The bass angler's source for quality tournament and networking opportunities in the Dubuque area
By-Laws
Revised FEBRUARY 2019
The Dubuque Bass Club by-laws were established by the founding members to preserve the goals upon which the club was established. These by-laws provide protocols upon which club activities will operate. If an issue arises that is not addressed in the by-laws, the voted leadership of the club at that time has the final decision in all matters related to the Dubuque Bass Club.
Membership
All participants in Dubuque Bass Club tournaments must be members of the club (not including open tournaments). Membership fees will remain at $35 unless voted to change in order to meet the needs of the club. In order to have voting rights an individual must have be a member the current year, and up to date on current dues.
Liability
All club members are required to carry sufficient liability insurance to cover themselves in the event of an accident. Officers and directors of the club are not liable for any individual club member's actions.
The Dubuque Bass Club has a zero tolerance policy towards alcohol during tournament hours. For the purpose of alcohol and tournament hours, no alcohol shall be consumed from the time you get on the boat until the time you get off the boat at the designated weigh-in ramp. Any angler may not consume alcohol and return to the water. Any angler in violation of this rule will be automatically disqualified.
Entry fee protocol
Team tournaments- All entry fees must be received prior to the pre-tournament meeting. Entries can be paid by cash or check. They must be mailed to the address listed on the entry form, or delivered in person at the pre-tournament meeting. No entries will be accepted after the pre-tournament meeting.
Draw Team Tournaments- Individual entry fees must be received prior to the pre-tournament meeting. The pre-tournament meeting for draw style tournaments will be held at least 1 week before the tournament date. This will allow partners to make arrangements, pre-fish, and talk strategy before the tournament if they wish to do so. Non-boaters who submit entry fees with a boater will be given priority entrance into the tournament, and are guaranteed to fish. Non-boaters not submitting entry fees with a boater will be selected based upon AOY points earned that season. Remaining non-boater entrants will be entered into a lottery drawing if there are not enough boaters to pair all non-boaters. Any non-boater who is not paired with a boater will be refunded their entry fee. If there are fewer non-boaters than boaters, the boater(s) not paired with a non-boater in the random drawing will have the option to fish alone and pay the remaining entry fee or find a partner to fish the tournament with (partner must be a DBC member). Once partners are drawn no changes will be made to pairings.
Refunds- No refunds. In the case of an emergency entry fees may be applied to a future event at the discretion of the club officers.
Cancelled event- In the event of a tournament cancellation, a makeup date will be determined. Refunds will be granted if an entrant is unable to fish the makeup tournament.
Point system for AOY
Points towards Angler of the Year will be determined by finishing order of the tournament. Points are awarded to individuals (Joe and Tom fish together they each receive the same number of points for the event). The winner will receive 100 points towards the AOY race. Second place will receive 99 points, so on and so forth. Teams not weighing in a fish will all receive last place points (if there are 20 boats, 15th place weighs 1 fish and earns 86 points, the remaining teams would all earn 85 points for their participation). In the event of a tie for AOY the total weight, for qualified points tournaments, for the year will serve as the tie breaker.
Tournament Protocols (regular season and member only events)
Take off- Order for takeoff will be determined at the pre-tournament meeting through a lottery drawing. The last boat drawn for takeoff procedures will be the release boat. No boater will go on plane before passing and being released by the take off boat. Violators will be determined by the take off boat, and subject to disqualification.
Check in- Check in times will be clearly announced the day of the tournament. Boats returning late will disqualified. Boats not in attendance of the morning meeting will be disqualified and forfeit entry fee. The morning meeting time will be announced the Thursday before the Tournament. Boat number signage will be provided the day of the tournament. A boat is not checked in until there signage is returned to the designated person (Phil is announced as this person the morning of the tournament, and will be standing at the dock collecting signs as boats come in). In the event that boats are in line for the ramp but unable to safely access the ramp due to congestion, boats must be off plane and in line to the ramp in order to be considered checked in.
Dead fish- In the event of a dead fish being brought to the scales a 1.0 lb (pound) penalty will be assessed to the total weight. No more than 2 dead fish can be weighed. Big bass must be alive to qualify for big bass money.
Short fish- In the event that a short fish is brought to the scales the team will lose that fish as well as their big bass for the day. Fish will be measured using a Golden Rule and closed mouth.
Daily bag Limit- The daily bag limit will be announced at take off. If a team brings more than the daily bag limit to the scales they will be disqualified.
Pierce Less Cull Tags- The use of piercing cull tags are prohibited. If any angler is caught using piercing cull tags, they will loose that fish.
Swapping Boats: In an event that a team of anglers have to swap out to the other team members boat or if one of them wants to join a single club member fishing that tourney. Both boats MUST return and re launch from the original launch of the tournament. The broke down/damaged boat can be left or another person (involved or not involved in tournament) and taken out at nearest/safest launch. Not following this rule will result in disqualification.
Big Bass of Tournament- First and Second Big Bass can be won by the same team.
Tie breakers- In the event of a tie for total weight, big bass will serve as the tie breaker. If there is a tie for the big bass money, total weight will serve as the tie breaker.
Weigh-in "Last Call" will be announced. Anglers have 5 minutes from Last Call to weigh in fish. Anglers not at the scales at 5 minutes 1 sec will be disqualified.
Sportsmanship- All club members are expected to maintain the highest level of sportsmanship. This includes being courteous to both tournament anglers as well as other boaters. Tournament anglers are expected to respect the fishing water surrounding other competitors. This includes coming in on another competitor who is already fishing an area, the effects of your wake(going on and off plane), and any other measures meant to disrupt another competitors fishing area.
Complaints- All complaints must be submitted within 15 minutes of check in. Consequences will be determined by the tournament committee. Multiple complaints against an angler may result in removal from the club. Unnecessary or vexatious complaints may be grounds for disqualification. Any angler to have multiple infractions in one tournament will be disqualified and must use that tournament for AOY points and cannot "throw away" that tournament.
Disqualified = 0 points and entry fee is forfeited.
Tournament Payout Structure
Tournaments will payout 85% of the entry fees collected. 15% of the entry fees will be retained by the club to cover the cost of running quality events (see use of club funds below). 15% will be paid out for 1st and 2nd big bass. Tournament payout will be 1 in 5. This means if 11-15 boats are entered 4 places would be paid, if 16-20 boats are entered 5 places are paid, so on and so forth.
Use of club funds
All money collected by the DBC will be paid out as designated. Money retained by the club will be utilized based on the following priorities:
1. Effectively and efficiently run tournaments
a. Insurance
b. Permits
c. Tournament scales and equipment
2. Banquet
a. Cover cost of meal, venue, and entertainment
b. Purchase of prizes and raffles
3. Increased payouts
a. Classic
b. AOY award
c. Plaques and awards
Classic
In order to qualify to fish the classic, anglers must have paid entry fees for any two club tournaments. The Classic will be at least 100% payback. Take off will be determined by AOY points (highest individual points). The Classic is a team event, both anglers must be qualified to fish. There will be a club vote on the location of the classic and format (location, one or two day
event).
Big Bass Side Pot
Is an optional side pot for club only tournaments. The biggest bass caught by a paid club member during the point tournaments and the classic wins the entire pot. Payout will occur at the banquet.