Colorado TBF Youth Programs

Click for: 2010 Youth Entry Form & Liability Waiver

How to Qualify

• In order to be eligible to fish the Colorado TBF Youth Championship, youth 11 to 18 must be an "active" member of at least one of the established Colorado TBF Youth clubs in Colorado
• "Only" the top 3 youth of each age group (11-14 and 15-18), in each separate club, will qualify to fish the Colorado State Championship and have a chance at a trip to the National youth event
• Each separate Colorado youth club is responsible for having their own qualifying rules to decide their top 3 youths of each age group
• Youth having a 15th birthday, "prior to August 31st," will be placed in the upper age category
• Youth having a 19th birthday, "prior to August 31st," will be considered "ineligible" to participate

Youth Championship Format

• Qualifiers, and/or their parents, must sign a "Waiver of liability" and a "Liability of damage" prior to Championship start date
• Qualifiers will be paired randomly, with an opposite age group youth, prior to the tournament start date
• Qualifiers will "not" be allowed to fish with an "opposite age group youth" from their own club
• Qualifiers will fish a "card" tournament for the first (5.5) hours of the Colorado Youth Championship
• Only the "best 5 fish" card weights will be counted for each contestant
• Boaters will be responsible for weighing all fish and keeping updated weight information
• Only the "Top 3" of each age group will advance to the second part of the Colorado Youth Championship
• All fish weights for the advancing 3 youths of each age group will be reset to zero!
• Only "Keeper" bass (Smallmouth, Largemouth, Kentucky Spotted at 15" or larger), will count for weigh-in during this second half of the Championship. Maximum of 5 fish can be weighed per contestant
• The heaviest total weight of each age group's final 3 will advance to the TBF National event in August to represent Colorado!

Youth Championship Rules

• The Colorado TBF Youth Championship will parallel "most" of the 2009 Junior World Championship rules, except for rules that:
     a) do not apply to this Colorado TBF Youth Championship format
     b) are in direct conflict with any rules stated herein
• State Youth Director (and/or his appointed representative's) decisions are considered final on all issues
• Qualifiers (each) must submit a minimum of ($25) to volunteer boaters for use of boat/gas/oil and time
• Nets will be allowed. Boaters are allowed to net fish "only if requested by the youth angler with the fish"
• Boaters will be paired with youth by tournament officials and will not be paired with "their" club youth
• Boaters are not to help the youths, in any way, shape, manner or form, including the locating or the catching of any fish, except netting. All choices made as to location of fishing must come from the youths
• Qualifiers must wear their life jackets "at all times" during the tournament hours. "No exceptions!"
• Qualifiers will "not" be allowed to drive while the main engine of the boat is running. "No exceptions!" Only those youths that are sixteen years of age or older, may operate the trolling-motor; or youths fourteen years of age or older, who have not reached his or her sixteenth birthday, may operate the trolling motor, only if he or she:
     a) Completes a boating safety course approved by the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation; and
     b) has a boating safety certificate issued by the boating safety course provider in his or her possession and must show certificate to the tournament director "prior" to launch
• Boaters can run the trolling motors "only" if requested by one of the youth. A "legal" youth always has first option to run the trolling motor at anytime; however, the Boater has the right to take control of the trolling motor at anytime if he believes safety or equipment is at risk.
• Qualifiers will fish from 5:30am("safelight") to 11:00am for the first part of the championship
• The Top 3 weights, of each age group, from the first half of the championship will advance and compete in the second half of the championship from approximately 12:00pm to 3:30pm. "Keeper" fish only!
• If no "keeper" fish are caught in an age group during the top 3 finals(second half), the heaviest weight of the 3 finalists from the earlier part of the competition will advance to the Nationals to represent Colorado
• "Protests" (verbal is OK), about boaters or other contestants, are to be brought to the State Youth Director (or his appointed representative's) attention immediately upon reaching weigh-in. Any protests "after" the weigh-in will be accepted, but "may not" be acted upon
• If any unexpected issues should arise, revert to second rule above