Turn the T.V. off, let’s go fishing. That’s the rule Rosie DeAnnuntis  stands by and  school kids and the community are listening. Dozens of unique habitat models at fishiding.com

The first Annual North Augusta Border Bass Invitational set for March 2nd 2013 is well underway, and Rosie won’t sleep until it’s all over. She explains “We are a team of folks from North Augusta Middle and High Schools, who promote the sport of fishing and resource conservation through education.”

North Augusta Fishing Team (NAFT) goals are to promote environmental conservation & efforts including Tournament Fishing and getting kids off couches, away from TV and video games, and getting them outside to fish and enjoying the great outdoors!  After all, our youth are our future!

When we heard about the tournament and what these kids find important, David Beasley and Matt Phillips from Solitude Lake Management and myself knew we could help. After numerous converations with Rosie, we found out that her group wants to get involved in giving back even more. Habitat projects involving youth are sprouting up all over the Nation and kids are learning the benefits  that come with the hard work.

Solitude is no stranger to community involvement. Owner, Kevin Tucker runs a tight ship, providing lake,water quality, fisheries and pond management services throughout the south and Eastern seaboard. All of the employees at SOlitude get involved in giving back to the community and the environment on an annual basis. Check out their you tube page here about helping the SOlution.

Matt Phillips one of Solitude’s Fisheries Biologists, will be on hand to talk to the kids and answer questions related to fishing, habitat and pursueing and education in the field. Matt is just one of the many excited Biologists Solitude has available to discuss habitat projects with fishing groups, State and Federal agencies as well as private water owners.

Along with product displays, handouts and give away prizes, Fishiding will be on hand as well to discuss potential future habitat projects with the kids and major Corporate sponsors on hand.  “I spoke to Potash yesterday afternoon & let me tell you they are extremely excited about working with Fishiding & SOLitude!”

Support these kids and what they stand for. Preserving our waters and giving back for future generations. Being responsible for their own actions, utilizing the endless teenage energy to better themselves and the environment. Being aware of our environment, continued education and getting involved in your community sounds like a formula for success!

Official Tournament Rules:The following rules are designed to promote sportsmanship among the anglers and to provide a fair competition. Failure to comply with any rules may result in a weight penalty or disqualification from any tournament.

