SOUTH ORANGE COUNTY BASSMASTERS TOURNAMENT RULES AND REGULATIONS

LAST REVISIONS MADE: July 8, 2008

1. PURPOSE

A. The purpose of these rules and regulations is to promote fair play among the members of South Orange County Bassmasters while competing in inter-club competition.

B. Any member who displays poor sportsmanship violates these rules or the applicable FISH AND GAME LAWS will be disqualified. Good sportsmanship and fair play shall be directed at non-tournament fisherman as well.

C. Any observed violation of rule 1.B. or protest shall be submitted in writing to the Tournament Director prior to the next scheduled club meeting.

2. TOURNAMENT DATES AND SITES

A. The tournament dates and sites will be selected by the Tournament Director at the beginning of the tournament year and announced to the membership at the first club meeting of the tournament year. The schedule will be ratified by majority rule at the club meeting.

B. If in the event the Tournament Director finds it absolutely necessary to change the lake location, he may do so upon contacting all the tournament participants.

3. GENERAL TOURNAMENT RULES

A. All club members participating in a tournament shall be a member in good standing.

B. No two members shall fish together in a tournament more than once in a three-month period of time, unless necessitated by the Tournament Director for emergency pairings.

C. Boat inspection will be conducted under the supervision of the Tournament Director. The Tournament Director shall determine that all live wells are empty and that no tournament rules or safety rules are being violated.

D. Tournaments will be live weigh-in events, and the minimum size of any bass shall be 12 inches as measured by the marks on the official measuring device, (GOLDEN RULE). As measured with mouth closed, fan tail.

E. Under special circumstances, the Tournament Director can designate a tournament as a "Paper Tournament" if he so decides for legitimate reasons, ie: lake size limits or time of year(spawn or deep-caught fish).

F. There is a .20-pound penalty for each dead fish brought to weigh in. A one-pound penalty for any short fish given to tournament officials and found to be "short".

G. For each minute a contestant is late, a one-pound penalty will be deducted from the total weight. Any contestant more than 10 minutes late will lose all score for the day.

H. Any contestant bringing in more than the legal limit will lose all score for the day.

I. In the event of a tie in total weight of two or more contestants, the largest bass from each contestant will determine the winner.

J. It is each contestant’s responsibility to get a "Big Fish" weight recorded. To get this done, give the big fish of your creel to the weigh master and request him to record this fish as your "big fish".

K. Jerking or trolling are not allowed. Jerking or trolling is defined as allowing any lure to trail from a boat under power for a distance of over 30 feet.

L. An entry fee shall be paid by each participant in each tournament. The prizes will be awarded on a 40/20/10 percent basis of first, second, third finishes, based on total weight.

The remaining 30% of the non-awarded entry fees will remain in the clubs general fund. Big fish pay-out is winner take all.

Minimum payouts have been set as: 1st place = $60, 2nd place = $40, and 3rd place = $20.

M. Artificial lures or prepared pork only will be used.

N. No other boat shall fish within 50 feet of a competing boat at anchor with the trolling motor up unless invited by both participants of the anchored boat.

O. Each contestant has the right to choose the fishing area and run the trolling motor for one half of the fishing day.

Failure to honor a reasonable request to comply with this rule may result in disqualification.

P. Damages of any nature to a contestant's equipment, tackle or boat during a tournament are the responsibility of the individual at fault and must be compensated for by that individual.

4. Tournament Fees

A. One day tournaments are $20.00, which includes $3.00 for big fish and $2 for 5lb big fish pot. Guest fees will be $20.00 ($3.00 for big fish and $2.00 for 5lb big fish pot) and the balance going to the club’s general fund. Guests are only able to compete for the $3.00 big fish pot.  All non-boaters, whether guests or members, will pay an additional $30 to their boaters for fuel expenses as well as half of the lake entry fees unless otherwise discussed and agreed upon by the team members.

