Gilroy
Bassmasters
Club and Tournament Rules (May 7, 2015)
1.
Affiliation and Eligibility: Gilroy Bassmasters is comprised of members who
are interested in fishing, learning, teaching and fellowship. The Club is a
teaching and information sharing fishing club. The officers of Gilroy
Bassmasters are the President, Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer, Tournament
Director, Assistant Tournament Director and Raffle Director. Past officers can also be consulted on
important club matters.
1A. Officers: The club officers consist of a President,
Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, Tournament Director, Assistant Tournament
Director and Raffle Director. The active
term for an officer is one year. The officers are determined by club membership
vote in December for the coming calendar year. Officers can be in office for
consecutive years with the membership vote.
Adherence to club rules and displaying the highest standards are expected
of all members-including officers. Any officer not fulfilling his/her duties in
an effective manner can be removed from office by two-third majority vote.
1B. Tournaments: Tournaments are open to all members of Gilroy
Bassmasters, prospective members and to guests of club members. All contestants
must be age 16 or older and have a valid California fishing license. All
members and participants must also be a B.A.S.S. (Bass Anglers Sportsman
Society) member (subscribe to Bassmasters magazine). B.A.S.S. membership is
required in order to have liability insurance through B.A.S.S.
2. Safety: Safe boating conduct is required at all times
by all tournament contestants. Each contestant must wear a USCG approved PFD (Personal Floatation Device) whenever
the combustible engine is operating. A functional kill switch attached by
lanyard to the operator is required on every boat. The boater must also insure
there is a fully charged and inspected fire extinguisher, horn or other noise
device and a throw cushion available. During limited light conditions running
and navigation lights must be installed and turned on for safety.
3.
Sportsmanship: Any contestant, who
displays poor sportsmanship, violates any club rule may be disqualified from
tournaments. The severity of the infraction will be determined by the Officers.
Violation of California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) laws and rules may
also be reasons for disqualification. Contestants will be made aware of
violations as soon as possible by the Officers at the launch ramp.
4. Fishing
Hours: 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 or the Tournament Director's designee prior to beginning
fishing. Contestants may not start prior to the official start time. Weigh-in
will be held at the designated time and location only.
5. Partners:
Partners must remain together throughout the fishing day with the
following exceptions.
6. Fishing
Area Selection: 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. “Back-seating”/Reserving
Fish Areas: Any person found
deliberately operating a boat in a manner which handicaps his partner's 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
and Equipment: 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 fifty (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 may not be taken by trailer from one location
to another during the tournament hours. "Off limits" areas will be
decided by the Tournament Director and will be announced at the beginning of
the tournament.
10. Late
Arrival and Requirements: Contestants
who have not checked in for launch at the official check point on time must
locate another member boat and check-in with that member. All safety equipment, livewells and lockers
must be inspected by the other member before fishing begins.
10A. Late Check-In
Penalties: Both the boater and
non-boater will be assessed a one (1.0) pound penalty each for every minute
late up to a maximum of (15) minutes late. If a boat is more than fifteen (15)
minutes late returning to the official recovery checkpoint, both contestants
will be disqualified. Exception to this rule are emergencies, since safety of
contestants are of the highest priority. The nature and validity of the
emergency will be determined by the Tournament Director.
10B. Dead
and “Short” Fish Penalties: There will be
a four (4) ounce penalty enforced for any dead fish weighed in. There is a one
(1.0) pound penalty for any fish less than thirteen (13) inches in length. The
short fish is dis-allowed and the one pound penalty is enforced. 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 angler's yearly total.
11. Fish
Holding/Transportation: 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 to salt or stack an area with fish for future tournaments.
12.
Cheating: 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 Officers.
13. Entry Fees: Single day tournament entry fee for a member
is $30.00, which includes big fish award and a $5.00 daily option for first
place. Two day tournaments are $40.00
which includes big fish and a $5.00 per day option for first place. The option pool is a betting pool in which
the highest placing contestant entered in the pool wins the entire pool of
money. The optional pool is typically paid at the meeting prior to tournament.
