BATESVILLE BASSMASTERS OFFICIAL RULES w/By Laws

This revision supersedes all others dated prior to March 2022

I. Eligibility, Entry Fee, Safety Policy and Weigh-in

a. Eligibility

     i. Membership Fee: $50.00

     ii. To be Eligible to fish, one must be:

 1. A member in good standing. (Current membership paid prior to or between the first tournament of one           year to the first tournament of the following year.)

  2. An invited guest. (ANYONE FISHING WITH YOU AND IS NOT YOUR DECLARED PARTNER) A guest        may fish only one tournament as a guest per tournament year.

          a. Exception: A member in good standing may fish with a dependent, grandchild, Dependent sibling                  from the same household, or spouse without using a “Guest Spot”. It is the members responsibility                to notify the Tournament Director prior to fishing.

          b. Entry Fee

              i. Entry fee will be Fifty dollars ($50) per tournament.

         c. Boat and Safety Equipment

             i. There must be a working kill switch on each boat equipped with an outboard motor and it must be                   used.

              ii. There must be a fire extinguisher in each boat

              iii. All entrants must wear a life jacket when the boat is “On plane”.

              iv. Only artificial lures may be used.

              v. Only one rod and reel may be used at any time.

              vi. Trolling is not permitted

              vii. Fishing is not allowed within 50 yards of gas pumps at commercial docks.

              viii. Fishing is not permitted within 50 yards or another tournament boat unless permission is                                granted.

             ix. Boats must stay on the water during the tournament. With emergency exceptions.

             x. All state and federal laws must be upheld.

     d. Weigh-In

          i. Note: Kentucky, Large Mouth and Small Mouth are legal fish to weigh. Each must be twelve (12)                   inches in length or meet the regulations of the fishery you are on.

             1. Any “Short” fish, under twelve (12) inches or shorter than the regulation of the fishery, will be                         penalized one pound plus the loss of the short fish.

            2. Length of the fish will be determined by measuring on a flat board. The fish will be laid on the                         measuring board with the mouth closed and butted to the end of the board with the fish lying in a                   straight line. If the tail does not touch the declared line, the fish will be considered “Short”. see                       number 1 above.

             3. Dead Fish: Any fish presented at weigh-in that doesn’t show any sign of life will be assessed a                       “Dead Fish” penalty at a deduction of 1 pound per fish not to exceed 2. The presentation of 3 or                      more dead fish at weigh-in will result in a disqualification of that bag but the team will receive                        minimum points for the event.

             4. A limit of five (5) fish will be allowed to be weighed in.

                a. If a team brings more than five to be weighed, the Tournament Director will cull by removing                          the largest fish from the stringer first.

                b. Prior to your “Official” weigh-in a contestant my receive a judgement by the tournament                                  director as the eligibility of any fish without penalty.

             5. Fish must be brought to weigh-in in a water filled bag.

             6. Contestants who are not with-in fifty (50) yards of the official docking (Staging) area at the                             declared ending time of each event will be docked one-half (1/2) pound off total weight per                             minute. After 15 minutes the team will be disqualified. 

      Note:   If you depart the tournament early, Notify the Tournament Director, Please.

II. Scheduling, Cancellation/Weather Delay and Pairing

     a. Scheduling tournaments

         i. Each year the club will host a ten (10) tournament schedule. Nine (9) tournaments for points toward              angler(s) of the year and one (1) Classic. See section III

ii. Each Team will be awarded points for tournaments one thru nine (1-9). (See section IV (b) for points awards)

iii. The tournament committee will be made up of the officers of the club.

iv. The tournament committee (officers) will set the tournament schedule. The only exception will be the two-day classic. The committee will pick the dates for the classic when the tournament schedule is set. The teams that fish six (6) of the nine (9) tournaments will choose the times and the water(s) to be fished the meeting prior to that Classic Tournament.

b. Cancellation / Weather Delay

i. Cancellation will be by unanimous vote of the tournament committee (Officers). It will be the duty of the officers to notify all members of the change.

ii. It will be the responsibility of the members to make sure the officers have good contact information for them.

