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Willamette Valley Bass Club Tournament Rules
(Revised 11/1/2010)
1. Rule Changes: These rules will remain unchanged during the course of the present tournament s schedule. Interpretation of these rules shall be left exclusively to the tournament director. The decision of the tournament director shall be final in all matters concerning tournaments staged by W.V.B.C.
2. Minimum Number of Boats: To count as a qualifying club tournament, there must be a minimum of 3 club member boats and no less than 5 W.V.B.C. members in good standing participating.
3. Participation and Eligibility: Participation is open to members in good standing of W.V.B.C. who are 18 years of age or older. Persons under the age of 18 years may participate if accompanied by a parent or guardian. All participants must be current with respect to club membership dues, Bass Anglers Sportsman Society membership dues and B.A.S.S. State and National Federation membership dues.
4. Tournament Entry Fees: Tournament entry fee is $15 per participating member. There is a big bass option pot for each tournament with a $5 entry fee. Night (or day/night) tournaments will have two big bass options. One for each of the 2 weigh-ins at that particular club event. Entry fees must be paid prior to the start of each club tournament (fees payable at previous W.V.B.C. meeting). If unable to attend, fees must be received by treasurer prior to tournament or must be paid by check on tournament day.
5. Pre-tournament Practice: Contestants may pre-fish tournament waters up to midnight prior to tournament day launch, except in case of night tournament, when noon prior to launch is cut-off.
6. Pre-tournament Meeting: An informal meeting will be held by the tournament director prior to launch each tournament day. Time for tournament meeting will be established at the W.V.B.C. meeting preceding the tournament whenever possible. Livewells will be checked before starting time. Any contestant arriving to participate after the official blast starting time, must locate another W.V.B.C. member to advise of their presence and have their livewell checked before they begin fishing.
7. Livewells: Operational livewells or suitable substitutes are mandatory in all participating tournament boats. Every effort must be made to bring your catch alive and in good condition to the weigh-in site. All bass are to be released alive at W.V.B.C. tournaments.
8. Permitted Fishing Waters: No fishing allowed within 25 yards of another contestants boat. All fishing must be done from contestant boat. Any waters that are off limits will be announced as being so by the tournament director at the pre-tournament meeting. Boats may not be towed on trailer from one location to another during tournament hours.
9. Permitted Fishing Methods: All bass must be caught in a conventional sporting manner and landed from given participant’s boat. Only artificial lures may be used, with the exception of pork trailers. All current O.D.F.W. rules and regulations must be strictly adhered to. Any contestant cited for violations during tournament hours will have that days catch negated. No rod over 8 feet long may be used. The use of landing nets is allowed.
10. Size & Bag Limits: The daily bag limit is 3 fish per person. Each angler may cull through their 3 fish, but may not catch or cull fish for his or her tournament partner. A contestant fishing without a partner will be allowed to weigh 5 fish (as O.D.F.W. regs allow), however only the weight of their best 3 fish will apply towards Angler of the Year scoring. Minimum size length for kept fish is 12 inches as measured on a ‘will-e-go’ belly board. Bass are measured with mouth closed and swing the tail. The smallest fish in each catch will be measured by the tournament director. Size and bag limits may be altered on certain tournament waters (due to O.D.F.W. regs. for that venue) and will be implemented accordingly.
11. Penalties: Bass measuring up to, but not over ¼ inch short will result in having 1 pound deducted from the contestants catch. Bass measuring over ¼ inch short will result in disqualification of that days catch. Any team or person attempting to weigh in more than a legal limit will have their catch culled to the legal limit staring with the largest fish first. Dead fish brought to the scales will result in a 4 ounce deduction (for each dead fish) weighed from the total catch. If a penalty deduction results in a negative weight, that contestant will be awarded the same points as participating anglers who fished but did not weigh a qualifying bass. If a dead fish brought to the scales is the “big fish” of the contestant bag, the 4 ounces deduction applies to that fish in the computation towards that particular events ‘big fish’ award and also the ‘big fish of the year’ award. Contestants late to the official weigh-in site results in a 1 pound subtracted for each minute later than the designated weigh-in time. Late penalties in this regard will be split equally between the late team partners. Culling is not permitted after the designated weigh-in time or inside the slow marker buoys at the weigh-in site, automatic disqualification results. Violation of rule #9 will result in disqualification of that person’s catch for that tournament day.
In the event of the following conditions which would prevent an angler from safely returning with his/her boat to the weigh-in with his partner; the partner may return alone with the team’s fish in another competitor’s boat.
12. Tournament Payouts: Tournaments will have 1 payout slot for each 4 paid entries, with a maximum of 3 places paid down. For a tournament with only 1 slot, the winning team will receive 100% of the payout pot. With 2 slots, the winners will receive 60% of the pot and the second place team will receive the remaining 40%. With 3 slots, the winners will take 50%, 2nd place will get 30% and 3rd place will receive 20% of the tournament pot. The potential big fish pot will be paid out 100% to the angler weighing the heaviest bass. Payouts for winning teams and big fish are awarded at the regularly scheduled W.V.B.C. meetings.
13. Awards: W.V.B.C. gives awards to ‘Angler of the Year’, second and third place finishers after completion of the current competition season. The 3 highest scoring anglers after this period will receive plaques at the annual awards presentation. In addition to a plaque for ‘Angler of the Year’, the highest scoring angler will receive free entries to the following years W.V.B.C. tournaments. The angler who weighs in the largest bass for the year – ‘big fish of the year’ receives a check in the amount of $100. An award may also be given for ‘Most Improved Angler of the Year’ if a club member clearly distinguishes themselves during the tournament season. A member must participate in at least 3 events to be eligible for year end awards.
14. Scoring: Scoring for “Angler of the Year’ award shall be based on the following points system. The angler having the heaviest individual weight of fish in at each tournament, (weight of 3 best) will receive 101 points. The angler with the 2nd heaviest weight will receive 95 points. 3rd heaviest – 90 points, 4th heaviest – 85 points and so on in decreasing 5 point increments down to 17th place which is the 20 point slot. Finishers below those points, including persons who fished but do not weigh fish will be awarded 10 points less than the last place weight – not more 40 points & no less than 10 points. You get 3 points for big fish of the tournament and 1 point for each live release. Ties will be broken by the largest bass caught by either of the persons or teams in a tie.
15. No Wake Zone: The first boat entering a ‘no wake zone’ will be considered the ‘pace boat’. No passing is allowed through the zone. Legal speed limits must be observed.
16. Safety: Safe boating must be conducted at all times. During competition each contestant is required to wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved floatation device anytime the combustion engine is in operation. Boats must be equipped with all safety equipment required by the U.S. Coast Guard or O.S.M.B. for that size boat. An emergency shutoff or ‘kill switch’ is recommended.
17. Sportsmanship: All contestants are required to follow the highest standards of sportsmanship, courtesy and conservation. Due respect must be given to property owners and non-contestants utilizing the same waters as W.V.B.C. Drunkenness (during competition hours) shall be cause for immediate disqualification. No alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs shall be allowed in contestants boats during tournaments hours.
18. Damages: Theft or Injuries: Any damages, theft, injuries or loss of any nature are sole responsibility of the person incurring said damages, theft, injuries, or loss of any nature.
19. Tournament Venue and/or Date Change: a.) Only the Tournament Director may initiate a change in tournament site or date. b.) It shall be the Tournament Director’s responsibility to collect all pertinent information – weather, water levels ect. – so a determination can be made with the best information available. c.) Any change shall be by vote of the Club Directors at Large (3) and the Tournament Director, with the Club President casting a vote in case of a tie. d.) Notification of any determined change must be known to the general Club membership no later than the Wednesday preceding the affected Club tournament. e.) On site changes (if the particular situation warrants) may be initiated by the Tournament Director and then voted on by the Club tournament participants present, with a 30 minute wait period after the prescribed pre-launch meeting time, for the benefit of any late shows.
