Tournament Rules and Club ByLaws

OFFICIAL TOURNAMENT RULES & CLUB BYLAWS

Updates from Club votes within the last year are noted in red. Any changes must be voted on by the majority of the club and presented at an official meeting to be considered for a vote.

STRUCTURE OF DUES: All dues and fees will be paid or you will not fish the tournament. Annual Dues for full club membership.

Duluth Bass Club Membership Dues: $30/member per year.
Evening and Weekend Series Anglers.
Rookie Evening Series Anglers can request lower first year membership of $10, may not include deals on jerseys.

Optional: Join B.A.S.S., get B.A.S.S. discounts and compete to qualify for the state TOC:
Minnesota State B.A.S.S. - $50/mbr
+ B.A.S.S. Fed National Roster - ~~$30/mbr~~ - as of 4/4/2016 the club will cover this membership, when BASS moves to payment by the club.
+ Duluth Bass Club sponsors will cover a portion of the TOC lodging, amount to be determined each year.
+ Bassmasters subscription current thru Oct 1 that year. (approx $20 includes magazine.

TOTAL: Duluth Bass Club with B.A.S.S. option: $80/mbr per year and Bassmaster number.
TOURNAMENT ENTRY FEES: (Must be Duluth Bass Club membership in good standing and paid in before fishing)

Weekend Tournament Entry Fee - $50/team/event.
Evening Tournament Entry Fee - $20/team/event.
Optional Big Fish Pot (all events) - $10/team/event.
TOURNAMENT PAYOUTS: 100% of Tournament Entry Fees,

Weekend Series based on our payout matrix (below - members login to see it);
Evening Series will payout 1^st 70%; 2^nd 30%; plus sponsor certificates paid to ??.
TEAMS: 1 or 2 person teams. Weekend Series is limited to 25 teams. Evening Series has a limit of 15 teams.

Subs can fish once for no sub fee, $10/event after that, unless they become a member. All subs under 18 pay no sub fee. Team entry fees remain the same per team, as noted above.
PRE-FISHING PRACTICE:

A. Weekend Series: No one can be on the water scheduled for Sunday on the prior Saturday, if we are fishing an officially scheduled event that Saturday, unless they are the same water.

B. Evening Series: No one can be on the event water, after the lake is drawn Sunday night until the actual event.
SAFETY: Safe boating conduct must be observed at all times by all competitors. Each competitor is required to wear a coast guard approved chest type preserver. This preserver must be worn strapped, snapped or zipped securely at any time the combustion engine is operating. All boats in the Duluth Bass tournaments shall be equipped with a safety tether switch. A disqualification will be automatic for no safety tether switch, NO EXCEPTIONS. The tournament Director has the power to cancel or delay any tournament before or during fishing due to inclimate weather. Failure to comply will be a DQ. Consumption of alcoholic beverages, marijuana, depressants, and stimulants by any competitor during the tournament from takeoff until the weigh in is complete with result in a DQ for this tournament and all other Duluth Bass tournaments, also competitors that observe or allow this behavior without reporting it will result in a DQ for that tournament.
SPORTSMANSHIP: Competitors in the Duluth BASS Club are expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety, boat wake control, conservation, and our code of conduct, on and off the water. Any infraction of these fundamental sporting principles may be cause for a DQ or membership revocation. Maximum courtesy must be practiced at all times, especially with regard to boating, angling and meetings in the area of non-competitors. Any act of a competitor which reflects unfavorably upon Duluth Bass or B.A.S.S. shall be reason for immediate DQ and/or member revocation, subject to a final decision by the tournament committee.
MEMBERSHIP: To become a member, a person shall attend at least two regular club meetings. Compete in one Club Tournament fishing with a Club member. Agree to abide by the laws of the Club, all tournament rules, and all Minnesota Fish and Game regulations. Be voted on by the membership. Affirmation must be 2/3 of the members present and voting.
VOTING MEMBER: A member of good standing shall be any person, elected to membership whose dues are paid. Only members of good standing shall be entitled to vote at meeting and fish tournaments.
VOTING: All votes require a 2/3 of members present and voting. A Quorum, over 50% of club members in good standing, is required to vote on any changes to tournament rules or by laws. Email will be used to get enough input and member votes for important and rule changes.

Members should only vote on issues specific to the group(s) they actually participate in. I.e. schedules.
CODE OF CONDUCT:
1. Positive attitude during tournaments, meetings, any time you are representing the Duluth Bass Club, B.A.S.S., or sport of fishing.
2. All members will be treated with respect and conduct themselves fairly, responsibly and with honesty at all times. How you display yourself reflects on the club. Treat others with respect! This goes for meetings as well as events!
3. Obey all rules of Duluth Bass Club, B.A.S.S., along with all local, state, lake or river regulations and laws. Any fish presented that is in violation of state laws must be immediately released, and the team will forfeit that night's points.
4. There shall be no actions detrimental to the club or the sport of bass fishing.
5. Lightning is your judgement call to make. If you leave the water for safety you can return and fish. Club not responsible if you stay on the water.
REVOKING MEMBERSHIP:
1. Club members vote whether to remove a member from the club for the following reasons:
  1. Violation of any club rule.
  2. Representing the club in a negative way.
2. Club Dues will not be refunded to an angler who has had their membership revoked.
TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT: Only artificial lures may be used. No live bait or prepared bait will be permitted, with the exception of port strips, rinds, ETC. Only casting, spin casting, or spinning type tackle is permitted. All other types are prohibited. All competitors are bound by the prevailing statutes and regulations of the state. Rod length may not exceed 8 feet overall, butt of handle to tip.
BOAT AND MOTOR: A small motor, gas or electric, may be used for slow maneuvering. Trolling as a method of fishing is prohibited. Boats equipped with stick steering are prohibited to be used during tournament hours by any competitor.
BASIC BOAT EQUIPMENT: Every boat must have all required Coast Guard safety equipment. This includes a fire extinguisher and a throw able type life preserver in addition to the chest type for all boats 16 feet or more in length. All boats must be equipped with functionally adequate livewell, properly aerated, capable of maintaining a limit catch of bass in a healthy, live condition. Nets will be allowed in any competitors’ boat during the tournament.
PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS: Movement or fishing on the tournament waters is permitted anywhere accessible by boat without its occupants debarking; except within 25 yards of another competitor’s boat or bouy. A single marker being fished by a boat shall be deemed to be an anchored boat. No such boat shall permit another competitors lure to fish within a 25 yard circle occupied by his boat or marker at any time, unless contestant abandons their buoy by moving more than 25yds from buoy. Contestants must not debark to land fish. Contestants must leave and return to the official checkpoint by boat unless there is an emergency. Both competitors must remain in their boat at all times except in a case of an emergency or to prevent or to assist any person who’s life or health is threatened in any way or nature calls. Any other emergency shall be the decision of the tournament committee. During a tournament, an angler may leave the boat to retrieve a lure from a man made object in an effort to cause no harm to the subject.
OFFICIAL CHECKPOINT: Check-out and check-in will be from the shore area chosen by the tournament committee. The take-off at each tournament will be in 10 second intervals. The last boat off will designate the 10 second intervals with a hand signal. The first boat off will be responsible for fish bag handouts for the tournament check-ins at the take off area. Tournament times will be according to the first boat off.
SCORING: Tournament standings, Big Fish pot, and final winners shall be determined by the pound weight of each team’s catch during the days of the tournaments. Only largemouth and smallmouth bass shall be weighed. The limit shall not exceed 5 in MN, subject to change by tournament director. All fish must be caught in a conventional sporting manner. Only bass which measure 12 inches in length in MN on any straight line will count. The mouth of the fish will be closed when it is measured. Undersized fish (see rule below). Any bass that appears to be mangled, mashed, mauled, or otherwise altered will be weighed and credited only at the discretion of the tournament weighmaster, who also shall make any decisions as to minimum length eligibility. Each competitor must present their catch to the weigh in officials. Stringing of your fish is prohibited at any time during the tournament and fish will not be counted, approved culling devices allowed.

Evening Series - Position points are based on the following Points Structure. Group nights will be worth a total of 100 points with 5 point decreasing increments. Ex. 1st = 100, 2nd =95, 3rd=90, etc. Teams not scoring any fish will receive 30 points for participating.

Weekend Series (TOC Standings)- Position points are based on the following Points Structure. Group nights will be worth a total of 200 points with 5 point decreasing increments per person. Ex. 1st = 200, 2nd =195, 3rd=190, etc. Teams not scoring any fish will receive 50 points for participating.

