WHITE MOUNTAIN BASS CLUB TOURNAMENT RULES
1. GENERAL RULES: Tournament participants must follow and abide by all regulations established by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Violation of any Federal, State or Local laws which gives a contestant unfair advantage over another will subject that contestant to disqualification.
2. FISHING METHODS: All bass must be caught live, and in a conventional manner from the participant's boat. The intentional snagging of bass is prohibited and constitutes grounds for disqualification. All sight fish must be caught inside the mouth. No trolling. Only one rod and reel at a time may be used. Landing nets are allowed.
3. FISHING TACKLE: Artificial lures only; attractants (EG. "Fish Formula" "Baitmate" etc.) may be used. No bait, live, dead or manufactured may be used. Casting, spinning and spin-casting outfits only; all other types prohibited. Rods may not exceed 8 feet in length.
4. BAG LIMIT: 5 Bass per boat; minimum length 10 inches. No more than the daily bag limit is allowed in the live well at any time. There will be no fishing or culling of any kind in the host marina (or launch site) at weigh-in.
5. PENALTIES: All bass brought in will be weighed and released at the launch site. DEAD FISH: .20 weight deduction for one dead fish; .40 deduction for two dead fish; .60 deduction for 3 dead fish. Four or more dead fish will be cause for disqualification. Blatantly dead fish (I.E. stiff body, bleached out gills) will NOT be weighed unless they have been witnessed alive by a club member who MUST vouch for them at the weigh-in. Live-wells are strongly encouraged, and stringers are not allowed. SHORT FISH: A one pound weight deduction assessed for each bass less than the 10" minimum.
6. BIG FISH: If you catch a big fish and are afraid it will die, you must show it to another team for verification before it dies. Dead fish that have not been verified will not be eligible for Big Fish awards.
7. FISHING ZONE: Boats must stay at least 25 yards away from other tournament boats at all times. Contestants may reserve a 25 yard area from their boat by having the anchor down and trolling motor up. A boat moving from one area to another may infringe on these zones, as long as the moving fisherman do not attempt to fish while doing so.
8. MARKER BUOYS: Marker buoys are permitted, but cannot be used to protect any fishing area. Contestants may not touch or move the marker buoys of other contestants.
9. PRACTICE FISHING: The tournament lake will be off limits at
midnight the Sunday before the tournament. No exceptions. SALTING: Members are not
permitted to catch and transport bass from one area of tournament waters, releasing them
in another area, in an effort to establish bass populations in specially selected areas
10. FISHING HOURS: Approximate times for each tournament will be designated on the tournament sign-up sheet. Tournaments will not start earlier than 45 minutes before sunrise on the tournament date. Actual start and finish times will be set by the OFFICIAL STARTER, chosen before the start of each tournament.
11. LATE START: If an entered contestant arrives late, they must go to another contestant and show their live well before fishing. If an individual contestant arrives late (or must leave early), he/she must notify another contestant to record the time of arrival (or early departure). Both team contestants must be present for at least the first two hours, or the last two hours of the tournament to receive points; unless an individual fishes alone for the entire tournament (see rule #14).
12. LATE FINISH: Contestants must be at the dock, or on shore at the launch site, with all lines in by the designated tournament finish time. Teams not in by finish time will be disqualified by the OFFICIAL STARTER.
13. LATE ENTRY: Contestants will be allowed to sign up until the
morning of the tournament. Final sign in time will be determined by the tournament director,
since the tournaments start at safe light and it will not be the same for every tournament.
Try to sign up the Saturday night before the tournament, as it will make it easier to do
payouts and the weigh in will go much smoother. If you cannot make it Saturday, call Doug
Coplan at 928-368-3975 and let him know you will be signing up Sunday morning.
14. POINTS: Points will be awarded as follows: 20 points plus weight for 1st place, 19 points plus weight for 2nd, etc.. If you have no fish you will receive 5 show up points for that tournament. There are no throw outs...
15. PROTESTS: Infractions of the rules observed by another competitor will be grounds for disqualification. All protests, disputes and alleged rules violations will be decided by majority vote of members present, with a secret ballot.
16. SPORTSMANSHIP: Any contestant displaying unsportsmanlike conduct will be subject to disqualification. Assistance from a non-contestant that provides an unfair advantage to any contestant will constitute grounds for disqualification. Absolutely no alcohol or drugs will be allowed during tournaments.
17. DAMAGES: Any and all damages to contestants boats, equipment, tackle, etc. are the sole responsibility of the owners.
18. Weigh Master has final say.