TeamsA. The Two Fly Tournament will field up to thirty teams; ten Pro/Vet teams will comprise a wounded veteran partnered with a professional fly-fishing guide and the remaining twenty teams will be made up of two amateur fly anglers.
EquipmentA. Contestants will furnish their own fly fishing equipment.
B. The type of rod and fly reel is the choice of the individual contestant.
C. The use of fly floatant, lead weight, leaders or other accessories will be at the discretion of the contestant. Only floating fly lines are permitted.
D. No real or artificial fish attractants, such as scents, are allowed.
E. Traditional strike indicators are allowed.
Event FliesA. Only two flies of any conventional pattern (dry, wet, nymph, streamer, etc.) will be allowed per contestant through the duration of the Two Fly Event. A total of four flies will be allowed per team. If a contestant loses both flies during the event or the fly angler is finished for the day unless the other team member donates a fly. The same is true for a team that loses all four flies.
B. The rule committee considers that it would be impossible for a veteran (a veteran fishing on a Pro/Vet team!) to lose a fly.
C. Flies must be tied on a single barbless hook, or on a hook with the barb pushed down.
Fishing ProcedureA. Federal and state rules and regulations governing the waters to be fished will be strictly observed.
B. The river will be divided into fifteen fishable beats.
C. All Teams will fish at least two, one and half hour increments, unless they lose all their allowed flies. Teams will be assigned a fishing beat for the morning fishing session and during the lunch break will be assigned a new fishing beat for the afternoon fishing session.
D. Both team members can fish at any one time but teams are strongly encouraged to consider only allowing one team member to fish, depending on the size of the fishing beat.
E. Each fishable beat will be assigned Stream Monitors who will confirm and validate each caught trout on a scoring sheet. Stream Monitors will also assist wounded vets on an as needed basis.
F. All trout species will be counted in the scoring. No “Fall” Fish will be counted. For a trout to be counted as “caught,” the Stream Monitor needs to see the trout being landed and released with a little impact to the fish as possible.
G. Each Team may only have three caught trout measured by the Stream Monitor during the tournament.
H. Fishing hours on the Rose River will be from 8:00 AM until 4:30 PM.
I. If a contestant's fly becomes caught in brush or in a snag, it may be recovered and reattached to the leader. The contestant may continue fishing in the event. The contestant can be disqualified by the Stream Monitor for any unsafe practice used to retrieve a fly.
J. Daily scoring ends for the contestant when his two flies become irretrievably lost. The contestant whose fishing has ended may continue to support his team member through advice and other encouragement.
ScoringA. To be counted in the score, the release of a caught trout must be witnessed by the Stream Monitor. Each of these trout will have a value of two points.
B. Each team will be allowed to select three (3) trout to measure during the day. All trout not selected for measurement will be released immediately, preferably without removing them from the water.
C. Measurement of trout shall be done by the Stream Monitor while the trout is in the water whenever possible. The Stream Monitor will measure the trout with the tournament ruler. 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 stream monitor will measure and record the exact fractional inch and allow the scoring committee to tabulate the final value. Fish are measured from the tip of the nose to the tip of the relaxed tail. The tail is not to be pinched.
PenaltiesA. A $1.00 penalty will be assessed for any fish killed or ruled by the Stream Monitor to be unable to survive. The fish will not be counted as a caught fish.
B. Any contestant that hooks his teammate, a competing team member or a stream monitor will be assessed a $10.00 penalty.
C. Any contestant that foul hooks a trout (on a location other than the trout’s mouth) by snagging or other hook set will be assessed a $1.00 penalty.
D. All penalties will be collected at the end of the fishing day and donated to Project Healing Water as a contribution from that angler.
E. The Stream Monitor is responsible for monitoring Teams for any Rules Violation or unsportsmanlike conduct and will notify the Rules Committee of any such occurrence. The Committee will rule on the violation within one hour after receiving it. Penalties will vary with the violation, from sanctions, to nullifying daily scores, to disqualification from the event. Violations will be considered only from the Stream Monitor who is responsible for the assigned fishing beats where the rules violation or behavior was observed.
These rules are subject to change and modification as directed by the Two Fly Committee.
