SENECA  BASSMASTERS

I. TOURNAMENT COMMITTEES AND OFFICERS

A. Tournament committee shall be comprised of the Tournament Director and the top 6 fishermen. This committee shall  rule on all decisions. Its decisions shall be final in all tournament matters.

B. The tournament committee shall plan the dates and locations of all tournaments. This committee reserves the right to change the date and location of any tournament. The schedule will be presented for a vote by the club membership .

C. Tournament Director. Duties shall consist of keeping complete tournament records and enforcing tournament rules.

D. Treasurer will receive and distribute any tournament money.

E. Inspection officers shall be appointed by the president and the tournament director. Duties shall be enforcing all rules set forth by the tournament committee, including random live well checks.

F. The weigher shall be appointed by the president and the tournament director with approval of the tournament committee. Duties shall be maintaining the club scales and conducting the weigh-ins for all tournaments.

II. TOURNAMENT ENTRANCE

A. Former members in good standing of the Seneca Bassmasters Club must pay dues at least one meeting prior to his first tournament during the calendar year.

B. Each tournament shall have an entrance fee determined by the tournament committee prior to the first tournament. The entrance fee shall be $20.00 until changed.

C. Non-boaters are to pay some of the boaters fuel expense. As of now this is $20.00

III. TOURNAMENT RULES

A. All participants shall leave from a designated starting point and return to the same point for weigh-in.

B. Participant shall not be allowed to fish with a nonmember except a member may bring a guest to a tournament. The guest may fish only one tournament a year and will pay all entry fees and be eligible for all tournament winnings. They may also participate in the tournament big fish pot. After 1 tournament this nonmember must join club to be eligible to fish again.

C. Roll call will be taken preceding each tournament by the president and /or tournament director. Any participant missing his name at roll call shall be considered late. Any late participant must find another participating member (A club member who was on time) who will check his livewell fish and collect his entrance fee before the late member is allowed to start fishing . Failure to do so will mean disqualification.

D. Penalty for late arrival for weigh-in shall be 1 pound per minute up to 15 minutes late. Later arrival will call for disqualification.

E. Only artificial lures may be used. No live bait is permitted. All fish must be caught live and in a conventional sporting manner.

F. Scoring shall be determined by pounds and ounces. Tournament winners shall be determined by accumulated weight for entire tournament.

G. Only black bass; largemouth , spotted, red eye or smallmouth bass will be weighed. Five bass per day is the limit. Each contestant must present his own catch at weigh-in if possible. A bass will not be counted or weighed that is not at least 12 inches in length, and all bass must meet state requirements for the lake being fished. Length of a bass will be determined by measurement of the bass with the mouth closed an one tip of the tail touching. The tail will be smoothed down and pinched together As a penalty, a contestant with short fish will have one pound weight deducted for each short bass.  All fish taken out of the boat will be weighed in. Any bass that appears to be mangled, mashed or mauled will be measured and credited only at the discretion of the Tournament Committee.

H.  Ties will be broken by :      1.   Number of fish      2.  Big Bass

I. The tournament committee reserves the right to change or postpone any tournament. However, no tournament shall be postponed once it starts.

J. Any violations of these rules are cause for disqualification.

IV. Tournament Prizes

A.      Total prize for each tournament shall be set at a fixed percentage of the money taken in for each tournament. The percentages are :

     # of anglers

      Less than 6              1st - 100%

      6-9                          1st - 60%          2nd  -  40%

      10- up                       1st  -  50%           2nd -   30%       3rd  -   20%

B. Five dollars of each anglers entrance fee shall be placed in the club treasury before any prizes are given out. This money will be used to promote the club and its activities.

V. CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP

 A. The year end club championship will be fished like any other tournament except the club will fund the pot with money from the treasury. Carry over funds of $300 will be left in the treasury, all other money will be added to the pot. To be eligible to fish championship an angler must fish in at least 60% of all tournaments. Anglers short of the required number of tournaments may buy in for the number short.

B. Pay out for the Club Championship

 1^st -40%     2^nd-30%    3^rd- 20%    4^th- 10%

   Big Bass pot will be collected as an entry fee.

VI. RULES NOT COVERED

A. Any situation not covered by these rules and regulations shall be ruled upon by the tournament committee but may be appealed to the club at large.

B. These rules may be changed only after a full membership vote.