B. Two day tournaments are $25.00 including $6.00 for big fish ($3 / day) and $4.00 ($2 / day) for 5lb big fish pot. Guests fee will be $25.00 ($6 for big fish and $4 for the 5lb big fish pot), balance going to the club general fund. Guests are only able to compete for the daily $3.00 big fish pot.

C. New members are not eligible for the 5lb pot until they pay the pro-rate on the 5lb pot or until the 5lb pot rolls over to current.

D. All tournament fees are to be paid to the Treasurer prior to the start of the tournament. Fees paid on the day of the tournament shall be delivered to the Tournament Director and be paid by check. Fees for tournaments will be rolled over to the next monthly tournament in the event no legal fish are caught in the scheduled tournament. Anglers are responsible to make sure their payment is marked as paid in full when handing cash to the Treasurer or Tournament Director.

E. There will be no alcohol or any controlled substance in boats during tournaments.

F. The tournament is over when the Tournament Director has completed the Live Weigh-in and declared the First, Second, Third place finishers and the Big Fish winner.

G. Boat owners are responsible to provide life vests for every person on board the boat.

H. Fishing from any place other than the boat you were assigned is STRICTLY ILLEGAL.

I. If it should become necessary for any member to rent a boat for a tournament, they must have life jackets. Life jackets are to be worn any time the engine is running.

J. Nets are allowed.

K. The BIG FISH for the year will be based on weight measured at the live weigh-in on the Equalizer scale. In the event a particular tournament is a "Paper Tournament" all Big Fish must be brought in and the Big Fish will be weighted on the Equalizer scale.

5. Equipment Failure or Emergency:

In the event of equipment failure or emergency, contestants boat may be towed to the check-in site. If it is necessary to transfer fish to another boat, it must be another contestants boat and at least one member of the team must accompany the fish to the weigh-in site.

6. FISHING HOURS

A. Launch and hold until the start time established by the Tournament Director, unless he designates otherwise.

B. The official time will be the Tournament Director's watch with the tournament participant's pre-setting their watches in accordance with the Tournament Director's.

C. Arrival time and weigh-in will be established by the Tournament Director with the time to be announced on the morning of the tournament.

D. Arrival time is defined as members arriving within the docking area (final buoy line).

E. A member arriving at the buoy line after the time specified as the arrival time will be subject to or a deduction of weight or disqualification per section 3- G.

7. PARTNERS

A. All tournaments are to be team events whereby all participating members or guests will be paired by a blind draw with the top non-boater in the points standings being paired first, followed by the second highest non-boater, then the third highest and so on with guests being paired last.  Partners for one day tournaments will be drawn at the club meeting immediately prior to the tournament. No member will be allowed to fish a tournament unless he announces his intention to fish at the meeting or unless he notifies the Tournament Director prior to the start of that meeting.

B. Members will choose their own partners for two day events.

C. Non-boaters may find a substitute if they are unable to fish the tournament with Tournament Director approval.

D. Any member whose partner cancels out must contact the Tournament Director. If the Tournament Director needs to find an alternate partner and is unable to do so, that member must fish alone. No member shall fish alone unless there is an odd number of participants. The Tournament Director shall be the final authority for tournament pairings.

E. In the event of a non-boat owner fishing a tournament alone, the club shall reimburse said member with one-half of the member's boat rental.

F. In the event of a boat owner fishing a tournament alone, the club shall reimburse said member ten dollars per day maximum.

G. Partners must remain together throughout the fishing day.

8. SCORING

A. Year end awards and TOP 6 qualification will be based on a point system designed by the Tournament Director.

Points will be awarded for finishing positions, participation in the tournaments, and for participation in the club meetings. Points will then be accumulated and tallied throughout the year.

9. TROPHIES & PAYOUTS

A. The top three finishes will receive an engraved plate for their club plaque and be paid their respective winnings. The first club plaque will be awarded to a member after they have placed in three tournaments. A member may purchase a plaque on their own before then, and upon placing in their third tournament, the club will reimburse the member for the plaque. The club will cover one half of all subsequent plaques needed by members.

 

 

CLUB RULES