* Note: Same rules apply for LRBA except you must be a member of FLW instead of BASS.
ANVIL JAW BASS CLUB RULES
1. PRE-TOURNAMENT PREPARATIONS: Tournament dates and locations will be submitted to the general membership by the Tournament Rules Committee. General membership will approve the dates and locations at the first general meeting of the year, except for the first tournament of the year. The first tournament of the year will be set at the last meeting of the previous year, after new officers are elected. Any changes during the year will be submitted to the Tournament Rules Committee, prior to the meeting for that tournament, for approval. Tournament starting times will be set by majority vote at the meeting prior to the scheduled tournament.
2. ENTRY FEE: Entry fee will be $35.00 per tournament from which 30% will remain in the club. There will be 70% pay back on all tournaments. 15% will be paid for big bass. Percentage is based on how many boats enter. Twenty (20) competitors and under pays three (3) places and big bass. Twenty-one (21) competitors and over pays four (4) places and big bass. All entries must be paid at meetings prior to tournament. Payment will not be accepted at launch. Payment may be made by fellow member if you are unable to attend.
3. OFFICIALS: The Vice President is the Official Tournament Weigh-Master and Time-Keeper. The President will appoint a substitute for any day the Vice President cannot be present.
4. SAFETY: Safe boating conduct must be observed at all times by all tournament competitors. Each competitor is required to wear a Coast Guard approved chest type life preserver. THE PRESERVER MUST ME WORN ANYTIME THE COMBUSTION ENGINE IS OPERATING. The preserver must be strapped, snapped, or zipped securely and maintained in that condition until the competitor reaches his destination and the combustion engine is shut off. Failure to comply results in immediate disqualification from the tournament. THIS RULE WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED. EACH BOATER MUST CARRY PROOF OF INSURANCE IN THEIR BOAT AT ALL TIMES.
5. SPORTSMANSHIP: Competitors are expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety, and conservation. Any infraction of these fundamental sporting principles may be deemed cause for automatic disqualification and/or termination of club membership. No alcoholic beverages will be consumed during tournament hours. Drunkenness by any competitor will not be tolerated and shall be caused for automatic disqualification. Maximum courtesy must be practiced at all times, especially with regard to boating and angling in the vicinity of non-competitors who may be on the tournament waters. Cell Phones or other electronic communication devices will not be used to gain a competitive advantage.
6. TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT: Only artificial lures may be used. No “live bait” or “prepared bait” will be permitted, with the exception of pork rinds, pork strips, etc. Only ONE casting, spincast, or spinning rod and reel may be used at any one time. All rods must have a reel attached. All other types are prohibited. Other rigs as specified above may be in the boat ready for use, however, only ONE is permitted in use at any given time. All bass must be caught live and in a conventional manner. Dip nets for landing hooked fish are permitted. Maximum rod length shall be eight (8) feet.
7. BOAT AND MOTOR: A small gasoline or electric motor may be used to maneuver the boat while casting; however, trolling as a method of fishing is prohibited. No barges or similar cumbersome craft may be used. Club President and/or Tournament Committee will determine cumbersome craft and the decision will be final.
8. BOAT OPERATION AND EXPENSE: A full discussion must be held between the two partners prior to the morning departure as to the schedule of boat operations. This schedule must permit each partner equal time to fish from the front of the boat so as to afford each the opportunity to fish his selected waters an equal number of hours. If a contestant waives the above rights, he shall retain the right to select the fishing waters for one-half of the tournament day. Any contestant, who, in the judgment of the officials, operates the boat in such a manner as to unfairly handicap his partner, shall be disqualified. THE PARTNERS MUST WORK OUT AN AGREEMENT FOR SHARING THE EXPENSES INCURRED FOR THE TOURNAMENT.
9. PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS: Fishing on the tournament waters is permitted anywhere except: within 50 yards from a marina pump or another contestants boat which was first anchored or tied with the trolling motor out of the water. No such positioned boat shall permit selected contestants to fish within the 50 yard barrier claimed by him to the exclusion of any other contestants. Boats must remain in the tournament waters at all times during the tournament day. Contestants must leave and return to the official check-point by boat. Both contestants must remain in the boat except for cases of emergencies. In such an emergency, contestants may be removed from their boat to: a boat operated by another contestant, or a rescue boat designated by the tournament officials. Partners are to remain together at all times in sight of each other’s catch under the conditions sighted above in order for their catch of that day to be scored in the tournament. In case of mechanical problems, contestants may transfer their catch and or their partners catch to another contestant’s boat for transportation to the check-in/weigh-in site. Trailering of boats during tournament hours is prohibited.
10. HORSEPOWER LIMITS: There are no horsepower limits, however, no boat may exceed the BIA horsepower rating for the boat. All boats must have an emergency “KILL SWITCH” and it must be attached to the driver’s life jacket, which must be worn and fastened any time the big motor is running whether on pad or not. This is to include the no-boat partner and his life jacket.
