Cape Coral Bass Club Tournament Rules

1. RULES: INTERPRETATION OF THESE RULES SHALL BE LEFT EXCLUSIVELY TO THE CAPE CORAL BASS CLUB OFFICERS. THE DECISION OF THE CLUB OFFICERS SHALL BE FINAL IN ALL MATTERS.

2. ENTRY: MEMBERS ONLY. INVITED GUESTS MAY FISH ONE TOURNAMENT PER YEAR AND ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE BIG BASS POT ONLY, PROVIDED THEY PAID THEIR ENTRY FEE FOR BIG BASS. INVITED GUEST THAT FISH MUST KEEP THEIR CATCH SEPARATE FROM THE MEMBERS CATCH.

3. ENTRY FEE: ENTRY FEE SHALL BE $20.00 PER MEMBER, PER REGULAR TOURNAMENT WITH AN 80 PERCENT PAYBACK AND OPTIONAL BIG BASS POT SHALL BE $5.00 PER MEMBER, PER TOURNAMENT, IF FEES ARE PAID IN PERSON OR BY ONE PARTNER AT A REGULAR CLUB MEETING. AN ADDITIONAL $5.00 CHARGE SHALL BE CHARGED IF ENTRY FEE IS PAID AT THE RAMP. TWO (2) DAY TOURNAMENT FEE SHALL BE THE SAME FEE AS A REGULAR ONE DAY TOURNAMENT ENTRY FEE. IF A MEMBER HAS PAID FOR A REGULAR CLUB TOURNAMENT AND IS UNABLE TO FISH THE TOURNAMENT, THE ENTRY FEE WILL BE CARRIED OVER TO THE NEXT REGULAR TOURNAMENT. HOWEVER, IF THE MEMBER CANNOT FISH THE “LAST” REGULAR TOURNAMENT OF THE SEASON, THE ENTRY FEE FOR THE LAST REGULAR TOURNAMENT OF THE SEASON WILL NOT BE CARRIED OVER AND IT WILL NOT BE REFUNDED.

4. REGISTRATION: EACH MEMBER MUST REGISTER IN PERSON PRIOR TO THE START OF A TOURNAMENT. FAILURE TO REGISTER AND PAY PRIOR TO START SHALL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION. MEMBERS WHO REGISTER AND PAY IN ADVANCE AT A REGULAR CLUB MEETING WILL PICK STARTING POSITIONS AT THAT MEETING, ALL OTHERS WILL BE ASSIGNED POSITIONS AS THEY PAY.

5. PAIRING OF PARTNERS: A MEMBER MAY CHOOSE ANY MEMBER, ANYTIME, ANY REGULAR TOURNAMENT. HE MAY CHOOSE A GUEST, IF IT IS THAT GUEST’S FIRST TOURNAMENT. NON-BOATERS HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF FINDING SOMEONE TO PAIR UP WITH.

6. TOURNAMENT TIMES: REGULAR CLUB TOURNAMENTS SHALL BE FROM SAFE LIGHT AS DETERMINED BY TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR. WEIGH IN TIME SHALL BE GIVEN AT PRE-FLIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS.

7. SCORING: SCORING SHALL BE DETERMINED BY THE TOTAL POUNDS AND OUNCES OF EACH COMPETITOR’S CATCH DURING THAT TOURNAMENT. ONLY LARGEMOUTH BASS WILL BE WEIGHED. THE LIMIT SHALL BE (5) FIVE BASS PER DAY. AT NO TIME DURING THE TOURNAMENT SHALL A CONTESTANT EXCEED THE TOURNAMENT LIMIT IN HIS LIVE WELL. TOURNAMENTS, IF PERMITTED BY THE FLORIDA GAME AND FRESHWATER FISH COMMISSION, SHALL HAVE A MINIMUM LENGTH OF (12) TWELVE INCHES. TOURNAMENTS NOT PERMITTED, THE OFFICIAL STATE LAWS PERTAINING TO THAT BODY OF WATER WILL APPLY. IF A BASS IS PRESENTED FOR WEIGH-IN AND FAILS TO MEASURE IN LENGTH, A PENALTY OF LOSS OF THAT FISH PLUS THE LOSS OF THE LARGEST FISH WILL BE ASSESSED. ANY BASS THAT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN MANGLED, MAULED, MASHED OR ALTERED WILL BE WEIGHED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR. BASS SHALL NOT BE PUT ON A STRINGER AT ANY TIME DURING THE TOURNAMENT. BASS SHALL BE MEASURED ON A FLAT "GOLDEN RULE" BOARD ONLY. ALL CONTESTANTS SHALL BE SUBJECT TO A POLYGRAPH TEST IF SO WARRANTED. YOU MAY ASK FOR COURTESY MEASURES PRIOR TO WEIGHING IN YOUR CATCH ONLY. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ASK TO HAVE FISH WEIGHED FOR BIG BASS POT. ANY VIOLATION WILL RESULT IN AN AUTOMATIC DISQUALIFICATION OF THE CONTESTANT. PROTEST MUST BE IN WRITING AND GIVEN TO THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR PRIOR TO THE CLOSING OF THE WEIGH-IN SCALES.

