Club Rules and Information
2012-2013
BY-LAWS & TOURNAMENT RULES
Rules  for West Volusia Bass Anglers Tournaments
MEMBERSHIP and PARTICIPANTS ELIGIBILITY
  1. MEETINGS ARE THE SECOND TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH - TOURNAMENT IS THE FOLLOWING SATURDAY.
  2. MEMBER DUES ARE $20 PER PERSON ANNUALLY. (see items 7 - 12 below)
  3. YOU HAVE TO BE AN ACTIVE MEMBER TO FISH.
  4. NEW MEMBERS MUST JOIN AT MEETING. ONLY MEMBERS FROM LAST SEASON MAY JOIN AT RAMP TOURNAMENT SITE.
  5. UNDER 18 YEARS OLD MUST HAVE CLUB RELEASE FORM SIGNED BY CONSENTING ADULT OR GUARDIAN BEFORE
    TOURNAMENT DATE TO BE ELIGIBLE TO FISH.
  6. A MEMBERSHIP PAID IN FEBRUARY (THE LAST TOURNAMENT TO THE SCHEDULE) WILL CARRY OVER TO THE NEXT YEAR.
  7. TO BE AN ACTIVE TEAM / MEMBER FOR THE FULL SEASON.
  8. A TEAM IS COMPOSED OF TWO MEMBERS  FISHING TOGETHER THROUGHOUT THE FULL SEASON.
  9. YOU MUST PAY ENTRY FOR  FIRST 2 SCHEDULED TOURNAMENT (APRIL AND MAY) AND PARTICIPATE IN AT LEST 1.
  10. IF YOU DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE APRIL AND MAY TOURNAMENTS AND YOU WANT TO FISH A SCHEDULED TOURNAMENT,
    YOU CAN BECOME AN ACTIVE MEMBER BY PAYING A LATE MEMBERSHIP FEE OF $50 PER PERSON. YOU WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO
    FISH THE REST OF THE SEASON SCHEDULE.
  11. EACH TEAM WILL BE ALLOWED 2 ALTERNATES PER SEASON.
  12. ALTERNATES    MAY BE A CURRENT MEMBER THAT IS NOT CLASSIC QUALIFIED OR PAY $50 LATE MEMBERSHIP FEE TO BE
    ACTIVE MEMBER FOR REST OF SEASON OR PAY $20 FEE AND WILL NOT BE DECLARED AS A MEMBER, ONLY AS AN ALTERNATE.
  13. 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.

TEAM MEMBER CHANGES:
  • EMERGENCY CHANGE
  • REPLACING PERMANENT PARTNER BECAUSE OF UNCONTROLLABLE CIRCUMSTANCES. CLUB DIRECTORS WILL MAKE
    DECISIONS ON A CASE TO CASE SITUATIONS.

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.
  • ALL FISH MUST BE 12 INCHES AS MEASURED ON A GOLDEN RULE (FLAT BOARD) WITH THEIR MOUTH CLOSED AND SLIDING
    THE TAIL FROM SIDE TO SIDE.
  • .NO CURT ICY CHECK FOR SIZE LIMIT AT WEIGH SCALE. DO NOT BRIG ANY QUESTIONABLE FISH TO THE SCALES.
  • 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.
  • HARDSHIP EXEMPTION FOR ISTOKPOGA TOURNAMENT ONLY.
  • ANY TEAM THAT FISHED LAST YEARS ISTOKPOGA TOURNAMENT AND CANNOT FISH THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF ECONOMIC REASONS
    WILL GET PARTICIPATION EXEMPTION FOR THAT TOURNAMENT ONLY. MUST FISH 10 REMAINING TOURNAMENTS TO MEET CLASSIC
    ELIGIBILITY.
  • MUST BE AN ACTIVE  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, ONLY MEMBERS FROM LAST SEASON ARE ALLOWED TO JOIN AT RAMP.
  • 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 2013-2014.
   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