11. CONSERVATION: This is a primary concern of the Anvil Jaw Bass Club. Adequate livewells are mandatory on each boat and must provide proper aeration to maintain fish in releasable condition. All fish will be released.
12. TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE: Qualifying tournaments will be held on Saturdays. Tournament start time will be set at the meeting prior to the tournament and will end at 3:00 PM. Various schedules will be drawn up by the elected tournament committee and from them a schedule will be selected and approved by majority vote of the qualified members of the club. ALL TOURNAMENTS MUST BE SCHEDULED BEFORE JULY 30TH OF EACH YEAR. If a tournament falls on the day of a charity tournament it will be postponed until the following Saturday. The location will not change. If a tournament held on the river falls on the day a small craft advisory has been issued, majority vote will decide to fish anyway or choose an alternate site. If vote is for fishing scheduled site, all participates will be required to sign a waiver before tournament. The Club Classic will be a Saturday and Sunday tournament. The start and finish time will be set at the meeting before the tournament.
13. IF ANY CONTESTANT GETS OUT OF HIS BOAT TO GAIN ACCESS TO A FISHING AREA, HE AND HIS PARTNER WILL BE IMMEDIATELY DISQUALIFIED.
14. PAIRING: Boaters will draw a non-boater, if there are not enough non-boaters, the boater can fish in his own boat: however, that boater will be first draw for next tournament. A Non-boater will not be paired with any boater twice during the year’s qualifying tournaments, unless it is necessary.
15. SCORING: Tournament standing awards and final winners shall be determined by the Tournament Weigh-Master. Only largemouth, spotted, redeye and smallmouth bass will be weighed. The limit to be weighed in is 5 fish. All contestants are bound by the State of Arkansas and the Federal Government where applicable. Only bass as described above which measure 12 inches in length with the mouth closed and the tailed compressed on the clubs official “Golden Rule” will be weighed. There will be a .20 pound penalty for each dead fish weighed in. No penalty for short fish. The Weigh-Master and his assistants will measure any or all fish to insure proper length. Any fish which appears to have been mangled, mashed or in anyway altered will be weighed and credited only at the discretion of the tournament officials. Each contestant is expected to present his fish to the weigh in officials as noted in rule number 11. Ties will be decided by the largest fish. ALL CONTESTANTS MUST IMMEDIATELY RELEASE ANY FISH LESS THAN 12 INCHES IN LENGTH. If there are no fish caught, all prize money will be carried over until the next tournament. The official “Golden Rule” will be with the official scales at all times. At least one fish will be measured from each contestant’s catch.
16. OFFICIAL CHECK POINT: Boats will take off in order of draw. Last man out responsible for call-out. All contestants must proceed thru live well and life vest check on morning of each tournament and be checked off of master list by last man out. If not checked off the master list and no member present at takeoff has been notified of the reason for not being present, member will be disqualified from that day’s event. There shall only be one official check point landing.
17. LATE PENALTY: Contestants who have not turned in their boat position paddle by the appointed time shall be penalized at the rate of 1 pound per minute. Any contestant that is over 15 minutes late will lose all credit for that days catch. There is no excuse for tardiness and in no case shall a contestant be allowed to make up lost time. After paddle has been received by weighmaster, contestants will be given ample time to proceed to the weigh in site.
18. PROTESTS: Any contestant wishing to protest a fellow contestant must do so by informing the Weigh-Master at the weigh in. Then to proceed the contestant must do so by filling out a formal protest in writing with-in 30 minutes of the weigh in time.
19. MEMBERSHIP: A prospective member of the club must meet the following requirements:
a. Be recommended by at least two active club members
b. Meet B.A.S.S. criteria
c. Approved by the majority vote of the active members.
d. Submit due. $20 for state, $20 for Federation, $20 for club & become a
subscriber to BASSMASTER magazine
20. DROPPED MEMBERS: If a member has not paid his dues for the year, their name will be dropped from the official roll until they meet the requirements as described in rule 19.
21. OVERALL: These rules will not be changed except by the vote of the active members of the club at the first meeting of each new calendar year, unless State or local laws are in conflict. The decisions of the tournament committee will be final in all matters. It is the tournament committee’s discretion to make changes where safety is a concern.
22. CLASSIC QUALIFYING: Each member must fish in at least 51% of the season’s tournaments and participate in at least one youth event per year to qualify to fish in Club Championships. The Classic’s weight will not be counted toward qualifying for the State Federation Tournament. You must qualify for the Federation by fishing in the regular season tournaments. The top 6 anglers at the end of the year will be allowed to go on to the State Federation Tournament
23. GUESTS: Club members will be allowed to bring any number of guests throughout the tournament season. However, if a guest would like to fish a second tournament they will be required to join the club before they are allowed to fish the second tournament. When a guest elects to join, any previous points for meetings, tournaments or weight will be carried forward and shown on member’s standings. Boater members will be allowed to fish with their guest. Guests of Non-Boater and guests of Boaters with more than one guest will go into the normal drawing pool. All guests must be at least 16 years of age.
5 Feb 2007