RULES
2026 American Team Fishing Rules
Rev: 03
10/30/2025
The American Team Fishing (ATF) is made up of anglers who commit to fishing together for an entire season, desiring an atmosphere of integrity , where anglers have the chance to grow together as anglers building lifelong friendships. We hope our time together will honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and that we will all grow together as fishers of men. Matthew 4:19 And He said unto them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men”.
To protect the ATF and our anglers, our sponsors, communities, authorities, and all who are associated with our events, and all winners shall be subject to a polygraph exam or lie detector exam before the prizes are distributed at each event. Contestants must pass the polygraph exam or lie detector exam at the tournament site or at a place and time specified by the ATF Tournament Director (Tournament Director) to receive prize money, awards, and points for the event. The refusal of any winner to voluntarily submit to a polygraph exam or lie detector exam before the prizes are distributed at each event automatically disqualifies any winner from being eligible to receive any prize money, awards, points for the event, and any other offered prize and/or award. All decisions regarding compliance with ATF’s rules and the interpretation of these rules shall be made by the Tournament Director at his/her sole and absolute discretion, and ATF, and the Tournament Director reserve the right to make additional reasonable rules for the conduct of its tournaments if circumstances require. The Tournament Director reserves the right to waive any violation of these rules disclosed to him/her before the polygraph exam or lie detector exam, at his/her sole and absolute discretion. The ATF, and the Tournament Director shall have the sole and absolute right to refuse any application or deny a confirmed application by returning the entry fee of a previously accepted application or disqualifying a contestant.
Defined Terms
ATF: American Team Fishing
Tournament Director: The person assigned by the ATF or Vice President to have this position for the ATF
FOB: A unique identifier given during event registration/check in to teams that must be returned at each event to be checked in for weigh in.
Hole Sitting: Intentionally occupying or blocking a fishing spot to prevent a competitor
from accessing it when not actively fishing.
1. Official Team Trail Event Rules and Reporting Rule Violations
Decisions of the Tournament Director are final and are not subject to appeal. Interpretation of these rules will be left exclusively to the Tournament Director in his/her sole and absolute discretion. Each competitor agrees to report any rule violation to the Tournament Director immediately upon discovery of the violation. The violation of the tournament rules
may result in loss of weight, the loss of weight up to a specific time during the tournament day, total loss of weight of the particular day, the ineligibility to participate in future ATF events or any other penalty deemed appropriate by the Tournament Director in his/her sole
and absolute discretion.
Anglers must report any observed rule violations, including those involving themselves.
Protests must be made in writing within 15 minutes of the official closing of scales at each tournament, and any written protests must be provided to the Tournament Director in writing within said time period. If a protest is not made in writing within the required 15- minute time period, the contestant waives his/her right to submit a written protest. In writing protests means via hard mail, email, or text to the Tournament Director. If the protests are made the same day as the applicable event giving rise to the protest, the issuer of the protest must verbally make it known to the Tournament Director that such Protests have been submitted.
2. Online Registration:
All teams must register online. Entry fees are calculated online and must be paid for the season instead of at each tournament. There is an option online to either pay for the team in full for the season or to pay in two installments, approximately half up front and the remaining balance at a later date per the online registration portal . No entry fees will be taken at individual tournaments. Online registration begins at the date listed on the ATF website and will remain open through the cutoff of date listed on the ATF website or until the maximum number of teams also listed on the ATF website have registered.
3. Priority Registration:
Priority registration is reserved for ATF teams who fished the season immediately prior to registration. Teams who register during priority registration dates listed on the ATF website understand and agree to compete with the same partner they competed with in the prior
season. In the event one of the partners can’t fish the season after they have registered the other partner must fish solo or register with a new partner during the normal online registration period. The only exceptions that may be considered are as follows:
- Death, Partial or total disability of a team member
- A team member qualifies and accepts the invitation from a “Professional” tournament series after registration has been concluded. Professional tournament series includes, but not limited to, Bassmaster Elite Series, Major League Fishing, FLW Tour Boaters and the National Professional Fishing League.
- Military Deployment.
