TOURNAMENT RULES

  1. TOURNAMENT PROGRAM: The Tournament season consist of 9 tournament(Jan. thru Oct, no Aug Tournament). All tournaments will be held on the second full weekend (saturday) each month, unless otherwise decided by the Tournament/Executive Committee. There will be one 2- day event during the season. A 2 day Classic will conclude the season . 
  2. CLUB MEMBERSHIP ; Membership for the club is $15.00 per angler.  Big Bass pot is $8.00 and  Big Stringer is $6.00 , and $6.00 per member for angler of the year for a total of $35.00 per member, both members must join Big  Bass and Heavy Stringer and AOY to be eligible for any CASH award. Total per team dues is $70 if getting in the Big Bass, Heavy Stringer and AOY pots.      1. New team must be sponsored by current club member and sponsor must notify Executive Committee in advance.  2. New team must receive a majority vote in favor of them joining prior to tournament.  3. Any team joining at the ramp after the January Tournament is only eligible for Trophies, No cash awards for their initial Tournament !!  Tournament payout will skip places if this occurs. 
  3. ALTERNATES: Alternates will be charged a fee of $15.00 to become eligible members (see rule #2)  1. Club members may fish with someone other than their team member.  2. Club members are limited to 2 alternates per year. 3. If the alternate decides to form a new team both anglers and new partner will be required to become members and rule #2 applies.  Alternates are not required to pay for big bass or heavy stringer pot unless they become a member of a new team. Big Bass and Heavy Stringer payouts will only be awarded to the paid member team.
  4. BIG BASS- HEAVY STRINGER- ANGLER OF THE YEAR : Big Bass, Heavy Stringer and AOY  payouts will only be awarded to the paid member or teams that have entered for these payouts. 1.  Teams must pay in to all 3 pots to be eligible for any of the CASH AWARDS, must pay at time of sign up.  3. If an alternate joins a current member to form a new team due to someone quitting, they will be required to pay for the Big Bass and Heavy Stringer and AOY pots for that team to receive the payout. Alternates are eligible to receive Big Bass payout if the team he is fishing for is paid in all 3 of the pots.If the alternate is part of the Heavy Stringer, it will be awarded to the paid Team members and they can determine if and how they want to split it. If an Alternate joins up permanently with another team member they will be required to pay for all 3 pots in order to receive any payouts.
  5. ELIGIBITY : You must be a paid club member or alternate before fishing any tournament .  1. Alternates that are paid members are eligible to vote on any rules or officers. 
  6. 2 TEAMS - 1 BOAT : Club members from 2 teams may fish together. 2 options : (1) They fish as 1 team and pay $50  entry fee and points will be awarded to the team declared at the start of the tournament. (2) Or each member can pay $50 and fish individually with points being awarded to each team member represented in the boat, each member is allowed only 5 fish each day !!  (3) The executive committee  must be informed of this decision prior to start of the tournament. 
  7. PRE-TOURNAMENT PRACTICE - Pre-fishihing is allowed up to 11:59pm prior to the day of the tournament . 
  8. TOURNAMENT DURATION : Tournaments will start at safe daylight and end at 3pm ( June and July tournament will end at 1 pm ) by the weighmasters watch. Teams need to be ready to weigh in their fish when the scales are open at 3pm or 1pm on June or July Tournaments.  On 2 day tournaments, weigh in will be at 1pm on day 2.  During tournament hours all state and local laws  and regulations , and club rules must be followed. Any Violations and the Team can be disqualified !!
  9. MORNING CHECK IN - All tournament contestants are required to check in by a time designated by tournament committee. If a team arrives late, they must locate a club member and pay all entry fees before fishing. Club member who takes fees must check live wells before the team can participate. The late teams fee must be turned in before the are allowed to weighed in . ( SEE RULE 29 CONCERNING BOAT INSPECTION AT THE MORNING CHECK IN )
  10. TAKE OFF - The order will be determined by number you draw at the launch site.  (1)  WEIGHMASTER will start first 10 minutes ahead of team number 2 (allows weigh master to come in early to set up), President will start 2nd.  (2)  EXCEPT for 2 day TOURNAMENTS , current club standings will dictate starting position ( with current 1st place starting 1st and so on ) Day 1 standings will determine starting order for day 2 . 
  11. ENTRY FEE/PAYBACK - The entry fee for each tournament is $50 per boat, with a 2 person format, or club member may fish alone at same entry fee, which includes the Big Bass entry for that team, 2 day entry is $55 to cover day 2 Big Bass .  75% of entries will be paid out (1st 50%, 2nd 30%, 3rd 20%) the remaining 25% goes to Classic.  100% of the Big Bass Is paid out to the Winner.                                                                                                       
  12. PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS: Contestants may fish anywhere on tournament waters, except within 25 yards on an an anchored boat (not powerpole) with trolling motor up . Powerpoles do not mean your anchored.  You cannot block access to other fishing waters by being anchored, and boats are allowed to pass through your area to fish an area outside your 25 yard area, and must do so at idle speed. Fishing not allowed in areas posted off limit by the FWC.  
  13. CARE OF FISH: All contestants must use proper care in handling and keeping fish alive, and adhere to state and local rules. All fish will be be brought to scales in bags with enough water to keep fish covered, and not kept in bags longer than 5 minutes. Any fish not released alive or kept for any other purpose will be counted as a dead fish. THE WEIGHMASTER HAS FINAL WORD CONCERNING ALIVE OR DEAD FISH !!! ONE DEAD FISH-Deduct .25 lb, Two dead fish deduct .50 lb, Three dead fish deduct 1.0 lb,  EACH ADDITIONAL FISH DEDUCT 1.0 LB.  Any dead fish brought to the scale must be disposed of by that team, not by the Weighmaster, LEAVING DEAD FISH MAY LEAD TO DISQUALIFICATION!!. Dead fish are not to be thrown back into water or left at weigh in site per FWC guidelines. Not taking care of your dead fish can result in disqualification per breaking FWC Rules. ALL KEEPER SIZE DEAD FISH ARE PART OF YOUR CATCH AND MUST BE WEIGHED IN.
  14. SCORING/FISH LIMIT: Tournament winners will be decided by total weight (large mouth bass only). The limit will be 5 fish per team, with a minimum length of 14 inches, unless club has waivers for 12 inch minimum or otherwise dictated by state/local  regulations. For end of year Classic there will be a 14 inch minimum. The golden rule will be the official measure with nose butted and mouth closed. Teams will not have more than 5 fish in their possession at one time.  All fish must be culled on lake, not allowed at weigh in site. Any fish brought in to be weighed in that doesn't measure 12 inches (with waiver) or 14 inches will result in loss of Big Fish. THE WEIGHMASTER HAS THE FINAL WORD IN MEASURING FISH. Any team bringing in more than the allowed limit of fish to the scales will be disqualified. TWO DAY EVENT LIMITS WILL BE DECIDED IN ADVANCE. Anglers can not have more than the allowed number of fish in their possession at any time. Per Florida State fishing regulations, dead fish may not be culled and replaced. All keeper size dead fish are part of your catch and must be weighed in. * A"roll the dice" format will be used for two day events, which will be 10 fish. Any numeric combination of fish may be weighed in on either day, as long as the total weighed in does not exceed 10 fish, example: 9+1, 6+4, 5+5, 3+7 etc. State creel limits will be enforced which may mean 1 day creel limits may need to be adjusted. You will be notified if this applies. If a club member fishes by him/herself individual creel limits apply.
  15. COURTESY CHECK: A courtesy check for proper length will be allowed for ONE FISH and must be asked for in advance of any teams catch being weighed. If fish is short, no penalty will be assessed. 
  16. TIE BREAKER: In case of a tie between 2 teams, finishing place will be decided by (1) big bass (2) most number of fish weighed in (3) coin toss.
  17. LATE PENALTY: Any boat (team) late for weigh in will lose 1 pound per minute and be disqualified after 15 minutes. You will not be assessed a late penalty if you are providing assistance to any boat in distress.  YOU MUST NOTIFY A MEMBER OF THE TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE DESCRIBING THE CIRCUMSTANCES. Every effort should be made for at least one team member to be on time for weigh in.
  18. POINT SYSTEM: Points for determining Angler of the Year will be awarded according to finishing place in the tournament. 50 points will be awarded for first, 49 of second 48 for 3rd  and so on to all teams weighing in fish. if a team doesn't weigh in fish the will be awarded 5 points less than the lowest team weighing in fish.
  19. PROTESTS: The deadline for competitors to present protest will be during weigh in of the team being protested against.  Tournament/Executive Committee decisions are final and incontestable.
  20. TOURNAMENT PARTICIPATION: Any fish weighed in may not be counted for any other tournament. Anyone keeping a trophy bass (10 lb min) will be counted as a dead fish at he scales and assessed a penalty. All fish caught/weighed in during club event, become property of the club and are subject to be released live per rule 13.
  21. TOURNAMENT DISQUALIFICATION: Any team or person found violating any state or club rules will be subject to disqualification for the tournament, with no refund of tournament fees and possible ejection from the club. No use of a second boat in a tournament. All members are responsible for reporting rule violations.
  22. CLUB PARTICIPATION: Any team missing 3 or more tournaments in a row may be dropped from the club roster, subject to Executive Committee decision.
  23. CLASSIC TOURNAMENT: There will be a 2 day end of the year Annual Classic held in November. At this time ANGLER of the YEAR awards will be given. Pay out will be based on a breakdown of team total catch into pound/tenths, and  pay out per pound/tenths will be determined by the amount of money in the Classic purse. Classic tournament entry fee is required AND 1ST, 2ND AND 3RD PLACE payouts will be awarded. 
  24. CLASSIC TOURNAMENT ELIGIBILITY: A team must fish at least 6 regular tournaments during the year. Both team members must have fished at least 1 regular tournament during the year. Starting positions determined by regular season finishing position. Teams joining after the March tournament will be given the opportunity to buy 1 missed tournament to make up enough tournaments (6) to be eligible for the Classic.    THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO ALLOW MORE THAN ONE TOURNAMENT TO BE BOUGHT BACK.  REASONS ARE HEALTH, MILITARY SERVICE, BOAT PROBLEMS OR ORTHER PROBLEMS CONSIDERED  VIABLE BY THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. If team does not want to buy back tournament they can still fish classic, but is not eligible for the Classic per pound payout. 
  25. ANNUAL BIG BASS POT: Optional big bass pot for the biggest bass of the year . $8.00 per person, 100 % pay  back to person who catches the largest bass  in a scheduled tournament  to be paid out at the Classic. To be eligible, both anglers must join the Big Bass pot before fishing any tournaments.
  26. ANNUAL BIG STRINGER POT: Optional big stringer pot for the heaviest stringer (no more than 5 fish) in any scheduled 1 day tournament or a 5 fish limit in a 2 day tournament. $6.00 per person, of which 90% will be paid out at the Classic, to the person/team that catches the heaviest stringer of bass in a scheduled 1 day tournament. To be eligible, anglers must join the big stringer pot before fishing any tournaments. The remaining 10% will go into the Classic.
  27. Angler of the YEAR : Optional Angler of the Year Pot . $6:00 per person and both Anglers must be in the AOY pot. 100% payback.
  28. TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT - Only artificial lures may be used, except for pork products. No wading or trolling is allowed, dragging a worm is allowed. All fish must be caught from the boat. Only one rod and reel may be used at one time.
  29. SAFETY/HORSEPOWER REGULATIONS - ALL BOATS MUST BE U.S. COAST GUARD EQUIPPED AND ALL STATE AND LOCAL REGULATIONS ADHERED TO.  BOATS OVER 25 H.P. MUST BE EQUIPPED WITH A WORKING KILL SWITCH. AN APPROVED U.S. COAST GUARD PERSONAL FLOATATION  DEVICE (PFD) WILL BE WORN BY BOTH MEMBERS WHEN MAIN ENGINE IS RUNNING ABOVE IDLE.FAILURE TO FOLLOW SAFTY REGULATIONS WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION.  
  30. BOAT INSPECTION -- Each boat is subject to inspection by the Weigh master or any member or the Executive Committee prior to take off. Any boat not having operational running lights will not be permitted to leave until all other boats have left and its safe light. all live wells are subject to inspection.