Club Rules and Information
2009-2010
BY-LAWS & TOURNAMENT RULES
Rules  for West Volusia Bass Anglers Tournaments
MEMBERSHIP and PARTICIPANTS ELIGIBILITY
  1. MEMBER DUES ARE $20.00 PER PERSON ANNUALLY (JOIN AT THE MEETING OR *RAMP AT TOURNAMENT SITE.*(WITH
    APPROVAL FROM CLUB DIRECTORS)
  2. UNDER 18 YEARS OLD MUST HAVE CLUB RELEASE FORM SIGNED BY CONSENTING ADULT OR GUARDIAN BEFORE
    TOURNAMENT DATE TO BE ELIGIBLE TO FISH.
  3. YOU MUST BE A MEMBER TO FISH.
  4. A MEMBERSHIP PAID IN FEBRUARY (THE LAST TOURNAMENT OF THE SCHEDULE ) WILL CARRY OVER TO THE NEXT YEAR.
  5. MEETINGS ARE THE SECOND TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH - TOURNAMENT IS THE FOLLOWING SATURDAY.
  6. A TEAM IS COMPOSED OF TWO MEMBERS FISHING TOGETHER THROUGHOUT THE FULL SEASON.
  7. EACH TEAM IS ALLOWED 2 ALTERNATES PER YEAR.
  8. ALTERNATES DO HAVE TO BE MEMBERS.
  9. IF FISHING THE FIRST TWO TOURNAMENTS WITH ALTERNATES, YOU MUST DECLARE A PERMANENT PARTNER AT THE THIRD
    TOURNAMENT.
*  WEIGHTS FROM FIRST TWO TOURNAMENTS WILL BE COUNTED FOR YEAR TO
   DATE TEAM TOTALS IF PERMANENT PARTNER WAS ONE OF ALTERNATES IN FIRST
    TWO TOURNAMENTS.
* STILL WILL HAVE ONE ALTERNATE REMAINING TO USE FOR YEAR.
*IF PERMANENT PARTNER DECLARED IS NOT ONE OF THE FIRST TWO THEN
    ALTERNATES HAVE BEEN USED FOR THE YEAR.
10. MAY FISH ALONE DECLARING NO PARTNER FOR THE YEAR, MAY ONLY USE TWO
ALTERNATES. WILL ACCUMULATE WEIGHT TOTALS FOR YEAR. STILL REQUIRED TO
MEET CLASSIC ELIGIBILITY.
11. TEAM MEMBER CHANGES:
  • EMERGENCY CHANGE REPLACING PERMANENT PARTNER BECAUSE OF UNCONTROLLABLE CIRCUMSTANCES. THE NEW
    TEAM MAINTAINS CURRENT STATUS.
  • COMBINING WITH EXISTING MEMBER OF ANOTHER TEAM. IF BOTH TEAMS CONTINUE TO FISH EACH TEAM MAINTAINS
    CURRENT STATUS BUT MUST FOLLOW ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.  IF ONLY ONE TEAM CONTINUES IT MUST FOLLOW
    ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AND THE CURRENT HIGHEST TOTAL WEIGHT OF THE TWO WILL BE USED FOR YEAR TO DATE
    TOTALS.
  • TEAM SPLITS MAKING TWO NEW TEAMS. MUST FOLLOW ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS. THE CURRENT WEIGHT WILL STAY
    WITH ONLY ONE TEAM ( NO SPLITTING OF TOTAL WEIGHT) SPLITTING TEAM WILL DECIDED WHO KEEPS WEIGHT.  EACH
    TEAM STILL MAINTAINS CURRENT STATUS FOR PARTICIPATION.
  • ANY OTHER CHANGES WILL BE DIRECTED TO THE CLUB DIRECTORS FOR A RULING ON THE CHANGE.
