| RULE 1. RULE CHANGES:
Interpretation of these rules shall be left exclusively to the FISH COMMITTEE. Any decision of the FISH COMMITTEE Shall be final in all matters.
RULE 2. PARTICIPATION AND ELIGIBILITY:
Participation is open to all members in good standing in the CEDAR RAPIDS BASSMASTERS only. Observers may be invited with approval of the FISH COMMITTEE. Proof of liability insurance on all tournament boats must be filed with the secretary of the FISH COMMITTEE prior to that boats entry into any club tournament. The dollar limit will be a minimum of $300,000.
RULE 3. REGISTRATION:
Each competitor will register and pay an entry fee of $40.00 per tournament. This payment will be made to the FISH COMMITTEE at the club’s meeting prior to the tournament. The entry fee will be forfeited in case of a no show.
RULE 4. PAIRING OF CONTESTANTS:
All tournament boats shall have two members of the C.R.B.M. or observers approved by the FISH COMMITTEE. The pairing of contestants will be determined by picking their partners and declaring their team at the meeting prior to the tournament. Contestants will only be allowed to fish with the same partner once in a PICK YOUR PARTNER tournament. In a DRAW tournament there will be no late signups allowed and the FISH COMMITTEE will pair all contestants. If neither partner has a boat, it is their responsibility to obtain a legal tournament boat. Partners will be drawn at the meeting prior to the tournament. If two boaters get paired, the choice of being the boater will be determined by the flip of a coin.
RULE 5. SAFETY:
Safe boating conduct must be observed at all times by competitors. Each competitor must wear a Coast Guard approved chest type floatation device. This preserver must be securely fastened on and worn any time the combustion engine is operating. All boats over 6HP must be equipped with some type of ignition kill switch, in working order and fastened to the pilot of the tournament boat when the combustion engine is operating. The kill switch must be tried prior to the start of the tournament to make sure it is working as stated on the weigh-in slip. It is the responsibility of both the boater and non-boater to make sure this requirement is completed.
RULE 6. SPORTSMANSHIP:
Competitors in any C.R.B.M. tournament shall follow high standards of sportsmanship safety courtesy and conservation. Any infraction of these fundamental principles may be deemed cause for disqualification. Maximum courtesy must be practiced at all times especially when boating and/or angling in the vicinity of non-competitors who are on tournament waters. Any act of a competitor which reflects unfavorable upon the C.R.B.M. efforts to promote fisheries, conservation, clean waters, and courtesy, shall b reason for immediate disqualification. The use of any alcoholic beverage, stimulant or depressant other than prescription drugs will cause for immediate disqualification during any tournament.
RULE7. TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT:
Only artificial lures may be used. No live bait or prepared bait will be permitted, with the exception of port strips, rinds, etc. Only one casting, spin casting or spinning rod and reel may be used at any one time. All other types are prohibited. Other rigs specified above may be in the boat and ready to use, however only one is permitted in use at any one time. All bass must be caught in a legal sporting manner. All bass must be caught casting. Trolling of any bait or lure is illegal.
RULE 8. HORSEPOWER REGULATIONS:
Maximum horsepower of all outboard motor boats used in tournament competition must not exceed the horsepower limitation currently set forth by the U.S. Coast Guard in their ruling of November 1972. Each boat must have an U.S. Coast Guard rating plate attached by the manufacturing in plain view. The horsepower rating of the outboard on the boat cannot exceed the rating of the manufacturer’s plate. Any boat manufactured prior to November 1, 1972 must adhere to the rating set by the U.S. Coast guard for similar boats.
RULE 9. BOAT AND MOTOR:
Stick steering will be allowed subject to the HP rating of the steering. All tournament boats must be at least 14 feet in length. A small motor, gas or electric may be used for maneuvering. Trolling as a method of fishing is prohibited. No “barges” or similar cumbersome craft will be permitted.
RULE 10. BASIC BOAT AND EQUIPMENT:
Every boat must have all required Coast Guard equipment on board and in good working order. Furthermore, a member of the FISH COMMITTEE, in a common sense manner, will be permitted to check each or any tournament boat that the FISH COMMITTEE selects, prior to going fishing in any tournament.
RULE 11. STARTING PROCEDURE:
At the club meeting prior to the tournament, each boat starting position for each day will be drawn. No tournament will start without any official start boat. All boats will idle past the start boat in single file for a legal start. Any boat, which does not start in a legal manner, may have its catch for that day disqualified. Any special instructions will be communicated at the meeting or before the start of the tournament. The official time will be announced prior to the takeoff of the tournament.
