LAKE GUNTERSVILLE BASSMASTERS

TOURNAMENT RULES AND REGULATIONS

(January 30, 2024)

GENERAL

The following will be applied in conducting all bass fishing tournaments of the Lake Guntersville Bass Masters (LGBM). Implementation of these rules shall be left exclusively to the officers of the club. The decision of club officers shall be final in all matters.

PARTICIPATION AND ELIGIBILITY

Participation in tournaments will be open to club members and perspective members of the club or guests of the members. The authorization to fish and pairing of fishing partners will be done through Fishing Chaos no later than the Thursday before the tournament at 6 p.m. All members, prospective members, and guests must have signed a liability release form before participating in any club functions. These forms will be valid until revoked, in writing, by signee.

Article I – Sign-Up

  1. Sign up must be done through Fishing Chaos no later than 6 p.m. the Thursday preceding the tournament. Tournament monies will be paid to Fishing Chaos upon registering for each tournament.
  2. The Tournament Director (Tournament Director) will have members paired via randomized draw through Fishing Chaos after 6 p.m. the Thursday before the tournament. Participants will be notified of position and partner via group email when draw is produced and posted to Fishing Chaos.
  3. A prospective member may sign up for the next tournament at the meeting. A Prospective Member will be registered in Fishing Chaos as guest for the tournament only one (1) time by the Tournament Director. Two non-members may not fish together.
  4. To prevent prospective members from being bumped or drawn together, the Tournament Director may alter the draw.
  5. Partners will make arrangements prior to the tournament for transportation to and from the tournament site. Each non-boating partner shall be responsible for 50% of the cost of transportation, lodging, ramp fees, and boat expenses, but not including any expenses related to pre fishing or early arrival to tournament site. Costs related to pre-fishing and/or early arrival to the tournament site shall be borne by the boater(s).
  6. If necessary, tournament day, hours, or ramp may be changed by majority vote of the participating tournament members. Only members planning on participating in any club tournament may vote on ramps and times chosen. If necessary, a tournament may be cancelled or shortened, by the Tournament Director. Rescheduling of any cancelled tournament will be decided by club vote.
  7. If two members are drawn together, and neither has access to a boat, the Tournament Director may alter the draw to accommodate the members, if possible. Non-members will be paired last.
  8. If an emergency occurs, and Fishing Chaos is being used, a member may leave the tournament and still have their weight count using the following procedure:
    1. Contact the Tournament Director (first) or another member (if unable to reach the Tournament Director) by phone to alert them of the issue. If unable to reach Tournament Director or another member, leave a voicemail with Tournament Director as soon as possible.
    2. Contact the Tournament Director or another member, as soon as possible, to let them know that you are okay and off the water. [This rule is for emergencies only, and it is each member’s responsibility to have the cell phone numbers of the Tournament Director and other members for use in case of emergency.]
    3. All fish must be properly entered and documented in Fishing Chaos prior to departure from the event by any/all participants.
  9. No two members may fish together in consecutive draw tournaments.
  10. If you are signed up by another member and you don’t show up at the tournament without ample notice (24 hours) to your partner, you must sign up yourself for the remainder of the year. If your partner can’t find another partner, you will be responsible for half your partner’s expenses.
  11. Members may fish a club tournament (1 or 2 day), using a Pass. This may be done three (3) times per club year without going through the draw.

Article II – Prospective Members

  1. A prospective member is anyone who seriously wishes to join the Club as a member, fills out a Membership Application, LGBM Waiver, attends a meeting, and fishes a club tournament with a current LGBM member.
  2. Prospective members do not have to be present at the meeting in which they are voted on. They must pay club dues at that next meeting attended. Dues will be prorated based on the month that a member is voted into the club. Prospective Members shall not be charged an entry fee to fish with the club thus not making them eligible for any fish-out awards until they become a full member.
  3. Prospective Members may use their own boats in a tournament if they fish with a member and they sign a release form and show proof of boat insurance. Ex-members of the LGBM, fishing as guests, may use their boats with the permission of the Tournament Director, liability release form signed and proof of required insurance shown to the Tournament Director.
  4. Any person who declares themselves as a Prospective Member, and has a direct relative member in good standing (i.e., Father, Mother, Brother, Sister, Son, Daughter, Grandchild) may be permitted to by-pass their PM tournament and, by vote of the members in attendance at a regular club meeting, may gain entrance to LGBM as a “Legacy Member”.

Article III – Guests

  1. Guests are ex-members and others who do not fish with the club on a regular basis. Each guest may fish with the club a maximum of two times per year. Guest shall not pay to fish with the club and therefore shall not being eligible for any awards.

Article IV – Tournament Rules

  1. Safe boating conduct and all necessary precautions must be observed at all times.
  2. Everyone in the boat must wear a Coast Guard approved life vest and the kill switch must be attached to the boat operator whenever the combustion engine is running.
  3. Any boat used during club events shall be at least 14 feet in length, and have a minimum of a 40 H.P. engine, a kill switch, an electric trolling motor, a depth finder, proper insurance for the boat, and an aerated live well or an aerated 48 qt. ice chest.
  4. When necessary, one or both partners, may take their fish and equipment, get into another participant’s boat, and return to the dock and still have their weight counted as valid.
  5. If a member observes anyone in an emergency situation, or stranded, they must stop and offer assistance unless it puts them in danger.
  6. Members must not violate Fish and Game laws, lake rules, nor display poor sportsmanship to anyone during tournament hours.
  7. No alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs may be in a member’s possession during tournament hours.
  8. All Black Bass less than the legal tournament size limit shall be returned immediately to the water.
  9. If you are late to the ramp and the tournament has started, you must check in with another participant on the water before you start fishing.
  10. Any damage to a boat, vehicle, or equipment, is the financial responsibility of the party at fault. The individuals involved will decide who is at fault between themselves.
  11. Only artificial lures may be used. No live bait is permitted.
  12. No fishing will be permitted within the “off limits” area designated by Tournament Director. Before each tournament, the Tournament Director will be required to establish an as well as to specify any “off limit” areas if necessary. Fishing in any “off limit” area or fishing before official launch or after official weigh-in time will be grounds for immediate disqualification.
  13. A member cannot “move in” on a boat which is fishing or working an area with an electric motor, or has claimed that area by anchoring. It is permitted to courteously fish along with the other boat at a reasonable distance. A boater must maintain a 50-yard distance in any direction so as to not encroach on another boat. Only one dock, or bridge pylon, at a time can be claimed by a member.
  14. All members must leave and return to the starting point by boat. A boat may not be trailered from one fishing location to another during tournament hours for the purpose of fishing unless authorized by the Tournament Director.
  15. All fish must be hooked and landed from the boat.
  16. No member may leave the starting area until the start is signaled. Boats will leave according to their start positions unless they are late and /or have problems that prevent them from doing so.
  17. The Tournament Director will be responsible for determining safe light for the blast off. The Tournament Director will not release participants prior to safe light.
  18. All protests must be presented to the Tournament Director in writing before the   official scales close at the conclusion of any club tournament. All decisions of the Tournament Director, on protests, will be on an individual basis and will be final.
  19. There will be no trolling with the combustion engine.
  20. All forms of communication devices may not be used during the club tournament: a.) except for emergency situations, b.) to contact the Tournament Director, or         c.) using said device to enter fishing tournament data elements into Fishing Chaos. Use of said devices for anything other than as specified, will result in immediate disqualification.
  21. All live tournament caught fish must be returned to the lake unless the Tournament Director approves keeping of the fish.
  22. Ties for Largest Bass will be determined by highest total weight for the tournament. AOY points tie will be determined by highest total weight for the best 10 tournaments. Positional ties for points at individual tournaments will be determined by the angler with the Biggest Fish.
  23. The computer-generated code provided by Fishing Chaos prior to blast off must be clearly shown in photo submitted to Fishing Chaos upon entry of catch.
  24. Scale screen with weight shown must be legible in photo submitted to Fishing Chaos upon entry of catch.
  25. Catch must be shown free hanging from scale in photo submitted to Fishing Chaos for entry (if this is not doable in a single photo contact Tournament Director for directions to verify).

Article V – Penalties

  1. All boats must be checked in at the designated weigh-in area at the designated “stop time” or a one pound per minute penalty will be enforced for up to ten minutes late. If over ten minutes late, the angler’s weight will not be counted. The Tournament Director will be responsible for determining any late penalties.
  2. Failure to comply with any of the tournament rules and regulations during the fish out may result in loss of weight, disqualification, or suspension.
  3. Failure to comply with any Lake, State or Federal rules will result in disqualification.

Article VI – Rods

  1. Only one (1) casting, spin casting or spinning rod (10-foot maximum from butt of handle to rod tip) and reel may be used at any one time. A hung or snagged lure may be, at the angler’s discretion, considered NOT in use and must be set aside on the boat deck, not in the hand(s) of the angler, while the angler then places another into use. Other rigs as specified above may be in the boat and ready for use; however, only one (1) is permitted in use at any given time.

Article VIII – Awards

A. The following awards will be given for regular Club draw tournaments:

  1. 1st Big Fish
  2. 1st Place: Angler: Based on Best 5 fish legally entered in Fishing Chaos. (5 Anglers or Less)
  3. 2nd Place: Angler: Based on Best 5 fish legally entered in Fishing Chaos. (6 -10 Anglers)
  4. 3rd Place: Angler: Based on Best 5 fish legally entered in Fishing Chaos. (11-15 Anglers)
  5. Of the $40.00 entry fee: $5.00 per entrant will go to the Club Treasury and $5.00 will go the EOY Classic Pot

 

B. The following will be given for the end of the year awards:

  1. Angler of the Year -First through Fifth place = Plaque for 1st place.
  2. Perpetual Angler of the Year plaque listing the First Place Finisher.
  3. Annual Lunker – (Big Fish) Plaque.
  4. Heaviest Individual Tournament One Day Catch-Plaque- (Heaviest One Day Stringer)
  5. Classic Tournament Winner- Plaque and First Place Money from Classic Pot.

Article IX – Club Tournaments

  1. Tournament Schedule and Lake Selection Procedure will be a sole function of the Tournament Committee (TC). This committee will pick the lakes to be fished for each month of the angling year.   The TC will pick 6 lakes for the first 6 months of the club year starting in November and then pick the next 6 lakes to be fished in April of the following year. The list will be presented to the club at the October and April club meetings. There will be no changes to the tournament lakes picked or the dates to be fished for any reason except for Safety Concerns. Any changes for safety concerns will be the sole responsibility of the Tournament Director.
  2. There will be twelve (12) regular draw tournaments per year. These tournaments may be one- or two-day events selected by the Tournament Committee.
  3. The participants of a club tournament will be awarded place points on a 25-point scale and accumulated by each member for the year-end standings.
  4. The 25-point scale is as follows:

1st Place – 25 points

2nd Place – 24 points

3rd Place – 23 points

4th Place – 22 points

5th Place – 21 points and so on through 25th place

Place points will only be awarded for fish caught which are within the club set length size limits. There will be an additional 5 points awarded to each member for fishing the tournament. (Show up points). Additionally, (5) show up points will be awarded to members who sign up for the tournament, show up to the launch site, and try to fish. If a member meets those requirements and has a medical or mechanical problem at the launch site, they will be awarded show up points for that tournament.

1.) Only the best ten (10) tournaments of the year, per member, shall be counted towards year end points.

Article X – Scoring

  1. Tournament scoring will be determined by total weight of each tournament catch as determine by the Fishing Chaos algorithm.
  2. Points will be awarded for black bass only (large-mouth, small-mouth, and spotted bass).
  3. The Official Limit for all tournaments shall be 12″ (inches).
  4. Weight of all fish to be determined by scales provided to the anglers at the start of the tournament by the Tournament Director. These are the only scales authorized to weigh fish.
  5. Contestants scores will be in US pounds, tenths, and hundreds of pounds.
  6. Contestants will immediately release catch after recording in Fishing Chaos.
  7. Courtesy measurements provided by the Tournament Director, or any other contestant are prohibited.
  8. Culling of fish shall be done automatically upon entry of 6th fish by Fishing Chaos
  9. All decisions of the Tournament Director at the official weigh-in are final.

Article XI – Deviation from Rules

  1. Any conscious deviation from any of the club rules will result in disqualification from any tournament.

Article XII – Change in Tournament Rules

Tournament rules may be changed in accordance with the Lake Guntersville Bass Masters Preamble.

2023 / 2024 OFFICERS

PRESIDENT: Tony Jones

VICE PRESIDENT: Chris LouAllen

SECRETARY/TREASURER: O.V. Bonner

TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR / WEIGH MASTER: Richard Mills

WEBSITE ADMINISTRATOR: Chris LouAllen