2. All participants must be back at the boat landing no later than 3:00 pm. There will be a one pound deduction every minute a participants is late getting back to the landing up to 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, no weight will be allowed for that boat’s participants. Boat captains are responsible for making sure the boat is back to the dock by 3:00 pm and at the weigh-in no later than 3:00 PM EST. Boat captains are responsible for notifying the Tournament Coordinator in advance of the 3:00 pm closing time of any problems that may have occurred.
3. Each boat must have a bump board or way to measure the length of the fish. No fish fewer than 12 inches may be kept. Fish brought to the scales at weigh-in less than the 12 inches will not count toward the cumulative weight for a middle or high school club. There will be a five (5) fish black bass limit per individual. Black bass includes largemouth, smallmouth, spotted and/or redeye bass. Fish may be culled if an individual has 5 fish in the live well. No more than 5 fish can be in the live well at any one time individual. All fish must be kept alive. Penalty will be 1/2 pound per each dead fish.
If an individual is caught with more than the 5 fish limit in their livewell by tournament officials, the fish will be culled starting with the largest fish until they are down to the stated limit of 5 fish.
4. Ties will be broken, if the poundage is equal, in the following manner: First criteria will be the largest fish; second criteria will be the number of fish. Any fish found to be altered or in poor condition (mashed, mangled or mauled) will not be counted at the discretion of tournament officials.
5. All student anglers and boat captains must wear a US Coast Guard approved Personal Floatation Device (PFD) while boat motor is engaged. Anglers will be disqualified if found to have removed their PFD.
6. Participants must only use the gear that is in the boat when the boat leaves the dock at the start of the day. Permitted methods of fishing will be the use of artificial lures only, no live bait of any sort. Each angler aboard shall have no more than 3 rods. Only one fishing rod may be in use at any one time by an angler. Bass may be landed by use of conventional hook and line. No snagging of fish allowed. In addition to tournament limits, all SC freshwater fishing laws must be adhered to.
7. Nets are allowed.
8. Every boat must have an adult captain, age 21 years old or older, for driving purposes and only that captain can drive when the outboard motor is in use. Student anglers may operate the trolling motor when the outboard motor is not in use.
9. No live bait or trolling is allowed.
10. Boats provided by volunteers must be a minimum of 16 feet in length, have front and rear casting decks, a front mounted trolling motor, an aerated live well capable of keeping alive the [two-man team’s or individual’s] five bass limit. Boats must also have console steering (no tiller), an ignition safety kill switch, and all safety equipment as
required by the United States Coast Guard.
Boats participating in this tournament must have current boat registration. All boats must be subject to a safety check prior to the blast off.
11. Anytime the gasoline engine is in use, boat captains must be seated in the driver’s seat and anglers should be seated in the appropriate locations aboard the vessel.
12. Boat captains must operate boats in a safe manner abiding all boating laws when carrying student anglers to fishing locations. Student anglers make the decisions on what areas to fish on the lake and what direction to go. Boat captains cannot make suggestions on areas to fish.
13. Boats shall not exceed the maximum horsepower capacity on the boat’s maximum horsepower rating affixed to the boat by the manufacturer or a maximum of 250 hp. The maximum capacity rating must be legible.
14. Use of cell phones by student anglers is prohibited during the tournament. Captains may use cell phones to communicate emergencies only. All boats are required to have a cell phone and must provide the Tournament Coordinator the number of that cell phone in case of an emergency or to notify of bad weather conditions. Any use of a cell phone or any other communication devices to exchange fishing information is prohibited and will result in immediate disqualification. In the event of an emergency, all boat captains should call 911 first and then notify tournament officials.
15. All participants 16 years of age and older must have a valid South Carolina or Georgia Recreational Freshwater Fishing License.
16. Anglers may assist one another in netting fish. Coaches may also assist in netting fish, but are not allowed to assist tying lures or handling fish or gear.
17. After the weigh-in, all fish must be released immediately. All fish that are put in the live well must be kept alive. Dead fish will have a 1/2 pound deduction and cannot count as the large fish for that angler.
18. Dead fish may not be culled.
19. Each school is responsible for bringing 1 boat per 2 anglers. Only two students in each boat. [The total weight of the 5 fish limited to that boat will count for the total
weight of the 5 fish limited to each angler will
count for the cumulative weight.]
20. The total weights for each of the 5 fish limited to an individual will count towards the overall team total for the tournament. Individual weights will be recorded for the top fish designated by each boat. The largest fish award and most weight boat captain award will be given at the tournament.
21. Participants must stay completely in the boat unless they are using an authorized restroom facility or due to some other emergency or malfunction. If an emergency or malfunction occurs, the boat must contact the Tournament Coordinator prior to leaving the boat. In the event of a needed restroom break, the boat captain needs to contact tournament officials. Student anglers may leave and return to the boat at the official checkpoint designated by tournament officials.
22. Any transfer of fish from one live well to a different live well in another boat due to malfunction must be made in the presence of the Tournament Coordinator or other adults as approved by tournament officials.
23. On the day of the tournament, teams will be limited to putting into the water the number of boats based on the number of participating anglers. No additional boats, contacting coaches or other competitors from a team can be put into the water unless approved by tournament officials. Contestants may not obtain fishing patterns or locations from non competitors, follow a non-competitor’s boat or participate in the practice of “hole-sitting,” a practice wherein a non-competitor sits on a fishing spot, holding it for a contestant. In addition, non-competitors may not place markers for contestants. All of these acts are prohibited and will result in the immediate disqualification of the boat.
24. Only the designated boat captain and the two anglers assigned to that boat may be aboard the boat during competition.
25. At the time of check-in, all student anglers and their boats must comply with all the rules applied by tournament officials. At check-in, boat captains shall report their tournament boat identification number and anglers must present their limit and report any dead fish. Once the individual’s catch has been verified, anglers will proceed to the weigh-in. Boat captains must check in even if they don’t have any fish.
North Augusta Fishing Team
North Augusta Fishing Team Booster Club
Facebook Page
Tournament : http://www.facebook.com/NaftBorderBassInvitationalTournament/events
26. At the weigh-in location, each individual must carry their limit to the scales.
27. In the event of a tie, the following will be used in order to break the tie: schools with all three of their two-man teams weighing in a full 5 bass limit will automatically place higher; schools weighing in with dead fish will be automatically placed lower; and taking the tied teams and seeing which school landed the larger fish will automatically be placed higher.
28. No livewell culling system may be used that
pass through the fish’s operculum or gill flap. Culling systems that attach via the fish’s lip are allowed.
29. Student anglers are encouraged to wear school uniform shirts or jersey which may include outside sponsor logos.
30. At the discretion of tournament officials, any participant can be disqualified for any unethical or unsportsmanlike behavior.
31. All boat captains subject to polygraph.

Annual NAFT/CHC Angler/Mentor Champion Tournament
1. NAFT host a NAFT/CHC Mentoring Championship Tournament
e. Top 6 teams will consist
i. 3 middle school teams
ii. 3 high school teams
f. See 2012 & 2013 NAFT Booster Club calendars
2. Championship
a. At Clarks Hill Lake
b. Open to all angler’s and their assigned boat captain
c. June 2013, after State tournament
d. Trophies/Prizes awarded to winning Champions
i. middle school and high school age group champions and their boat captains
i. 2nd and 3rd placed prizes for both age groups
e. Massive potential bragging rights at stake!
3. Proposed pre-determined destinations and Championship Tournament Location:
a. Wildwood Park Boat Landing
b. With permission from Wildwood Park
i. NAFT Booster Club will obtain all required permissions

    2.          Augusta Bassmasters

3.          Bank Runners Bass Club

4.          Belvedere Bass Busters

5.          Brier Creek Bassmasters

6.          Bucketmouth Bassmasters

7.          Carolina Bass Club

8.          Cast-A-Way Bassmasters

9.          Cherokee Bassmasters

1. Clark Hill Bassmasters
2. Columbia County River Rats Bass Club
3. CSRA Bassmasters
4. Evans Bassmasters
5. Greenbrier Bassmasters
6. Hawe Creek Bass Club
7. Money Chasers Bass Club
8. Outcast Bass Club
9. Palmetto Bass Club
10. Savannah River Bassmasters
11. The Hill Bass Club
12. Westside Bassmasters
13. Wildwood Bassmasters

NAFT Roster for 2012-2013

1.          Austin Lynn

2.          Sean Hall

3.          Evan Boatwright

4.          Baylen Gaillard

5.          JW Jones

6.          Stone Briatico

7.          Greg Moore

8.          Lindsey Waldrop

MIDDLE SCHOOL:                              

1.          Grayson Brandt

2.          Tyler Schaeffer

3.          Brad Wilson

4.          Simeon O’Meara

5.          Nathan Adams

6.          Forrest Thaxton

7.          Kyler McKie

8.          Matt Lykins

9.          Dylan Carter

10.        Connor Burch

Exhibitors List:

Fireplace Grills & More                   www.fireplacegrillsandmore.com/

Seatow                                             www.seatow.com/

Potash Corp, Augusta Facility      www.potashcorp.com/

Hayes Marina                                 www.hayesmarine.com/

SOLitude Lake Management        www.solitudelakemanagement.com/

Fishiding  Habitat  Products           www.fishiding.com/

Bass Patrol Fishing                           www.basspatrolfishing.com/

Georgia DNR                                     www.gadnr.org/

Tournament Prizes/Raffle List:  (** Team Sponsor)

Rod/Reel Combos from Backhome Outdoors

$400 gift certificate to BassBoatSeats.com from BassBoatSeats.com

Bass Patrol Pro Pack from Bass Patrol Fishing

Charlie Moore gifts including hats, t-shirt, books, and videos from                               Charlie Moore “The Mad Fisherman”

Lake and Fisheries gifts from  SOlitude Lake Management

Fishiding habitats & attractants from Fishiding

SeaTow gifts from Sea Tow Clarks Hill Lake

Gas, Grills & More prize from Fireplace Grills & More

$50 gas card from Cliatt Crossing

**PotashCorp prize from PotashCorp

**Hayes Marine gifts from Hayes Marine

**Broadway Tackle gifts from BROADWAY TACKLE

Attending Team List:

State          Club Name               

GA               Harlem Competitive Bass Team

SC               Lake Wylie Jr Bassmasters

SC               TL Hanna High School

Other Promoters not attending but contributing:

Lure Parts.com                  www.lureparts.com/

Fishaboo                           www.fishaboo.com/ 

Wildwood Park                  www.columbiacountyga.gov/index.aspx?page=2680

Columbia County              www.columbiacountyga.gov/

Mr. Clark Hill Committee   www.mrclarkhillcommittee.com/

 Additional Team Sponsors:

Superheat FGH Services, Inc.       www.superheatfgh.com/

A&A Vending, Dixie River Side      www.aavending.com/

Vinny’s Pizzeria North Augusta, SC

Transportation Solutions of Augusta Golf   www.tsagolf.com

Tournament Administration

Director:                       Sean Hall                      (803) 645-1032

Coordinator:                  Jeanine Wilson           (706) 831-9478

Rosie DeAnnuntis         (803) 624-0463

Weigh Master:              Clarks Hill Committee

Points Tally Administrator:      Clarks Hill Committee

Board Writer:                 Clarks Hill Committee

Volunteers:                   Lynn, David

Wilson, Donald

Clarks Hill Committee

Larry Gilpin                   (706) 231-4220

Hare, John                    (706) 432-8225

Black, Billy                   (706) 831-3886

Wadzisz, Frank             (706) 832-2262

Robin                           (803) 507-1639

Booster Club/Team Information:

Team Facebook Page:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/North-Augusta-Fishing-Team/180011185433590

a 501(c)(3) public charity

Officers:

POSITION                    NAME                          CONTACT

President/Coach:          Sean Hall,                     seanhall1@yahoo.com

Vice President:             Bobbi Boatwright           boatwright@gforcecable.com

Secretary/Treasurer:     Jeanine Wilson             djbwilson@comcast.net

Sales, Marketing, Promotions Rosie DeAnnuntis         rosiedeannuntis@ymail.com

Assistant Coach           Paula Alexandria           palexan12000@yahoo.com

Team –

President                      Lyndsey

VP                                JW

Secretary                     Stone

Weigh Master               Grayson

SCDNR Supporter:  Sergeant Karen Swink

Team:

We have infused our team into the community.  A few policies we have as a team are:

All members (including Booster Club) will successfully complete SC Boater Safety (Sergeant Karen Swink SCDNR)

All sponsors ($500 or more) will have at least one NAFT workday (giving back to the community and those whom have helped us)

The tournament is on March 2 at Wildwood Park Landing, Appling, GA. They have invited all TBF Georgia & South Carolina youth clubs/teams and have requested each participant complete an Angler Bio with their registration. The plan is to offer a packet of bios to each of the recruiters. Rosie’s personal goal of this tournament is two fold,  “First is to show our anglers and the world  what a college education can bring them, and second the various industries associated with fishing and the tournament environment”.

Please help us spread the word about our tournament to college recruiters & various fishing industries from all over the US. We would like to show our youth the endless opportunities available when one follows his dreams.

Thank you for your assistance. Check us out on our Facebook tournament page too (www.facebook.com/NaftBorderBassInvitationalTournament .). For additional information, please feel free to call or email me.

Thank you & I hope to see you all soon,
Rosie DeAnnuntis
NAFT Booster Club
803-624-0463
rosiedeannuntis@ymail.com