- Hardship national emergency situations. If a team member requests a hardship exception under this rule, he/she must provide documentation stating the reason(s) for the hardship application, such as prevention of travel, etc.; and
4. Refund and Cancellation Policy:
ATF makes significant investments toward providing an exceptional team tournament experience. Due to the cost and planning associated with preparing for teams and the associated season there will be NO refunds.
5. All ATF tournaments are team events
All ATF events are team events, although a contestant may fish alone as a single person team. If a contestant chooses to fish as a single-person team, the ATF reserves the right to place an observer or video recording equipment in the boat at any given event, and further
reserves the right to issue a polygraph or lie detector exam at any given event. Any contestant who refuses to voluntarily submit to a polygraph or lie detector exam shall be disqualified from said event at the sole and absolute discretion of the Tournament Director.
A single-person team can’t use an alternate at any event.
A team may assign one alternate partner at the beginning of the year who may fish one regular-season event and allow the team to retain all points earned. ALL alternate partners MUST be assigned by the time specified on the website, registration portal, or before the last date to register for the season.
Alternate partners can only be used during regular season tournaments and will not be permitted to fish in the ATF Champion of Champions event(s).
Under the circumstances that a team has a team member unable to fish a tournament, said team member will fish alone and may be subject to a polygraph or lie detection exam at the sole and absolute discretion of the Tournament Director.
Only the registered contestants/alternate partner or an approved observer may be in the boat during official tournament days. Alternate partners are only allowed in the boat during any applicable practice days of the tournament they will be participating in.
6. Waiting List Policy:
Maximum capacity for each season trail or event is listed on the ATF website or registration portal. Teams that register after the max team capacity has been reached may be put on a waiting list. You will be notified via email if you have been added to the waiting list.
7. Participation and Eligibility:
ATF tournament is open to anglers in good standing with the ATF and any applicable legal authorities, who have not been legally barred from fishing, or have not been barred from other incorporated tournament events or series, with the exception of Bassmaster Elite Series Anglers, Major League Fishing Anglers (Bass Pro Tour) and the National Professional Fishing League. This includes ALL Bassmaster Elite Series Anglers, Major League Fishing Anglers (Bass Pro Tour) and the National Professional Fishing League anglers who fished one or more events in these tournament trails in the preceding calendar year, or who are registered for these respective tournament trails in the ATF season year.
Bassmaster Elite Anglers, Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour Anglers and the National Professional Fishing League Anglers must wait a period of 12 months from the last Bassmaster Elite Series, Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour, or the National Professional Fishing League tournaments in which they participated before registering for the ATF.
Any angler who has provided guide service within the past six (6) months before the season begins or during the current season more than twice for compensation on the trail’s listed tournament lakes for the season will not be eligible to fish the ATF event on that lake for which such guide services were performed during the current season.
Any angler entering an ATF event who is under 18 years of age must have the signature of a parent or legal guardian in the provided space on the official entry form. At least one team member must be 18 years of age or older.
Each contestant that voluntarily participates in any ATF event voluntarily agrees to abide by ATF’s Rules, and all applicable state and federal laws, and any violation of the said Rules and/or laws will subject the contestant to disqualification and/or other disciplinary action at the sole and absolute discretion of the Tournament Director. Each contestant that voluntarily participates in any ATF event voluntarily agrees to submit and subject himself/herself to a polygraph exam or lie detector exam.
8. Season Rules:
The rules stated in this document and as may be amended by the ATF and Tournament Director are valid and enforceable rules that every angler must comply with, and agrees to by registering to any ATF event.
9. Registration Times:
Registration for all ATF Qualifying Team events must be completed in the online portal before the event.
Each team member must check-in, in person, at the designated site / event. Check in will begin 1:15 hours before safelight and end 15 minutes before safe light at each event.
Team members do not have to check in at the same time.
Team members must be checked in online via the portal, have their live wells checked and tagged during the registration window at the event, and receive a FOB to be checked in.
10. Pre-Tournament Practice:
All regular season ATF events are subject to an off-limits period from 9pm local time to 5am local time for all Official Practice Days. The two days prior to the tournament are considered the Official Practice Days. During Official Practice Days, all tournament rules apply.
11. Assistance:
During Official Practice Days and hours of competition, contestants may not purchase, barter or solicit fishing information from any person or participate in the practice of “hole-sitting.” The use of mobile communication devices such as cellular phones, marine radios, walkie-talkies, CBs, etc. to communicate fishing information from non ATF event anglers or for the purpose of ATF event anglers teaming up outside of explicitly allowed instances such as in the Champion of Champion dual boat team events during tournament hours is strictly prohibited. In the event of an emergency situation, competitors should first dial 911 and then notify the Tournament Director.
No contestant shall, knowingly or unknowingly, allow or have at any time any person in their boat on tournament waters 30 days prior to the first Official Practice Day of an ATF event that has been banned, agreed to not register for or participate in an ATF event, agreed not to
perform guide services for anyone participating in an ATF sanctioned event, or who is not in good standing with ATF. Compliance with this rule is the sole responsibility of the contestant. Any contestant or team who violates this rule, knowingly or unknowingly, shall be subject to disqualification and/or other disciplinary action that is at the sole and absolute discretion of the Tournament Director. Further, by participating in an ATF event the contestant understands and agrees by his/her participation in an ATF event that the Tournament Director is only required to inform any contestant or team who violates this rule that they are in violation of this rule and that ATF and the Tournament Director are not
required to provide any additional information to the contestant or team.
12. Safety:
Safe boating must be observed at all times. Each contestant is required to wear a fastened (fully zipped and/or all clips fastened) U.S. Coast Guard approved personal flotation device anytime the combustion engine is in operation from boat check to weigh in. All boats must be equipped with an emergency ignition shut-off device, which must be securely attached to the driver’s body any time the combustion engine is in operation. The driver must be seated in the driver’s seat anytime the combustion engine is engaged in gear. In the event of inclement weather, the tournament will be held the next day, weather permitting. Competitors are allowed to leave the boat and seek shelter in bad weather, at which time no fishing may occur.
In the event of equipment failure or emergency the Tournament Director must be notified as soon as it is safe to do so. There are then two permitted methods of returning to checkin: (1) by both anglers remaining in their boat and being towed by water, or (2) with permission from the Tournament Director, by one or both anglers entering the boat of another tournament contestant. Under these two conditions both contestants’ catches may be counted without a penalty (except for late penalties, dead-fish penalties or other penalties pertaining to other tournament rules) provided each team’s fish are adequately marked so as to provide clear distinction to the Tournament Director. Contestants who elect to return to check-in by any means other than those cited will forfeit their day’s catch to that point in time of the tournament day. Abandoning a boat and leaving it adrift without proper tie-off or anchoring after a mechanical failure may result in disqualification of that
day’s weight. Whether or not contestants may be disqualified for improperly “abandoning” a boat is in the sole and absolute discretion of the Tournament Director.
Boats must have working and in good repair all navigation lights and live well systems.
Boats must be in compliance with all applicable laws and codes.
It is required that each contestant successfully complete a boating safety course, boating safety certification, or possess a USCG Captain’s license. Boating safety courses are available online and should carry an endorsement by the National Association of State Boating Law
Administrators or NASBLA.
When boating in low visibility situations, i.e., fog, heavy rain, during both practice and competition, competitors must operate their boats at a safe speed and in a safe manner, not to exceed any restrictions determined by tournament officials.
ATF and Tournament Director may delay, shorten or cancel any part of a competition day, official practice day or restrict tournament waters because of weather or other factors.
Competitors and partners are allowed to leave the boat in case of emergency or when danger may be imminent. COMPETITORS SHOULD ALWAYS USE THEIR BEST JUDGMENT IN THESE SITUATIONS.
13. Permitted Fishing Methods:
Only artificial lures may be used. Rods actively being used must be physically held by the angler using the rod and not by some other means. Additional rods may be prepared and ready for use.
Trolling as a means of pulling baits to fish by any mechanical means is prohibited.
Trolling with the combustion engine as a method of fishing is prohibited.
Switching or sharing fish with other teams or individuals is a violation of these rules and will result in immediate disqualification. All bass must be caught alive, in a conventional, sporting manner. When sight fishing for bass, all fish must be hooked inside the mouth to be counted as a legal fish. ABSOLUTELY NO SNAGGING OF ANY FISH WHILE SITE FISHING.
All angling must be conducted from the boat. At no time shall a contestant leave the boat to land a fish, or to make the boat more accessible to fishing waters.
All contestants must comply with all applicable state and federal laws, and any contestants’ failure to comply with all applicable state and federal laws are subject to disqualification and/or other disciplinary action that is at the sole and absolute discretion of the Tournament Director.
14. Permitted Fishing Locations:
Contestants may fish anywhere on tournament waters accessible by boat, except areas designated as “off-limits” or “no fishing” by state or federal officials, or within 50 yards of a competitor’s boat which was first anchored (an anchored boat is a boat held in a stable position by a line attached to a weight or with the trolling motor in the up position), or within 50 yards of a non-anchored competitor’s boat unless otherwise agreed upon by the other tournament angler. The act of moving bass from one area of the lake to another area of the same lake at any time is not permitted, regardless of whether or not it is during Official Practice or Competition Days.
15. Off-limits Areas:
Off-limits areas are such areas established and announced by the ATF in general or for each and every ATF event. Contestants may not fish inside the established “off-limits” area. Violation of the rule will result in immediate disqualification. Contestants’ boats must remain in the tournament waters during the event.
16. Boat and Horsepower Regulation:
Each boat must have all the required U. S. Coast Guard safety equipment. Boats must contain properly aerated live well space to maintain alive the limit of catch of bass. Maximum horsepower for all outboards used in tournament competition may not exceed the horsepower limitation set by the U. S. Coast Guard in such vessel. Falsifying information on entry forms, or altering the horsepower numbers on the motor, or rating the plate to conceal such limitations will be cause for disqualification from the tournament. Tuning motors is allowed if state and federal laws allow. No contestant shall have a platform, raised deck, or ladder that is higher than the gunnel of the boat. Standing on the fishing seats or outboard motor is not allowed in ATF events.
17. Sportsmanship and Conduct:
All contestants are required to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety and conservation. All contestants must comply with all applicable state and federal laws, and any contestants’ failure to comply with all applicable state and federal laws are subject to disqualification and/or other disciplinary action that is at the sole and absolute discretion of the Tournament Director. Examples of conduct not complying with those standards include, but are not limited to, the following:
- a. Consumption and/or possession of alcoholic beverages or mind-altering substances during tournament hours extending through the weigh-in procedure.
- b. Any previous conviction, arrest, or investigation for a felony, or crime involving moral turpitude, or a crime related to, arising out of, or involving any fishing tournament or event. Exception will be considered with full, prior written disclosure to the Tournament Director under oath and by affidavit of all facts and circumstances surrounding such conviction, arrest, or investigation so long as those facts and circumstances do not result in the continuing questionability of the contestant’s honesty, integrity, character or qualifications to enter the event.
- c. Actions or words that reflect unfavorably upon efforts to promote safety, sportsmanship, and fair competition. The ATF will not allow bullying by any ATF competitor during practice, at meetings, or during tournament hours. ANY act of bullying will result in disqualification from the event and any future ATF event and ABT event. ANY DOCUMENTED VIOLATION OF THE SPORTMANSHIP RULE MAY RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION OF ALL ATF EVENTS AND ABT EVENTS.
- d. Chemical or substance abuse.
- e. Disqualification from any ATF, or other fishing organization’s tournament that resulted from rule violations that result in a contestant’s honesty, integrity, character, and qualifications for entry into an ATF event being questionable is in the Tournament Director’s sole and absolute discretion.
18. Trailering Is Not Allowed:
All boats must leave the official checkpoint in the order designated at registration. Contestants may launch their boat at a ramp other than the designated take-off location, but all contestants must come through the official checkpoint location before leaving to fish. In the event of severe weather, alternate takeoff instructions will be given at the registration site at the sole and absolute discretion of the Tournament Director.
19. Official Checkpoints:
There will be official checkpoint(s) for boat inspection in the morning and official check-in point(s) in the afternoon. Failure to go through the checkout in the morning or failure to officially check in at the check-in-point will result in disqualification from such event. FOBs must be received during the event check in and returned before the event weigh in time. The FOB returned time will be the contestants return time for weigh and will be used for any late penalty calculations. It is the sole responsibility of each contestant to arrive at the designated check-in location on time. All fishing must cease upon check-in, or upon such other time as may be designated by the Tournament Director.
20. Scoring:
Scoring will be determined by the pounds and hundredths of a pound of each angler’s catch during the tournament. Largemouth, Spotted, and Smallmouth Bass are accepted species. The limit will be five (5) per team. Any contestant who possesses more than the tournament limit plus one (six fish total) at any time will have his/her catch for the day disqualified. NOTE: no more than a limit of five (5) fish may be in the boat when in the no wake area of the weigh in check point. The minimum official length limit for all species for the 2026 ATF event will be provided at each event. Bass presented for weigh-in that fail to measure the prescribed length limit will result in loss of that fish and a half–pound
penalty to the weight of the total remaining fish. Each contestant’s catch must be presented in a tournament style weigh-in bag to the weigh in bump table. The Gold or Pro-Rule measuring board or equivalent is the official measuring board of ATF. This will be used to measure short fish at weigh in. Bass will be measured with mouth closed, tail compressed and swiped to achieve overall greatest length.
21. Live Fish:
You may weigh one dead fish as a part of your five-fish total; and a one-pound penalty will be assessed to your total weight for the day. No dead fish will be weighed for big fish.
22. Late Penalty:
Contestants who are not at the official check-in point at the appointed time will be assessed a one-pound-per-minute penalty from their total weight, including any weight to be counted toward a big bass award. Any contestant more than 15 minutes late will forfeit that day’s catch.
23. Closing of the Scales:
Scales will close 30 minutes after the last flight is due in. Due to certain weigh-in locations, this time may be lengthened or shortened at the Tournament Director’s sole and absolute discretion. Any change to the above stated official scale closing time will be announced during registration, during boat checkout, or during weigh-in. It is the angler’s responsibility to verify the official scale closing time and to be in the weigh-in line by such time.
24. Ties:
A tie for 1st place in all 2026 ATF events will be broken by a one-hour fish off or other as directed by the Tournament Director. All other ties will result in splitting that place and the next place’s money.
Ties in the teams for the ATF Overall Anglers of the Year will be broken by adding each team’s total weight for the season, and the highest weight will determine a qualifier.
25. Champion of Champion rules:
Regular season rules apply with the exception of the below:
The Campion of Champion event is a two boat four-man team event.
Anglers fishing in the current season who choose to fish in this event may register in the ATF portal up to four anglers and two boats for this event from any mix of anglers in good standing who registered and fished in the current ATF season.
A team can not fish more than two out of a boat.
Each boat can contain up to the regular season’s rules number for number of bass;
however, the two boats must cull down to a comprised five (5) fish limit before entering the no wake zone at check in and before returning their FOB for weigh in.
Only five (5) fish will be weighed for the four-man two boat team.
Anglers in a comprised four-man two boat team may communicate fishing strategies during Official Practice and Tournament days with each other but not outside of their respective team.
26. Points:
Points will be awarded as follows: Points will begin at the max number of teams allowed for a regular season for 1st Place, and increment down for each additional place. All teams that do not weigh a bass will receive 10 points less than the last place team that weighed fish in that event. Points will be awarded only to teams that fish an event, if a team does not show up for that event, that team will not receive points.
27. Angler Team of the Year (AOY):
The TOP three Overall AOY Points Leaders will receive plaque / trophies and be listed on the ATF website as the overall season winners.
28. Photography & Video:
All photos and/or video taken at an ATF event are the property of the ATF and may be used for promotional purposes. If any form of the media approaches, you are expected to present yourself in a professional manner and accommodate them within reason.
During weigh in you are expected to present yourself in a professional manner and answer the questions to the best of your ability. All video/camera equipment and/or tracking equipment placed in a contestant’s boat shall not be tampered with or removed without permission from the ATF Tournament Director. Any tampering with, powering off, or removing of this equipment will result in the team’s disqualification.
29. Insurance:
Anglers joining and or registering for ATF events represent and warrant that they now have or will obtain prior to the tournament series, boat owners liability insurance (including coverage for third party property damage and bodily injury) with no “tournament exclusion,” having a minimum limit of $100,000 per occurrence. The insurance must be issued by a reputable insurer rated A or better by A.M. Best and Company. Policy must include international waters, or a separate policy for international waters must be obtained if I choose to fish international waters during applicable ATF events. Anglers shall provide the ATF with satisfactory evidence of that insurance prior to their participation in any
tournament event or at any time requested by the American Team Fishing Series.
30. Incorporation of 2026ATF Overview:
The “2026 RULES OVERVIEW” stated above are adopted and incorporated into the ATF 2026 Rules, and the “2026 RULES OVERVIEW” are valid and enforceable rules that every angler must comply with like any other ABBTS rule.
31: By registering and participating in any ATF event you are consenting to our texting and photograph consent policy
Telephone Consumer Protection Act-Prior Express Written Consent-for receiving automated trail information.
You are giving consent to receive automated informational text, SMS, MMS, email, and calls associated with ATF related or supported events and information. These may be sent by the ATF, Tournament Director, or other as directed by ATF on their behalf. You may opt out of
these messages at any time by replying to such messages with “STOP” or as otherwise instructed or giving oral or written instruction to the ATF to stop sending such informational messages. You represent that you are permitted to receive calls, emails, and communications at the telephone numbers and email addresses you have provided. You agree to promptly alert ATF whenever you stop using or wish to stop receiving information sent to these telephone numbers and email addresses. Your cellular, mobile, broadband or otherwise provider of your telephone and email service may charge you according to your type of plan for receiving these messages.
By registering and or participating in any ATF event, and / or singing any ATF waiver, you for good and valuable consideration, including but not limited to ATF allowing the angler participation in the ATF event, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, angler hereby irrevocably grants permission to ATF, the successors and assigns of each of the foregoing, and each of their respective agents, licensees, designees, and assigns and those other parties acting under such parties’ permission or upon their authority (collectively, with ATF, the “Licensees”), in perpetuity, a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, fully paid-up license and non-revocable right to reproduce, display, exhibit, publish, broadcast,
distribute, and otherwise use, and permit others to use, anglers name, image, nickname, initials, symbols, likeness, signature, photograph, voice, statements, performances, actions, biographical material, and any and all attributes of anglers’ personality and appearance (collectively, anglers “Identity”) in materials created in connection with angler participation in the ATF event and related events and activities of ATF (collectively, the “Materials”), alone or in combination with any other materials, in connection with any ATFauthorized production, collectibles, merchandise or publication, including, but not limited to, in connection with the promotion of ATF, the ATF events and any other events or
programs managed by the ATF, in any and all manner and media now known or hereafter devised, including without limitation, in print, within television programs, motion pictures, websites, social media channels, including without limitation, physical or digital trading
cards or other collectible merchandise, public relations materials and for any other lawful purpose in ATF’s sole discretion. For clarity, the foregoing shall also include the right to use angler’s Identity in connection with the publicity, advertising, promotion, exhibition or other
exploitation of the Materials, including, but not limited to, angler appearance at and / or performance during the ATF event and related events and activities and angler’s inclusion within any of the Materials. Anglers agree to promptly and fully comply with all filming, camera location and other rules, guidelines and instructions of ATF during each Tournament Series.
32. Legal Venue:
By registering and or participating in any ATF event you are agreeing to any legal issues and enforcement being Georgia law without regard to conflict of laws principal thereof.
Any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement, this document, or an ATF Event, or the breach, invalidity, enforceability, arbitrability, or interpretation thereof, if not settled by the Parties themselves, shall be settled by arbitration administered by the
American Arbitration Association in accordance with its Commercial Arbitration Rules, and judgment on the award, which shall be rendered by a single arbitrator, may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. ATF and the Anglers agree that no arbitrator shall have authority to conduct a class or collective proceeding, or to join or consolidate any claim with the claim of another person. To the extent permitted by
applicable law, all claims must be brought solely in ATF’s or the Angler’s individual capacity, and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class or collective proceeding. All mediations arising under this provision shall take place in Bremen, Georgia, and the Angler consents to that forum and waives all objections to the propriety or convenience of that arbitration forum.
If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or other portion of this Agreement is, for any reason, declared invalid, in whole or in part, by any final and binding action of any court, agency, commission, legislative body, or other authority of competent jurisdiction,
such portion shall be deemed a separate, distinct, and independent portion. Such declaration shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions hereof, which other portions shall continue in full force and effect.
The failure of ATF to enforce any of the provisions of this document or the waiver thereof in any instance, shall not be construed as a general waiver or relinquishment on its part of any such provision, but the same shall nevertheless be and remain in full force and effect.
33. Taxes:
The ATF and Anglers registering and or participating in any ATF event shall be responsible for paying their own federal, state or local taxes, or any other taxes or fees such as income taxes as may be applicable associated with any ATF event.
34. Indemnity:
All anglers in any ATF event expressly assume all risk associated with their participation in any ATF event.
Anglers agree and understand it is their explicit and sole responsibility (not the ATF or the Tournament Director) to determine if conditions, their health, their ability, or any other condition or matter are safe enough for their participation in any ATF event.
Any angler or participant who registers or participates in any ATF event hereby agrees to indemnify, defend, protect and hold harmless ATF and its Affiliates, and their employees, officers, directors and agents (the ATF indemnified persons), from and against, and assumes liability for, all claims (a) suffered or incurred by the ATF indemnified persons or any of them because of the death of any person, or any injuries or damage received or sustained by any persons or property which in whole or in part arise on account of the negligent acts or missions of ATF, (b) suffered or incurred by the ATF indemnified persons or any of them and arising out of or resulting from any ATF related event or activity.
35. Limitation of Liability, Indirect or Consequential Damages:
NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION OF THIS DOCUMENT / AGREEMENT TO THE CONTRARY, EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT CAUSED BY ITS GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR WILLFUL MISCONDUCT, NEITHER THE ATF OR ANGLER OR ATF EVENT PARTICIPANT NOR THEIR REESPECTIVE AFFILIATES SHALL BE LIABEL FOR RESPONSIBLE TO THE OTHER PARTY FOR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT, PUNITIVE OR CONSEQUESNTIAL COSTS, LIABILITIES OR DAMAGES, WHETHER FORESEEABLE OR NOT, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ECONOMIC LOSS, DMAGES ARISING FORM THE PARTICIPATION OR RELATED TO ATF EVENTS, AND/OR SUCH PARTY’S PARTICIPATION, PERFORMANCE OR NON PERFORMANCE OF ITS OBLIGATIONS OR PERCEIVED OBLIGATIONS UNDER THIS DOCUMENT, AGREEMENT, OR ATF EVENT,
REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF ACTION, WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT (INCLUDING STRICT LIABILITY), ALL CLAIMS FOR WHICH ARE HEREBY SPECIFICALLY WAIVED. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION OF THIS DOCUMENT, AGREEMENT, OR ATF EVENT TO THE CONTRARY, (i) THE MAXIMUM LIABILITY TO ATF OR ITS AFFILIATES, IF ANY, IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT, DOCUMENT, OR ATF EVENT SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE AMOUT PAID BY ANY ATF EVENT PARTICIPANT FOR ENTRY OR ENVOLVMENT WITH THE ATF EVENT GIVING RISE TO THE LIABILITY.
36. Electronics:
The following rules apply to both official practice and competition.
No electronics may be used or placed in a manner that interferes with the boat’s safe operation subject to the ATF and Tournament Directors discretion.
37. Waiver:
By registering and/or participating in any ATF Event you are hereby affectively signing the then current ATF waiver.