Post Office Box 44551

Tacoma, Washington 98444

 

 

 

Amended:  February 7, 2006

 

Rule 1 – Changes

 

1.      The following rules for the tournaments will remain unchanged except by the majority of the Board of Directors, subject to approval of the membership.

 

Interpretation of these rules shall be left exclusively to the Tournament Rules Committee (Board of Directors). The decision of the Committee shall be final.

 

Rule 2 – Eligibility

 

1.      Participation in a Club tournament is open to all members of the Evergreen Bass Club who are current in all dues, assessments and a member in good standing.  In addition, to be eligible for year-end awards, family members (spouse, child, etc.) must pay for their own annual membership.

2.      Prizes shall be given according to Club rules and in accordance with current Washington State Laws governing fishing contests.

3.      Any person who fishes a Club tournament with their membership dues or other assessments not current shall lose all points won in that tournament.

 

Rule 3 – Sportsmanship

 

1.      Sportsmanship, courtesy, safety and conservation is expected from each participant.  Any infraction of these fundamental sporting principles may be deemed cause for disqualification.

 

Rule 4 – Tackle and Equipment

 

1.      Only artificial lures may be used.  No live bait will be permitted; porkrind or pork type baits will be allowed.  Fly rods may be used with the consent of both boat occupants.  Only one rod may be used at one time, but other rods may be rigged in the boat for substitute purposes.

2.      All fish must be caught live and in a conventional manner.

3.      Electronic depth finders, oxygen monitors and thermometers may be used.

4.      A method must be used to keep fish alive within the boat.  Stringers will not be allowed. 

 

 

 

 

 

Rule 5 Boats and Motors

 

1.      Any fishing boat may be used.  A smaller additional gasoline or electric motor may be used to maneuver the boat while casting, however, trolling as a method of fishing is prohibited. 

2.      No barge or similar craft may be used. 

3.      Inflatable boats may be used as long as they are in safe condition.

4.      Contestants may use their own boats or they are permitted to rent boats and motors in the tournament area.

5.      Fishing partners are expected to work out their own expense arrangements prior to entering the tournament.

6.      Each boat needs a contest banner displayed on the engine cowling, along with a copy of the tournament permit on the boat during tournament hours.

 

Rule 6 – Safety

 

1.      When launching boats, there shall be sufficient help to assist.

2.      All boats must obey speed limit and give way to non-powered boats.

3.      All boats must meet standard Coast Guard Safety requirements.

4.      Kill switches are mandatory on any boat powered by a gasoline engine.

5.      Life jackets must be worn and fastened any time the combustion engine is operating.

6.      All other “common sense” safety rules will be observed.

7.      Any infraction is reason for disqualification.

8.      All boats equipped with a gasoline engine shall have a workable fire extinguisher on board.

9.      All boats shall be equipped with a noise device able to be heard within one (1) mile, i.e. horn, whistle, etc.  If boat comes disabled, turn contest banner inside out so as to signal others that there is a problem. Leave a note or contact someone in the tournament if you are leaving early. 

10.  No intoxicants (alcohol or drugs) may be consumed or stored in any boat during tournament hours. Consumption on the part of any contestant during the tournament will not be tolerated.  Any competitor caught will be disqualified from that tournament. All decisions by the Tournament Director will be final.

 

Rule 7 – Fishing

 

1.      Fishing is permitted anywhere in the designated tournament waters while a reasonable and proper distance between boats be maintained so as not to infringe upon other contestants.  Let courtesy be your guide.

2.      Contestants need not launch from the ramp but they are required to remain at the designated ramp until prescribed starting time. 

 

 

 

 

3.      There will be a launching ramp designated as weigh-in headquarters.  All weigh-ins will take place at the end of the tournament.  All contestants must arrive at the checkpoint area by the prescribed fishing time.

4.      Fishing hours will be determined prior to the tournament by the Tournament Director.

5.      All angling must be done from the boat.

6.      Contestants must not depart the boat to land fish.

 

Rule 8 – Scoring and Penalties

 

1.      During the tournament, only largemouth and smallmouth bass will be weighed where applicable.

2.      Points will be awarded for highest weight of fish, starting with 200 points for 1st place, then 195 for 2nd place, then 190 for 3rd place, etc., down to the lowest weight.  If a contestant attends a Club tournament and fails to catch a keeper fish, he/she will still be awarded lowest tournament weight points for that tournament.  At season’s end, one “tournament result” or a “no-show” must be excluded from each contestant’s total results in determining year-end awards and qualifications for the State Team.  Fish-ins and IceBreakers do not count toward final standings.

