2010 Tournament Rules
 

·     Club members/guests under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

·     Tournaments will only be canceled due to unsafe weather conditions as determined by the club officials.

·     Each tournament boat must use a live well/aerator system of some kind.  No stringers allowed!!!
Club officials will inspect a team’s live well/aerator system(s) for acceptability upon the death of the 3^rd fish in a season for that team.

·     Boat live well(s)/cooler(s) can be checked randomly by any club officer on tournament day.

·     Late arrivals must have live well(s)/cooler(s) checked by another club tournament entrant before fishing.  Each tournament boat will be marked with a bright colored ribbon attached to their trolling motor for easy identification from a distance.      

·     Anyone leaving before the signal (air horn) starting the tournament will be disqualified.

·     Treasurer will start the tournament once all tournament boats that were at the ramp at least 15 minutes before the tournament start time are in the water and at the designated tournament takeoff location.  

·     Tournament takeoff location will be announced prior to the start of the tournament.  Tournament will not start until all boats are together at the designated takeoff location.

·     Club tournaments are open to any water accessible by boat.  Club members must have the appropriate “out of state” licenses required and must adhere to all fishing regulations for that state.  Any violations of “out of state” regulations will result in a disqualification.   

·     Partner changes during the tournament will not be permitted.

·     No more than 2 entrants are permitted per boat.

·     All fishing must be done from inside your boat.

·     No fishing within 50 yards of another boat.  This includes spawning season.

·     All fish must be taken by sport fishing methods!  Netting, foul hooking, etc... of fish is not permitted.
This does not include landing nets used to boat fish taken by legal tournament methods.

·     No live bait may be used or possessed!  All fish must be caught on artificial lures.  No trolling is allowed.

·     Reckless boat operation is grounds for disqualification. 

·     Bass will be measured on a golden rule tournament board, closed mouth to the tip of the tail, with the tail lobes pressed together.  No sweeping of tails is permitted.

·     There will be a 4 oz deduction for each dead fish.  A dead fish is defined as one unable to right itself and swim away upon release.  This deduction applies to total weight only.

·     All fish to be weighed in must be brought to the scales in a tournament weigh-in bag.  Each tournament boat is required to provide their own weigh-in bag.

·     Any attempt to weigh in a fish of less than legal size will result in a loss of the undersize fish and also entrant’s largest fish.

·     Only black bass will be weighed.  The black bass family consists of Largemouth, Smallmouth, Spotted, Redeye, Suwannee, Guadalupe, Florida Largemouth, Neosho Smallmouth, Alabama Spotted Bass, and Wichita Spotted Bass.
There is a 5 fish per boat limit and a 12” minimum size.

·     Entrants not back to the weigh-in site by the tournament finish time on the Treasurer’s timepiece will be penalized 8 oz per minute late.  Entrants more than 10 minutes late will be disqualified.
Any portion of a minute rounds up to the next minute for penalty determination purposes.

·     The total stringer bass weight will be the winner.  In the event of a tie, either for total weight or big fish, the teams that are tied will split the money and points.

·     Except for an emergency, entrants may not board boats other than their own until completion of the weigh-ins. 

·     Entrants may not handle or possess any fish caught by other club tournament entrants.

·     Any violation of the club and/or tournament rules, lake rules, Virginia fishing regulations, “Federal Requirements & Safety Tips for Recreational Boats”, “Virginia Watercraft Owner’s Guide” or unsportsmanlike conduct will result in a disqualification.  Club officials will resolve any conflicts.

·     All tournament entrants are required to have a clear understanding of all club and tournament rules and fish size limits before the tournament begins.

·     Any grievances will be made to the club officials prior to the weigh-in.  The club official’s decision is final!!!