8. PRE-TOURNAMENT PRACTICE: ALL TOURNAMENTS THAT ARE SCHEDULED TO BE HELD IN THE CAPE CORAL CITY LIMITS ARE TO BE OFF LIMITS TO ALL CLUB MEMBERS FOR ONE WEEK PRIOR TO THE EVENT. THIS APPLIES TO REGULAR, TEAM-TRAIL, AND MINI-BUCKS. OFF LIMIT TIME STARTS SUNDAY AM PRIOR TO THE TOURNAMENT. ANY VIOLATION WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION OF THE CONTESTANT. PROTEST MUST BE IN WRITING AND GIVEN TO THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR PRIOR TO THE CLOSING OF THE WEIGH-IN SCALES.

9. SAFETY: SAFE BOATING MUST BE OBSERVED AT ALL TIMES. IT IS REQUIRED THAT A CHEST TYPE LIFE PRESERVER BE WORN WHEN THE BOAT IS ON PLANE. ALL BOATS MUST HAVE APPROVED COAST GUARD EQUIPMENT ON BOARD. NAVIGATIONAL LIGHTING IS TO BE USED AT ALL TIMES DURING NIGHT AND LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS. VIOLATION OF THE SAFETY CLAUSE WILL RESULT IN A WARNING FIRST. THE SECOND VIOLATION OF THE SAFETY CLAUSE WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION OF THE CONTESTANT.

10. SPORTSMANSHIP: ALL CONTESTANTS ARE EXPECTED TO FOLLOW HIGH STANDARDS OF SPORTSMANSHIP, COURTESY, SAFETY AND CONSERVATION AT ALL TIMES. THERE SHALL BE NO CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND/OR DRUGS DURING TOURNAMENT HOURS. ANY VIOLATION MAY RESULT IN THE DISQUALIFICATION OF CONTESTANT. PROTESTS MUST BE IN WRITING AND GIVEN TO THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR WITHIN (15) FIFTEEN MINUTES AFTER WEIGH-IN HAS ENDED.

11. TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT: ONLY ARTIFICIAL LURES, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF PORK, MAY BE USED. ALL BASS MUST BE CAUGHT LIVE AND IN A CONVENTIONAL SPORTING MANNER. NO TROLLING WITH COMBUSTIBLE ENGINES. ALL CONTESTANTS MUST STAY IN BOAT AT ALL TIMES WITH THE EXCEPTION OF AN EMERGENCY. NO WADE FISHING IS ALLOWED.

12. DEAD FISH/LIVE FISH: EVERY EFFORT MUST BE MADE TO KEEP BASS ALIVE BY USE OF A PROPERLY AERATED LIVE WELL. EIGHT (8) OUNCES {.50 POUND} WILL BE DEDUCTED FOR EACH LEGAL DEAD BASS WEIGHED IN. THIS PENALTY ALSO APPLIES TO BIG BASS FOR THE BIG BASS AWARD.

13. LATE PENALTY: CONTESTANTS SHALL BE PENALIZED (1) POUND PER MINUTE FROM HIS OR HER TOTAL WEIGHT INCLUDING ANY WEIGHT TO BE COUNTED FOR BIG BASS. ANYONE WHO IS LATE (10) TEN MINUTES OR MORE WILL LOSE ALL WEIGHT FOR THAT TOURNAMENT DAY. IN THE EVENT OF A MECHANICAL BREAKDOWN, ONLY CLEARLY MARKED FISH MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER TOURNAMENT BOAT FOR TRANSPORT TO THE WEIGH IN. THESE FISH MUST ALSO ARRIVE TO WEIGH IN ON TIME OR LATE PENALTY RULE WILL BE APPLIED.

