FORT MYERS BASS CLUB
BY‑LAWS
ARTICLE 1: MEMBERSHIP August 3,2011
SECTION 1: Organization shall be limited to persons of at least 16 years of age.
Membership Limitations – Club membership will be limited to – one more boater than non boater. When non-boater membership reaches this limit, new non-boater members will be put on a waiting list, to be accepted according to sign up date. New boaters who sign up with a non-boater, will receive priority. Tournament director will be responsible for managing club membership ratios.
SECTION 2: Members shall conduct themselves in a proper manner at meetings and tournaments. Members who feel that another member has conducted himself in a non‑sportsman‑like manner, or in a manner that is detrimental to the club as a whole, may submit that member’s name to the officers for consideration. Officers may elect to reprimand the member or present his name to the membership for a vote of expulsion. It requires 2/3 majority vote of members present for a member to be expelled. Any member planning to use his boat in a tournament must sign and complete an application form and provide proof of insurance of at least $300,000.00 (policy or binder must be carried to all tournaments)
SECTION 3: The Bass Club fiscal year begins January 1st and ends December 31st. Membership dues shall be paid in November of each year, in the amount of $75.00. Your $75.00 dues will include membership into the TBF. All members must be current FLW members. A member can choose to join BASS Nation, by paying an additional $20.00. If a member chooses to join the BASS Nation, that member must also be a member of BASS.
New members joining the club between September and December, will pay prorated dues. Dues will be based on current TBF membership, plus 1/12th of the rest of the current dues, for each remaining month of the year.
SECTION 4: A copy of these by-laws and Tournament rules will posted on the Ft Myers Bass Club Website. A guest or prospective member will be given a ‘Welcome Letter.’ Should the organization disband, all assets will be dispersed as decided by a simple majority vote of members.
ARTICLE II: OFFICERS, VACANCIES AND ELIGIBILITY
SECTION 1: Officers shall consist of:
A. PRESIDENT ‑ preside over meetings, conduct official business, direct and appoint committee functions and maintain order during meetings.
B. VICE PRESIDENT ‑ Act as program chairman, conduct raffles and preside over meetings in the absence of the President.
C. SECRETARY ‑ Keep accurate minutes of meetings, write “Latest New” section to be posted on the web site, handle club correspondence,
D. TREASURER ‑ Maintain accurate financial records and report financial status at each meeting. Make bank deposits, purchases and receive and disperse all monies, maintain membership roster and keep FLW and B.A.S.S. membership updated.
SECTION 2: Elections shall be held annually at the regular meeting in November. Elections shall be by simple majority vote of members present. Proxy votes are not permitted. To be eligible for an office, a member must be in good standing.
SECTION 3: In the event the presidency becomes vacant, the Vice President will assume the office of president and conduct an election for Vice President. FLW, TBF and B.A.S.S. will be notified of the officer change.
SECTION 4: Bylaws may be amended at any time of the year, by submitting the change in writing to the secretary. The proposed changes will be posted on the web site before the next meeting.
SECTION 5: Any rule. decision, or action taken by any Officer or Committee may be overruled by a majority vote of the club members present at that meeting.
ARTICLE III: TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE
SECTION 1: The Tournament Committee will consist of 5 members that are elected during the November meeting. The committee will select their own Chairman and Vice‑Chairman. The committee will meet in December and select the tournament dates for the following year. These dates will be posted on the Ft Myers Bass Club web site.
SECTION 2: The Tournament Committee shall select tournament sites and announce the site (including any OFF‑LIMITS waters) to the members at the meeting the month before the tournament date. The safe light starting time, directions to launch‑ramp, and fishing report will be covered at the meeting just prior to the tournament. All regular tournaments will be on a Sunday. The 2 day tournament will be Saturday and Sunday.
SECTION 3: The Tournament Committee will conduct the draw for fishing partners at the regular meeting. After the drawing has matched boaters with non‑boaters, remaining boaters have the option to fish alone, pair up by mutual agreement, or bring a paying guest. Members may also fish with a guest, 4 times per year, without participating in the draw. Members cannot be brought as guests. Prospective members may fish one tournament per year without joining the club, but they must participate in the draw. A prospective member will not have priority over a member in the event of an uneven draw. A member may not fish with the same member two tournaments in a row.
SECTION 4: Tournament Committee will conduct boat checks, announce official time, announce weigh‑in‑time and conduct weigh‑in. The Committee Chairman will maintain a weigh‑in log to determine winners and compute point standings. The results and standings will be posted on the web site.. The Committee will also post the point standing board.
SECTION 5: Tournament committee shall record points as follows:
Meeting attendance 5 points
Tournament attendance (or buy-in) 5 points
First Place 40 points
Second Place 39 points
Third Place 38 points
Down to 40th Place 1 point
Competitors that do not weigh‑in fish will receive equal points starting 10 points below last place competitor that weighed in fish. In case of ties, points and prize money will be divided equally. Fisherman of the Year, and the top thirty fish-off contenders, will be based on 12 tournaments, plus attendance, buy-in points, and fishing points.
ARTICLE IV: END OF YEAR AWARDS AND FISH‑OFF
SECTION 1: FISHERMAN OF THE YEAR
High point holder at the end of the year will receive $250.00 and a shirt indicating Fisherman of the Year with his name monogrammed on it or $55.00.
