For anyone interested, here are the Official One Bug Rules from last year, which will also be followed this year. Scoring is not based on numbers of fish, but rather on a point system selected from up to six fish the contestant chooses. All fish must be immediately returned to the water unharmed. Penalties exist for any fish harmed and all fish are measured on a specially made device so the fish does not have to be removed from the water.
The event is a total blast and we typically have about a 90% return rate of prior years competitors. Interestingly, the pros have never won. It can be anyone's game. The real winner is the river and each and every participant form the Friday banquet attendees to the last place finisher. The prize is a fun filled weekend and is shared by all involved.
All the guides are seasoned Delaware River professionals who give their valuable weekend to the event. With 15 teams/boats spread over sixty or more miles of river and limiting it to just using one fly, the catch rate is less than half the normal thus reducing the impact to less than what an average angler would incur.
Heavier tippets than normal are used by contestants to reduce their risk of losing their fly, which results in fewer takes but also quicker landings.
Last years winning fly was none other than the Adams parachute, size 14 and by days end held together by Super Glue and tied with a fine wire ribbing to keep the toothy brown trout from completely trashing it.
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ONE BUG™ Rules and Regulations 2010
Teams
A.
Each team will consist of two fishing contestants. Alternate contestants may substitute on a daily basis. Alternate contestant fee is a one time $300 fee.
B.
Only one member of the team may be a professional. A professional is defined as anyone who, within the last 3 years, has performed services as a guide or captain for compensation.
C.
Two contestants from opposing teams and guide will occupy a boat.
Equipment
A.
Contestants will furnish their own fly fishing equipment. Not more than two fly rods, fly reels and fly lines per contestant.
B.
The type of fly rods, fly reels and fly lines are the choice of each individual contestant.
C.
The use of lead weight, fly floatant, leaders or other accessories will be at the discretion of the contestant.
D.
No motors of any kind on boats during event hours.
E.
Artificial or man made scents and or attractants are prohibited.
Event Flies
A.
Any single hook conventional fly pattern (dry, wet, nymph, streamer, etc.) may be used.
B.
Flies must be tied on a single hook.
C.
It is the contestant’s choice what fly and fly pattern may be used each day. A different fly and fly pattern may be used on the second day.
D.
The guide must approve the contestant's fly selection before the boat enters the water and or official fishing start time. The guide will take a picture of each contestant’s fly for each day with the portable camera provided.
E.
Repair of flies may only be done with the use of glue or any adhesive. Any re-tying of the fly with thread or fly tying materials is prohibited. Broken hooks may be honed or filed to a usable sharpness via any sharpening tool.
F.
Traditional strike indicators are allowed. Flies, even those with broken hooks, are not allowed to be used as an indicator. Only a single fly may be attached to the leader.
Fishing Procedure
A.
All federal and state rules and regulations governing the waters being fished will be unconditionally observed.
B.
All river channels are fishable.
C.
All trout species will be counted in the scoring
D.
Fishing start and finish time for each day will be announced on Friday evening. All contestants are required to start at place of departure (put in) and remain with the guide and boat to the designated place of completion (take out).
E.
Guides or boat partners may assist in landing any fish to be scored with the permission of the fisherman who has the fish on the line.
F.
Flies if snagged or lost may be recovered as long as the recovery does not in the guides’ opinion endanger anyone trying to retrieve that fly. The fly may be reattached to the leader and fishing may continue.
G.
Daily scoring ends for the contestant when his official fly becomes irretrievably lost. That person may continue to fish for the remainder of that day, but no fish caught after the contest fly is lost will count for that day’s scoring.
Boat position assignments (front & back) will be mutually agreed upon by each contestant so that each contestant spends one half of the fishing time in the front of the boat. This schedule continues even if an angler loses their fly.
H.
The contestant in the front of the boat will, within reason, have the choice of boat position, such as right bank vs. left bank, casting distances, etc., or stopping the boat to fish a particular location.
I.
If conditions warrant, guide may require contestants to wear their life vests while fishing or being transported on the river.
J.
Any infraction of the rules will be recorded by the guide on the space provided on the scoring sheet. The rules committee will have final say regarding such infractions.
KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS EVENT IS A CELEBRATION OF FLY FISHING AND GOOD WILL AND CAMARADERIE SHOULD BE PRACTICED BY ALL!
Scoring
A.
To be counted in the score, the release of a caught trout must be witnessed by the guide.
B.
Each contestant will be allowed to select seven (6) trout to measure during the day. Five (5) of these fish will be scored. All trout not selected for measurement will be released immediately, preferably without removing them from the water.
C.
Fish are measured from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail. Whenever possible measurement of trout will be done in the water. The guide will measure the trout with the official scale provided. Any trout which measures ½" or greater is rounded to the next full inch by the scoring committee. For example, a measurement of 21 ½" equal 22 inches for scoring purposes. The guide will measure and record the exact fractional inch and allow the scoring committee to tabulate the final value.
D.
Each of the five fish selected for scoring by a contestant will be scored as follows:
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12" 20 points
13" 30 points
14” 40 points
15" 50 points
16" 60 points
17" 70 points
18" 80 points
19" 90 points
20" 100 points
21" 110 points
22" 120 points
23” 130 points
24” 140 points
25” 150 points
25”+ 150 points and 50pts per inch over 25”
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> E.
100 points will be awarded to an angler each day that angler keeps his One Fly.
F.
A penalty will be assessed for any fish killed or ruled by the guide to be unable to survive. Each of these fish will be measured and the scored value of that trout will be subtracted from the angler's score. That trout will not be counted against the daily limits of six measured trout.
G.
Fishing tributary streams is PROHIBITED.
These rules are subject to change and modification as directed by the “One Bug™” Rules Committee.
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