iii. When a tournament start is delayed due to a weather-related event the standard will be to extend the ending of that event for each 30-minute delay by 30 minutes not to exceed a 2-hour extension.

c. Paring

i. All Club Tournaments will be fished as a team

ii. It is the team’s responsibility to communicate their intentions with one another.

iii. Each Member will have two (2) guest spots each or they may fish by themselves.

iv. When a Club Member fishes with another club member, that is not his/her declared partner a guest slot will be charged but only to the one who pays the entry. An additional ten-dollar ($ 10) will be paid to the club. One member will receive the points and the other will receive ten (10) participation points.

v. When a Club Member fishes with another Club Member that is not His/her designated partner, and both choose to pay the full entry and they keep their fish separated they can both receive the full points for that event. (See Section IV Awards for point assignment)

vi. A team may split: if this occurs prior to the fifth (5th) tournament both members will keep the points they have earned together. (Note: if two split teams join they may retain the higher of the two points but never combine.) If after the fifth (5th) tournament, the points will be divided equally between the two (2) members. (e.g. A team has accumulated 150 points through 4 events and split each member would keep 150 points. If this split happens after the 5th tournament each member would receive 75 points.)

vii. The payback will be three (3) places if 29 boats or less and Big Bass:

1. The entry will be divided as follows

a. 1st place: $17.00

b. 2nd Place: $12.00

c. 3rd Place: $ 9.00

d. Big Bass: $ 6.00

e. Classic: $ 6.00

f. Total Entry: $50.00

viii. The payback will be four (4) places if there are 30 boats or more and Big Bass

1. The entry will be divided as follows:

a. 1st Place: $15.00

b. 2nd Place: $10.00

c. 3rd Place: $ 8.00

d. 4th Place: $ 5.00

e. Big Bass: $6.00

f. Classic: $ 6.00

g. Total Entry: $50.00

ix. New Members (anyone who fished fewer than 4 regular club tournaments in the year prior) that sign up at the ramp must pay two (2) memberships and two (2) Tournament entry fees.

x. Registration at the tournament site must be completed thirty (30) minutes prior to “Take off”. It is the team’s responsibility to be on time.

xi. Take off position will be determined by the number that corresponds with the number on the weigh-in sheet. (e.g. Your team is number 11 on the weigh-in sheet your take off position is number 11) The last team that signs in prior to the Tournaments Directors launching his/her boat will be the official “Call” Boat.

xii. Pay envelope:

1. Each team must have their exact entry fee in an envelope with the names of the entrants printed on the outside.

2. You must indicate (writing on the envelope) if you are fishing with a guest, other than your designated partner.

3. If fishing with another member, who is not your designated partner, they are fishing as a guest in your boat, you must indicate who will receive what points. (See Article II – c – iv)

4. If fishing with another member, who is not your partner and both are paying full entries, each will need to provide his/her own envelope with the information listed above.

xiii. If member fishes with a guest on a two-day event only one quest spot will be charged for that event.

xiv. If a member brings a school aged child, grades K-12 who is still enrolled, to fish, a guest spot will not be charged. Each child may only fish once.

xv. Each team will have one “Drop” tournament for points.

III. Year End Classic

a. The Classic tournament will be a two-day (2-day) event.

b. Each team that fishes six (6) of the nine (9) tournaments will be eligible to fish the Classic Tournament.

c. The Classic will be funded with twenty dollars ($20) of each membership and six dollars ($6) of each entry at tournaments one thru nine (1-9).

d. The Tournament Committee (Officers) will determine the payout for the classic and any plaques or awards that will be given.

e. Only Those Qualified Teams or those fishing solo who have qualified will be allowed to fish the Classic. No invited quests including any of the exceptions to the guest rules will be allowed to participate.

f. All Safety rules, Tournament fishing and weigh-in rules will apply to the Classic.

g. If two solo anglers qualify, and so choose, they may team together for the purpose of safety and fish together at the Classic.

IV. Awards

a. End of Year Awards

i. Angler(s) of the year

1. Plaque

2. Entry Fees paid for the next season

a. Exception: The Team must fish together to receive Entries paid.

b. If an angler of the year fishes with an “invited guest” one-half (½) of the Tournament entry fee must be paid in addition to other rules that may apply.

