2024 frogg toggs Elite Solo Tour
Sec 1. Ownership Directives and Notices
Elite ownership and officials reserve the right to deny entry or remove any participant(s) for any reason at any time deemed necessary by Elite ownership and officials. Elite ownership and officials exclusively interpret all rules, formats, procedures and directives listed or delivered in person or by any electronic means. Participant(s) who for any reason refuse the taking of a polygraph or other truth detection test will not be eligible for any awards received or expected. Participant(s) that have previously refused to take or have failed a polygraph test with any organization will not be eligible to compete and will be removed immediately at the time of discovery by Elite ownership and its official(s).
Participants must be in good physical health and be free from any conditions diagnosed or not related to blackouts, seizures, fainting or other medical conditions that could knowingly place themselves, fellow competitors and/or the general public in danger on the water or roadways traveling to or from an Elite tournament. Alcoholic beverages cannot be possessed, transported or consumed by a tournament participant during tournament hours including tournament weigh ins.
Participants must follow all federal, state and local regulations, laws including all tournament rules. Participants must have a liability policy of at least $300,000.00 for any vessel used in an Elite tournament and ensure they meet all boat and boater registrations required by state, federal and local law enforcement for the state where tournament takes place. Participants must have a current fishing license for the state in which they are fishing unless state fishing license reciprocation occurs.
Due too outstanding balances left by anglers failing to honor their commitments to pay for seasonal entry fees financed by the tour anglers will now will have any outstanding amounts due for their season current or past due deducted from their winnings prior to check(s) being issued.
Sec 2. Polygraph Protest and Professionalism
A written protest must be submitted in writing with 15 minutes of the scales closing for the day in which the accused violation took place. Should a polygraph test be needed to settle a protest, the angler protesting and the angler being protested will both be required to submit the fee for the polygraph test. The angler proved to be in the “right” will be reimbursed the test fee, the other will be penalized. Should no polygraph test be available the day of the protest and with day(s) of competition remaining, the event will continue, under protest with the results, prizes, points, payments and awards being retained by the tour until a test can be administered in order to settle the dispute.
Note: protest can only be filed by the person(s) experiencing or witnessing first hand the actions under which the protest is being filed. Dock talk, text messages, phone recordings and other he said she said protest will not be heard and could potentially place the accuser in jeopardy of sanctions by the tour. Only protest filed according to the description found here in rule 2 will be heard.
Anglers disseminating negative information about a fellow Solo tour member that they did not witness first hand or have first hand knowledge of could result in penalty including disqualification from the event or the maximum penalty of expulsion from the tour forfeiting all payments and expected prizes and/or awards.
Elite Solo Tour and its parent company Headturners3, LLC. act as a broker when hiring the polygraph administrator and have no influence on procedures, type of test, wording of questions, the amount of time a test may take or the results of the test. All findings are determined by the testing agent and not by anyone affiliated with Headturners3, LLC., Elite Fishing Series and or Elite Solo Tour.
All polygraph test results are final and not contestable by any participant or their affiliate or representative. If a participant fails a polygraph the participant forfeits all payments, prizes and awards won or anticipated and cannot fish again until that angler is retested and passes a polygraph or other truth detection testing arranged by the tour at the expense of the angler in question.
Participants on the Elite Solo Tour will frequently be in the public eye and are considered role models by young people; therefore, it is imperative that tournament competitors demonstrate good sportsmanship in fishing. Participants must always conduct themselves in a professional manner with integrity, honor and respect toward fellow competitors, tournament staff, ownership and the general public. Participants must avoid actions that reflect unfavorably on themselves, fellow competitors, members, officers and/or community or product sponsors and affiliates.
Participants nor anyone acting on their behalf may interfere with another participant’s ability to compete in a fair and sporting manner. I.E. hole sitting, blocking waterways, etc. Participants agree by their participation to be filmed, photographed, quoted and share their likeness with any and all Headturners3, LLC., Elite Fishing Series and Elite Solo Tour for live, digital sites and networks as well as any and all TV production purposes that may be posted, hosted and or aired in any form in perpetuity.
Sec 3. Weather Mechanical Breakdowns and Remedies
Should any day(s) of an Elite Solo tour event be cancelled due to forecasted dangerous winds, weather and the eminent threat of extreme lightening and other dangerous conditions: Day 1 canceled, all participants fish day 2 top 5 with a full field of 25 (1 in 5) move on to fish championship Saturday. Day 2 canceled, top 25 with a full field (1 in 5) after day 1 move on to fish championship Saturday. Days 1 and 2 canceled, all participants fish championship Saturday to determine tournament results. If championship Saturday rained out the 1 day shootout will be tried again on Sunday if it still cannot be safely held the 1 day shootout will be rescheduled. Participants may leave their boat to seek safe shelter in dangerous weather but must continue to follow all tournament rules and procedures.
Participants experiencing mechanical failure may be towed in by any one from any where at any time but can only board the boat of another participant fishing the same event, except in case of an emergency where threat to life or limb exist. Participants having to board another participant’s boat for any reason will signal the end to both participant’s fishing, if both participants have fish they must keep them separate and clearly marked by tie wrap on tail or other means. In case of mechanical failure a certified mechanic may temporarily ride along with a participant for the purpose of diagnosing a mechanical issue. No discussions of fish movements, lures, techniques, etc. can take place.
Sec 4. Boats and Equipment
Boats 20′ or longer with a single outboard engine normal in appearance to bay, skiff and cat type boats allowed. Depending on location of event, body of water, make and model of boat, construction, etc. a 18-19 foot boat with proper horsepower may be allowed determined on a case by case scenario. No tiller driven boats of any kind allowed.
Standing console riser box boats allowed, riser boxes exceeding 20″ in height are not allowed.
No tower, mid tower, air or duck boats allowed. No jon boats with tiller controlled engines allowed.
Casting platforms up to 5′ tall including platform ladders are allowed. Note: in solo tour opens minor variances to this height restriction may be allowed determined on a case by case basis.
Standard step ladders are not allowed. Ladders with landing platform as shown in illustration are.
Operating the outboard engine with anyone standing or sitting on a casting platform is strictly prohibited.
Sec 5. Tournaments Fish and Waters
- One angler per boat, 3 day competitions with a max field size of 25 anglers. Sponsor, family, health and other ride request may be allowed and will be handled on a case by case basis.
- Solo Tour Series entry fees are $5,500.00 and include 4 tour stops and championship. Open events are $650.00 per. Optional Big Red side pots will be offered at all events. Paybacks 100% including awards and will be disbursed to the field on a 1 in 5 bases.
- Elite Solo Tour events are 3 day tournaments. After 2 days of competition (except if shortened by weather) the top 5 heaviest weights (based on full field of 25) 1 in 5 will move on to fish on day 3. Weights zero for day 3 all anglers start with 0.00 pounds for the final day.
- In Elite Solo Tour stop events open Contender spots will be offered if the field size is set or appears to be a number less than a full field of 25 competitors. I.E. if 20 anglers are paid and competing in the Solo Tour Series (consisting of 4 tour stops and a championship) then 5 open Contender spots would be offered to invited anglers outside of the series for that event. Anglers being invited by the tour and fishing as a Contender open cannot qualify for the championship or angler of the year awards.
- Only approved boats, motors and other equipment shown in approved equipment list page (shown at the bottom of this rules document) can be used beginning Monday the week of a Elite Solo tour or open event.
- Intentionally seeking information from a non tour member or anyone not paid for and competing in the same event as of Monday the week of tournament is prohibited. Working together to pull entry fees or share winnings based on help or information offered or received is prohibited.
- Participants cannot return to tournament waters after a day of competition until official launch the following morning. Exceptions for on water housing and/or equipment repairs/testing may be allowed and will be handled on a case by case basis.
- Size and creel limits of the state the tournament is being held in will govern tournament limits. Some locations allow for “over” fish and may or may not be used by the tour. Size and creel limits will be determined and listed at least 2 weeks prior to official practice period, usually Monday the week of the tournament.
- All angling must be conducted from inside the boat, no wading. Participants cannot leave the boat to access any waters, cast to, catch or land a fish but may leave the boat to leave an area. Elite participants can only use artificial lures during tournament competition and may use 1 rod with 1 lure at a time. A lure must be fully retrieved prior to a participant putting another rod and lure in play. All fish must be caught in a sporting manner. No snagging of fish, netting of fish or scooping of distressed surface fish is allowed.
- In order for a fish to count and be weighed it must have a tail that is normal in appearance as determined by Elite officials. Elite officials reserve the right to refuse any redfish for measuring and/or weighing that in the official’s opinion have a significantly damaged tail or nose. Participant can submit picture via text message to Elite officials for “good/no good” call during the tournament. A 0.75 pound penalty will be assessed for each dead fish. No culling of dead fish permitted. Dead fish may be kept separate from live fish but only with water and/or an ice substitute, frozen water bottles, Arctic Ice, etc. No icing of dead fish. (see below) While the tail has a small portion of the very tip missing, when pinched the tail comes together and is normal in appearance.
- Participants may not attempt to intentionally manipulate the weight or length of any fish. Each fish will only be measured on one side with the fish’s head to the left and tail to the right of the fish bumper. Pincher slid to 1/2″ from legal size limit for state in which tournament is taking place.
- Participants can not fish waters they know are not open to the general public for boating and fishing. Even if an angler believes he is in public water they must leave immediately, without argument upon being asked by anyone representing the potential property owner and may not return to those waters during any Elite Fishing Series event during the season or until the situation can be resolved by the tour.
- Rule 12 applies to waters that a competitor, family or friend of someone on or not on the tour may own or lease, one in all in. It is the sole responsibility of a tournament participant to research, call, contact and otherwise discover waters that are or are not open to the general public within an area they choose to fish or boat in, even if shown inbounds by the tour’s official postings.
Sec 6. Points for National Championship and Angler of the Year
- 1st place at all events will be awarded 100 points then -1 point less per place following. -2 points from last place weighing a fish for 0 fish. 1 bonus point will be added for each participant in the event. I.E. 20 boats = 120 points for first, 14 boats = 114 points for first, etc..
- Solo Tour Series anglers committed with money on the books prior to the launch of the boats for day 1 at the first solo tour stop of the 2024 season (port arthur) will be guaranteed minimum tournament points equal to attending but weighing in 0 fish at all events even if they experience mechanical trouble or have a scheduling conflict and are unable to attend in person.
- The Elite National Championship is open to all participants having competed in at least 3 of the 4 regular season tour stops (port arthur-lafitte-slidell and kemah) or by fishing 2 of the regular season tour stops and at least 1 of the 2 open events (declaring their intentions to use the open event as a tour stop and paying a full tour stop entry fee of $1,000.00 prior to that event.
- All participants competing in the Elite World Championship must have paid the Solo Tour total seasonal entry fee of $5,500.00.
- Elite World Champion wins a 22′ Tidewater Baymax, Yamaha 200 HP and McClain tandem axle trailer.*
- Angler of the Year points to be determined by an angler using points from their best 4 events of the season including tour stops, wild card opens and the national championship, all lesser event points will be dropped. Angler of the Year wins 22′ Tidewater Baymax, Yamaha 200 HP and McClain tandem axle trailer.*
- 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th in points (based on 25 anglers competing in series) each receive $5,000.00 credit for 2025 Elite Fishing Series. Field of 15 then 2nd and 3rd receive the AOY bonus. Angler of the Year wins the top prize, 60k boat motor trailer package in lieu of 5k entry fee bonus for 2024.
- Top 4 finishers in Angler of the Year race receive invite to Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship.*
*Boat / Motor / Trailer package awards and the qualifying for the 2024 Bassmaster Redfish Cup are solely guaranteed by tour partners and partnerships returning in the same levels as in previous seasons on the frogg toggs Elite Solo tournament and television series.
