NORTHEAST BASSMASTERS

BUDDY CIRCUIT

BY-LAWS

ARTICLE 1: NAME AND PURPOSE

                  Section 1: Name

 This chapter shall be called The Northeast Bassmasters.

Section 2: Purpose

To stimulate awareness of bass fishing as a major sport.  To offer our state conservation department our organized moral and political support and encouragement.  To promote full adherence to all conservation codes. To improve skill as a bass anglers through a fellowship of friendly exchange of expert bass catching techniques and ideas. To function as a dynamic and effective link with other bass clubs and embrace the principles and purposes of bass anglers nation wide.

ARTICLE 2: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1: Executive Committee/General Membership

The chapter shall maintain an executive committee made up of the President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary and Tournament Director.  The general membership will be made up of all those who participate in at least one of the scheduled events and has paid the annual membership dues. 

Section 2: Membership Dues

There will be an annual membership fee of $10.00 in order to participate in any tournament sponsored by Northeast Bassmasters. We are a pay as you go club.  Once you become a member you may fish one or all of the tournaments scheduled for that season.  Northeast tournaments are $110.00 per team or $55.00 per angler.  This fee includes lunker pool for each event.

Section 3: Duties of the Executive Committee

PRESIDENT:  Preside over all meetings and direct official business and be ex-official member of all committees; supervise all club functions.

VICE-PRESIDENT: Act as program chairman of committees, assist the President in duties and preside in the absence of the president.

TREASURER:  Collect and disperse all money for the club; maintain accurate financial records.

SECRETARY:  Be responsible for all club correspondence.

TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR:  Coordinate the annual tournament schedule, oversee the tournament committee, and uphold the tournament rules.   

* One person my hold one or more positions on the Executive Committee without a conflict of interest as long as there is at least 2 executive committee members on the executive board.

ARTICLE 3: STANDING COMMITTEES

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: This committee will consist of the President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, Tournament Director.    This committee will be responsible for upholding all club By-laws, handle all club finances and oversee all club functions.

TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE: This committee consists of one member and the committee chairman.  This committee is responsible for handling all tournament related activities for the club and maintaining accurate club standings.

ARTICLE 4: TOURNAMENT RULES

Section 1: Boat Inspection

No boat will be aloud to participate unless first being inspected by a committee member for:

a) Coast Guard approved life vest for each angler.

b) Livewells are empty and in good working order.

c) Working running lights.

d) A valid license for the state the tournament is being held in.

e)Liability insurance  and documentation of such insurance must be on the boat at all times.

Section 2: Boat Qualification

In order to qualify for use in a tournament, a boat must meet the following requirements:

a) Have at least one working livewell and be able to keep 2 limits of bass alive.

b) Must be at least 16 ft. long.

c) Be powered at least by a 40 HP. engine.

d) Must not be powered by an engine exceeding the maximum rating for boat size.

e) Have a working trolling motor.

Section 3: Late Penalty

a) Official time will be announced prior to blast off.  Check in time will be sharp according to the official time.  Lateness to check in will be rounded up to the next minute and penalty applied.

b) Late penalty will be 1 pound per minute late.

c) Lateness of more than 10 minutes is an automatic disqualification.

Section 4: Weigh-in

a)  All legal fish must be weighed in at end of the event on the official  club scale.

b) A person with a fish in question of 12 in. MUST ASK FOR A COURTESY CHECK PRIOR to handing his weigh bag to be weigh-in official.  A short fish will be returned to the water.  Failure to announce a potentially short fish prior to handing over your weigh-in bag will result in a 1 pound penalty.

c) A 2-ounce penalty will result for each fish unable to be released alive.

d) Culling of a dead fish is an automatic disqualification.

e) Each fish caught by an angler is considered to in be possession.  Culling of fish is to be done immediately upon catching.  If at any time other than culling, an angler is in possession of more the legal limit, he will be disqualified.

Section 5: Payouts

Pay outs are based on 80% of the tournament fees collected less the $10.00 lunker fee per boat which is a separate pool.  Three places will be paid if there is a field of nine or more boats in the event, two places for five to eight boats, and winner takes all for four boats or less.

a) First Place                  50%    

b) Second Place              30%

c) Third Place                 20%

d) One Lunker  award    100% of the fees collected for event

Section 6: Rules of Sportsmanship

a) No fishing within 100 ft. of an anchored tournament boat.

b) No fishing within 50 ft. of the tournament launch site unless otherwise specified.

c) No one may leave the boat to land or catch a fish.

d) Only one rod can be used at a time.

e) No natural or live bait is permitted or allowed in possession during any   tournament with the exception of pork baits used as trailers.

f) Trolling is not permitted.

g) No fishing in waters deemed off limits by the Tournament Committee.

h) Life vest must be worn at all times whenever the big motor is started.  Failure to do so will be a disqualification for the angler not wearing one.

i) Failure to abide by the rules of sportsmanship will be reviewed by the Executive Committee and a possible disqualification, penalty, or warning,  may result.

Section 7: Protest

a) All protests and reporting of rule infractions must be made orally to the Tournament Director within 30 minutes after weigh-in.

b) The identity of the protesting member will be confidential.

c) The accused party will be invited to state his case.

d) The Executive Board and Tournament Committee combined will review the protest, make all judgments, and apply any penalties.

Section 8: Tournament Scoring

a) Scoring will determined by total creel weight.

b) Weight will be recorded in pounds and ounces. 

c) Minimum length is 12in. mouth closed, tail pinched. 

ALL STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS REGARDING FISHING AND BOATING APPLY.  USE OF ALCOHOL AND/OR DRUGS DURING A TOURNAMENT WILL RESULT IN AN AUTOMATIC DISQUALIFICATION. THESE RULES APPLY TO ALL PARTICIPANTS IN NORTHEAST BASSMASTER TOURNAMENTS REGARDLESS OF STATUS AND OR POSITION, AND THEY WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED.