Val Verde Bass Club Tournament Rules (Revised January 2016) 1. Compliance of Laws Val Verde Bass Club members will abide by all Federal, State, and Local laws at all times. A Mexican fishing license is required to fish in Mexican waters. Anyone in violation of these rules will be disqualified without refund of their entry fee. 2. Eligibility Participation in VVBC tournaments is open to any member. Club members must have their annual dues ($30.00) paid in order to fish individual tournaments. Non-members (guests) may fish with club members during individual tournaments for a fee of $5.00, which enters them in the Big Bass competition. 3. Entry Fees Individual tournament entry fees will be $20.00 per member. An additional $5.00 is required to participate in the Big Bass competition for each tournament. ($25.00 total) (When paying with checks, they should be made out to: Val Verde Honey Hole Bass Club). 4. Payback The number of anglers entered in the tournament shall determine the individual payout. There will be one paid place for every five entries, up to six places. Big Bass will pay one place with 100% payback. 5. Registration Registration for contestants will take place at the pre-tournament meeting held the evening before the tournament or by contacting the club tournament director or a club officer by 9:00pm the evening before the tournament. All entry fees must be paid at the time of sign-up or at the weigh-in. The pre-tournament meeting time will be 6:00pm at a location determined by the club president. 6. Cancellation Policy The tournament director and club officers will monitor the weather forecast three days before the scheduled tournament. If winds of 20mph or more are predicted, the tournament director will consult with club officers. If the tournament director and club officers decide to cancel the tournament because of inclement weather, an email will be sent to all members by 12:00 noon on the Friday before the tournament. The tournament director and club officers will decide when to reschedule the cancelled tournament. 7. Tournament Hours Tournament participants can start fishing 30 minutes before sunrise. Members can launch at any available ramp located in the Amistad National Recreation Area. Weigh-in time is 3:00pm until 3:30pm in the parking lot. at the Diablo East fish tube area. 8.​Weigh-In Participants must be in line, with their fish in a bag, ready to weigh, on or before the official cutoff time of 3 :30pm. Members getting in line to weigh after 3 :30pm will be disqualified. The tournament director will be the official timekeeper for the tournament. 9.​Fishing Location Tournament participants can fish anywhere on Lake Amistad that is allowed by state and federal law. 10.​Tackle and Equipment All Fish must be caught on a rod and reel with artificial bait. No live bait is allowed and only one rod may be used at time. Trolling with the combustion engine is not permitted. Contestants must fish and land fish from the boat used in competition. 11. Number and Length of Fish Largemouth and smallmouth bass will be accepted for weigh-in. All bass must be 14-inches in length. Fish will be measured with the mouth closed and the tail in any position. If a short fish is weighed, the angler will receive a 2-pound penalty, which will be deducted from their tournament catch weight. Each participant is allowed to have 5 fish in the live well but they may only weigh the 3 largest fish. (Our club members are allowed to only weigh 3 fish). The 3 fish must be weighed on the Val Verde Bass Club scale. 12. Big Bass Once a participant selects a specific fish to be weighed for Big Bass, he cannot change. The weigh master will not determine which fish from the sack will be weighed as Big Bass, the participant must select the fish. 13. Care of Fish Contestants must use all reasonable efforts to keep fish alive and in good condition. Members will receive a 4-ounce deduction from their total weight for each dead fish presented at the weigh-in. It is the responsibility of the weigh master to determine the condition of the fish. All fish that are weighed alive should be released alive. Participants may keep a fish that is considered a trophy. 14. Tournament Scoring Tournament winners will be determined by the most weight accumulated with a legal 3-fish bag after any penalties are deducted. First place will receive 50 points. Second place will receive 49 points, and third place 48 points, etc. through every entrant weighing a legal fish. Entrants who do not catch a fish will receive a score that is 5 points less than the last place entrant with a 3 5-point maximum. To receive points for a tournament, you must check in with the tournament director during the weigh-in. If you leave the lake early and do not check in with the tournament director, you will not receive any points for that tournament. In the event of a tie, a flip of a coin will determine the higher place winner or the tied contestants can agree to split the winnings. 15. Rule Interpretation The officers of the Val Verde Bass Club will have the responsibility of interpreting the rules. The decisions of these officers will be final. 16. Protests Any protest, grievance, or conduct concerning a contestant must be submitted in writing to the tournament director no later than 5 minutes after the weigh-in is completed. The tournament director will determine the course of action. 17. Agreement to Comply A paid entry to a tournament shall be considered your total agreement to comply with the rules of the Val Verde Bass Club. 18. Annual Awards The club tournament season will run from October to the following September. The Top Six Anglers by accumulated points will each be awarded a plaque. The angler with the most points for the year will be named The Angler of the Year and will receive a plaque and a check for $250. 00. The second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth place anglers will also receive plaques. If there is a tie, the next lower place will be eliminated. The club member who catches the largest bass of the year will be awarded a plaque and a check for $100. 00 for catching the Big Bass. (Points for each member of the club will be taken from their 10 best tournament scores). 19. Tournament Scheduling The tournament director will set the tournament schedule with the National Park Service and then the officers of the Val Verde Bass Club will approve it. If possible, all tournaments will be scheduled for the second Saturday of the month. There will be no tournament scheduled in January but there will be two back-to-back tournaments in March. If possible, these two tournaments will be held on the second Saturday and second Sunday of March. 20. Safety Safety and good sportsmanship will be priorities during all tournaments. All boats must have the required Coast Guard approved safety equipment. All competitors must show safe and courteous, conduct, and navigation. All participants must wear life jackets when the boat is on plane.