---

---

---

We wouldn’t be able to do this without our generous sponsors. If you are interested in joining our elite team of sponsors, please contact rachelthayer@thayersmarine.com

Affiliated Contingency Programs

Our trail is registered with all the biggest brands in the industry for contingency programs. Make sure that you check all the boxes, familiarize yourself with THEIR rules and protocol, and are registered with your brand prior to events.
Don’t see your brand on the list? Reach out and let us know!

2026 TOURNAMENT RULES AND REGULATIONS

 REGISTRATION, PARTICIPATION AND ELIGIBILITY: Participants in Thayer’s Marine Team Trail must have pre-registered and paid in full or have registered and paid the entry fee at the check-in table prior to the start of the tournament. A team shall consist of two licensed anglers. (a) All boaters on the Thayer’s Marine Team Trail must provide a paper copy of their boat insurance policy declaration page, showing effective & expiration dates with a minimum of $300,000 liability and a copy of their Connecticut or applicable state Safe Boating Certificate, permit or license.  Entrant Cancellation : The Tournament Director reserves the right to refuse any entry if they believe that participation could; jeopardize the health and/or safety of tournament members/staff, result in liability claims against Thayer’s Marine and/or its directors or negatively impact the reputation of Thayer’s Marine.  SAFETY: (a) Safe boat conduct must be observed at all times by competitors. During competition, each competitor must wear a Coast Guard approved chest-type life preserver anytime the combustion engine is in operation. This preserver must be strapped, snapped or zippered securely, and maintained in that condition until the combustion engine is shut off. Inflatable personal flotation devices (PFDs) are allowed as long as U.S. Coast Guard regulations are met. The Coast Guard requires that inflatable PFDs must be worn at all times unless there is an equal number of non-inflatable Coast Guard approved PFDs on board. (b) When boating, especially during low visibility or rough water conditions ( i.e. fog/ heavy rain/ waves) competitors must operate their boats at a safe speed and in a safe manner as conditions warrant.”No Wake Zones” and “Speed Limits” must be observed at all times. Do not drive distracted, be aware of all other boats on tournament waters. (c) The Tournament Director has the right to delay, shorten or cancel the start of the event because of bad weather or other factors that would endanger the safety of the competitors. Tournament waters may also be restricted at any time because of bad weather. A tournament may be extended due to a start delay. (d) In the event of an emergency situation, competitors should call 911 first and then notify tournament officials.  SPORTSMANSHIP: Competitors are expected to follow the highest standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety, and conservation. Any infraction of these fundamental sporting principles or of the state rules and regulations may be deemed cause for disqualification. “No Wake Zones” and “Speed Limits” must be observed at all times, any infraction of these laws brought to the attention of the tournament director may result in disqualification. Drunkenness by any competitor during the tournament or at the weigh-in will not be tolerated and shall be a cause for immediate disqualification. The use of illegal drugs or alcohol during the tournament (between morning check in and the closing of the scales in the afternoon) shall be considered cause for disqualification. Maximum courtesy must be practiced at all times, especially with regard to boating and angling in the vicinity of non-competitors who may be on tournament waters. Any participant, who reflects unfavorably upon the Thayer’s Marine Team Trail’s effort to promote fisheries conservation, clean waters, and courtesy, shall be reason for immediate disqualification.  TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT: No “live bait”, “dead bait”, or “prepared bait” will be permitted, with the exception of pork strips or rinds. The use of umbrella rigs is allowed in accordance with state laws. l. Only ONE casting, spin casting or spinning rod and reel may be used at any one time. No rods exceeding 10 feet in length are allowed. A hung or snagged lure that is not in or on the water is not considered in use and may be set aside while another is in use. Other rigs as specified above may be in the boat ready for use; however, only ONE is permitted in use at any given time. If a competitor breaks a line while setting the hook or retrieving a fish, he or she is allowed to make an attempt with the rod being used or with their hands to secure the visible line and land the fish for it to be counted as legal. He may NOT hook the line with another lure, rod and reel, or other device. Anyone guilty of snatching or snagging visible fish will have their catch disqualified. TROLLING (USING THE GAS OR ELECTRIC MOTOR TO MOVE A LURE OR BAIT) IS NOT ALLOWED.  HORSEPOWER REGULATIONS: Maximum horsepower for all outboard motorboats used during any Thayer’s Marine Team Trail Event will be 250 hp. Horsepower cannot exceed the limitation rating set by the U.S. Coast Guard on the boat’s nameplate. When required, each boat must have a U.S. Coast Guard horsepower-rating plate attached to the boat. Posted speed limits and those imposed by the Tournament Director must be observed and all boats must be operated in a safe manner. Violations of speed limits may result in disqualification.  BASIC BOAT EQUIPMENT: During competition, every boat must have all required Coast Guard safety equipment and a functional bilge pump. Anglers are also responsible to follow local regulations set forth by individual states and/or countries as applicable. During competition, every boat must have live-well space, properly aerated, to adequately maintain alive, a limit catch of bass by both competitors using the boat.  BOAT IDENTIFICATION: Each boat will be given, prior to the start a numbered tag, card or paddle which must remain with your boat until turned in at the weigh-in. This tag or card must be displayed upon the request of tournament officials and turned in at the weigh-in. You will not be allowed to weigh your catch without your tag/Paddle. . If a competitor(s) want to leave early please call the tournament director to return the tag.  COMPETITORS MUST REMAIN IN BOAT: During competition, competitors must not depart the boat to land fish or to make the boat more accessible to fishing waters. Boats must remain in tournament waters during the tournament hours. Competitors must leave from and return to the official check points by boat. Both competitors must remain in the boat at all times, except in case of an emergency, or with permission granted by the Tournament Director. In the event of a needed restroom break or refueling situation at a marine gas pump, contestants are allowed to leave the boat, at which time all fishing must cease until partners are back together in the boat. Towing boats on trailers during tournament hours is prohibited, except by the direction of tournament officials. Competitors are allowed to leave the boat to retrieve a lure. All fishing by that competitor and partner must cease until back in the boat before making another cast.  SCORING: ALL TOURNAMENTS WILL CONSIST OF A 6 FISH LIMIT. LARGEMOUTH, SMALLMOUTH, AND SPOTTED BASS WILL COUNT AS LEGAL FISH. FISH MUST MEASURE A MINIMUM OF 12”. FISH WILL BE MEASURED ON A FLAT BOARD WITH THEIR MOUTH CLOSED. ONE COURTESY MEASUREMENT WILL BE ALLOWED UPON REQUEST BY THE ANGLER(S). Tournament scores will be based on the total weight of bass caught by each team. Changes in daily limits and sizes if applicable will be determined and announced by tournament officials the morning of the tournament. Teams possessing more than the tournament limit will have that day’s catch disqualified. By the judgement of the tournament official any bass presented for weigh-in that has been mashed, mauled, mangled, or altered in any way will not be counted in the teams weight or eligible for a “lunker award.” Only tournament officials will handle the bass during measuring and weigh-in. AOY standings will be based on a teams accumulation of points from all 4 events. One team member substitution per season will be allowed. Substitutions must be brought to the attention of and approved by the tournament director prior to commencement of tournament.  PENALTIES: For each dead fish brought to the scale there will be a .50lb (8oz) penalty taken from the total weight of the competitors catch. The Tournament Director, or his/ designees, may reduce tournament hours or tournament limits for fish care purposes. A short fish penalty results in the loss of the shortest fish and largest fish of the team’s bag. It is suggested in warm weather tournaments that anglers keep extra ice for fish care. It is recommended competitors keep all bass in live wells during the culling process. Placing bass on the boat carpet during culling is not advised. Only non-penetrating culling clips are to be used. THE CULLING OF DEAD FISH IS PROHIBITED IN THE THAYER’S MARINE TEAM TRAIL. ALL DEAD FISH MUST BE WEIGHED IN. Dead fish will not be weighed and/or considered for a “lunker award.” Proper disposal of any dead fish is the responsibility of the competitors. Deep water release is strongly recommended.  LATE PENALTY: Competitors who are not in the official checkpoint area and checked in by tournament officials at their designated time shall be penalized one pound from their total weight every minute they are late. This will include any weight to be counted toward a “lunker award”. Any competitor more than fifteen minutes late shall forfeit that day’s catch. There shall be no excuse for tardiness, and in no case, shall competitors be allowed to delay proceeding to the weigh in site. All fishing is prohibited prior to tournament commencement the morning of. Fishing must cease upon your check-in with tournament officials. . Exact starting and check-in times will be announced.  TIES IN THE EVENT: TIES in an event will be broken; 1. By weight of a team’s largest fish, if known. a. It will be the teams responsibility to alert tournament officials of intention to weigh a fish for lunker. 2. By total number of live fish. 3. By a flip of a coin.  TIES IN ANGLER OF THE YEAR STANDINGS: TIES in the AOY standings will be broken; 1. By the teams total weight of their three best tournaments of the year. 2. By the team’s largest single tournament bag of the year. 3. By the teams total number of fish for the year. 4. By the weight of the team’s largest fish of the year. 5. By a flip of a coin.  PROTEST PROCEDURE: Protests must be brought to the attention of the Tournament Director or their designated representative prior to completion of the weigh-in (CLOSING OF THE SCALES) on the tournament day. In the event of a rule violation, the Tournament Director or Tournament Committee may impose such sanctions as it deems appropriate. Each competitor in a team agrees to report to the Tournament Director IMMEDIATELY any violation or infraction of any tournament rules.  BOAT LAUNCHING: All boats shall be in the water and ready to leave one-half hour prior to the start time of the tournament. Boats can only be launched from the designated boat launch set forth by the Tournament Director. Boats not in the water by the specified time will not be allowed to launch until the last boat has taken off. Official time and special rules (if any) will be at the CHECK-IN TABLE. Tournament departure will be by boat number.  COMMUNICATION DEVICES: During the tournament, a competitor must NOT use a CB radio, VHF marine band radio, a cellular phone, or any other type of communication device for the purpose of locating and/or catching fish. Cellular phones and other communication devices shall only be used in the case of an emergency or to contact the tournament officials. Any competitor witnessed using a communication device for reasons other than stated above may be subject to disqualification.  OFF LIMITS: Contestants can fish anywhere on the announced tournament waters, except within 50 feet of another competitor’s anchored boat. (An anchored boat is defined as a boat held in a stable position by a weighted line or attached to a fixed object with the boat’s trolling motor in the stowed position). Any specific areas deemed off limits will be announced by tournament officials prior to tournament commencement. There is no pre-fishing cut off for the tournaments. Ferry crossings: All Ferry crossing docks and peers are off limits according to state and local laws.