
5. TOURNAMENT AWARDS – Each qualifying tournament will award cash prizes to the top 4 teams. $1,000 for 1st Place, $500 for 2nd Place, $250 for 3rd Place, and $100 for 4th Place. 4th Place will be determined by the highest finishing “True” Junior Team, unless said Junior Team has placed in the Top 3, then 4th Place will go to the 4th highest weight regardless of age, along with Big Bass Award. At registration each student angler will receive a raffle ticket, at the conclusion of weighin and awards ceremony, a draw will be held to distribute lure, tackle, gear, etc. A prize will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place teams at the Championship Tournament, as well as recognize the Team of the Year for the team with the highest collective points of the qualifying tournaments. Additional prizes may be awarded based on the number of participants and sponsor contributions. Other awards will be available for “Off the Water” achievements by clubs and individuals for charitable efforts.
6. INTERPRETATION & ENFORCEMENT - These rules will remain unchanged for the 2024/2025 school year. Interpretation andenforcement of these rules is the responsibility of the tournament director. Decisions of the tournament director are final in all mattersand are not subject to appeal. All contestants and coaches agree to report any rule violation. Failure to report violations may cause fordisqualification. The violation of a tournament rule may result in weight loss (late penalty, dead-fish penalty and short-fish penalty), the loss of weight up to a particular time in the tournament day, the loss of weight for the entire day, disqualification from the entiretournament or, in extreme circumstances, ineligibility to participate in future NextGen Texas Tournament Trail Tournaments. Protests are to be made in writing within 15 minutes of the check-in time of the final flight of each tournament day. NextGen will have a boat on the water during tournament times for observation and photographs.
7. PARTICIPATION AND ELIGIBILITY - Participation is open to all student angler teams up to 12th grade providing that the 12th gradestudent does not turn 19 before September 1st of their senior year. NextGen is open to all homeschooled, public, and private schools inthe state of Texas. Homeschooled anglers can form their own team or join a local school’s team. It would be up to this school/team to allow the angler to join. The entry fee for all NextGen open tournaments is $50 per team IF pre-registered, and $60 the day of the tournament represented with no more than two student anglers. Each student angler must be a TBF/SAF member. Student anglers must also have the signature of a parent or legal guardian in the provided space on the Release of Liability form. Student anglers must have in their possession a valid fishing license for the waters they fish, if required. To be eligible to compete in the NextGen qualifying tournaments, student anglers must have passing grades in all subjects enrolled. Team Advisors are accountable to ensure all competing student anglers from their respective schools meet this requirement for eligibility. Each team will have two eligible student anglers and a boat captain. ONLY student anglers, boat captain and one Observer (if required by the SafeSport Act) are allowed in the boat during tournament times, unless approved by the tournament director, with a max of three (3) people in the boat. Tournament officials reserve the right to reject any application to fish for any reason whatsoever. Student angler teams can be represented by 1 angler in case the other cannot make it. Under the SafeSport Act, in the event a team is represented by a single angler where the parent of the student angler is not the boat captain, individual schools must place an Official Observer in the boat appointed by individual school/team advisor.
8. CHAPMIONSHIP QUALIFICATIONS - To qualify for the championship an angler must FISH Four (4) of the qualifying tournaments OR FISH 3 out of the 5 regular season qualifying events AND place 1st-4th in one of those events.
9. PURCAHSING OF INFORMATION - The purchasing of, or bartering for, information about locating or catching fish on tournament waters, including but not limited to GPS waypoints (other than through commercially available sources) and the hiring of fishing guide services or a coach is not permitted by contestants or coaches within (15) days of any tournament. Violation of this rule may result in disqualification.
10. COMPETITION - Once competition is under way, contestants and coaches may not solicit and/or receive information about locating or catching fish on tournament waters for anyone except contestants and coaches confirmed in the tournament and through publicly available sources (quasi-public websites set up for the specific purpose of sharing information with individuals or a small group of individuals are not publicly available sources). On competition day, teams may not follow a non-contestant’s boat or participate in the placing of markers by non-contestants or the practice of “hole sitting” by anyone. Violation of this rule may result in disqualification.
11. SAFETY - In compliance with the Federal Safe Sports Act for Youth events, no youth angler may fish alone with a Boat Captain in ayouth event. There will ALWAYS be 3 people to a boat. Under the Safe Sport Act, in the event a team is represented by a single angler where the parent of the student angler is not the boat captain, individual schools must place an Official Observer in the boat appointed by individual school’s team advisor. Safe boating must be always observed. Each contestant and coach are required to wear a fastened U.S. Coast Guard-approved and state approved personal flotation device anytime the combustion engine is in operation from boat check until weigh-in each day of the tournaments. All boats must be equipped with an emergency ignition-shutoff device that must be securely attached to the driver’s body whenever the combustion engine is in operation (by Law). All persons in a tournament boat shall remain seated in a manufacturer-recommended on plane seating location when the combustion engine is in operation. Sitting on pedestal seats while the combustion engine is in operation is not permitted. Contestants are not permitted to drive the boat when the combustion engine is in operation. Safe boat conduct must be observed at all times by contestants and coaches. At the discretion of the tournament director, tournament days may be shortened, postponed or canceled due to unsafe weather or water conditions. Violation of any of these safety rules may result in disqualification.
