• Rule Changes and Interpretation:  Interpretation of these rules will be left exclusively to the Tournament Directors.  The decision of the Directors will be final in all matters.  Infractions of any rule can result in disqualification.

• All bass must be a minimum of 12 inches in length or length required by state law if longer than 12 inches.  All kentucky bass must be 12 inches or larger to be a legal entry in the tournament.  All smallmouth bass must be 18” in length or length required by state law. The smallest bass per bag will be measured on a golden rule with mouth closed butted against front of the board and tail pinched with any part of the tail touching to be a legal fish.  If a team is found to have short fish, the penalty shall be loss of that fish and largest fish in bag.

• There will be a five fish limit per boat or state limit.

• Dead fish; there will be a 4oz deduction for each dead fish you weigh-in.

• At no time during the tournament hours will there be alcoholic beverages permitted.

• Each competitor must furnish a coast-guard approved life preserver in the boat for himself and must wear it while the gasoline engine is running.  Safe boating must be observed by all competitors.  The club requires that all boats be equipped with a kill switch and must be used while combustion engine is running.

• Any contestant caught cheating will be barred from all future events held by this club and his/her name will be removed from the roll or the club.

• Each competitor must check-in in person at time and place prescribed on the schedule of events.

• All competitors must be at the boat ramp at weigh-in time.  A team not at the ramp will not be able to weigh their fish.  There will be no exceptions.  So everyone should check their watch with the tournament director to get correct time.

• The tournament committee will furnish an official who will check competitors out in the tournament and make a rigid boat inspection if deemed necessary and act as official weigh-in master.  Livewells will be checked before each tournament.  Exceptions will be approved by the tournament committee.

• Anyone who knows in advance that they will be late for a tournament must notify a committee member before the tournament begins. They must check in with a committee member to have livewells checked before beginning tournament.

• Each team must present their catch to the weigh-in-officials.

• At no time will a contestant be allowed to leave the tournament waters and return except under approval of tournament committee.

• Only artificial lures may be used.

• Trolling is not allowed.

• There will be a $20 membership fee that is required to be paid in full before the start of each season with an optional side pot of $10 per person for big bass of the year.  New members will be required to pay their fee at sign-up time. Maximum membership dues will be required through the June 20th tournament at Woods after that tournament any new members will be allowed to fish but they will have to pay $5 for each tournament fished.

• Entry fee will be $55 per boat, per tournament with no refunds, based on 2 person team.

**note**
**$30 per boat of entry fee goes to each tournament
**$10 per boat of entry fee goes to fish off pot
**$10 per boat of entry fee goes to big fish, optional side pot
**$5 per boat of entry fee goes to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place points champions as a   monetary award.

Entry fee for all tournaments must be paid at the dock prior to starting the tournament.

• All protest will be handled by the tournament director.  Any protest of a tournament or contestant must be presented to the tournament director within 24 hours after the end of the tournament.

• No team will be allowed to fish within 50 yards of another competitor, only exceptions are with permission of competitor or incidental meetings.

• PRE-TOURNAMENT PRACTICE:  No off limits on the 11 tournaments only the fish off.  You may not hire a professional guide two weeks prior to each tournament.  Each competitor agrees to report to Tournament Officials any infraction of tournament rules.  The failure to report violations or suggestions to violate these rules will be cause for disqualification.

• Scoring will be 1 point per ounce caught: example (1 lb x 16oz = 16 points).  A bonus of 16 points per person will be added to your team standing for each tournament fished and a bonus of 16 points per person will be added to your team standing at the end of tournament season if you fish all 11 tournaments.

• Place money will be as follows:

• Up to 6 entries; Two places with 1st place 60% and 2nd place 40%

• 7 or more entries- Three places with 1st place 50%, 2nd place 30%, and 3rd place 20%

$5 of each entry will be deposited in the club treasury and go towards the fish-off pot and   trophies.

• Any club member who fishes 6 of the 11 tournaments will be eligible for the fish-off as an individual, or fish 6 tournaments with the same partner to qualify as a team.  No club member will be able to pay for a tournament in advance and not fish scheduled tournament and expect to receive credit as one of the 6 tournaments in order to make fish-off.  Only exception is if contestant notifies club treasurer and pays for tournament the day before the scheduled tournament and approval was given by the tournament committee.

• Fish-off tournament: This tournament will be a draw for Lake Tournament. All lakes fished on this years schedule will be included in the drawing for the fish-off.  Draw date will be Nov 6.  Any club member who fishes 6 of the tournaments will be eligible for the fish-off.  No entry fee for fish-off.  There will be up to five places paid out at the fish-off depending on number of entries paid throughout season:

1st place 50%
2nd place 30%
3rd place 20%
The drawing for the fish off will be at the new Shelbyville Wal-Mart parking lot at 6:00pm on the Nov 6.

• A paid guide (someone that gets paid to show someone where the fish are and does it for a living “or are anyway affiliated with a paid guide service”) cannot now or anytime join or become a substitute in this fishing club.

• A team shall consist of one or two club members.

• Every team will draw a numbered chip at the first tournament. This will be your number for the entire year. Ease-off will be in groups of five. Your number determines your ease-off position. The ease-off will rotate each tournament starting with numbers 1-5 for the 1st tournament, 6-10 for the 2nd tournament, 11-15 for the 3rd tournament and so on until we exhaust all team numbers and then it will start all over again. New teams that enter after the first tournament will be given the last number not assigned.