14. TIES: IN THE EVENT OF A TIE, IN A REGULAR CLUB TOURNAMENT, POSITIONS SHALL BE RESOLVED BY COMBINING THE AWARDS AND EQUALLY DIVIDING THEM AMONG THE TIED CONTESTANTS. FIRST HALF AND SECOND HALF POINT TIES WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE TOTAL NUMBER OF POUNDS AND OUNCES FOR THAT PERIOD.

15. POINTS: THERE SHALL BE (12) TWELVE QUALIFYING TOURNAMENTS. POINTS WILL BE AWARDED FOR EACH TOURNAMENT AS FOLLOWS: THE WINNER RECEIVES (100) ONE HUNDRED POINTS; SECOND PLACE RECEIVES (99) NINETY-NINE; THIRD PLACE RECEIVES (98) NINETY-EIGHT POINTS AND DESCENDING TO THE LAST PLACE THAT CAUGHT FISH. ALL MEMBERS WHO DID NOT CATCH FISH IN THE TOURNAMENT SHALL RECEIVE POINTS AT A RATE OF (5) FIVE POINTS LESS THAT THE LAST POSITION OF WEIGHT. ALL MEMBERS WHO FISH A REGULAR CLUB TOURNAMENT RECEIVES (5) FIVE POINTS IN ADDITION TO POINTS AWARDED FOR POSITION FINISHED. THREE (3) ADDITIONAL POINTS WILL BE AWARDED FOR EACH CLUB MEETING ATTENDED.

16. FISHERMAN OF THE YEAR AND CLASSIC ENTRY: MEMBERS WILL USE HIS OR HER BEST (10) TEN TOURNAMENT WEIGHTS OF THE (12) TWELVE REGULAR CLUB TOURNAMENTS TO DETERMINE FISHERMAN OF THE YEAR STANDINGS AND ENTRY INTO THE CLASSIC. THE TOP 16 FISHERMAN WILL FISH IN THE CLASSIC TOURNAMENT. TO BE ELIGIBLE TO FISH IN THE TOURNAMENT, THE FISHERMAN MUST PARTICIPATE IN A MINIMUM OF SIX (6) REGULAR CLUB TOURNAMENTS DURING THE YEAR.

17. OWNERSHIP OF FISH: ALL FISH BECOME PROPERTY OF THE CAPE CORAL BASS CLUB. THE FIRST BASS OF THE YEAR (8) EIGHT POUNDS OR MORE IN A REGULAR CLUB TOURNAMENT, THE MEMBER WILL BE GIVEN $100.00 BY THE CLUB. THE CAPE CORAL BASS CLUB WILL RELEASE ALL LIVE FISH AFTER THEY ARE WEIGHED IN.

18. PROSPECTIVE MEMBERS: PROSPECTIVE MEMBERS MAY FISH (1) ONE TOURNAMENT AS A GUEST OF THE CAPE CORAL BASS CLUB. THEY WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR BIG BASS ONLY, PROVIDING THEY HAVE PAID FOR THIS EVENT.

19. CONTESTANT CROWDING: CONTESTANT CROWDING IS NOT ALLOWED. EACH BOAT ACTIVELY FISHING MUST KEEP A (2) TWO CAST "75 FEET" LENGTH DISTANCE FROM ANY OTHER BOAT ACTIVELY FISHING. THIS RULE MAY ONLY BE WAIVED IF AGREED TO VERBALLY BY CONTESTANTS IN EACH BOAT. SPORTSMANSHIP SHOULD PREVAIL.

20. CHANGES TO TOURNAMENT RULES: THESE TOURNAMENT RULES MAY BE CHANGED AT ANY REGULAR CLUB MEETING BY (2/3rds) TWO-THIRDS VOTE OF ALL MEMBERS PRESENT. THE PROPOSED CHANGE SHALL HAVE BEEN PRESENTED AT A PREVIOUS REGULAR CLUB MEETING OF THIS ORGANIZATION. THE PROPOSED CHANGE WILL BE POSTED ON THE CLUB WEBSITE AT LEAST (10) TEN DAYS PRIOR TO THE MEETING THE CHANGE IS TO BE VOTED UPON.

