Tournament Rules
1. Partnership and eligibility Open to all members of Gilroy Bassmasters and to guests of club members. All contestants must be of age 16 or older and have a valid California fishing license. All members must also be a B.A.S.S. (Bass Anglers Sportsman Society) member ( subscribe to Bassmaster magazine ). Being a B.A.S.S. member is required in order to have liability insurance through B.A.S.S.
2. Safety Functional kill switch is required on every boat. Safe boating conduct at all times by all contestants. Each contestant must wear a life preserver whenever the combustible engine is operating.
3. Sportsmanship Any contestant who displays poor sportsmanship, violate any of these rules, or violates the California Department of Fish and Game laws will be disqualified. Contestants will be made aware of violations as soon as possible by a club officer, with the disqualification decided at the weigh-in.
4. Fishing hours will be announced at the registration prior to the tournament. Contestants must check-in and out at the official check point. Every boat will be checked by the tournament director prior to the days fishing for safety equipment, and no live bait. Contestants may not start prior to the official starting time. Weigh-in will be held at the designated time only.
5. Partners must remain together throughout the fishing day.
6. Each contestant has the right to choose the fishing area for one half of the fishing day. Boat operation is at the discretion of the boat owner.
7. Any person found deliberately operating a boat in a manner which handicaps his partners efforts may be disqualified from the tournament. A contestant may not hold or reserve a fishing area for another contestant. Infraction of this rule may result in disqualification of both boat operators involved.
8. Tackle Only one rod may be in use at a time. Only artificial lures can be used. No prepared or live bait, other than pork rind strips, is permitted. Only rods and reels are permitted. They must be casting, spinning, or spin casting outfits, with rods not to exceed 8 feet in length. However, any number of rods may be rigged in the boat for substitution purposes.
9. Permitted fishing waters Every boat has the right to 50 yards of fishing waters. All fishing must be done from a boat to land fish. All contestants must leave and return to the tournament headquarters dock by boat. Boats can not be trailered from one location to another during the tournament hours. No boats may touch during tournament hours. This includes non-contestant boats ( except in the case of emergencies ). "Off limits" areas will be decided by the Tournament Director and will be announced at the beginning of the tournament.
10. Penalties Contestants who have not checked in at the official check point on time must locate an officer and check in with him before beginning to fish. If a boat is late returning to the official checkpoint, both contestants will be disqualified. Exception to this rule, emergency & safety of the contestants is priority.
Fishermen may take their catch and board another boat to return to the check in point in the event of a mechanical failure. There is a four ounce (4) penalty for any dead fish weighed in. There is a one (1.0) pound penalty for any fish less than 13 inches in length. The tournament director will make every reasonable effort to make the fish meet the minimum length requirement. If the one pound penalty for a short fish results in a negative number then the remainder will be deducted from the anglers yearly total.
11. Anyone possessing or using any fish holding device other than the intended boat live well or specially designed weigh-in bag will be immediately disqualified. No fish shall be transferred from one location to another and released in an effort salt or stack an area with fish for future tournaments.
12. Anyone caught or deemed to have cheated in an event shall be disqualified from future events for a period of time to be determined by the Gilroy Bassmasters Board of Directors.
13. All entry fees Members = $20.00, big fish $5.00. Optional pool = $5.00. The option pool is a betting pool in which the highest placing contestant entered in the pool wins the entire pool of money. Entry fees must be paid at the meeting prior to the tournament to be eligible to fish. If a member can not attend a meeting, he must submit entry fee before the meeting date to be eligible. Entry fees are not refundable unless a member has an uncontrollable situation. Officers must vote to discuss refund(s). If the second day of a two day tournament is canceled because of weather ( or any other cause ) then the big fish money will be rolled over to the next tournament but will not be refunded.
Entering late, after the club meeting is possible. Late entry is intended to be a rare exception. The late entrant must go as a non-boater, pay a $15 late fee, have approval from the Tournament Director at least 24 hours before the tournament, and be assigned to a boat by the Tournament Director. If not approved by the Tournament Director, the angler will not fish. This can be done by the Assistant Tournament Director if the Tournament Director is not available.
14. Live wells Adequate live wells are mandatory on each boat and must provide proper aeration to maintain fish in good condition, as fish are released alive after weigh in period. No one may retain any healthy bass after a tournament, but a fish that is dead or likely to die can be kept. A trophy bass may be claimed by his captor at the conclusion of the event. Identification of a trophy must be made at the weigh in. Please use catch and release chemicals.
15. Trolling is not permitted. No one may troll a lure behind a boat while under power by gas motors.
16. Boats and motors No restrictions on boat and motor size unless stated prior to the tournament date, as long as the boat / motor do not exceed BIA (Boating Industry Association) rating for max horse power.
17. Non-Boaters are required to have their own life vest. No exceptions!!
18. Any violations of lake laws resulting in a ticket will be reviewed by club officers to see if the boater and/or non-boater will be disqualified. The review will be completed within 15 minutes of weigh in.
19. Additional penalties Any person acting in an unbecoming manner at the Gilroy Bassmasters function will be fined five (5) pounds from the Angler Of The Year race or twenty five (25) points from the Bassmaster race and or will be eliminated from the next tournament. The board of directors will decide the penalty. If there is more than one member involved, each member will be equally penalized.
20. Protest / complaints must be submitted within fifteen minutes after weigh in. Any protests or complaints submitted after that time will be disregarded. Protests will be reviewed by the board of directors.
21. Club dues The total dues are $68 and are due at the January meeting. Of that $38.00 goes to the club, $15.00 to the B.A.S.S National Federation, $5 to California B.A.S.S. and $10 to B.B.A.C. is due at the January meeting . The money to B.A.S.S. is primarily for insurance but includes a subscription to BASS Times. The club money covers things like bank fees, postage and copies for newsletters, plaques, awards, and so on. We allocate about $720 as prizes for a club Tournament of Champions in which the Top 12 fishermen from the previous year compete. Anything left is spent on the annual banquet. B.A.S.S. and B.B.A.C. increases will cause an increase in club dues. Dues for new members will be pro-rated at $3.00 a month. No member may fish a tournament until dues and insurance are paid in full.
22. Top 6 team Every year, if enough funds are available, a Tournament of Champions will be held. The participants will be selected from the top twelve (12) anglers based on the anglers total pounds. The Angler of the Year will organize and plan the tournament. The total expense to the club will be $720. This will be paid out as Big Fish $100 with Trophy, $300 for first place, $180 for second place, and $120 for third place. The additional approximate $20 will pay for the plates and trophy. To fish the TOC you must be a member in the year that it is held.
23. Member Dismissal In order to remove any member from the club, a 2/3 majority vote by the members in attendance at the meeting it is discussed. The member will be immediately notified of his dismissal and reason for dismissal.
24. B.A.S.S Federation You must be a member of the B.A.S.S Federation to be a member of the Gilroy Bassmasters.
25. Length measurement A Wil-E-Go belly board will be used to measure fish length. The board can be at a 45 degree angle, the fishes mouth open, and the tail moved. The fish must be 13 inches or greater unless there is a slot limit.
26. Bounced Checks Any member who bounces a check must make good on the check and pay any fees from the bank before he will be allowed to rejoin the club and fish.
27. Picking lakes Lakes and dates will be picked by majority vote at the December meeting. If it is not possible to fish a selected lake then the alternate will be decided by the membership.
28. Ramp selection The tournament director will decide on the ramp to be used and notify all at the meeting where the lake is selected. The Tournament Director will notify all members planning to fish if the ramp is changed.
29. Share of Expenses Non-boaters will pay half of all tournament expenses. This includes gas for the vehicle that pulls the boat, gas and oil for the boat, launch fees, and parking fees. The boater will drive to and from the lake with the non-boater, if practical. If other arrangements are made the non-boater still pays half of the expenses. If a non-boater rides to the lake with someone other than his partner then the person that he rides with should not charge the non-boater. The non-boater should not have to pay twice. Anyone who fails to pay his half of the expenses will not be eligible to fish in a club tournament until the bill is paid. If there is a dispute, it should be reported to a club official and discussed at the next meeting. Practice related expenses will be agreed upon by the boater and non-boater prior to the tournament. Non-boaters should expect to pay between $20 to $60 per fishing day, to the boater, to share the customary transportation expenses.
30. Guests If a boater is fishing a tournament alone, a guest is OK. It is OK for the guest to fish, but the guest must not assist the boater in any way or participate in the tournament. For example, the guest can not run the trolling motor, net fish, or offer advice, but can be in the options. All guests (or their legal parent or guardian) must sign a Waiver of Liability prior to the tournament.
31. No Alcohol. No Alcoholic beverages are allowed during tournament hours. No Alcoholic beverages are allowed in any tournament boat. The penalty is disqualification of the boater and non-boater.
32. Prospective members. A member may bring a prospective member to fish with the club twice a year (the prospective member must show proof of membership in B.A.S.S. for insurance purposes). The prospective member can fish with the member and neither will participate in the draw other than for launch position. If the guest is a boater then he is allowed to bring his boat and the member fishes as a non-boater. If allowing the guest to fish would result in a non-boater not fishing, then the guest will not be allowed to fish. Tournament Awards & Prizes are for club members only.
33. Plaques for small plates. After each tournament, first, second, and third place are awarded small plates. The first time that a member receives a small plate for finishing in the money, he will be presented with a plaque to place the plates on. The plaque holds about 25 plates. When the plaque is filled, he will be presented with another plaque.
34. Pairing of boaters after draw. After the draw is completed, if there are boaters that have not drawn a non-boater, then two boaters are all owed to pair up. One boater becomes a non-boater. This requires permission of the Tournament Director.
35. Tournament Director. Whenever there is a tournament situation that occurs after the draw that is not covered by club rules or that is a judgement call, then the Tournament Director makes the decision. A vote is not necessary. The Tournament Director may consult with other officers but this is not a requirement. The idea is that we need an immediate decision, not an argument.
36. Cancellation of a Tournament. If in the opinion of the Tournament Director or Acting Tournament Director that it may be necessary to cancel a tournament because of weather then the Tournament Director or Acting Tournament Director must give all who have signed up for the tournament the following option at least 48 hours before the start of the tournament.
37. Absent Officer Succession. If for any reason the Tournament Director / Acting Tournament Director is unable or unwilling to be at the site of the tournament, then the responsibility of the position goes to the next officer in this order:
38. Angler of the Year and Bassmaster of the Year. The Angler of the Year is based on total pounds in all club tournaments for the year. Bassmaster of the Year is based on total points in all club tournaments for the year. At the end of the year, both will receive a plaque and their dues will be paid by the club for the following year. If anyone wins both in the same year then dues are paid for one year and a check presented for one years dues.
39. Annual Banquet. Each year we will have an Annual Awards Banquet. Plaques will be presented to the Angler of the Year, Bassmaster of the Year, and any officer that wants a plaque for service. Other plaques will be presented for Most Improved, Rookie of the Year, and Sportsmanship. The club officers will vote on Rookie of the Year, Most Improved, Sportsmanship, and occasionally other awards. If there is sufficient money remaining in the club treasury then the club may pay part of the expenses for the banquet.
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