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RULE CHANGES
& INTERPRETATION –
The Tournament Rules shall remain unchanged for the the
duration of a fishing season. Any changes must be brought up
for a club vote after the last tournament but no later than
the February meeting of each year. Interpretation of the
rules shall be left to the Tournament Director (TD), with
advise from the tournament committee if requested.
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TOURNAMENT
COMMITTEE & PROTESTS –
The Tournament Committee shall consist of the TD, and two
designees who are members in good standing and present at
the tournament. Protests must be made in writing immediately
at the end of the tournament. The TD shall have paper and
pen for this purpose. The decisions of the TD or tournament
committee shall be final.
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PARTICIPATION –
Participation is open to any member of P.I.B. or their
guests. Guests do not pay the entry fee and are not eligible
to receive trophies or money available to the "place"
finishers. Guests may enter the big bass pot, and be
eligible for trophies and money in that pot. Guests do not
receive standing points. A guest may not fish more than
twice as a "guest" in any tournament year without filling
out an application. Applicants for membership will be
awarded points only if they have filed and application for
membership prior to the start of the tournament. TD must be
notified in advance if a member plans on bringing a guest.
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PRE-PRACTICE –
There will be no off limit periods prior to a tournament.
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REGISTRATION –
Each contestant must register in person at the designated
site at least 15 minutes prior to the start time of the
tournament, with discretion of the TD permitted in the event
of unusual circumstances. Entry fee must be paid at that
time and is non-refundable once the event starts. |
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SAFETY –
Safe boating shall be observed at all times. Boat operator
is responsible for boat wake. Each contestant is required to
wear a Coast Guard approved life preserver anytime the
combustion engine is running. All boats over 10 HP must be
equipped with an emergency ignition shutoff device, which
must be attached to the driver’s body whenever the
combustion engine is operating. |
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BOAT & MOTOR –
Length and type of boat depends on the water being fished;
TD may establish restrictions as needed to provide a safety
margin, especially on Lake Erie or other large waters. Each
boat must have the required U.S. Coast Guard/PFC safety
equipment and HP rating plate. Each boat must have a
properly aerated/recirculating livewell(s) capable of
maintaining alive the catch of bass by both contestants. The
TD may disallow non-standard systems if not suitable for
keeping bass alive. |
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PERMITTED
FISHING METHODS –
All bass must be caught alive and in a conventional sporting
manner. Only artificial lures (plus pork trailers) may be
used. Only one fishing rod may be used at a time. Trolling
is not permitted. No intentionally foul hooked fish may be
kept. |
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SPORTSMANSHIP –
All contestants are expected to follow high standards of
sportsmanship, courtesy, safety, conservation, and
tournament etiquette (see, Belonging to Presque Isle
Bassmasters "sportsmanship"). No alcoholic beverage or other
drugs shall be allowed in the possession of any contestant
during the tournament day until weigh-in is completed.
Drunkenness shall be cause for immediate disqualification.
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BOAT
OPERATION –
Each contestant is entitled to equal time to fish from the
front of the boat, to operate the trolling motor, and an
equal number of hours to fish their selected water. Partners
must discuss their schedule of boat operation prior to
take-off in the morning. It shall be the responsibility of
the fishing partner to share operation expenses of the
boat/motor for the tournament day if requested by the boat
owner. |
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PERMITTED
FISHING LOCATIONS –
Contestants may fish anywhere, accessible by boat, except
areas designated as off limits by the TD or federal, state,
or local officials; or within 25 yards of the front facing
side of an "active" marina gas dock. Respect the 50-yard
limit of another contestant’s boat that was anchored first
and do not enter unless invited. An anchored boat is one
held in stable position by a line and weight, with trolling
motor up. No anchored contestant may permit fishing within
the 50-yard radius to selected contestants while excluding
others. All angling must be done from the boat. The boat
must remain in tournament waters during the entire
tournament day unless deemed otherwise by the TD. Anglers
may exit the boat for emergencies and necessary rest stops.
In the event of and emergency, contestants may return with
their catch by check-in time in a rescue boat without
penalty. |
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SCORING –
Scoring will be determined by pounds and hundredths of each
person’s catch. Only largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted
bass at least 12 inches long are counted. Fish will be
measured with the mouth closed and tail fanned on a "Golden
Rule". If special regulations state a higher minimum size,
then the higher size is the tournament minimum. Total weight
of tournament creel determines winner. The tournament limit
shall be one less than the state limit and shall not exceed
5 fish regardless of state limit. Bass presented for
weigh-in which do no meet the minimum tournament size will
be penalized at the rate of 1 pound per each short fish plus
loss of short fish. |
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LIVE FISH –
Every effort must be made to keep the bass alive. Fish must
be brought to the scales in water filled bags, no dry bags
or hand-carries. Fish will either be identified as (1) alive
and releasable, (2) dead. One quarter pound shall be
deducted from contestant’s total weight for each dead fish
weighed. At no time may a contestant return a dead fish to
the water with the expectation of replacing it with a live
fish. If a fish dies in the livewell, it counts in the catch
of the individual. |
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BIG BASS –
If an individual’s big bass is dead, the appropriate
deduction will be made from the total weight score. However,
in determining the winner of the big bass pot, the actual
weight will be recorded. |
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LATE PENALTY –
Contestants who are not at the designated check-in area at
the appointed time will be penalized at the rate of one
pound per minute to be deducted from the total weight,
including any weight to be counted towards a big bass award.
Any contestant more than 15 minutes late shall lose all
credit for the day’s weight and be disqualified from the
tournament. The TD has the right to waive this rule in cases
of extra-ordinary events. The TD shall be the official
timekeeper for the tournament purposes. |
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TIES –
Ties will be resolved by combining money and points, and
dividing points and money equally between tied places.
Except ties for first place, which will be resolved by an
immediate 30-minute fish-off with each angler in a separate
boat (unless one angler forfeits and accepts second). If
still tied, then the above procedure takes over. Prizes and
trophies for ties will be flip of coin. Individuals below
tied places do not advance a place. |
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PAIRING OF
CONTESTANTS –
Partners will be paired by draw the morning of the
tournament, unless otherwise specified by the TD. Except
that Parent/Child and Husband/Wife members may fish together
as often as they wish without regard to draw. Also, twice
during a tournament year a club member may request to fish
with a specific member without regard to the draw, as long
as it was previously discussed between both parties and the
TD prior to the tournament day. |
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RESPECT FOR
THE RESOURCES –
A variety of native fish species coexists in the aquatic
environment. Their coexistence is part of the necessary
chain of life. Contestants are to respect all species native
to the water, and take no deliberate action, which would
injure or kill any native fish. This does not prevent an
individual from keeping another species for mounting or for
the table. |
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DISQUALIFICATION –
The Tournament Director may disqualify any individual from
the tournament who violates any of the above rules. A
contestant is automatically disqualified if cited by the PFC,
or U.S. Coast Guard for any fish law or boating violation
during tournament hours. Disqualification means forfeiture
of entry fee and no point awarded. The TD has the authority
to override the above rule due to circumstances. |
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CLASSIC
QUALIFICATION - To
qualify for the classic you must have at least the full
number of events to qualify you for angler of the year. |