SECTION 2: BIG BASS AWARDS
The club will present any member with a check for $100, for releasing alive, any bass weighing over 10 pounds, that is caught during an official club tournament – including the fish-off tournament. Big Bass of the Year caught during regular tournament will be awarded a trophy or $ 100.00.
SECTION 3: QUALIFYING FOR FISH-OFF TOURNAMENT
A member must fish 4 tournaments to qualify for the Fish-off . Members that were unable to attend a regularly scheduled tournament, will have the opportunity to buy-in to qualify for the Fish Off Tournament. In order to accomplish this, 100% of all missed tournaments for the year, will have to be included in the buy-in. The buy-in will be 25% of the entry fee($10.00), for each missed tournament.
SECTION 4: FISH‑OFF TOURNAMENT
The tournament committee will conduct a draw for fishing partners at the December meeting. If there are more boaters than non-boaters, the boaters with the highest points, have the option to fish alone.
The prize will consist of 90% of the treasury after Fisherman of The Year. Big Bass and all other organizational expenses are paid. Pay back will be as follows:
- 1st Place…..30%
- 2nd Place…..25%
- 3rd Place…..20%
- 4th Place…..15%
- 5th Place…..10%
The January 2011 Fish-Off Tournament (2010 Season) will be on a Sunday. Starting January 2012, (2011 Season) the Fish-off tournament will be a 2-day tournament – Saturday and Sunday. Nominations for the fish-off site, will be made at the November meeting. The site will be voted on by all anglers who are eligible to fish the Fish-Off-Tournament, and who are present at the November meeting. Previous year’s Tournament Committee will conduct this Tournament.
ARTICLE V: TOURNAMENT RULES
SECTION 1: The Tournament Committee will conduct all tournaments as outlined in Article III and these rules. Live well checks will be done before the tournament begins. Boats late for the start must find another boat in the tournament and have their live well checked prior to fishing. The Tournament Committee will handle all protests or complaints, and their decision will be final. Any violation of a rule that doesn’t carry a specific penalty shall result in total disqualification for the tournament day.
SECTION 2: ENTRY FEES AND PAYBACKS
The entry fee is $ 40.00 per person payable at the drawing. The non-boater will pay the boater $25.00 per day/tournament, toward the expenses of gas and travel. Big-bass pot is separate and will be handled by the tournament committee chairman. Tournament payback is 75% of the entry fees, and the remaining 25% will go toward the general fund. Three places will be paid as follows.
1st Place 50%
2nd Place 30% (Payback will be based on total weight and
3rd Place 20% points will be awarded per Article II, Section 5.)
SECTION 3: LIMITS AND SIZES
Fish limits per tournament day, along with minimum lengths and maximum lengths, will be determined by the Florida permitting process. If a permit is not obtained, the Club will fish the “Slot”. Culling starts according to lake limits (3 fish limits – culling will start when the 4th fish is boated) (5 fish limits – culling will start when the 6th fish is boated).
SECTION 4: PENALTIES
A 4 oz penalty will be given for each dead fish. Too many fish brought to scales is cause for total disqualification since it would violate state limit laws. Extreme care must be exercised when measuring fish on the water since a short fish will also violate state laws and will also be cause for total disqualification. Penalty for being late for weigh‑in is one pound per minute with total disqualification after 5 minutes. In case of breakdown. one member may transfer their catch to another members boat to be transported to the weigh‑in without penalty.
SECTION 5: SAFETY
Safe boating conduct must be practiced at all times. Competitors must wear an approved Coast Guard check type PFD any time the combustion engine is operating. The boat owner is responsible to have all required Coast Guard equipment on board. No alcoholic beverages may be consumed on the water during the tournament
SECTION 6: TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT
Only artificial lures may be used. No ‘live or prepared bait’ will be permitted, with the exception of pork strips, rind etc. One rod and reel is allowed to be in use at one time. Trolling with the big motor is prohibited. All bass must be caught alive in a conventional accepted fishing manner. Landing nets may be optional. Fly-rods are not permitted unless you are fishing alone or both fishermen agree prior to the tournament. Wading is not allowed. Fishing boats seventeen feet or longer in length may be used in tournaments.
SECTION 7: SPORTSMANSHIP
Members and guests are expected to follow high standards of good sportsmanship, safety, courtesy and conservation. All fishermen must have a valid fishing license before they fish a tournament. Good Boater/Non Boater relationships are important to the future of our organization. The Non‑Boater has the option to ask for I/2 of the tournament time on his choice of water. Common sense must prevail especially on large bodies of water and during bad weather conditions. Non‑Boaters must respect the boat owners equipment and accept financial responsibility for damage caused by negligence. A full discussion must be held between the two fishermen prior to fishing to insure that these provisions are understood and an agreement is reached.
SECTION 8: Any changes to these rules that may be necessary due to weather, safety, changes in laws etc. will be announced at the meeting and/or the launch site by the Tournament Chairman.
Article VI: Special Events
Section 1: All funds collected for special purposes shall be held separate from the general revenue.
These are the Official By-laws of the Ft. Myers Bass Club as adopted at the general meeting August 3, 2011
Gary Paul, Secretary
