2021 General Tournament Rules

Revised 1-3-2021

• Entry fees for regular season tournaments will be $100 per team.  This includes a big fish pot.

• A team for each tournament may consist of 1, 2, or 3 anglers.  There will be a $25 fee for having a 3rd angler.

• Entries may be paid by cash only.  Paypal may be accepted if received at least 3 days prior to the event.

• Entry fees will only be refunded if the director cancels the tournament.  Any decisions on bad weather will be made by the board of directors before the tournament begins.  Once the tournament is started the tournament will hold to scheduled time.

• Kids under the age of 16 years old may fish free.  Anyone 16 and older must be members of CTCT.  At the time an angler turns 16 he/she must become a member and be a paid angler to continue fishing, no matter when it is during the season.  Jr anglers must be accompanied by a paid adult at all times.

• Memberships can be purchased for $25 anytime before the tournament or at the time of registration.

• Memberships are good for the 2021 season, and will expire after the 2021 classic.

• Membership funds will go towards the classic at the end of the year and bettering the tournament trail.

• Entry fees for the Cen-Tex Classic will be $150 per team.  Each person must have entered at least 2 CTCT tournaments during the year prior to the classic to be able to participate in the 2021 Cen–Tex Classic.

• Payouts will be based on the number of teams entered. More information on payouts is posted below.

• Nobody other than paid team members may be on the boat. Non-fishing spectators are not allowed to be on the boat.  Tournament participants may not get on another boat during the tournament, unless of an emergency.

• Fish may be caught on rod and reel only.

• Each team may fish with no more than 10 rods at any given time.  No extra rods or reels may be in the boat.

• No fishing within 50 yards of a marina gas pump or within 50 yards of a competitor’s boat.

• Each team may weigh in up to 5 catfish (blues, channels, and flatheads combined).  Only 3 fish for Navarro Mills Tournament.

• All fish brought to weigh in must be alive and of the legal size limit per TPWD laws specific to that lake.  Attempting to weigh in an illegal fish will result in DQ from the tournament.  In the situation of a DQ ZERO points will be awarded.

• NO STRINGERS, FISH BASKETS OR TOE SACKS! All teams must have a livewell on their boat sufficient for keeping their fish alive.  Teams must keep fish in their immediate possession at all times.

• Any fish brought to weigh in that is dead will result in losing that fish. Teams that lose a fish due to the dead fish rule will not be allowed to replace that fish with another fish.  All dead fish become property of CTCT.

• All anglers are subject to polygraph.  In the event of a failed polygraph the board of directors will make the final decision on disqualification from the tournament and/or banning from all future events.  Refusal of a polygraph will result in DQ from the tournament and/or banning from future events.

• Off limits period will begin at 10 pm, the night prior to the tournament.  Teams may not be on tournament waters from this time, until after boats are released from boat inspection. 

• No vehicles may be left overnight in the boat inspection line unattended.

• Teams may not have any lines in the water until the start fishing time.

• All teams must have lines out of the water at the stop fishing time.

• Ahead of each tournament we will announce an inspection ticket turn in deadline.  At this designated time any team that does not have their ticket turned in will not be able to weigh in.  Your fish will not be weighed prior to turning in your ticket.

• In case of a tie the team with the biggest fish wins. If both teams tie for big fish, the tie will end in a tie. In this case, prizes and points will be evenly split between the tied teams.

• All protests cost $100 and must be made in writing before prizes are awarded.  If you know a team did something against the rules please get any pictures or video and let the BOD know immediately.  Protest fee will be refunded if you win your protest.

• Bank fishing will NOT be allowed.  Teams may beach their boat, but must continue to fish from inside the boat.

• Be prepared to practice social distancing & mask requirements if needed.

Throughout the year we will have an optional $10 per person record catch cumulative pot that will pay for a lake record blue or flathead that is caught during tournament hours.  If a lake record is not caught the amount in the pot for that tournament will roll to the next tournament. Must have paid your $10 prior to the start of the tournament to be entered. Once you have entered in the record pot you are eligible for the lake record pot until it is paid out.  If not paid out at the end of 2021 the entire amount in the pot will roll over to 2022 and each person will have to re-enter in the record pot for 2022.  The angler that catches the Lake Record must be entered in the Record Pot to be eligible to win.  Jr. Angler records will not be eligible.  In the situation a Jr Angler Catches an adult lake record, he/she may claim the pot only if an adult the jr angler is fishing with is entered in the lake record pot. 

Special Rules for Slot Lakes

• Blue catfish greater than 30” and less than 45” may not be brought to weigh in.

• Teams may weigh in 5 catfish of any species but no more than 2 of them can be blue catfish  45” and greater.

• If an angler fishes alone he may only weigh in 1 blue catfish over 45”

• Legal and alive channel catfish and flathead catfish will be accepted at weigh in.

Angler of the Year Award

Throughout the year anglers will receive points based on tournament results. The individual with the most points after the Cen-Tex Classic will receive the Angler of the Year Award.  Points standings will be determined by individuals, rather than teams.  At each tournament all anglers on a team will receive an equal amount of points for their finish.  An individual may fish with as many, or as few different partners as he/she wishes throughout the year.

Place points – At each tournament, 1st place will receive 50 points. Each place after that will receive 1 less point. 2nd place will receive 49 points, 3rd place will receive 48 points etc. (Example: A team of Bil,  Bob, and Steve fish a tournament and get 2nd place. Bill will get 49 points, Bob will get 49 points, and Steve will get 49 points.  Those guys can then still split up and fish with different partners during the remainder of the year if they wish to.) A team that does not turn in an inspection ticket will not be allowed to weigh in and will forfeit half of their place points.

Angler of the Year will be determined after the classic and receive a free membership for the following year along with additional prizes.  In the case of a tie for AOY we will name the tied anglers CO AOY.

Jr Angler of the Year Award

Jr Angler of the Year will follow the same points system as AOY.  Any anglers under the age of 16 will be eligible for JR AOY.

General Tournament Payout Scale

1-10 teams      65% to 1st place, 15% to 2nd place, 10% to big fish, 10% to better CTCT

11-20 teams    60% to 1st place, 18% to 2nd place, 8% to 3rd place, 8% to big fish, 6% to better CTCT

21-35 teams    55% to 1st place, 21% to 2nd place, 10% to 3rd place, 3% to 4th place, 7% to big fish , 4% to better CTCT

36 -50 teams   52% to 1st place, 21% to 2nd place, 10% to 3rd place, 5% to 4th place, 3% to 5th place, 6% to big fish , 3% to better CTCT

51+ Teams      52% to 1st place, 21% to 2nd place, 10% to 3rd place, 5% to 4th place, 3% to 5th Place, 2% to 6th place, 5% to big fish , 2% to better CTCT                                                                              

Payout scale at the Cen-Tex classic will be similar, but slightly different.

Qualification for 2021 Cen-Tex Catfish Classic

Throughout the year we raise money in various ways at each tournament to put towards the classic payout.  All members are encouraged to fish the classic as it is by far the largest paying tournament of the season.  The top 3 individuals in the AOY race will fish the classic for free.  If any of those anglers are fishing together in the classic we will award an additional free spot until we have 3 teams fishing for free.  No more than 3 free entries to the classic will be awarded.   Anyone else eligible may fish for an entry fee of $150 for 1 or 2 people or $175 for 3 people..  Anyone entering the classic must have entered at least 2 events throughout the year prior to the classic.

American Catfishing Association Alliance Trail

Central Texas Catfish Trail, is part of the American Catfishing Association Alliance.  ACA members may fish CTCT tournaments and compete in the division 2 ACA points race against anglers across the Country.  Additionally, for each tournament an ACA member fishes, they will receive an entry in a drawing for a brand new Sea Ark boat awarded from American Catfishing Association.  These features will be offered to ACA members  only.  Visit the ACA Website for more information.  https://americancatfishingassociation.com/

Board of Directors

• Current Board members are Brandon Rudloff, Jason Cummings, Clint Clover, and David Lopez.  Tournament Director is Jerry Dillard.

• CTCT will maintain a Board of Directors at all times.

• BOD are to help make decisions in which is best for CTCT and most fair for all members.

• All protests will be reviewed by the BOD which makes regular tournament participation necessary.

• BOD may also be asked to help with various tasks at tournaments such as inspecting boats, operating scales at weigh ins, transporting fish from weigh ins back to the lake, ect.

• The BOD will be made up of 4 CTCT members as well as the director.  .

• Board members will serve in 2 year terms.  With the board of directors being voted on and replaced at the Cen-Tex Classic each year.

• To be on the board, a member must have participated in 75% of the tournaments in the previous year, and maintain 75% participation during the year that he/she serves.

• If a board member cannot maintain 75% participation that spot may be replaced by another qualified member.  In this situation, the new member will be elected to the board to serve the remaining term and then the position will be opened up for another member.

• New board members will be elected at the captains meeting for the Cen-Tex Classic each year.

• To be elected, a qualified member must be nominated by a current member.  After all nominations are taken, the open spots will be voted on by all members present.  To be nominated a member does not have to be present at the captains meeting, but must have previously been nominated to the director, and accepted the nomination.

• If at any time, a BOD wants to resign his/her position they may do so by contacting the director.

The 2022 Cen-Texas Catfish Trail is a 10 rod and reel catfish tournament with a 5 fish weigh in per team. All fish must be alive and released back to the lake after weigh in. $100 entry for 1 or 2 people, $125 for 3 people. All team members must be CTCT members. Membership is $25 and may be obtained at the time of registration. All entry fees paid back and all membership fees going towards payout at the 2022 Cen-Tex Catfish Classic. Be sure to fish at least 3 events so that you don't miss out on the Classic.

The first stop on the 2022 trail will be Lake Whitney on January 15, 2022. Tournament times will be 7:00am - 3:00pm. Captains meeting will be hosted by Whitney Cafe Friday January 14 at 6:30 pm. Host lodging will be Whitney Marina at Juniper Cove. The weigh in will be at Whitney Marina at 3:30. Anglers must have weigh ticket turned in and in line by 4:00 pm. Early registration is open. Details for early registration contact Garth Goodwin. Check out more details on our Facebook page.