REVISED 11/21/07

THE QUALIFYING ROUND SHALL BE OPEN TO ALL MEMBERS. BOAT NUMBERS WILL BE DETERMINED BY A DRAW AT THE CLUB MEETING PRIOR TO THE FIRST ROUND. IT WILL BE FIRST COME FIRST SERVE IF PAID AT THE RAMP. FROM ALL ENTRANTS IN THE QUALIFYING ROUND THE TOP (20) TWENTY WEIGHT HOLDERS WILL ADVANCE TO THE NEXT ROUND. [IF A TOTAL OF (20) TWENTY MEMBERS DO NOT CATCH FISH, ANOTHER QUALIFYING ROUND WILL BE HELD AT A LATER DATE FOR ALL MEMBERS WHO DID NOT ADVANCE OR FISH THE FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND. FROM THIS ROUND THE FIELD OF (20) TWENTY MEMBERS SHALL BE FILLED.]

RULES FOR MINI MEGA BUCKS:

MUST BE A MEMBER OF THE CAPE CORAL BASS CLUB ON OR BEFORE THE FIRST REGULAR CLUB TOURNAMENT IN JULY. MUST FISH A TOTAL OF (5) FIVE REGULAR CLUB TOURNAMENTS BETWEEN MARCH AND DECEMBER 1ST. MUST PAY $20.00 PER TOURNAMENT ROUND. THERE IS A $5.00 LATE FEE IF PAID AT THE RAMP. NO REFUND FOR TOURNAMENTS NOT FISHED. MUST CATCH LEGAL FISH TO ADVANCE TO EACH ROUND. ALL REGULAR CLUB TOURNAMENT RULES WILL BE FOLLOWED. IN THE EVENT OF A SINGLE BOATER IN THE FINAL ROUND, AN OBSERVER SHALL BE APPOINTED.
THE SITE OF THE FINAL ROUND SHALL BE DETERMINED AT OUR DECEMBER CLUB TOURNAMENT AND IS “OFF LIMITS” TO ALL CLUB MEMBERS ONE WEEK PRIOR TO THE TOURNAMENT. PAY-OFF WILL BE FOR FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD PLACES, DETERMINED BY THE CLUB OFFICERS FROM THE FUNDS AVAILABLE. THE FINAL ROUND IS A DRAW TOURNAMENT. THE TOP (5) FIVE BOATERS WILL DRAW PARTNERS FROM THE REMAINING QUALIFIERS AT THE DECEMBER CLUB TOURNAMENT. A TOP WEIGHT LEADER MAY FISH THE ELIMINATION ROUND, IF THERE ARE FEWER THAN (20) TWENTY PARTICIPANTS, BY HAVING FISHED BOTH QUALIFYING ROUNDS, NOT QUALIFIED, BUT HAVING PAID FOR BOTH ROUNDS.

TEAM TRAIL RULES

**This tournament trail is open to members of the Cape Coral Bass Club only!**

The Team Trail will consist of 4 (four) tournaments.

Locations will be voted on by club members and will be included in our schedule.

Members will form their own teams, consisting of 2 (two) members.

Teams will be allowed to weigh in 5 (five) fish per tournament (one over 22” per team member unless tournament permits otherwise).

The winning team will be determined by total weight of the four scheduled tournaments.

Each team will be allowed a substitute and/or fish alone 1 (one) tournament during the course of the four tournaments.

There will be an entry fee of $50.00 per team, per tournament which includes the Big Bass pot (non-refundable). THERE IS A $5.00 LATE FEE IF PAID AT THE RAMP. BOAT NUMBERS WILL BE DETERMINED BY A DRAW AT THE CLUB MEETING PRIOR TO THE FIRST ROUND. IT WILL BE FIRST COME FIRST SERVE IF PAID AT THE RAMP.

The payback for Team Trail will pay first and second place for each tournament including the final. The payback will be as follows: First place…...…..45% Second place…….35% Final Payout……..20% .

The final payout will be at the end of the four tournaments and will consist of the 20% obtained from each of the previous tournaments.

The winning team by weight will receive a percentage of the total amount paid into the Team Trail. This will be awarded at the end of the final tournament. The payout will be as follows:

First Place………….60%

Second Place…...40%

All regular club rules will be in effect during all tournaments.

Revised 9/5/07

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