3. Ties for angler of the year

a. All tied teams will receive equal benefit as outlined in this section.

b. Qualification points for Angler(s) of the year

ii. Angler(s) of the Year will be based on total Points. The team with the most points at the end of the nine (9) point tournaments will receive Awards.

iii. Points will be awarded as follows:

1. 1st Place – 60 points

2. 2nd Place – 59 points

3. 3rd Place – 58 points

4. Descending places will receive points in descending orders minus one per every place.

5. This only applies to those teams who weigh fish. Those who do not weigh fish will receive 10 points for participation.

iv. Ties

1. Ties will result in points being awarded to each team occupying that position and the next team will receive two points below the shared position. If three way-tie the next team will receive three points below and so on.

2. Tying Money winners.

a. First-place ties then first and second place money will be added together and divided equally between the two teams and the next highest total weight will receive third-place money.

b. Ties for second place. Second and third-place money will be added together and divided equally among the two teams. (with more than 30 boats the next highest total weigh will receive fourth-place money)

c. Third place ties with 29 boats or less will split third-place money equally

d. Third place tie with 30 or more boats will add third and fourth place money and divide equally between the two team.

e. Fourth place tie with more than 30 boats will result in the fourth-place money being divided equally between the two teams.

V. Protests, Disqualifications, Suspension/Removal and Change in Official Rules

a. Protests

i. Any member wishing to protest another member must do so in writing (a text will be accepted) to the Tournament Director. The Tournament Director and the Committee (All officers present) will handle all protest by investigation and secret vote at the site of the protest. All protest must be made prior to the close of the weigh-in and a decision will be made prior to any payouts made.

b. Disqualification

i. Any person showing unsportsmanlike conduct that would bring disrespect to the club or any member thereof will be disqualified

ii. Any person leaving the launch site to fish prior to their number being called will be disqualified.

c. Suspension / Removal of Membership Privilege

i. If any member or non-member commits such an egregious act of unsportsmanlike conduct that three or more members agree on the elevated status of the action, the angler will be suspended from membership pending a special vote to reinstate the accused angler.

ii. The vote will be called prior to the next regular tournament so that the angler, if reinstated, will not miss an event.

iii. The vote will require a 75% vote of the members present if 10% of the total membership is present.

iv. If less than 10% appear for the vote it will be declared that the act did not rise to the status of egregious and the angler(s) will be reinstated.

v. If any angler’s membership status is removed and they have not profited by being a member to the point of the accusation, their membership fee will be returned to them.

d. Change in Official Rules

i. Official Rules are binding and will require the following procedures for change.

1. 10% of the membership must be present at a rule meeting to make a quorum.

2. Any member present may make a proposed rule change.

3. The proposal must be seconded

4. The rule change may not be voted on during the same meeting but must be voted the next meeting.

5. Any rule change must pass a vote of 75% of the members present provided there is a minimum of 10% of the membership present.

6. All Rule changes must occur during the off season. (After the classic and prior to the first tournament of the next season)

VI. High School Team(s)

a. Membership

i. The High School Team will pay the same entry as all other teams

b. The High School Team(s) will Compete for all the prizes and awards as listed throughout this document alongside all other teams.

c. In Boat

     i. High School Team(s) are the only team allowed three (3) in a Boat.

     ii. Two must be high school team members and one their Boat Captain.

     iii. In the event one high school team member cannot be present, the Boat Captain may fish as the                    partner to the other high school team member.

1. An additional ten-dollar ($10) fee must be paid to the club and the points will go to the High School team.

d. In no instance shall all three be allowed to fish together as one team.

e. Penalty

   i.    Should all three fish at the same time the boat will be disqualified.

These Official Rules have been adopted by the Membership and are Binding on all participants equally. There are no exceptions for any member and the officers are to set the standard. If any officer is found in violation or conduct unbecoming, please notify the other officers. Thank you.

Our goal is as yours, to fish, fellowship and have a great time on the water; to be treated consistently and expect all to behave like adults should.