1. Membership Requirements
A. Persons age 14 (by the first tournament of the year) or older are eligible for membership, including those in other bass clubs.
B. Total membership may not exceed 30.
2. Fees
A. Membership dues are $30 per year. This includes a $5 beverage fee. Dues must be paid before voting on lakes to fish that year. Dues must be paid by the last official meeting before the season begins or a new member may fill your spot.
B. Tournament fees are $40 per year. Fees must be paid by the last official meeting before the season begins or a new member may fill your spot. The tournament fees are divided up by $8 per tournament with one free tournament a year.
C. All expenditures of club funds must be voted on and passed by majority vote of the membership.
D. Non-boaters should pay boaters at least $10 per day to defray expenses. If a boat is borrowed from another member, both parties should pay $10 to the boat owner.
3. Meetings
A. There shall be a minimum of three meetings during the off season.
4. Officers
A. Officers will be elected at the first meeting of the year.
B. Terms of office are one year, except Treasurer, which is three years.
C. Election is by simple majority vote of members present.
D. Officers include:
President: Runs meeting and awards trophies after tournaments and at the banquet.
Vice President/Treasurer: Fulfills Presidents duties in the absence of the President and assumes office, if the President leaves. Also serves Assistant Tournament Director, which includes beverage fund for tournaments and Environmental Director. Keeps record and collects all paid membership dues and tournament fees. Pays any club fees due to B.A.S.S. and the MN Federation. Order and pay for trophies and plaques for tournaments and the banquet.
Secretary: Records minutes of meetings and sends out newsletters with tournament results. Newsletters are to be sent via email when possible. Records tournament weights, points, and standings. Updates By-Laws as needed.
Tournament Director: Collect all appropriate permits for tournaments and weigh fish for each tournament. Coordinate partner draws and blast offs.
E. No member can hold more than two club positions at one time.
5. Club Tournaments and Pairings
A. There will be a minimum of six tournaments per year, with optional 2-day, blind, and team events.
B. Partner draw will be held on the Wednesday before each tournament, typically at 7:00pm at the Elks Club. All members must contact the Tournament Director by the Tuesday before the draw or attend the draw to confirm that they will be fishing. Those failing to do so, will not be placed in the draw.
C. Boaters will be paired with non-boaters, but if there are excess boaters, they will be paired. Boaters can decide on whose boat to use, but the final decision rest with the member with greater seniority in the club.
6. Club Standings
A. Scoring is based on a 50 point system. First place gets 50 points; second place 49; and so on. Team tournament scores are split by a point. First place gets 50 points; second place 48; and so on. Participants who do not catch a legal (12 inch) bass tie for last place of the tournament. Members who do not fish get 0 points.
B. The top three finishes and catcher of the biggest bass in each tournament receive a trophy or a plaque.
C. Each member discards the lowest points finish of the year. Final standings are based on the best five tournaments (if six are fished).
D. The top six anglers of the year and the years biggest bass receive a trophy or a plaque. The top non-boater of the year receives a trophy or a plaque.
E. The angler of the year is awarded Range Bassmasters' apparel of their choice totaling no more than $70. The non-boater of the year is awarded Range Bassmasters' apparel of their choice totaling no more than $40. If the total exceeds $70/$40, the angler is responsible to pay the difference. If the member so chooses, this can be applied to next year's dues and fees for boaters or fees for non-boaters.
7. Tie Breakers
A. Ties in tournaments are broken first by the number of bass weighed in that day, second by the largest bass, and then by a coin flip. If the tie is for first place, two first place trophies will be awarded.
B. Ties in the year-end standings are broken first by the number of bass weighed in that year, second by the largest bass, and then by a coin flip.
8. Removal of Membership
A. Any member found guilty of a violation of state fishing regulations will be subject to removal by a majority vote of club members. Officers must review the incident before bringing it up for vote.
9. Boat and Motor
A. Boats must be at least 14 feet in length.
B. Boats must be equiped with live-wells capable of keeping two limits of bass alive for the tournament (large capacity, functional aerators, etc.)
C. Engine size must not exceed Coast Guard approved hull rating.
D. A small motor may be used for slow maneuvering.
E. No stick steering for motors exceeding 50 HP.
10. Boat Operation
A. Each competitor is permitted equal time in the bow of the boat.
B. Operation of the boat that handicaps a partner's fishing ability can result in disqualification.
C. If an alleged violation occurs, the protest must be stated prior to the weigh-in of the person lodging the protest. Club officers will review the complaint to determine if it is reasonable. Penalties could include disqualification from the tournament.
11. Scoring
A. Standings are based on weights of bass caught.
B. The limit is five bass, 12 inches or longer. Bass will be measured with mouth closed and tail fanned. The weight of short bass will be deducted from the total weight and the bass will not be weighed. Any bass that appear altered will be weighed at the discretion of the Tournament Director.
C. Stringing of bass is prohibited.
D. Each bass brought in dead or in un-releasable condition, as judged by the Tournament Director, will cause a two-ounce penalty.
E. Official measuring board will be the Bass Pro Shops Keeper Counter Measuring Board.
12. Late Penalty
A. A competitor arriving after take-off must locate and report to another club member (including his assigned partners) before he or she can start fishing.
B. Competitors late for weigh-in, based on the decision of the Tournament Director, will be penalized 10 percent of their day's catch per minute, with disqualification after 10 minutes.
C. In the event of motor failure, it will be at the discretion of the Tournament Director and club officers whether a penalty should be assessed to the boat operator and his partner, as well as any competitors who assist the boat owner. If any officer is involved, he or she must abstain from voting.
13. Tournaments
A. Tournament lakes shall be selected during the second winter meeting.
B. Members will compile a list of lakes to create a proposed list. The list is to include lakes of 1,000 acre minimum.
C. No lakes may be selected, if it has been fished within the last two years.
D. The club shall supply lake maps for those who want them.
E. Of the lakes chosen, at least one of them has to be a lake that the club has not fished in at least eight years or never fished at all. This lake does not count towards the one "away" lake allowed each year.
F. Each member is entitled to challenging one date in the selection process of lakes and dates.
G. Of the six tournaments, a minimum of one needs to be scheduled in each month of June, July, August and September.
H. Of the lakes chosen, a maximum of one can be an "away" tournament a year. "Away" is defined as the lake access that is being utilized for a tournament is outside of a 40-mile radius from the Elk's Lodge.
I. No tournaments shall be scheduled on holiday weekends.
14. Pre-Fishing
A. No pre-fishing is allowed before the opening of catch and release bass season.
B. Blind lakes are fishable until the lake for the blind tournament is drawn, at which time pre-fishing is not allowed.
C. There is no pre-fishing allowed after the partner draw for that lake.
15. Hours
A. Tournament hours shall be from 7:00am to 3:00pm when within a 40-mile radius of the Elk's Lodge and at 8:00am to 4:00pm when outside of the 40-mile radius. The 8:00am to 4:00pm also applies to tournaments on or after September 15th.
B. Competitors should plan to be at the take-off point and ready 30 minutes prior to the start time.
C. Competitors who plan to leave before the end of the tournament must make arrangements with the Tournament Director for their fish to be weighed.
16. Checkpoints
A. The Tournament Director will select and announce the take-off and weigh-in locations.
17. Safety
A. Competitors must wear a Coast Guard approved PFD securely fastened whenever the gas motor is in operation, unless the motor is being used only to maneuver the boat or to remain in holding position.
B. Tournaments may be canceled, postponed, or relocated by vote of the officers, if small craft warnings, thunderstorms, or other dangerous weather threatens.
18. Sportsmanship and Conduct
A. Maximum courtesy shall be practiced at all times to competitors and local anglers.
B. Competitors may not fish within casting distance of another competitor's boat.
C. Trolling as a fishing method, either gas or electric motor, is prohibited.
D. No alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs may be kept in boats during tournaments. Use of the drugs during tournament time will cause for disqualification.
E. If an alleged violation occurs, the protest must be stated prior to the weigh-in of the person lodging the protest. Club officers will review the complaint to determine if it is reasonable. Penalties could include disqualification from the tournament.
19. Tackle
A. No use of natural baits, except fish attraction substances and pork rinds.
20. Federation State Team Selection
A. The team will be selected by the proceeding year's final standings in the club. The top four anglers that are able and willing to fish will compromise the team, with the 5th place person as the alternate. However, all anglers will be required to pay all fees necessary to fish the state TOC. Anyone else who wishes to fish the state TOC as an individual is welcome, but they too will be required to pay all fees. The last member out becomes the alternate and must work at the TOC, as well as fish the Alternate's Tournament.
B. Those who qualify for the TOC by the above criteria must commit to competing by March 31st to the club President. If an angler chooses not to compete, his name will be placed at the bottom of the list and, if another opening occurs, he could again be asked to compete, based on the order of ranking. For example: If there are 12 Federation members and someone ranked second in the standings but chooses not to compete, he will than rand 12th for selection.
C. If a person who is a member of the club's TOC team cannot compete due to personal emergency, he must contact the club President or the club Tournament Director as soon as possible so another individual may be selected and the Federation duly notified of the substitution.