No. 1 Bass Tournament Rule:
"Don't Argue With Harold"

Senior's Bass Fishing Concept
New Challenge For Ol' Dawgs

In the early days of organized bass fishing tournaments, conducted by the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.), contestants understood one thing:

"There's a right way, wrong way and Harold's way."

Harold Sharp, a former Southern Railwayman from Chattanooga, Tennessee, operated as the first tournament director - the judge and jury - of the Bassmaster Tournament Trail.

"It was important that the rules were enforced fairly," remembers Ray Scott, the founder of the B.A.S.S. fishing circuit that's grown to be the yardstick by which all professional tournaments are measured.

"Harold proved to be the perfect choice. He understood the rules and enforced them to the letter. If you didn't go along with Harold's decision or his way, it was the highway," says Scott. "Everyone had the rules in black and white, and respected Harold's job as the tournament's top cop."

In 1986 Harold Sharp turned in his rule book, left the B.A.S.S. organization in Montgomery, Alabama, and returned to his roots in Chattanooga, where he operates Fishin' Talents, Inc., a booking agency for some of the Tournament Trails top stars.

Fast forward to the Year 2001, and Ray Scott is back knocking on Harold Sharp's door. Scott has an idea for an Eagles of Angling Senior Bass Tournament, a competition for anglers 62 years and older. And, what better tournament director for such a veteran field than 73-year old Harold Sharp.

As the tournament overseer behind such acclaimed events as the BASS Masters Classic world championship, the B.A.S.S. Top 100 Pro-Am, and the made-for-television B.A.S.S. MegaBucks, where the finalist fished a 10-hole course setup like golf layout, Harold Sharp has such know-how. But, for Scott's idea of an old-timers tournament even "old dawgs" must learn new tricks.

"For one thing, the big fish don't count," says Sharp. "Only bass 12 inches and under will be weighed-in. There's no limit."

Fishing will be on Scott's 55-acre lake near Pintlala, Alabama. The paradox is that the lake is known in bass fishing circles as a trophy bass haven. "The lake's got too many small fry fish," explains Sharp. "Taking the undersize bass out in the tournament will serve as a management tool."

There's more seldom used rules. All fishing will be from the shoreline. Anglers will be assigned and fish from numbered stakes placed around the bank. The 100-angler field will only fish a four-hour tournament.

"We'll rotate the angler to a different zone (part of the lake) and change fishing locations four times," continues Sharp.

This could be a challenge, if not a "fire drill" for any well-trained crew. "I've got it all mapped out," swears Sharp. "We'll quit fishing on a horn-blast signal, load on carts and move to the next hole. No one makes another cast until the horn sounds."

Each angler will be limited to two rods and reels and be restricted to fishing with artificial lures only. There's no gimmick to the tackle permitted, but there's a different twist to the fishing line being used.

"Everyone will be spooled with the same type fishing line - four-pound test," says Sharp.

"Ray Scott's idea is to put the 'sport back into sportfishing,' and using light-line will make things real interesting, even if we're only trying to catch 12-inch bass," continues Sharp.

Each angler will be furnished with two spools of the "official Eagles of Angling line," the STREN® Clear/Blue Fluorescent four-pound strength monofilament.

Another Senior's tournament format wrinkle is that each contestant will be permitted the use of a "caddy."

"The caddy or helper won't be permitted to cast, fish or help land any fish," explains Sharp. "But, they'll probably be kept busy changing lures, picking out backlashes, offering advice and assisting their angler in getting around the course."

Sharp says the tournament is designed to "get a lot of strikes, have some fun and fellowship and provide a community service."

Each angler pays an entry fee of $500. The tournament is a fundraiser for a nearby Pintlala Elementary School, grades 1 to 6, where a shortfall in funding is a growing problem.

"My preacher, Gary Burton, (pastor of the Pintlala Baptist Church) conducted a survey among the school's teachers about their classroom needs, and it was alarming," says Ray Scott. "They need simple supplies - like paper and paper clips. Some of the teachers take money out of their own pockets to buy supplies. We're going to set-up a school educational fund to provide these needs."

Scott says he's invited "some old birds" from his first All-American Invitational Bass Tournament in 1967 at Beaver Lake, Arkansas to enter the Eagles of Angling Senior shootout.

Also, corporate sponsors at $5,000 each are turning out to help the Pintlala Elementary School Fund. "We've got some unique demographics with our entries," says Sharp, "but, there's no truth to the rumor that 'Viagra' wants to be a title sponsor."

But, it is a fact that former President George Bush, who fished in Scott's previous Eagles of Angling benefit tournament for the Pintlala Baptist Church, will be making a return visit. "Mr. Bush is an avid bass angler, a lifetime member of B.A.S.S., and has made many friends in the Pintlala community," pointed out Scott. "He will fish and attend the 5 p.m. weigh-in Friday (May 18th) at the Pintlala School."

So what's it like for Harold Sharp to be back in charge of a fishing tournament? After all these years, nothing has really changed.

Under the "Rules & Regulations" for the Senior tournament the No. 1 rule states: "The following rules of this tournament will remain unchanged. Interpretation and enforcement of these rules shall be left exclusively to the tournament director."