St. Louis Bass Busters
2009 Club Rules & Officers
as Amended November, 2008

GENERAL INFORMATION:
St. Louis Bassbusters require a $55.00 annual membership fee. This covers both Missouri Federation
and National Federation TBF dues. This fee becomes $65.00 if paid after the December meeting.
For new members joining after July 1 the membership fee will be reduced to $25.00, but the
member will not be covered by any National TBF, or MOTBF Federation Programs,
or take part in the Club Classic.

Fees are required to be paid before you can compete in a club tournament, receive points,
or become an active participating member.

Tournament fees will be $35.00 per person with $5.00 of that going towards the funding of the
year-end club "Classic" tournament prizes, and $5.00 towards a "heavy boat" prize to be award
for each qualifying tournament, and $1.00 going towards the Big Bass of the Year award.

A new member is defined as someone who has not previously been a member for the 12 months
prior to the beginning of the current club year.

Club officers are the president, treasurer, and the secretary. Club officials are the president,
secretary, treasurer, and tournament director.

The past president and current club officers will automatically serve as Tournament Committee
members for the upcoming year.

MEMBER'S RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Non-boaters shall be responsible to their draw partners for their share of the expenses. Included
among those expenses are the costs of getting the boat to and from the lake. The boater
shall make an effort to ensure the non-boater has a way to the lake if the boater leaves town prior
to Friday night.

2. St. Louis Bassbusters requires all boat owners to supply a valid certificate of insurance.
The insurance certificate should show St. Louis Bassbusters, 4123 Wenzel Ln.
St. Louis, MO 63129 as the holder of the certificate.

3. When meeting up with a paired partner, the boater is required to wait only 15 minutes. If his partner
does not show up, he may then leave for the lake. The non-boater is then responsible to be at the
lake, and at the take-off location on time or his disqualification will occur.

THE DRAW:
4. Club members will be paired for tournaments by an impartial drawing at the meeting prior to the tournament.
5. If for some reason you are unable to attend a club meeting and you want to fish the tournament following that
meeting:
(a) You must notify a club officer or club member that will be in attendance.
(b) This member/officer may put your name in the draw.
(c) Whether a boater or non-boater you will be paired by the draw procedures.
(d) You will be notified of your partner by the next morning.
(e) You must make these arrangements prior to the meeting.
6. Resolution to a tournament draw condition where there are more boaters than non-boaters or more non-boaters
than boaters; the members who do not draw a partner will be given the following choices:

A. He can bring anyone who did not participate in the draw with the following conditions:
1. The member must declare at the draw meeting and pay the substitute's entry fee that night.
2. If the member shows up at the tournament without a substitute, he will be allowed to participate in the
tournament, but will forfeit the substitute's entry fees.

B. For boaters who do not choose option "A" , they will be paired with another boater that also declined
Option "A".
1. This will be done by the draw.
2. The boater name first drawn will be the designated boater unless mutually agreed otherwise. The
Tournament Director must be notified, the night of the draw, who's boat will be used.

C. If a member is the last to draw, he may elect to fish by himself.

D. If a non-boater is the last draw and cannot fish by himself, he will be given priority in future tournaments.

THE OPTION RULE:
7. Club members in good standing are allowed one option per tournament year. An "option" is granting the club
member the opportunity to fish a club tournament without entering the tournament draw for his boat
partner (either boater or non-boater). Under any application of this rule, no member will receive more than
two options per tournament year.

8. An option can be exercised to allow two club members the opportunity to fish a club tournament together. Both
members must have an available option. Both options will be deemed used for the balance of the
tournament year. It is the intent of this rule that no one will have the ability to pair up with the same partner
more than once during the tournament year, other than by luck of the draw.

9. An option can also be exercised to allow a member the opportunity to enter and fish with a prospective new member,
in any club tournament, except the classic. This prospective member will receive any prize money he earns.
He will receive the points relative to his finish, if and only if, he joins the club by the next scheduled meeting.
The member who recruited the new member will be given another option when the new member joins. The
member can only exercise this opportunity once per tournament year.

10. No guides will be able to fish a club tournament as an option.

11. No one may fish with a paid guide on any tournament lake from Monday prior to the tournament through the
tournament date.

NO FISHING RULES:
12. No contestant will be permitted to fish within 50 yards of an anchored contestant with his trolling motor up, during
the tournament.

13. The Tournament Director will announce the off-limit area(s) at the meeting prior to each tournament.

LEGAL FISH & LIMITS:
14. There is a limit of five fish per day per angler. Only Largemouth, Kentucky, and Smallmouth bass will be scored.

15. All bass brought to the weigh in area shall comply with the legal length for the lake being fished. Bass will be
measured with their mouth closed. All reasonable attempts will be made to make the fish measure.
There will be a "courtesy" board available for use by any contestant.

16. Once a fish is brought to the official weigh-in, it will be judged only by the tournament committee.

17. No contestant will have more than five fish in his live well.

ON THE WATER RULES:
18. Every boat must start from the designated starting area, in the water, and on time. If however, a contestant has
arrived late but they are on the ramp before the take off time, they will be allowed to fish.
There are no other exceptions. NOTE: If a contestant is late on numerous occasions, immediate ejection
could occur at the discretion of club officers.

19. Boat partners must stay together from take off to weigh in with the exception of an emergency as provided for in
rule #20.

20. If boat or motor problems occur, each contestant must place fish in separate bags or by using markers.
You may then leave your partner and get into another boat to weigh tournament fish. Note: If any boat helping
another contestant is late, all will be considered late. There will be no exceptions.

21. There will be no trailering of boats from one location to another. If there is a serious trouble e.g. high winds,
motor problems, etc., you and your partner may return any way possible. If trailering occurs however,
your weigh in for that day does not count and you will receive no points or awards. No Excuses!

22. All fish must be landed from the boat. No fishing from the bank.

23. Only one rod per contestant, may be used at any one time.

24. No trolling is permitted.

25. Only artificial lures are permitted. No live bait of any kind may be used. Pork baits are permitted.

26. All boats must check in at the scheduled time. Failure to do so will result in a deduction of 1 pound per minute,
up to 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, you will not be allowed to weigh fish for that day. No Excuses!

27. No boat shall leave the tournament site without notifying another contestant or the marina operator.

28. All fish will be returned to the lake after the weigh in unless the fish is of trophy size or deceased. The club officials
will determine if a fish is alive. No fish will be given away. NO EXCEPTIONS.

29. All boats must be operated in a safe manner. All boats shall comply with all state and federal regulations.

30. It is suggested that Coast Guard approved, life jackets be worn by all contestants while the combustion engine is
running. They Must be worn during take-off and return.
All boats must be equipped with two aerated live wells and a working kill switch.

WEIGH - IN:
32. Short fish brought to the weigh in will result in a 1 pound penalty plus the loss of the short fish.
The penalty shall not effect Big Bass.

33. Dead fish brought to the weigh in will result in a .5 (1/2) pound deduction from the total weight for each
dead fish weighed.

34. In the event of a tie on weight:
A. Both contestants will receive place points appropriate to that place. The tie removes the place points for the
next lower place.

B. If prize money is involved, both money places will be added together and divided equally.

35. In case of a tie for tournament big bass, the tie will be broken by the heaviest stringer

PRIZE MONEY:
36. Prize money will be based on a 100% pay back, less the amount designated for the "Classic".
 

TOURNAMENT PAY LINES: