MEMBERSHIP ELIGIBILITY
Anyone who was a member during the previous calendar year is automatically qualified to renew his/her membership.  Any potential new member must be recommended by a current member and accepted by the majority vote of all members present at the scheduled club meeting.

ELIGIBILITY FOR PARTICIPATION
Only members of the Minutemen Bass Association shall be eligible to participate in the club’s tournament schedule.  All tournament applications must be completed by the applicant in full, signed, and received by the tournament officials prior to the tournament entry deadline.  All applications under 16 years of age must have a parent or guardian’s signature.

SAFETY
Each tournament participant must wear a Coast Guard approved chest-type life preserver properly fastened any time the main outboard engine is running during tournament hours.  Failure to comply with this rule can result with disqualification.  Only two participants allowed per boat.  The use of an emergency “kill switch” is suggested but not required.  Safe boating conduct must be observed at all times by each tournament contestant.

TOURNAMENT HOURS

1. The Tournament Director and the Sergeant At Arms will hold all tournaments regardless of weather conditions unless determined too hazardous.
2. All tournaments will commence at daylight (safe light) or when Tournament Director feels safe conditions exist.  All tournaments will conclude at 3:00 p.m.  The only exception to this rule shall be on Saturday of a two-day tournament.  In the event of a late start due to poor weather conditions (i.e., fog) the Tournament Director has the authority to extend the tournament to 4:00 p.m.

Tackle and equipment
Only one rod of 8 feet or less may be used at any one time.  Only artificial lures may be used.  No trolling with main outboard engine.

Sportsmanship
Sportsmanship, courtesy, safety, and conservation are expected from each contestant.  Any violation of fundamental sporting principles may be deemed cause for disqualification.  Intoxication on the part of any contestant during the tournament will not be tolerated and shall constitute due cause for immediate disqualification.  NO ALCOHOL OR DRUGS OR ANY KIND ARE ALLOWED IN THE BOAT OR AT THE WEIGH-IN.

SCORING

1. Tournament finishes will be based on the total weight in pounds and tenth-pounds weighed by each boat.
2. Daily limit is FIVE (5) BASS PER BOAT, unless state regulations require lesser limit.  In each case, the state regulations will be observed.  The five fish will be weighed and the weight will be given to both individuals in the same boat.
3. Only bass will be weighed.  These include Largemouth, Smallmouth, and Kentucky Spotted Bass.
4. Any culling must be done on the lake.  All participants will have no more than the legal club limit in their possession upon loading their boats onto the trailer.  If more than the legal limit is found in one’s possession after loading the boat, the tournament officials will cull down the legal limit, starting with the team’s LARGEST BASS until the legal limit is obtained.
5. All bass (Largemouth, Smallmouth, Kentucky Spotted) in a team’s possession must be the posted 14 to 15 inch limit for the lake being fished.  All bass will be measured with the fish’s mouth closed against the end of a GOLDEN RULE measuring board. The Weigh Master will be using a GOLDEN RULE at the scales, THERE WILL BE A ADDITIONAL GOLDEN RULE SUPPLIED AT THE WEIGH-IN LINE TO CHECK FISH ON YOU HAVE THE OPTION OF RELEASING A FISH AT ANYTIME, ONCE THE FISH GOES IN THE WEIGH-IN BASKET THAT OPTION IS GONE.  The tail of the fish must then come in contact with the 14 to 15 inch lines on the board.  The fish’s tail may be fanned to obtain this length.  The penalty for violation of the rule is a deduction of ONE (1) pound from the boat’s total weight for all fish under the legal limit. The Weigh Master will have the final call on the measurement of a fish. If a protest is wagered it must be done immediately and a second Club Officer will measure the fish. If, in the judgment of the tournament officials, any bass brought to the weigh-in area has been mashed, mauled, or mangled, that bass will not be weighed.

***Kentucky Spotted Bass must be a minimum of 12 inches in length unless the regulations state a different length minimum for the lake being fished.
***All fish must meet the minimum length limits on a measuring board adopted by officers and other tournament officials.

1. No participant shall allow any bass caught by himself/herself to be weighted in the catch of another team’s fish.
2. Each team member must make every effort to keep their catch alive.  A penalty of two-tenths of a pound (0.20-pound) will be deducted from a member’s total weight for each dead fish brought to the scales.  The decision by the Weigh Master is final.  In the case that a team’s large fish is dead, two-tenths (0.20 pound) will be deducted from the weight of the large fish for large-fish prize.

TIES
In the event of a tie for any cash position, the purses will be combined and divided equally.  If first place is involved, a trophy will be given to both teams.

Live well check
Inspection will be conducted at each tournament by the Sergeant At Arms, in accordance with procedures defined and accepted by club officers.  ALL BOATS WITHOUT LIVE WELL CHECKS ARE INELIGIBLE FOR WEIGH-IN.

late penalties
Each participant will be given a numbered token at the meeting prior to the tournament.  A container will then be placed at the ramp during the tournament, and participants will “check in” before the designated stopping time, using their tokens.  Participants who fail to turn in their tokens on time will not be allowed to weigh-in their fish.  The boat which draws the first (#1) position in the blast-off will be responsible for enforcing the stopping time of the tournament.  It will be their responsibility to be at the ramp prior to the conclusion of the tournament and monitor the “check-in” and collect tokens.  The clock of the member collecting tokens will be synchronized with the tournament director responsible for enforcing the stopping time in order to ensure a proper stop time.  NO TOKENS WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE DESIGNATED STOP-TIME FOR THE TOURNAMENT.

fishing locations and conditions
Fishing is permitted anywhere on the tournament waters, except marked or restricted areas.  “Tournament Water” is defined as any water that is accessible by boat on the Tournament Lake.  ABSOLUTELY NO TRAILERING of boats is permitted during tournament hours.

partners
Participants may select their partners or fish alone if they choose.  Only in a draw tournament will there be a requirement to fish with a partner, however, exceptions may have to be made if there is an odd number of participants.  If there is an odd number of participants which results in a member not getting paired on the draw, then that individual may fish alone or have his/her money refunded if he/she chooses.

catch and release
After scoring, all live fish will be returned to the lake, except in special cases, where a member wishes to have his/her fish mounted.  Plastic “weigh-in” bags can be purchased from the club at a nominal cost.

waging A protest
In the event that a member is not satisfied that the weight shown is accurate, the member must protest that weight immediately before the fish are removed from the weigh-in basket and/or returned to the lake.

fish-off
To be eligible to fish in the two-day Fish-Off, a member must have fished in a least FIVE (5) regularly scheduled tournaments and have paid the $7.00 per tournament Fish-Off assessment.  This money is used for funding the Fish-Off.

Summary
Failure to comply by the Minutemen Bass Association’s aforementioned rules may be cause for any member being suspended or disqualified from this and all future tournaments.  Each contestant agrees by his/her signature on the official entry form to submit to a polygraph test should he/she be accused of any rule violation.

Membership and tournament fees

1. Annual Membership dues are $40.00
2. Regularly scheduled tournaments $30.00 plus $10.00 per day for big fish pot
3. Fish-Off  $30.00 plus $10.00 per day for big fish pot
4. Payout breakdown of fees

$30 Tournament Entry Fee ($25 goes to tournament & $5 goes to Fish-off)
Of the $25 from each tournament:
1st place gets 50%
2nd place gets 30%
3rd place gets 20%
Big Fish Pot - $10 for each day of tournament
1st Big Fish gets 70%
2nd Big Fish gets 30%