TOURNAMENT FORMAT and CLASSIC
  1. TOURNAMENT ENTRY FEE
  • ENTRY FEE $50 PER BOAT THAT ALSO INCLUDES BIG FISH (FISH ALONE STILL PAY FULL ENTRY), $40 PRIZE FUND, $5 TO BIG
    FISH, $5 TO CLASSIC FUND.
2. PAY BACK
  • 1-5 BOATS ONE PLACE 100%
  • 2-10 BOATS TWO PLACES 60% / 40%
  • 11-15 BOATS THREE PLACES 50% / 30% / 20%
  • 16-20 BOATS FOUR PLACES 46% / 26% / 16% / 12%
  • 21+ BOATS FIVE PLACES 45% / 25% / 14% / 10% / 6%
  • MAXIMUM OF FIVE PLACES PAID
3. TOURNAMENT RULES and SCORING
  • CATCH AND RELEASE TOURNAMENTS
  • ONLY LARGEMOUTH BASS WILL BE WEIGHED
  • ARTIFICIAL BAITS ONLY
  • LIMIT 5 FISH PER BOAT (UNLESS FISHING ALONE, THEN STATE REGULATIONS APPLY ONLY 5 FISH)
  • ALL FISH MUST BE 14 INCHES AS MEASURED ON A GOLDEN RULE (FLAT BOARD) WITH THEIR MOUTH CLOSED AND SLIDING
    THE TAIL FROM SIDE TO SIDE.
  • SHORT FISH EQUALS DISQUALIFICATION
  • 4 OZ PENALTY  FOR EACH DEAD FISH
  • DEAD BIG BASS 4 OZ PENALTY GOING TOWARD BIG FISH WEIGHT ONLY
  • NO CULLING AT THE RAMP
  • MUST WEAR LIFE VEST WHEN BOAT IS ON PLANE
  • BOAT OPERATOR MUST BE 18 YEARS OLD
  • TOURNAMENT HOURS ARE SAFE LIGHT TO 3:00 PM
  • RETURN TO RAMP LATE = DISQUALIFICATION
  • DRAW FOR LAUNCH ORDER
  • NO DRUGS OR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ALLOWED DURING TOURNAMENT HOURS
  • ALL FLORIDA STATE REGULATIONS WILL APPLY
4. QUALIFYING FOR THE CLASSIC
  • TOP FIVE TEAMS BY TOTAL WEIGHT ACCUMULATED FOR THE YEAR
  • ANY TEAM THAT PAYS ENTRY TO ALL 11 TOURNAMENT, MUST PARTICIPATE (FISH) IN MINIMUM OF 9 TOURNAMENT AND MEET
    CLUB ELIGIBILITY.
  • MUST BE A MEMBER ON OR BEFORE JANUARY TOURNAMENT TO BE ELIGIBLE TO FISH CLUB CLASSIC
  • MAY USE ALTERNATE ONLY IF YOU HAVE NOT USED THE TWO ALTERNATES ALLOWED FOR THE YEAR
TACKLE and EQUIPMENT
  • ONLY ARTIFICIAL LURES MAY BE USED. NO LIVE BAIT.
  • ALL BASS MUST BE CAUGHT ALIVE.
  • NO TROLLING.
PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS
  • AT THE TOURNAMENT LOCATION ANY BODY OF WATER ACCESSIBLE BY BOAT.
REGISTRATION
  • JOIN AT MEETING OR * JOIN AT RAMP *( WITH APPROVAL FROM CLUB DIRECTORS)
  • CASH ONLY AT RAMP
  • EACH COMPETITOR MUST REGISTER AT THE TOURNAMENT SITE.
  • TO MAINTAIN ELIGIBILITY FOR CLASSIC, MAY PRE-PAY AT CLUB MEETING IF NOT ABLE TO FISH TOURNAMENT DATE.
LAUNCH SEQUENCE
  • CHIPS WILL BE DRAWN TO DETERMINE LAUNCH SEQUENCE AFTER MORNING REGISTRATION.
  • BOAT STARTING IN LAST POSITION WILL CALL LAUNCH SEQUENCE.
