Official Rules
Eligibility:
The 333 Championship Series is open to any fishing team willing to participate and abide by official tournament rules and state specific DNR regulations. The Tournament Committee reserves the right to decline entry or participation by any person, team or boat, as deemed necessary, to ensure such things as integrity, image, reputation, financial performance and community relationships with sponsors, participants and supporting groups.
Rules:
The 333 Championship Series is a side bet that runs in conjunction with each host tournament on the Tournament Trail. The object of the 333 is to catch 3 fish in 2 days. The heaviest 3-fish catch wins. Teams can elect to weigh any number of their 3 tournament fish on day 1 or they can elect not to weigh any fish on day one. Any fish weighed and counted on day 1 cannot be exchanged for a bigger fish caught on day 2. On day 2 teams will weigh however many fish they have left to complete their 3 fish limit. Any fish weighed in the 333 must come from a legal tournament catch. 333 Championship Series events also follow the Tournament Trail General Rules where applicable. Tournament Trail General Rules can be found here.
Entry Fee:
333 Entry is $100 Per Boat
Some events offer “333 Only” which allows teams to enter 333 without entering any division of the host tournament.
333 Only Entry is $150 Per Boat ($50 will be given to the host tournament)
Check availability at each host event.
Limits:
333 Limits mirror the limits of the host tournament at which they are taking place. In other words you must abide by all applicable host tournament limits while fishing 333. Any 333 fish must come from a legal host tournament catch. The total number of fish you can count toward your score is 3. The total number of fish you can catch is determined by the host event and division in which you are entered.
Penalties/DQs:
Any 333 fish must come from a legal host tournament catch. If you or your catch is disqualified for any reason from the host tournament you will be unable to weigh fish in the 333. This applies only to the catch or day that was disqualified in the host event. In other words, if you are DQ’d on day 1 you will not be able to weigh any fish on day 1. However, you will be able to weigh 333 fish on day 2 as long as you are legally able to weigh fish on day 2 in the host tournament.
Late Boats – Boats that are deemed late by host tournament rules will not be allowed to weigh any fish in the 333 on the day that they are late. This ruling will apply at all 333 events even if the host tournament rules call for penalties or point deductions instead of total disqualification.
Disabled Boats – You must fish both days of the 333 in the same boat. Teams may not for any reason change boats once a tournament has started.
Weigh In:
333 fish will be weighed on separate scales. They may be weighed prior to or after your host tournament catch. Remember, all 333 fish must come from your legal host tournament catch. You must weigh your 333 fish on the 333 scales. Fish weights recorded on host tournament scales cannot be transfered to the 333.
Awards:
333 awards will be posted and displayed at the Captain’s Meeting of each host tournament event. 333 Awards are “choice” awards, meaning that first place gets first choice, 2nd place gets second choice and so on. The only exceptions to this rule are the Big Fish Bonus Awards.
Big Fish Bonus Awards:
Big Fish Bonus Awards may be available at 333 events. If they are available they will be on display at the Captain’s Meeting along with the “Choice” Prizes. Big Fish Bonuses are awarded to the team that catches the biggest single fish or group of fish in a pre-determined category. Big Fish Bonus Awards may vary by port. THERE IS NO EXTRA COST TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR BIG FISH BONUS AWARDS. THEY ARE INCLUDED WITH YOUR 333 ENTRY.
333 Only:
In an effort to make the Tournament Experience accessible to more anglers, some events on the Tournament Trail offer “333 Only” as an entry option. If 333 Only is in effect, teams may elect to enter the 333 event without entering any division of the host event itself.
333 Only teams are required to abide by all applicable tournament limits. 333 Only teams may bring a maximum of (5) fish to the 333 Scales each day.
333 Only teams will be eligible for all 333 Port Prizes including all choice prizes, gear packages and Big Fish Bonus awards. 333 Only teams may also enter the Founders Cup Multi-Port competition by paying the additional entry fee prior to the start of the first event they wish to count toward their cumulative score. 333 Only teams are not eligible for any prizes awarded in the host event.
333 Only Entry is $150 per boat. The additional $50 in the entry fee goes to the host event. 333 Only is only available at certain events. Check with Tournament Trail Staff or Host Event Staff to verify availability
Founders Cup:
The Founders Cup is an optional competition that goes on over the course of each 333 Season. It requires an additional entry fee and has an additional cash purse that is paid out at the end of the season. The Founders Cup uses a point system for scoring (see below). The highest average score at the end of the season will be declared the Founders Cup Champion.
Founders Cup Payouts:
The Founders Cup offers a guaranteed cash purse of $20,000. The top 10 boats will cash. The top prize will be $10,000.
Founders Cup Entry Fees:
There are two ways a team can enter the Founders Cup Competition:
ADVANCE ENTRY: $500 for the full season
This one-time entry fee can be paid at any time in advance of the season or during the season. It must however be paid in full prior to the start of the first event that you wish to count toward your cumulative score. Your advance Founders Cup entry covers you for the full season and makes you eligible for the end-of-season cash payouts listed above. It does not cover your 333 single port entries throughout the season.
PORT BY PORT ENTRY: $150 per Score
Port by Port entry requires a $150 fee payable prior to the start of any 333 event you wish to count toward your overall score in the Founders Cup race. The Port by Port entry fee is in addition to the regular 333 entry fee which still must be paid for each event.
Founders Cup Scoring:
The goal of the Founders Cup is to post your best average score by season’s end. Your average score will consist of (3) individual 333 port scores added together and divided by 3.. Teams may use up to 4 individual 333 scores to complete their overall Founders Cup average score. Only the best 3 scores will be used to calculate each team’s average score.
Founders Cup port scoring will be calculated as follows:
A first place finish at any 333 event will count as 100 points.
2nd through last place points will be awarded on a depreciating scale based on the size of field at each individual event. The depreciation factor will be calculated as 100 divided by the number of boats participating rounded to 1/100th of a point.
Examples:
Number of 333 Boats: 50
Depreciation Factor: 100/50 = 2
Scoring: 1st: 100 - 2nd: 98 - 3rd: 96 - 4th: 94 - 5th: 92 and so on.
Number of 333 Boats: 29
Depreciation Factor: 100/29 = 3.45
Scoring: 1st: 100 - 2nd: 96.55 - 3rd: 93.10 - 4th: 89.66 - 5th: 86.21 and so on.
Score Abandonment:
A maximum of 4 port scores may be used to establish your cumulative (average) score. However, teams may elect to abandon their current score string after a minimum of 2 scores have been posted. Score abandonment allows a team to reset their score to zero and start fresh with the opportunity to post 4 new scores. Score abandonment requires an additional entry fee to be paid prior to the first event that will be used to establish a new score string. Teams who wish to abandon their score may re-enter the Founders Cup race by using either the full season or the port by port entry method.
Founders Cup Tie Breakers:
In the event of a tie the following tie breakers will be used in the listed order. If the tie cannot be broken after progressing through each tie breaker in the listed order then all prize money involved in the tie will be added together and split between tied teams.
HEAD TO HEAD: If teams have individual port scores from the same event within their cumulative score, the highest individual score shall break the tie. Head to head tie breakers will only be used if all tied boats have a counted port score from the same event.
DEPRECIATION FACTOR: Each team’s cumulative score will include 3 depreciation factors. One attached to each of the 3 scores counted in their cumulative score. Those 3 numbers will be added together and the LOWEST total depreciation factor will break the tie.
Switching Boats:
PLEASE NOTE: 333 Founders Cup Scores are not transferable between boats. You MUST fish in the same boat for each of your 333 individual scores in order for them to count toward the Founders Cup.
The only exception to this rule is as follows:
Teams are not allowed to switch boats during the season. 333 scores in the Championship Series and the Founders Cup always follow the boat. However, any Captain, Crew or Team Entity does retain the right to acquire a new boat at any time. If this occurs during the season, the Team will be allowed to change to their new boat under the following conditions:
– The intent to switch boats must be brought to the attention of Tournament Trail as soon as possible.
– The switch must be officially declared by the Captain to Tournament Trail prior to the start of the first event in which the new boat will be used.
– The new boat must completely replace the old boat. In other words, buying or acquiring a second boat that you plan to equip and use in addition to your original boat does not allow you to switch boats.
– Under no circumstances will the team be allowed to revert back to the old boat once the switch is made.
– At their discretion, Tournament Trail may request proof of ownership of the new boat or proof of sale of the old boat.
The 333 Tournament Director reserves final authority to approve any proposed switch in order to assure compliance with the spirit and intent of this rule.
Additional Rules:
Tournament Trail General Rules where appropriate also apply to each individual 333 Championship Series event and the Founders Cup Multi-Port Competition. They can be read here.