3.      Contestants are allowed to weigh in five (5) fish per day, any size above 10 inches, unless other special Washington State Regulations apply to that particular body of water, i.e. slot limit.  Only largemouth or smallmouth bass will be allowed in possession during the tournament hours.

4.      Livewells and kill switches will be checked prior to fishing.  A fish will not be counted or weighed if it has been mutilated in any way.  Fish under 10 inches in length will not be weighed and the competitor will be penalized 2 ounces of weight.  Tournament Director’s decision will be final.

5.      All healthy fish will be released with the exception of trophy fish, to be decided by the Tournament Director.  All dead or weak fish will be weighed.  The Tournament Director will determine whether a fish is healthy or not.

6.      For each dead bass, as described by the Tournament Director, presented to weigh-in officials, the competitor will be penalized two (2) ounces of weight.

7.      Competitors not in the official checkpoint area as directed by the appointed time will be penalized at the rate of 10 ounces per minute.  Any competitor more than 15 minutes late will lose all credit for that day’s catch.

 

Rule 9 - Closures 

 

1.      Tournament waters are open to fishing all times of the year.

2.      There will be no fishing within boundaries of closed waters set forth by the Washington State Game Department and State laws.

3.      Tournament Director determines off boundary waters during tournament days. 

 

 

 

Rule 10 – Kids’ Tournament

 

1.      Children and grandchildren of members in good standing are eligible to fish in the Kids’ Tournament.  Only children 12 or under may enter the kids’ contest.

2.      Points will be given (the same as adult tournament) 200 for first, 195 for second, etc.  Any species of fish can be counted for points in the Kids’ Tournaments.  Any size bass will be counted as long as it conforms to State Game Laws.

3.      Any type of lure or legal bait may be used in the Kids’ Tournaments.

4.      Prizes will be awarded to the heaviest stringer and largest fish in the Kids’ Tournaments.

 

Rule 11 – Junior Division

 

1.      Once a child has reached the age 13, they must compete in the Junior Division.

2.      Scoring and prizes will be given to the juniors under the same rules as in the adult tournaments.

 

Rule 12 – Women’s Division

 

1.      The woman member with the highest number of tournament points at the end of the year will be awarded a trophy.

 

Rule 13 – Largest Fish

 

1.      A trophy will be awarded to the member catching the largest fish during the fishing year.  The fishing year will run from the first meeting in March until the meeting in October.  Big Fish slips for yearly big fish must be submitted on a currently monthly basis.  There will be no exceptions. 

2.      The weighing of the fish must be weighed by at least one other person.  These persons need not be members of the Evergreen Bass Club.

3.      Weighing must be on a certified scale or other Club approved scale.

 

Rule 14 – State Tournament

 

1.      The State Tournament Team shall consist of the top 10 fisherpersons, 16 years of age and older; position 11 and 12 will be alternates.

2.      The State Team positions shall be determined by point standings in the Club tournaments.  In the event of ties, the first tie breaker will be the total number of fish caught, and if still tied, the largest fish caught will be the deciding factor.

 

 

 

Rule 15 – Trophies

 

Trophies will be awarded as follows:

 

1.      Individual tournament results for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place and for Big Fish.

2.      Angler of the Year – highest total points accumulated for all Club tournaments.

3.      Largest anytime (Washington State only) bass of the year (tournament/non-tournament).

4.      Woman with the highest number of tournament points.

5.      Big Stringer - total of monthly big bass weights of the year (tournament/non-tournament).

6.      President’s Award

7.      President’s Award to most supporting Club member.

 

Rule 16 – Miscellaneous Contests

 

1.      Our monthly Big Fish contest will start at the March meeting; each month will run from meeting to meeting for a total of 8 months, ending at the October meeting.  The winner each month will receive 100% of the kitty and the years’ Big Stringer will receive a trophy at the year’s end.  To be eligible for the monthly awards, your weight slip must be in at each meeting, NO EXCEPTIONS.  However, weight slips will be accepted toward the yearly total. 

2.      Tournament Big Fish.  Contestants may get in the big bass contest at each tournament.  Tournament Director will collect funds and disperse winnings at the end of the tournament.  Usual cost is $5.00 for the duration of the tournament.