12. SPORTSMANSHIP - All contestants and coaches are required to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy and conservationand to conduct themselves in a manner that will be a credit to themselves, to the NextGen Texas Tournament Trail, MLF, TBF andSAF’s efforts to promote the sport. Contestants not complying with these standards including, but is not limited to, the following:a. Violation of, or failure to comply with any of the rules for the 2024/2025 High School Fishing season.b. Consumption and/or possession of alcoholic beverages or any kind of mind-altering substance during registration, the pretournament meeting or during tournament hours extending through the weigh-in procedure will not be tolerated.c. Abuse of or addiction to mind-altering substances.d. Conviction of felony within the past 36 months.e. Suspension/disqualification, probation or ban from any tournament or fishing organization.f. Any other words, conduct or actions reflecting unfavorably upon efforts to promote safety, sportsmanship, fair competition andcompliance with tournament rules, or which fail to comply with the standards set forth in the first sentence of paragraph 8.g. Any contestant not complying with the standards outlined above. Tournament officials have the right to refuse their applicationto compete, to deny a confirmed application to compete or to disqualify a contestant.
13. BOAT OPERATIONS - Boat captains will supply and drive the boats for their teams. To qualify as a boat captain, the personaccompanying a team must be at least 19 years old. The Contestants/Student Anglers may operate the trolling motor (ifapproved by the boat captain). Boat Captains may provide assistance, including information about locating and catching fish, and will be prohibited from fishing. The coaches or captains may not fish for a student competitor. The student competitor must actively perform the entire fishing process including the casting, retrieving the lure, and reeling in of the fish. The captain/coach may not hand the student a rod and reel that has bait in the water. The use of mobile communication devices may only be used by the boat captains but not for the purposes of sharing fishing information during the tournament.
14. BOAT AND HORSEPOWER REGULATIONS - All boats must be a minimum of 16 feet in length. Each boat must have all required U.S.Coast Guard safety equipment. Boats must contain a properly aerated live-well space to maintain alive, a limit catch of bass. Maximum horsepower for all outboards is not to exceed the horsepower capacity set forth on the “Maximum Capacities” placard described below. Each boat must have a clearly legible “Maximum Capacities” (or comparably titled) placard that includes a maximum horsepower rating affixed to the boat by the manufacturer. The horsepower of the outboard engine must not exceed the maximum horsepower capacity specified on this placard. By signing the entry form, contestants and coaches agree to submit their boat and/or motor to an inspection by tournament officials. Falsifying information on entry forms or altering the horsepower numbers on the motor or rating placard will be cause for disqualification from the tournament and may result in ineligibility tocompete in future High School Fishing tournaments. Fishing platforms must be factory-installed equipment. No portable platforms may be used in tournament competitions. Fuel may be carried only in factoryinstalled (built-in) fuel tanks or auxiliary fuel tanks that are securely strapped or otherwise fastened to the boat. Any additional fuel used during the tournament day must be purchased from a retail facility open to the public and pumped through a hose with a nozzle.
15. PERMITTED FISHING METHODS - Fishing is defined as having a lure attached to a line and a rod and reel with the lure in the water. Allbass must be caught alive in a conventional sporting manner by the student angler. Only artificial lures may be used, with the exception of pork trailers and biodegradable soft baits. Only ONE fishing rod per contestant may be used at a time. Trolling (defined as operating the combustion engine to extend a cast or lengthen a retrieve) as a method of fishing is strictly prohibited. All bass caught while sightfishing must be hooked inside the mouth and immediately shown to your coach for verification.
16. PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS AND BOUNDARIES - Teams may fish anywhere on tournament waters that is available to the public and accessible by boat, except areas designated as “off-limits,” “no boats,” “keep out,” “restricted,” “no trespassing” or “no fishing” (or similar language or markings intended to restrict public access) by tournament officials, local, state or federal o icials, or within 50 yards of a contestant’s boat that was first anchored. An anchored boat is a boat held in a stable position by a line attached to a weight, using a Power-Pole or similar shallow water anchoring systems (spot Lock). Teams must also maintain a minimum of 25 yards distance between boats unless agreed upon by both parties. All fishing must be conducted from the boat. At no time may a contestant leave the boat to land a fish or to make the boat more accessible to fishing waters. The use of cables, ropes, chains or any type of block and tackle system to maneuver a boat into fishing waters is strictly prohibited and will result in disqualification from the tournament. Teams must leave and return to the check-in by boat. The boat must remain in the tournament waters during the tournament day. No tournament boat may be loaded on a trailer before their check-in except with the permission of the tournament director. In the event of equipment failure or emergency, there are three permitted methods of returning to the check-in: (1) by both contestants remaining in their boat and being towed by water, (2) by both contestant entering the boat of another team or (3) both contestants entering a rescue boat so designated by the tournament director. Under these three conditions the team’s catch may be counted without a penalty (except for late penalties or other penalties pertaining to other tournament rules). Teams that elect to return to the check-in by any other means than cited above will forfeit their day’s catch to that point in time of the tournament day. Any team returning to the check-in point will be eligible to restart and resume competition under the supervision of the tournament director or his designated tournament official. It is the sole responsibility of teams to locate the tournament director to request a restart. Teams must remain together at all times and within sight of their coach until check-in. The momentary condition of beingout of sight of each other for restroom breaks is permitted. Violation of this rule may result in disqualification.
17. CHECKPOINTS - There will be only one checkpoint for boat check in the morning and one check-in point in the weigh-in. Failure to go through boat check-in and check-out in the morning or failure to check-in at the check-in point may result in disqualification. All fishing must cease upon check-in.
18. LATE PENALTY - Teams that are not at the designated checkpoint at the appointed time will be penalized 1 pound per minute, deducted from the total weight. Teams more than 15 minutes late will lose credit for that day’s weight.
19. LIVE FISH/# OF FISH - Every effort must be made to keep bass alive through the use of a properly aerated live-well. .5 (1/2 of a pound) will be deducted from the total weight for each dead bass presented for weigh-in. Plastic clip type culling systems must be used when tagging your fish. The metal clip type, which punches the fish’s jaw is prohibited. Tournaments will be a best of 5 fish limit, at no time may you have more than 5 fish in your possession. If more than 5 fish are brought to weigh-in, you will be penalized 1 pound for each fish over 5, plus the weight of your smallest fish.
20. SCORING - Scoring will be determined by the final weight of each team’s catch during each tournament. Only Largemouth, Spotted, Guadalupe, or Smallmouth bass are accepted species. The tournament limit is five bass per team. The minimum length for all bass on all bodies of water fished within the season will be 14 inches. Bass presented for weigh-in that fail to measure the prescribed length will be removed and not counted in the angler’s total catch. Each team’s catch must be presented in an official weigh-in bag. The winning team is determined by the day’s heaviest catch. For each tournament in the series, prizes will be awarded to the top 4 places and big bass, plus points will be recorded as follows to each team:Place 1 = 200Place 2 = 199Place 3 = 198Place 4 = 197(Points continue decreasing by 1 for each placing for teams that weighed in fish.) For teams with no fish weighed in, they will beawarded 30 points less than the last team weighing fish for participation. Points from each of the 5 qualifying tournaments will betotaled and used for determining the Team of the Year. Championship results will be based on each team’s total weight for the championship tournament days only.
21. TIES - Will be broken first, by big bass. If a tie remains it will be broken by the total number of fish. If a tie still remains, it will bebroken by a flip of the coin. The only exception to this is when fishing the NextGen Texas Tournament Trail Championship. At theChampionship, all ties will be broken by a fish off. The first team to catch and weigh–in a keeper fish will determine the winner.
22. LOGO DISPLAY AND TELEVISION COVERAGE - Contestants and coaches are encouraged to wear their own team shirts or jerseysduring all NextGen Texas Tournament Trail events. Tournament officials reserve the right, in their sole discretion, to prohibit anycontestant or coach’s shirt or jersey found to be offensive. All decisions are at the sole discretion of the NextGen Texas TournamentTrail officials.
23. ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO - During all days of competition any and all alcohol and tobacco logos are prohibited and may not be worn or displayed. Contestants may not smoke, use tobacco products or alcohol during tournament hours, including weigh-in, at any NextGen Texas Tournament Trail event.
24. TRUTH VERIFICATION TEST - Each contestant and coach agree to submit, by signature on the tournament entry form, to a polygraphor voice stress analysis examination and to abide by its conclusion. Failure to pass an examination will result in disqualification from the tournament. Truth verification tests will be used at the sole discretion of tournament officials, and the determination of the meaning of the results will be made solely by tournament officials.
25. INSURANCE - Liability insurance with coverage in a reasonable amount is required on all boats used in NextGen Texas TournamentTrail fishing tournaments. Proof of insurance must be with the boat being used and must cover all passengers in the boat. Random checks may be conducted at any NextGen Texas Tournament Trail event.