General Rule (Non-Monetary)
This club operates on a strict non-monetary basis. No cash, checks, electronic payments, reimbursements, or other monetary funds shall be used in connection with club tournaments. Tournament awards and participation are conducted using tokens and points only.
Tournament Operations
- The Tournament Director will establish official start times, off-limits areas, and any special rules prior to each event.
- No participant may start fishing or leave the immediate launch area before the official start time.
- All participants shall start from the designated location on the lake.
- Participants not present at launch time are not allowed unless previously cleared with the Tournament Director.
- Failure to comply may result in disqualification and loss of points.
- Official weigh-in time is 3:00 PM unless otherwise specified by the Tournament Director; it is each participant’s responsibility to know the weigh-in time.
- At least one partner from each boat must be at the weigh-in site at the weigh-in time and advise the Tournament Director (or assistant) that the boat is represented.
- The penalty for being late to weigh-in is disqualification; no points will be awarded for any disqualification. Disqualified members may still be required to pay applicable tournament fees/tokens as determined by the club.
- All fish must be presented in an approved “Release Alive” container (heavy-duty plastic or mesh bag).
- Weigh-in begins when the Tournament Director (and designated helper) are present and ready. Fish are measured/weighed only by the Tournament Director or designated assistant.
- Official measurement uses a standard ruler/belly board; mouth closed and tail swiped. The Tournament Director (or designate) is the final authority on length and weight.
- Short fish: one (1) pound penalty from total weight; the short fish is not weighed. (Penalty does not apply to big-fish qualification.)
- Dead fish: 0.25 lb. penalty per dead fish; the Tournament Director determines if a fish is dead. The 0.25 lb. penalty is deducted from both the angler’s total tournament weight and the individual fish’s weight for Big Fish qualification.
- All fish will be released unharmed except for trophy fish, at the discretion of the angler (where allowed).
Conduct & Safety
- Any angler receiving a citation during a tournament will be disqualified for that day. In a team format, both anglers will be disqualified for that day.
- Zero tolerance: any participant consuming alcohol or using any controlled substance (including marijuana) during tournament hours will be disqualified.
- All participants must wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket when the big motor is running.
Operational Conditions
- Boaters and non-boaters will wait no longer than 15 minutes for their partners at the lake. If a non-boater does not arrive, they may be reassigned by the Tournament Director.
- If a boater leaves a tournament before the end of that tournament, they must notify the Tournament Director or a Board Member.
- Club voluntary membership dues and any required club donations must be paid before fishing a tournament to be eligible for points awards.
- An active member in good standing is a member who attended at least two meetings and two tournaments in the preceding season and has paid all voluntary dues/required fees on time.
- If no fish are caught in the tournament, token awards (if any) will be handled per club policy for the general/operations pool and top five pool.
- No angler shall have more than the lawful state or lake limit of fish in their possession at any one time.
- Any boat that breaks down may transfer one partner plus eligible fish to another boat to meet the weigh-in deadline.
Team & Partner Rules
- Partners are selected by random draw unless otherwise approved by the Tournament Director.
- No two anglers may be partners for two consecutive tournaments.
- No boater shall fish for two consecutive tournaments without a partner unless prior approval by the Tournament Director.
- It is the responsibility of the non-boater to contact the boater no later than Sunday afternoon before the tournament to discuss meet-up time and location.
- Transportation and lodging arrangements are voluntary personal agreements and shall not involve money. No penalties, credits, or compensation of any kind will be enforced by the club regarding travel or lodging.
- Non-active members and guest applicants may be allowed to compete in team-format events for prizes/awards as permitted by the club, subject to eligibility requirements and payment of the regular member tournament entry (tokens) to be eligible for prizes/awards.
- Both the boater and co-angler must notify the tournament director of any withdrawals from the scheduled tournament ASAP.
- If the co-angler cancels AFTER the Sunday before the tournament, then they are still responsible for the non-boater fees, unless another club member takes their place.
Token & Point System
One-Day Tournaments (Team Format) Total Entry Allocation: 60 Tokens
- 13 Tokens — Club Operations & Administration Pool
- 7 Tokens — Top Five & Lunker Pool
- 17 Tokens — 1st Place
- 11 Tokens — 2nd Place
- 6 Tokens — 3rd Place
- 6 Tokens — Big Fish
Two-Day Tournaments — Total Entry Allocation: 70 Tokens
- 13 Tokens — Club Operations Pool
- 7 Tokens — Top Five & Lunker Pool
- 17 Tokens — 1st Place
- 11 Tokens — 2nd Place
- 8 Tokens — 3rd Place
- 7 Tokens — Big Fish (per day)
Point Awards
- 10 points — Tournament participation
- 10 points — Meeting attendance
- Placement points are awarded per the published seasonal chart.
- Disqualification = zero points.
Protests
- Any protest must be submitted in writing to the Tournament Director no later than 24 hours after weigh-in time.
- The Board of Directors will consider all protests and announce the final decision as soon as practical.
- The final disposition of points and awards token will be withheld until a ruling is made when a protest involves either element.
Insurance & Liability
- Any angler using their boat must have a valid copy of their boat insurance policy (with the angler’s name on the policy) on record with the Secretary or Tournament Director before the boat can be used in a club tournament.
- Minimum liability insurance: $300,000 (or as otherwise required by the club/insurance policy).
- Failure to provide documentation will disqualify the boat from participating in club events.
- Every member or prospective guest who participates in any club event must have a signed waiver and release on file prior to participating.
Final Clause
This document supersedes all prior tournament rules containing monetary references. WCBA recognizes and affirms that tournaments are administered using tokens and points only.