Quad City Bass Club

Tournament Rules and Regulations

Revised November 2007

 

 

  1. ELIGIBILITY: All tournament participants must be paid up members of the Quad City Bass Club with dues paid for the current year. Current years dues must be paid by the end of the meeting previous to the tournament the member wishes to fish. All participants must be a minimum of 14 years old in order to fish a Quad City Bass Club sponsored tournament. All participants must sign a release waiver before fishing each tournament.
  2. TYPE OF TACKLE: Only artificial lures may be used. No “live bait” is permitted.
  3. BOAT AND MOTOR: Any type of boat and motor may be used. Each team must fish from the same boat. If trouble occurs, a second boat may be used. All boats must have a working livewell.
  4. PERMITTED FISHING LOCATION: Fishing is allowed anywhere in the river or lake that can be reached by normal boating operation. No trailering of boats will be allowed once the tournament has started. No fishing is allowed after the weigh in on the first day until the start of the second day of the tournament.
  5. PENALTIES: Contestants who are not at the check in or on time for the weigh in shall not be allowed to weigh in. Contestants are responsible for getting their numbers in on time. If your chip isn’t in the can at the designated time you are disqualified for that day of the tournament. If a team brings more than 6 fish to the scale that will result in a disqualification for that day of the tournament.
  6. SCORING: Total weight determines tournament placement. Each team must bring their own catch to the weigh in. In case of a breakdown you can bring your fish to the scale in another contestants boat but one member of that team must accompany their fish. All fish will be measured on a flat board at the weigh in site. Measurement of all fish will only be done by a designated Fish Committee member. Any team weighing a fish shorter than the established limit (see limit rule further in this document) will have the weight of that fish deducted from their days total legal weight. Each dead fish will cause .38 lb to be deducted from the total legal weight. No dead fish will be eligible for a big bass award. Ties split equally. Any boat receiving a citation from the DNR or any other law enforcement agency during tournament hours will be disqualified from that day of the tournament.
  7. PROTESTS: Contestants may protest to a Fish Committee Member within 30 minutes after that day’s official weigh in is completed. The Fish Committee will settle all protests at the tournament site.
  8.  TIES: The heaviest bass per team will break ties for total weight. The contestants must select the bass in their catch to be weighed as big bass. Weigh in officials will not be responsible for the big fish selection.
  9. ENTRY FEES: The entry fee for a one-day tournament is $55.00. This includes $5.00 per boat for big fish for the tournament, $5.00 to the fish committee, and $5.00 to the prize fund for the “Classic”. The entry for a two-day tournament is $60.00. This includes $5.00 per day for the big fish, $5.00 to the fish committee, and $5.00 to the prize fund for the “Classic”. The entry fee must be paid as a team. The entry fee is refundable if the contestants cannot blast off to start the tournament on a one day tournament or the first day of a two day tournament. Entry fees are payable only in cash.
  10.  PRIZES AND EXPENSES: Prize money will distributed as follows, after the deductions in rule# 9 are withheld.

PAYBACK AS FOLLOWS:

1-10 boats     3 places    50 – 30 – 20 %

11-15 boats   4 places    46 – 27 – 16 – 11 %

16-25 boats   5 places    34 – 24 – 19 – 14 – 9 %

26 or more    6 places    33 – 23 – 18 – 13 – 8 %

 

  1. TOURNAMENT HOURS AND CHECK IN: Tournament hours will be set by the fish committee. Morning check in is one hour before the start of the tournament at a site chosen by the Fish Committee. A drawing will be held during the morning check in to determine tournament-starting positions. Failure to check in will result in disqualification. Evening check in is at a time and site previously designated by the Fish Committee. The weigh in starts 15 minutes after the check in time. Boats missing the draw for the 2nd day will go to the end of the line and will go after the blast off boat.
  2. TOURNAMENT TAKE OFF: Boats will depart in numerical order from a designated starting point. Kill switches and running lights must be used at every blast off.
  3. SPORTSMANSHIP: All fishing will be done at least 50 yards away from other tournament boats. Sportsmanship courtesy and conversation are required from all participants, from their arrival to departure. Participant are responsible for their individual behavior and any violations will be dealt with according to the bylaws of the Quad City Bass Club.
  4. POINTS: Contestants gather points from all tournaments fished. Points for Fisherman of the Year will be accumulated from all tournaments fished with the lowest tournament point total of the year thrown out. Points awarded are as follows: 1st place- 50 points, 2nd place- 49 points, and so on with each place dropping one point. All other boats entered will receive 1 point whether they weigh in any fish or not. Ties in points are decided by the total ounces of fish weighed in by a contestant and his partners throughout the year. Contestants must blast off for the tournament to receive points toward Fisherman of the Year.
  5.  FISHING PARTNERS: Members may choose their own partners.
  6.  LIMITS: The laws of the state in which the tournament is being held govern the catch and length limits. Length limits for Mississippi River tournaments will always be a minimum of 14 inches, unless otherwise stated. There will be a 6 fish limit per boat at all tournaments. If a team brings more than 6 fish to the scale that team will be disqualified for that day of the tournament. There is to be no culling at the ramp. The fish committee has the right to check all live wells at the ramp. 
  7.  SAFETY: Life jackets must be worn at the blast off and should be worn any time the big engine is being operated. Functional kill switches are mandatory equipment on boats with motors larger that 35 H.P. Kill switches and running lights must be used during the blast off. Coast Guard required safety equipment is mandatory for each boat. No alcoholic beverages shall be consumed by the contestants during tournament hours.
  8. BIG BASS PLAQUES: Plaques will be awarded at the annual Awards Banquet for the biggest bass caught during tournaments for that year.
  9. CLAIM WAIVER: Persons fishing in a tournament sponsored by the Quad City Bass Club, Inc. will automatically waive and release the Club from all claims, injuries, and/or damages incurred during the participation in said events. Waivers must be signed before you are allowed to fish said tournament.
  10. RULES INTERPRETATION: Rules interpretation shall be the exclusive right of the Fish Committee and their decisions shall be final. It is the responsibility of each member to know the rules.
  11. “CLASSIC” QUALIFICATION: In order to qualify for the “Classic” tournament, there must be one member of each team who has fished 3 tournaments or have one tournament counted for reasons determined by the fish committee. Any boat that doesn’t have both partners qualified for the “Classic” will pay an extra
    $10.00 with their entry fee.
  12. INSURANCE: It is the responsibility of boat owners to have their own insurance.