All teams must check in with the tournament director to get any points for attendance. All teams are responsible for their verified points and fish being measured and counted by the official scoring teams on the official tournament night.

END OF YEAR POINTS:
Evening Series - Team scores are sum of the team's top finishes minus their lowest event out of all our qualifying events.

Weekend Series (TOC Standings)- Team scores are sum of the team's top finishes minus their lowest event out of all our qualifying events.
DO NOT KILL YOUR CATCH: Each competitor is expected to keep their bass alive by the use of a properly aerated livewell. There will be a 0.25lb. per fish penalty for any dead fish. Live fish will immediately be released after they are weighed. Dead fish penalty also applies to big fish weight - 0.25 lbs.

NO STRINGERS. Working live-wells required and checked at each event. Coolers or other working home made live-well setups are fine, if working.
PENALTY POINTS (Undersized, Short or Dead Fish): If a fish can not prove to measure once an angler said their catch can be weighed, a penalty would be enforced to subtract the anglers biggest fish weight of that day’s catch. Dead fish penalty is 4 oz./ 0.25lb. for each dead fish, weigh master makes determination on all dead fish. Measuring a short fish where there is a legal minimum length will result in disqualification. (i.e. 14” min. St. Louis River)
LATE & NO SHOW PENALTIES: Competitors who are not at the official checkpoint area as described in rule #10 at the appointed time shall be penalized in the morning at the rate of 10% of the total weight of the days catch, and 0.7 oz. per minute of the days catch in the afternoon. This will be deducted from the total weight of their catch that day. Any competitor checking in late that day will be ineligible for lunker awards for that day. Any competitor over 15 minutes late in the weigh in area shall lose credit for that days catch. Start & finish times will be set by Tournament Director prior to contest.
B.A.S.S. MEMBERS:

Qualifying for TOC - Weekend Series only - Based on overall position and results allowed by the MN B.A.S.S. Fed.  Final roster to be voted on by BASS membership prior to submitting to State. Based on previous year's final standings.

    The final slots, alternate/working alternate will be voted on by all B.A.S.S. Members in good standing.

Club Team - Voted on by membership, based on final positions and knowledge of TOC waters.

IF NEEDED: Working Alternate at TOC - will be paid $100 and get a Club TOC Jersey, if they don't already have one.
AWARDS:

Evening Series - End of Year awards based on number of members fishing.

Weekend Series - Plaques for 1^st at all Weekend Series, plus 1^st through 3^rdPlaces overall.

Golden Hook Award – Whenever members believe a member has done something very positive for our club. This award could be any combination of a plaque, sponsor certificate, etc. and can be done anytime during the year.

Rookie of the Year – plaque(s) - Whenever we have 3 or more rookie members based on points and above categories. Candidates will be nominated by members, and everyone will vote on them and each category anonymously (email or paper), and scored by the board.
TIES (Evening AND Weekend):

PER EVENT: The first tie breaker is the largest individual fish of each competitor will be weighed, progressive, if still tied, the tournament committee will decide the winners and can combine the two prizes and split it evenly with tied teams.

END OF YEAR Points: First Tie breaker is Low Score (over all events), then if needed Total Weight, then biggest bass. If still tied, most wins, then coin toss.
SERIES SCHEDULES: will be made by all members voting on the lakes, dates and then a final vote matching dates to lakes. This will be done during our fall/winter meetings and via email.

Each year the lakes must change the time of year we fish them by at least 6 weeks, avoiding fishing the same water at the same time each year.

All events from both series must, when combined, be over 1 week apart.

Evening Series schedule will start on the 2nd Thursday of the season, then events are every 3 weeks until the last thursday event.
Any Member bringing in $300 or more in club sponsorships, will have their Duluth Bass Club membership fee of $30/yr waived for that year.
APPEAL: Any contestant adversely affected by the tournament committees’ decision at the landing has the right of appeal to the written tournament rules.

I HAVE READ THE DULUTH BASS CLUB TOURNAMENT RULES AND REGULATIONS AND AGREE TO ABIDE BY THEM IN ANY ACTIVITY THAT INVOLVES THE DULUTH BASS CLUB.

PRINTED NAME:_______________________________

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