Article VI of Club By-Laws

Title: Tournaments

A.   Eligibility of Participants:  Participants must be in good standing of the Club. 

B.      Tournament Weigh-in:  Weigh-in will be fifteen (15) minutes after the tournament hours are officially over.  The tournament committee will set trailer tournaments weigh-in time and the boats must be on the trailers at the weigh-in site at the time set by the tournament committee.

C.      Tournament Location and Time:  Location and time are to be decided by the tournament committee.  Only lakes within a one hundred and fifty (150) mile radius of Chattanooga shall be fished.  Day / Night tournaments and trailer tournaments can be twelve hours in duration.  Regular day tournaments shall be no more than ten (10) hours. 

D.   Tackle Permitted:  Only spinning, casting, or spin casting reels and rods will be approved for use in tournaments.  All bass must be caught on artificial lures in a sporting manner.  No “live bait” or “prepared bait” is permitted; however, pork strips or rinds may be used.  Only one rod may be used at any one time.  Other rods may be in the boat for substitute purposes.  All bass must be caught alive in a sporting manner.  Electronic depth finders may be used. 

E.   Boats and Motors:  All tournament boats must be at least thirteen (13) feet in length and motors must be eighteen (18) horsepower or greater.  Electric trolling motors may be used to maneuver the boat while casting; however, “trolling” as a method of fishing will not be permitted.  All boats must be equipped with required U. S. Coast Guard approved safety equipment. 

F.   Safety:  Each tournament participants MUST wear a U. S. Coast Guard approved life preserver, which must be zipped, tied, or buckled during blastoff and at all times when the gas motor is in operation.  KILL SWITCHES ARE MANDATORY AND ATTACHED TO DRIVER. 

G.   Scoring (Individual Weight / Boat Weight):  

1.      Tournament scores will be bases on the total weight in pounds and ounces of bass caught by each contestant or team. 

2.      A minimum of seven (7) tournament scores will be used to tabulate a member’s final yearly score. 

3.      Only black bass, largemouth bass, spotted bass, red eye, or smallmouth bass will be weighed.  The weigh-in limit shall be five (5) fish or the State limit for the lake being fished. 

4.      Each contestant must keep his fish separated from those of his partner. 

5.      At no time shall any individual or team have more than five (5) bass in his possession during a tournament, unless state law specifies less than five (5) fish.  Officials can make periodic checks.  Any contestant having more than the limit in his possession shall have his fish culled down to the limit by the official, with the largest fish first.  There will be no culling at the dock area. 

6.      Any contestant bringing in more than the limit will have his bass culled down to the limit by the officials and the largest bass will be culled as a penalty. 

7.      A bass will not be counted or weighed that is not at least twelve (12) inches in length or the legal length permitted by state law.  The bass shall be measured with its mouth closed an in no way unnaturally manipulated.  As a penalty for each under-size bass, a deduction of one (1) pound will be taken from total weight and twelve (12) points deducted from total tournament points. 

8.      Any bass that appears to be mashed, mangled, or mauled will be measured and credited only at the discretion of the weigh-in official. 

9.      Moving of the tail is legal to obtain the length limit of the tournament.  Only tournament committee officials can measure fish. 

10.  One (1) pound will be deducted for dead fish weighed in from total creel, but not off big fish weight. 

H.   Fishing Locations:  No contestant shall fish within fifty (50) yards of another contestant whose boat is anchored first at the location.  The trolling motor will be up when anchored.  There is no restriction of fishing any structure on the tournament lake, except roped-off swimming or beach areas.  Trailering of boats during a tournament is prohibited, except for trailer tournaments. 

I.    Contestant Pairing:  Contestants will be paired by means of a blind draw at the Club meetings.  A contestant with no boat will be given consideration and will be paired with someone who does have a boat.  Members present at a tournament drawing shall have priority in drawing a partner.  It will be the riders responsibility to get in touch with the boater to insure each partner is at the check-out station on time for blastoff.  Twenty-five (25) points shall be deducted as a penalty for not contacting partner before the tournament, unless there has been an attempt to notify the partner previously.  Fishing partners are required to remain together in the boat at all times after the blastoff until the weigh-in, except in case of an emergency, breakdown, or when safety is involved.  Members are only allowed to fish alone one time. 

J.    Meeting Place:  The tournament committee will designate a central meeting place on the night of tournament pairing.  There will be a fifteen (15) minute grace period for late departures. 

K.  Boat Operation:  Each contestant shall have equal time operating the boat with the trolling motor only and choosing his fishing locations.  Choice to fish from and division of fishing locations will be up to each partner.  Any contestants not allowing his partner equal time fishing or in any manner hindering his partner from fishing will be disqualified. 

L.   Ties:  In case of a tie for any position, the tie will be settled by the toss of a coin, except regarding year-end standings.  In that situation, both contestants will share the same place in the standings, dropping the lower spot. 

M.  Late Penalty:  There will be a penalty of five (5) percent of the total weight subtracted for each one (1) minute late at the end of a tournament.  Any contestant who fails to check in within fifteen (15) minutes after closing time of the tournament will be disqualified.  Boat and motor trouble will not be accepted as reasons for being late.  No grace periods for trailer tournaments.  Official time will be kept by Tournament Chairman. 

N.  Lake Headquarters:  Lake headquarters will be at the marina of ramp specified by the Tournament Committee. 

O.  Protests:  All protests are to be made before checks (or pay off) are written by the Treasurer or fifteen (15) minutes after weigh-in. 

P.   Boat Breakdown:  In case of a breakdown, the partners must agree who is to go after the trailer.  The person left in the boat can continue to fish until his partner returns with the trailer.  At weigh-in time, another fisherman in the club can transport fish for weigh-in purposes.  In trailer tournaments boater can contact another club member to have their fish brought back for weigh-in, due to breakdown.  Board of directors will have final ruling for eligibility of break down.  Once the boat is removed from the water, it cannot be launched again, except in trailer tournaments. 

Q.  Fish Caught From Boat Only:  All fish must be caught from a boat and in the presence of the partner, unless designated by the tournament committee to fish alone or in the case of a breakdown (see paragraph P above). 

R.   Rules and Interpretation:  The Tournament Committee shall be solely responsible for the interpretation and enforcement of the tournament rules.  Its decisions will be final in all instances. 

S.   Blastoff:  Blastoff will be determined by the number the member draws at the pairing for the tournament. 

T.   Weigh-In:  The weigh-in will begin fifteen (15) minutes after the tournament is officially   over.  

U.   Point System:  Points begin at the November meeting prior to the fishing year.  The point system used to calculate yearly standings will be as follows: 

      5 points -              For each meeting attended.

      5 points -               For each tournament fished.

      5 points -               Big fish of each tournament.

      0 points -               No show / no call or contact in reference to the meeting or tournament drawing.

     12 points -          Deduction for each short fish weighed-in and deduct one (1) pound from the tournament   weight.  If no other fish are weighed-in, the points will be deducted from the contestant’s yearly total.  This is individual format.

      1 points -               For fishing alone due to tournament pairing, or deemed by tournament committee.

V.     Points System Boat Weight Format:  On boat weight format, all rules remain as listed above, except the tournament point standing changes as follows: