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Tournament Rules

Article XII – Official Rules and Regulations of the Lost Creek Bass Club Tournament 1/5/77

(With revisions through 01/01/2002)

(NEW REVISIONS AND UPDATES VOTED ON BY CLUB 10-3-22)

The following rules and regulations will pertain to all Lost Creek Bass Club tournaments; monthly and special.  Interpretation of these rules shall be left exclusively to the tournament committee. The decision of the judges and tournament officials will be final in all matters.

1A. Tournament year shall start with the September tournament and end with the August tournament.

2. Participants: Any member of the Lost Creek Bass Club who is current with his monthly dues; according to the by-laws of the club.
3. Types of tackle: Only artificial lures may be used. No live bait or prepared bait will be permitted; however, pork type strips or rinds may be used. Only casting, spinning, spin cast and fly equipment may be in the boat for substitution purposes; however only one rig is permitted in use in the water at one time.
4. Other types of equipment: Electronic depth finders are permitted. Electronic thermometers and oxygen analyzers are also permitted.
5. Boats and motors: An electric trolling motor may be used to maneuver the boat while casting; however, trolling as a method of fishing is prohibited. Contestants may use their own boats and motors or may rent either or both in the area. Boats must be in the water during tournament days. All contestants must leave the official dock by boat and return by boat. Trailering of boats during tournaments is prohibited. Daily fishing partners are expected to work out suitable arrangements among themselves, who is operating the boat shall have the privilege of selecting their route and fishing water. In the event one contestant elects not to operate the boat one half of the time, and such election is satisfactory to his partner, the contestant waiving his rights to operate the boat shall still have the right to choose the fishing spots one half of the time. The tournament committee suggests that the partner pay owner of boat, Motor and car a minimum $30.00.
6. Boat operation: Any contestant found operating the boat in; an obvious and deliberate manner to handicap his partner shall be disqualified.
7. Permitted fishing locations: Fishing is permitted any place on the prescribed lake designated by the tournament committee as the tournament lake. No fishing in permitted within 50 yards of another contestant’s boat, which was first in that location.
8. Paired off contestants: When two contestants check out in the beginning of the day they must stay together and in sight of their paired partner until weigh-in. In the instance of a mechanical issue or for some reason one contestant must leave they may change boats to complete the fishing day. Contestant must not allow any fish caught by him to be counted on the score of another contestant. In such cases, both contestants will be disqualified from this and future tournaments.

8A. In case of mechanical breakdown, one partner from the disabled boat may transport the fish of both contestants to the weigh-in by another contestant’s boat.

9. Lake headquarters: Lake headquarters shall be selected by their tournament committee. All fishermen must start and end each tournament day at this point. The official weigh-in will also be designated by the tournament committee.
10. Tournament fishing hours: All tournaments will begin and end at a predetermined time, selected by the tournament committee, and kept by said committee on an official clock. All contestants must check out prior to leaving the dock area and must check in after tournament ends. Weigh-in will begin at the official end of tournament. The official time keeper’s clock shall be the official and only time.

10A. Tournament will proceed as scheduled if the Friday 6:00 P.M. weather forecast on KY3 is for 35 degrees F. or higher for fishing day, providing other weather factors are favorable. When a tournament is canceled it will be postpone to the following weekend and if the tournament cannot be held on that weekend then it will be canceled until a warmer month that will be determined by the tournament committee.

11. Scoring: Each contestant must present his own catch to the weigh-in officials. After fish have been handed to weigh-in officials, no person except officials shall touch said fish. We follow the length minimums for the tournament lake that is being fished. Contestants shall be penalized two (2) pounds per fish under the lakes legal length. Scoring for the regular monthly tournament will be as follows; daily winners will be determined by the weight of their fish less any penalties. Yearly scoring will be by the weight system and will be determined by individual stringer weight. Only black bass, large mouth, small mouth mean mouth and spotted bass will be weighed. The point system will be as follows, points are the same as weight (whoever has the most weight at the end of the year is in 1st place).
12. Ties: In case of a tie, the winner will be the person with the largest number of fish. If both men have the same number of fish, the individual with the largest fish will be declared the winner. If both are still tied then the first drawn out in the tournament will be declared the winner.
13. Sportsmanship: Sportsmanship, courtesy, safety, and conservation are expected from each participant. Any infraction of these fundamental sporting principles may be deemed cause for disqualification. Drunkenness on the part of any participant during the tournament will cause the participant to be disqualified from this and all future tournaments.
14. Previous partners: No member may fish with a previous partner in two tournaments in a row, unless otherwise indicated by the tournament committee.
15. Drawing for partners: Drawing for partners will be held at the regular monthly meeting prior to the tournament date. Partners drawn without boats will be automatically re-drawn.
16. No partner: If for some reason there is a fisherman without a partner, he may pick one of his choice outside the club. However, every effort should be made to fish with club members. As a last resort the fisherman may fish alone.
17. Late arrivals: Late arrivals to check-in time will be penalized .25 lbs. per minute, up to 15 minutes. Breakdowns, etc. are no excuse for lateness. A contestant’s boat must be inside the buoys at the official tournament closing time to be considered on time.
18. Life jackets and cushions: Safe boat conduct must be observed at all times by competitors. During the tournament, each competitor must wear a Coast Guard-approved chest-type life preserver anytime the combustion engine is in operation. This preserver must be strapped, snapped or zippered securely, and maintained in that condition until the combustion engine is shut off. Inflatable life vest indicators should be checked daily. Inflatable PFD’s are allowed as long as U.S. Coast Guard regulations are met. The Coast Guard requires that inflatable PFD’s must be worn at all times unless there is an equal number of non-inflatable Coast Guard approved PFD’’s on board. Violation of this rule may be reason for disqualification.
19. No Culling: No Culling at the ramp.
20. Bull Shoals Lake length on fish will be determined by Arkansas length laws.
21. Dead Fish penalty of .25 lbs. will be deducted for each dead fish weighed in.
22. Grievance: If a grievance is to be presented on the breaking of the above rules and regulations by a member, it must be done on the day of the infraction. Reporting may be done to any member of the tournament committee who will then rule on the infraction or turn the facts over to the Board of Directors for action.