  • EASE OFF LAUNCH START MAY BE USED IF LAUNCH SITE IS CONGESTED WITH OTHER TOURNAMENTS, TO BE DECIDED
    MORNING OF TOURNAMENT
TOURNAMENT HOURS
  • LAUNCH WILL BEGIN AT SAFE LIGHT (TO BE DETERMINED BY CLUB DIRECTOR)
  • WEIGH IN IS 3:00 PM SHARP!!
  • CHECK IN AREA WILL BE DESIGNATED AT THE TIME OF LAUNCH.
LATE ARRIVAL
  • LATE ARRIVALS WILL BE PERMITTED TO FISH THE TOURNAMENT PROVIDING THEY FIND A PARTICIPATING CLUB MEMBER, PAY
    THE ENTRY FEE AND HAVE THE LIVE WELL CHECKED.
  • NO FISH ALLOWED TO BE KEPT BEFORE THE LIVE WELL CHECKED.
  • LATE ARRIVING TEAM RESPONSIBLE TO FIND OUT OFFICIAL TIME
  • CLUB MEMBERS THAT HAVE THE LATE ENTRY MUST REPORT IT TO THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
    BEFORE THE WEIGH IN BEGINS.
LATE PENALTY
  • ALL COMPETITORS THAT ARE NOT AT THE DESIGNATED CHECK IN AREA AT THE 3:00 PM WEIGH IN TIME ARE DISQUALIFIED.
  • ALL PARTICIPATES MUST HAVE FISHING TACKLE DOWN AND NOT FISHING. THIS IS TO BE CONSIDERED AS LATE.
SAFETY
  • SAFE BOATING CONDUCT MUST BE OBSERVED AT ALL TIMES.
  • EACH COMPETITOR IS REQUIRED TO WEAR A SECURELY FASTENED COAST GUARD APPROVED LIFE VEST WHILE THE BOAT IS
    ON PLANE.
  • BOATS MUST USE RUNNING LIGHTS WHEN CONDITION WARRANTS.
  • EMERGENCY SITE CHANGE.
            1. CONDITIONS ARE DEMEANED HAZARDOUS BECAUSE OF WEATHER.
            2. CONDITIONS RE TO RESTRICTIVE LARGE IDLE ZONES BECAUSE OF HIGH WATER.
            3. LOW WATER AT SCHEDULED SITE.
CROWS BLUFF IS BACKUP SITE (VOTED IN ON NOV. 8, 1999) WHEN POSSIBLE DANGEROUS CONDITIONS EXIST. CLUB DIRECTORS WILL
MAKE THE DECISION TO MOVE TO BACKUP SITE, RE-SCHEDULE OR CANCEL THE TOURNAMENT.
EMERGENCIES
  • COMPETITORS MUST REMAIN IN THEIR BOATS AT ALL TIMES DURING THE TOURNAMENT
  • ONLY IN THE EVENT OF SICKNESS, SEVERE WEATHER OR OTHER HAZARDS MAY A PERSON LEAVE THE BOAT.
SPORTSMANSHIP
  • ALL COMPETITORS ARE EXPECTED TO SHOW COURTESY TO OTHER COMPETITORS (CLUB MEMBERS) AND NON COMPETITORS
    ALIKE
PROTEST
  • PROTEST TO BE PRESENTED TO CLUB DIRECTORS
  • PROTEST MAY BE FILED AT TWO TIMES DURING A TOURNAMENT
            1. BEFORE THE TOURNAMENT BEGINS
            2. BEFORE THE WEIGH IN ENDS.
BY-LAW CHANGES
  • FEBRUARY CLUB MEETING IS DESIGNATED AS ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING FOR THE NEXT YEAR 2010-2011.
            1. THE MEMBERS PRESENT VOTE ANY PROPOSED CHANGES OF SCHEDULE OR CLUB RULES.
            2. ALL CHANGES ARE TO BE CARRIED THROUGH OUT THE NEXT YEAR