13A. Entry Fee Payment: Club members who plan to participate in a
tournament are encouraged to pay the tournament entry fee at the meeting prior
to the tournament. If circumstances do
not permit that, the tournament entry fee must be paid prior
the launch for the tournament unless prior arrangements have
been made with the club treasurer
or tournament director.All
Entry fees must be paid at the meeting prior to the tournament to be eligible
to fish. If a member cannot attend a meeting, he must submit entry fee before
the meeting date to be eligible.
13B. Entry Fee Refunds: If a tournament participant cannot fish and
has
paid their entry fee for a tournament, they will receive a credit for
the amount paid, which can be applied to any future tournament
entry, if they notify the Tournament Director prior
the weigh-in for the tournament. If the
Tournament Director is not notified prior to the weigh-in for the tournament,
the entry fee remains in that tournament’s payout pool and the tournament participant
does not receive a credit for payment of the entry fee. The Tournament Director may, at his
discretion, waive that condition and issue a credit in cases where notification
was not received prior to the weigh-in for the tournament.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” pool will not be refunded, but will be rolled over to the next
tournament.
13C.
Late Entries: Entering late after the club meeting is possible.
However late entry is intended to be a rare exception. The late entrant must go
as a non-boater if there is a spare boater available, 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 TD. If not approved by the Tournament
Director, the club member 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 intended to be 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: 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
maximum horse power.
17.
Personal Floatation Devices (PFDs): Both the boater and non-boaters are each
required to have their own USCG approved PFD in order to fish. There will be no
exceptions!
18. Lake
Law Violations: Any violations
of lake laws resulting in a ticket will be reviewed by Officers to determine if
the boater and/or non-boater will be disqualified. That review will be
completed within fifteen (15) minutes of weigh in.
19.
Additional Penalties: Any person
acting in an unbecoming manner at any Gilroy Bassmasters function will be fined
five (5) pounds from the Angler of The Year race and/or twenty five (25) points
from the Bassmasters race. Additional penalties may include being eliminated
from the next tournament. The Officers will determine the severity of the
violation and may assess additional penalties. If there is more than one member
involved, each member's role will be determined and penalty handed out
accordingly.
20.
Protests/Complaints:
Protest/complaints must be submitted to
the TD within fifteen (15) minutes after weigh-in. Any protests or
complaints submitted after that time will be disregarded. Protests will be
reviewed by the officers.
21. Club Dues: The total dues are $68 $80.00
and are due at the January meeting. $45.00
38.00 goes to the club, $30.00
15.00 to the B.A.S.S Nation
National Federation and $5 to
California B.A.S.S. The money to B.A.S.S. is primarily for insurance but
includes a subscription to BASS Times magazine. The club money covers things
like bank fees, postage and copies for newsletters, plaques and awards. 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. increases may 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. Tournament
of Champions (T.O.C): A Tournament
of Champions will be held each year if enough funds are available. The
participants will be selected from the top twelve (12) anglers based on total
pounds from the previous year. The Angler of the Year, from the previous year,
will organize, plan and make pairing selections for the TOC. The total expense
to the club will be limited to $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. All payouts are per team. The additional ~ $20.00 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: The Club Officers
will first try to rectify the concern by discussing the situation with the
member. If this is unsuccessful then it is brought to the general membership.
In order to remove any member from the club, a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote
is required by the members in attendance at the meeting in which the item is
discussed and voted upon. The member will be immediately notified of his
dismissal and reason for dismissal.
24. B.A.S.S
Federation: Each club member must
also be a member of the B.A.S.S Federation. The B.A.S.S. membership is required
since it insures there is liability insurance coverage during tournaments.
25. Bounced
Checks: Any member who
bounces a check must make good on the check and pay any fees from the bank. No
member will be allowed to fish until he make good on the bad check and fees.
26. Tournament
Locations: The tournament locations, ramp and dates for each calendar
year will be selected by majority vote at the November meeting of the previous
year. If it is not possible to fish a selected location then the alternate will
be decided by the membership.
27. Launch
Detail: The Tournament
Director will notify all at the appropriate meeting how to get to the lake and
ramp that was selected. The Tournament Director will notify all members
planning to fish if the lake or ramp has changed.
28. Launch: At the ramp or in marina the Tournament
Director will announce the official time, weigh-in time and launch order prior
to launch. He will also announce any off
limits areas or special situations. The
actual boat order can be called out in one (15) second intervals by the last
boat.
28A. Weigh-In: The tournament weigh-in will be conducted by
the Tournament Director, assistant TD and/or designee. They will insure a calibrated digital scale,
bags and recording devices are available.
During warmer water periods
weigh-ins should be by launch order. There should be no more than four (4)
individuals (two (2) boats) in line waiting to weigh in their day's catch. Once
the first of two the boats in front of you are finished with their weigh-in then
you can get in line. Try to keep the fish in the live wells as long as possible
in re-circulated water with release chemicals. Next in line is determined by
launch order. This is to be coordinated by the Club Officers or someone
appointed at the ramp.
28B. Length
Measurement: A “Wil-E-Go” belly
board will be used to measure fish length. The board is held at a forty-five
(45) degree angle, the fish's mouth open, and the tail moved. The fish must be
thirteen (13) inches or greater unless there is a slot limit waiver.
28C. Fish
Release: The proper DFG fish
release method is by boat ¼ mile out and 2 miles away from the ramp. This is
especially scrutinized at Clearlake. Where possible, do not recover your boat,
keep it tied to the dock and wait your turn to weigh-in. Both anglers should
travel together to legally release the day's catch.
28D.
Tournament Results: The Tournament
Director or Assistant TD will provide results and weights of the tournament to
the Secretary as soon as possible after conclusion of the tournament. Additionally a descriptive tournament report
including number of boats, conditions, patterns and bag results will be
provided to the secretary. The report
and results will be published on the club web site by the secretary as soon as
possible.
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 will not charge the non-boater unless other arrangement
have been previously agreed upon. In any case, the non-boater will not have to
pay twice. Anyone who fails to pay their 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 typically pay
between $30 to $60 per fishing day to the boater, to share the customary
transportation and boating expenses. Lodging expenses are separate and
negotiated by the boater and non-boater.
30. Guests: After the draw, if a boater is fishing the
tournament alone, bringing a guest is allowed. All guests (or their legal
parent or guardian) must sign a Waiver of Liability prior to the tournament.
All guests must be a minimum of sixteen (16) years old with a valid California
fishing license. The guest will not participate in the awards and prizes of the
tournament, but can be in the cash options if paid before the tournament
begins.
30A.
Prospective Members: Members can also choose to bring a guest or
prospective member of his/her choosing twice a year. All guests (or their legal
parent or guardian) must sign a Waiver of Liability prior to the tournament.
The guest will not participate in the awards and prizes of the tournament, but
can be in the cash options if paid before the tournament begins. If the guest
is a boater with the proper liability insurance 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 club member not fishing, then the guest will not be allowed to
fish. Tournament awards & prizes are for club members only.
31. Alcohol/illegal
Drugs: No alcoholic
beverages or illegal drugs are allowed in any tournament boat during the
competition. No contestant will be under the influence of alcoholic beverages
or illegal drugs or otherwise impaired during tournament hours. Tournament
hours include the time after the boat check-in and until the weigh-in is
completed. The penalty can lead to disqualification of the violator/s. The
severity of the violation and subsequent penalty if any will be determined by
the Tournament Director.
32. Tournament
Plaques: After each tournament,
first (1st), second (2nd) and third (3rd) place finishers 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. There is no cost to the member for the plates or plaques.
33. Tournament Draw: The tournament draw is done at the meeting
previous to the tournament by the Tournament Director and/or assistant
tournament director. This will be a blind draw of the boater in one bag
matching them with a non-boater in a different bag.
Everyone
intending to fish must be in the draw and have their monies into the secretary/treasurer
or TD prior to the draw. An exception is: You can enter late by paying the
customary entry fee plus a $15.00 late entry fee. You must also have the
approval of the TD and fish as a non-boater (unless there are no boaters to be
paired up with for the late entrant).
If a boater and non-boater have drawn each other twice in a
calendar year, then they will not be allowed to fish together a third time that
calendar year. The exception is the TOC or other non-club events like the Club
Top 6 (NCCC).
33A. Non
Boater Select Draw: Once per
calendar year it is allowable for the non-boater member to select the boater to
fish the next tournament. It must be
disclosed at the meeting prior to the tournament. Both non-boater and boater
must be present at the meeting and agree to the pairing. If this pairing means another non-boater
member would not be able to fish, then the non-boater selection is not allowed.
33B. 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 allowed to pair up. One boater becomes a non-boater. This requires
permission of the Tournament Director as soon as possible, but prior to
departure.
34. Tournament
Director's Discretion: Whenever there
is a tournament situation that occurs after the draw that is not covered by
club rules or that is a judgment call, the Tournament Director will make 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.
35.
Cancellation of a Tournament:
If in the opinion of the Tournament Director or Acting Tournament
Director it may be necessary to cancel a tournament because of weather or emergency.
Then the Tournament Director or Acting Tournament Director must give all who
have signed up for the tournament choice of the following options at least
forty-eight (48) hours before the start of the tournament.
1) Drop out of the
tournament now and receive a refund of the entry fee.
2) Be at the ramp the morning of
the tournament for a decision. If after allowing people to drop out there are
less than four (4) boats remaining, the tournament will be cancelled.
36. Absent
Officer Succession: If for any
reason the Tournament Director is unable to be at the site of the tournament,
then the responsibility of the position goes to the next officer in this order:
1 - Assistant Tournament Director
2 - President
3 - Vice President
4 – Secretary/Treasurer
5 - Raffle Director
6 - Someone chosen by vote at the
ramp.
37. 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 year's dues at the Annual Awards Banquet.
38. Annual Banquet: If there are enough funds the club will have
an Annual Awards Banquet. The banquet will be planned by the officers in
December for a no later than end of February event. Plaques will be presented
to the Angler of the Year, Bassmaster of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Most
Improved, Sportsmanship and Biggest Bass of the Year. Also to any officer that
wants a plaque for service. The club officers will determine by formula the
“Rookie of the Year” and “Most Improved”. The Sportsmanship award and
occasionally other awards will be determined by the officers. If there is
sufficient money remaining in the club treasury then the club may pay part of
the expenses for the banquet.
38A.
Formula for Rookie of the Year:
1. Must be
members in good standing for the current year
2. Must have
fished a minimum of six (6) club tournaments
3. Selected by
the highest total weight for the current year.
38B.
Formula for Most Improved Angler of the Year:
1. Must be
members in good standing for the current year
2. Must have
fished a minimum of six (6) club tournaments
3. Calculate
the average pounds per tournament for the preceding and current year.
Calculate the percentage increase of average pounds per tournament between the
preceding and current year.
Selected by the highest percentage increase.
39. Lake Inspections: It is the
responsibility of the boater to know all boating rules, inspections and safety
procedures. If lake authorities require an inspection for access the boater
must be prepared to pass these inspections. If the boat fails a DFG or lake
inspection and is not permitted to fish, then the boater will be disqualified
from the tournament. If there is an open seat in the tournament the non-boater
will be allowed to fish with a different boater determined by the Tournament
Director. If space is not available for the non-boater then both participants
will be disqualified.
40. DFG
Rules for Handling the Catch:
DFG requires that any single fish weighing five (5.0) pounds or more
must be transported in separate bags for the health of the fish.
43. Monthly Raffles: The Raffle Director will hold
monthly raffles at the club meetings.
The prizes are baits and tackle secured by the director. Tickets are $1.00 each.