tournaments

Official tournament Rules
Revised January 2009

  • Interpretation
    • Interpretation of the rules shall be left exclusively to the Tournament Director.
    • In the event of a rule violation, the Tournament Director may impose any sanction that he/she deems appropriate, including, with no limitation, disqualification.
    • The decisions of the Director shall be final and non-contestable in all matters.
  • Eligibility
    • Only anglers who are current members of the Western Bass Club may fish club tournaments for prizes, trophies, and points.
    • All entry fees must be received prior to the start of the tournament.
    • All boaters must show proof of insurance with the required liability limits before the tournament start time on the first day.
    • Non-participants may occupy a tournament boat during contest hours, provided:
      • That they are present with the knowledge and approval of the Tournament Director.
      • That they are not allowed to participate in the tournament.
  • Fees
    • Entry fees are $18 per angler, plus a $2 non-obligatory Big Fish pot per angler.
  • Off-Limits
    • The tournament waters shall be off-limits to all participants beginning at 12:01 a.m., five days prior to the tournament start date (Mon. 12:01 AM) and re-open at 12:01 AM Friday prior to the event start for pre-fish day.
  • Start/Finish times
    • The Tournament Director shall determine the tournament start time and weigh-in time.
    • Start times for both Saturday and Sunday will be at “first safe light” as determined by the Tournament Director.
    • The Tournament Director sets the official time of day.
  • Driver’s meeting
    • Prior to the start of each tournament, a driver’s meeting will be held at the official launch site.
    • Drivers failing to attend this meeting shall be last out at the tournament start.
  • Launching
    • You may trailer your boat to another launch site on the tournament waters, but you may not leave the official start site until the start time of that tournament day.
    • You must arrive at the official weigh-in site by boat. You cannot trailer your boat to the weigh-in site.
  • Required equipment
    • All boats must be equipped with all required U.S. Coast Guard equipment, including, but not limited to, flares.
    • Contestants and passengers must wear a chest-type life preserver whenever the main engine is running.
    • All boats must display a “Contest” banner meeting the regulations of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
    • All boats must have a functional ignition kill switch for the internal combustion engine. The driver must be securely connected to the kill switch any time the internal combustion engine is running.
    • NO ALCOHOL is allowed on any boat during tournament hours.
    • All boats must be equipped with a functioning, aerated livewell.
  • Limits
    • The Tournament Director will determine limits.
    • Only largemouth and smallmouth bass will qualify, the minimum size limit to be set by the Tournament Director.
    • Fish will be measured on a flat board with mouth closed and tail in any direction.
    • Each fish the Tournament Director judges to be dead or unlikely to survive release will be penalized four (4) ounces.
    • The Tournament Director is bound by law to end the tournament if more than ten (10) percent of all weighed fish are dead at the first day’s weigh-in unless the cause of mortality can be identified and resolved.
  • Restricted areas
    • Any closed waters and off-limit areas for the tournament will be determined by the Tournament Director.
    • All fishing must be done from a boat.
    • You may exit the boat to push or pull into an area you want to fish.
  • Tackle/Equipment
    • Only artificial lures shall be used with the exception of prepared pork strips, etc.
    • Live bait is prohibited.
    • Only one casting, spinning, or spin-casting rod and reel may be used at one time.
    • All bass must be caught in a conventional and sporting manner.
  • Licenses
    • Every contestant must posses a valid Washington State fishing license and all other permits (equipment, personal, etc.) as required by law.
  • Sportsmanship
    • All contestants shall obey all State and Federal laws and follow the highest standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety and conservation.
    • Any infraction of these fundamental sporting principles may be cause for disqualification.
    • Drunkenness by any contestant during tournament hours will not be tolerated and will result in immediate disqualification.
    • All courtesies shall be extended to contestants and non-contestants alike.
    • Any act which reflects unfavorably on the Western Bass Club or its goals may result in disqualification.
    • Any infraction resulting in a citation by a Law or Wildlife Officer may result in disqualification.
  • Weigh-In
    • There will be only one official check-in point as designated by the Tournament Director.
    • All contestants must reach the check-in point by the specified finish time or be penalized eight (8) ounces for every minute late.
    • Contestants over fifteen (15) minutes late will not be allowed to weigh-in fish for that day.
    • All culling and fishing must cease by the official weigh-in time.
    • All culling tags must be removed before fish are weighed.
    • All anglers must check in with the Tournament Director, with or without fish.
  • Scoring
    • Only bass determined by the Tournament Director to be eligible, per the contest rules, shall be weighed.
    • Each contestant’s score shall be based on the pounds and ounces of the official weight, minus any penalties.
    • Any ties will be decided by those contestant’s big fish. A coin flip will settle any secondary ties.
    • All uninjured bass must be released unharmed.
  • Protests
    • All protests must be delivered to the Tournament Director, in writing, within thirty (30) minutes of that day’s official check-in time.
    • The Tournament Director will make a final decision on any protest before the awards ceremony.
  • Points
    • Points awarded toward Angler of the Year as distributed as follows:
      • 1st Place: 101 points.
      • 2nd Place: 95 points.
      • 3rd Place: 90 points.
      • Points will then drop by five-point increments (85, 80, 75, etc.) in order of finish down to 10 points.
    • All anglers finishing below a 10 point finish will receive 5 points for attending.
    • Big fish of the tournament does not accumulate Angler of the Year points.

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