RULE 12. BOAT OPERATION AND EXPENSES:
A full discussion must be held between the two partners prior to departure on the tournament day. This discussion should include the boat operation and must permit both fisherman equal time to fish from the front of the boat, and operate the trolling motor so as to afford each the opportunity to fish his selected waters for only half of the day. If a contestant waives the right to operate the trolling motor he still has the right to fish his waters an equal amount of time. It is recommended that all expenses be discussed and agreed upon prior to starting participation in the tournament; with all expenses being shared equally being the rule of thumb. However, with the increasing cost of gas, there is a $20.00 limit on the non-boater-share of boat gas per day, unless the non-boater agrees to incur the additional cost.
RULE 13. PERMITTED FISHING LOCATION:
The FISH COMMITTEE will designate the tournament waters. Fishing tournament waters is permitted anywhere except within 50 yards of another contestants anchor boat. All angling must be done from the boat. Contestants cannot leave the boat to land a fish. Contestant must start and return to the “Official Check Point” by boat. Partners must remain together at all times, in sight of each other and each other’s catch. No trailing of boats during tournament hours will be permitted other than during a mechanical breakdown. Only ramps designated by the FISH COMMITTEE may be used for each tournament. All contestants must observe the laws of the waters in which they are fishing.
RULE 14. OFFICIAL CHECK POINT:
Tournament hours will be determined by the FISH COMMITTEE and announced at the meeting prior to the tournament. The Official Check-In and Check-Out points will be announced at the meeting prior to the tournament. At time of Check-Out all boats will be in full conformance with the rules set forth by the FISH COMMITTEE. Contestants must check in with the “STARTING BOAT” and turn in their weigh in slips regardless if any fish caught. If quitting early for whatever reason and leaving tournament waters, their signed weigh-in slip must be given to another contestant who will notify the FISH COMMITTEE.
RULE 15. SCORING:
Only large mouth, small mouth, and Kentucky bass will be measured. The limit on size and quantity shall be 12-inch minimum length and 5 fish. When a fish is caught neither partner will resume fishing until the fish has been released. All fish will be measured by your partner on a Gater Grip or Golden Rule Weighmaster Board in the standard manner with the mouth closed. Anyone fishing alone must bring their fish in to the weigh in site to be measured. They must abide by the posted minimum length and possession limits. The contestant who weighs in the highest number of ounces of legal bass will be awarded 1st place. Ties will split the place money involved. All tournament scorers will be converted to points by the FISH COMMITTEE to determine club standings, fisherman of the year and participants of the State Federation Tournament. TIES: In case of a yearend tie, the following tiebreakers will be used in order. 1.) The largest number of fish weighed-in. 2.) The heaviest weight for the year. 3.) In the unlikely event that there should still remain a tie, the heaviest one day weight total during the year will break the tie. If there should still be a tie, a flip of a coin will decide who wins first place.
RULE 16. LATE PENALTY:
Competitors who are not at the Official Check In Point by the end of the tournament day shall be disqualified for that day. The FISH COMMITTEE member in charge of that tournament shall notify the boater at the ramp at the time of their infraction. This includes any and all fish.
RULE 17. PAYBACK:
Prize money for each tournament shall be paid in the following manor: $40.00 is the entry fee per tournament. The State Team fund is $10.00 and $4.00 goes towards big bass. The remaining $26.00 will be split in the following manner for prize paybacks.
1st place = 19% 4th place = 13%
2nd place = 17% 5th place = 10%
3rd place = 15% STATE TEAM FUND = 26%
RULE 18. POINT SYSTEM:
100 points for 1st, 99 points for 2nd, 98 points for 3rd, and so on until all fish weighed in have earned their appropriate points. A contestant who fishes, but weighs in no fish shall receive 60 points for participation. This does not include special tournaments such as (Pals and Gals). The top 12 points will be determined by throwing out each contestant’s lowest tournament score for the year. Points for final standing at the end of the season will be determined by adding total points for the top 6 tournaments for each fisherman. All tournaments will be counted to determine FISHERMAN OF THE YEAR.
RULE 19. OFF LIMITS:
Off limits will be announced at the meeting preceding the tournament. The deadline for pre-fishing tournament waters will be from midnight Sunday, except when Monday is a calendar Holiday, preceding the tournament, until the tournament starts.
RULE 20. BOAT BREAKDOWN:
In case of a boat break down, the weigh in slip from the disabled boat may be brought in to the weigh in and be eligible so long as a C.R.B.M. tournament boat brings it to the weigh in on time.
RULE 21. OFFICAL PROTEST PROCEDURE:
A written protest must be turned in to a FISH COMNMITTEE member within 30 minutes of the official ending time on the same tournament day as the violation under protest.
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