2027 PureSkill Series Rules | James River Tackle

2027 JRTC PureSkill Bass Tournament

RULES

Entry Fees & Membership – Entry Fee is $500 per tournament, including the classic. Total of $2,000 for the series and $50 membership fee per person/$100 per team. A non-refundable deposit of $500. is due to secure your spot with the balance due by March 1, 2027. You must be paid in full by March 1, 2027 to fish. 3.5% added for Credit Card payments and $50 return check fee. You can pay online, at James River Tackle, or by mail. If mailing a check, make payable to: James River Tackle and mail to 1410 W. City Point Rd, Hopewell, VA 23860.
NO Form of Forward-Facing Sonar may be used during official practice or tournament hours. This includes, but is not limited to Garmin Livescope, Hummingbird Mega Live, and Lowrance Active Target and Eagle Eye. Hummingbird 360 is allowed.
BLAST-OFF POSITIONS –Boat number is drawn morning of tournament.
Life jackets must be worn when boat is on plane.
SUBS – Sub fee is $50.00(one time fee – paid 1st time Sub is used) Only 1 Sub for the year. A Sub may fish the Classic, as long as he/she has Fished at least one of the qualifiers.
POINTS –First Place will receive two hundred (200) points, Second Place one hundred ninety eight (198) points, Third Place, one hundred ninety seven (197) points, etc. Big Fish winner will receive two (2) bonus points. Points winner for the year will receive $1000 and a Plaque.
START TIME – The PureSkill tournaments will begin at safe light and be split into 3 flights (based on a full field) in 10 Minute increments and end at 3:00, 3:10 and 3:20PM unless there is a weather delay.
LIMITS/Penalties – All PureSkill tournaments have a five (5) bass limit. Please be aware of the size limits on each body of water. Smith Mountain Lake is 14", Lake Gaston is 14", Potomac River is 15" and the James River is 12". A Half (0.5) pound penalty will be deducted for each dead fish weighed (culling a dead fish is allowed). A team bringing a short fish to the scales will lose the short fish and their biggest fish. A team bringing more than five (5) bass to the scales will result in being disqualified.
TIES –Big Fish weight to break a total weight tie, if no big fish is weighed by either team we will equally split the payout. Total weight will break a Big Fish tie.
LATE PENALTY – One (1) pound per minute will be deducted from a team’s total weight for each minute the team is late. Returning to the ramp more than five (5) minutes past the designated weigh-in time will result in disqualification. It is your responsibility to check in upon return to ramp!
POLYGRAPH – Winners and participants are subject to a polygraph exam at any JRTC PureSkill Tournament. Refusal to take a polygraph for any reason will result in disqualification.
No alcohol or illegal drugs may be consumed during tournament hours.
If a team receives assistance from a competitor or non-competitor in the instance of a break-down or other emergency, it must be brought to the Committee’s attention for approval. If possible, a phone call should be made to a committee member to receive clearance for any help a team receives during tournament hours. If a call cannot be made, the instance must be brought to a committee member’s attention before weigh-in. A team member can return to the weigh-in with the team’s catch in another competitor’s boat or non-competitor’s boat. CELL PHONE USE FOR EMERGENCIES ONLY.
PAYBACK –90% payback. One (1) Big Fish place will be paid. One (1) place paid for every Six (6) teams entered. Completed W-9 form required if you receive a check.
OFF-LIMITS/Practice – Official Practice Days are the Thursday and Friday before the tournament and NO FORWARD FACING SONAR is allowed on Practice days. The tournament waters are off-limits the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday prior to the tournament. You may NOT get information or assistance from others in the week of the tournament. For the Classic on the James River the off-limits area's are as follows: Chippoaks ponds, both gravel pits blocked by poles and barrels and Hopewell Marina from no-wake buoy to no-wake buoy, behind Dominion Power plant where red NO Trespassing signs are, The Chick. Dam, Private fishing club at the end of swift Creek under interstate 95 bridge, Cornelius creek. No casting over manmade structures to fish other bodies of water. You are not allow to leave your boat to advance into a spot to fish or have someone sit on a spot for you. Show respect and do not fish on top of other anglers. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS CALL DONNIE (804) 691-4764
CLASSIC – 2 Day Classic – all teams will fish both days and total weight for both days wins. Day one you will draw your boat # and day 2 boat # is the order you finished on day 1