Chautauqua Lake Bassmasters
2008 Tournament Procedures

 Welcome to the 2008 tournament season.  Hopefully, everyone will have a great year.  Enclosed in this packet are the tournament rules, procedures, entry forms, and schedule.

The format will be as follows:

• Five (5) point draws
• Your best four (4) out of five (5) draws will count towards qualifying for the Club Classic based on points.  Ties will be determined by your total weight.
• Angler of the Year, Non-boater of the Year and will be based all the five (5) draws.
• Two (2) team opens (non-members welcome)
• One (1) member/guest team tournament

• Only club members may fish the Points
• All qualifying points tournaments will be draws.  Partner’s will be paired randomly.  Once a boater has been paired with a non-boater, he or she will be placed at the bottom of the list for future draws until all boaters have been paired with a partner.
• Each Non-boater will be required to pay $25.00 to the Boater prior to take off.
• Each Non-boater will have equal fishing time in the location(s) of their choice. (4 hours which will include travel time to the location(s)).
• You may fish a Team Open or Club Member/Guest alone, but the full team entry fee must be paid. 
• Those not entered (paid in full) and boat checked 15 minutes prior the take off, will not be able to enter the event.
• Note – No late entries will be allowed for Member Points/Draw Tournaments.
• All contestants must be on the water, ready for take off, 15 minutes prior the start of the tournament.  In the event that you will be late, you must contact the Tournament Director Randy Crist  716-484-7348 home  or cell 716-481-3408,  plus find another contestant to check your livewells prior to the start of your fishing.  (This only pertains to Club  Points/Draw and Club Partners tournaments, not Open Team Tournaments.)

Entry Fee and Payout:

• $30.00 per angler entry fee for Member Points/Draw Tournaments (This includes Big Bass)
• $80.00 per team entry fee for Open Tournaments (This includes Big Bass).
• 37% 1^st place
• 26% 2^nd place
• 17% 3^rd place
• 20% club tournament expenses

No plaques will be awarded in open tournaments
The top finisher in points tournaments will receive plaques. 

Tournament procedures continued on reverse side

 Club Classic:

• No entry fee.
• Cash payback will be a minimum of ($250.00 – 1^st place, $150.00 – 2^nd place, $100.00 – 3^rd place) based on the club funding.
• The top ten (10) anglers based on points and the defending 2007 Classic Champion are eligible to fish the 2008 Club Classic.
• Plaques will be awarded to the top finisher.
• Observers are optional
• $10.00 optional big bass each day.
• The Club Classic will be a two (2) day event with combined weight from the two (2) days to determine the champion.

• All non-boaters who qualify for the Club Championship will be responsible for finding a boat to fish out of or a boater who agrees to allow them to fish in his/her boat prior to the tournament.

Scoring for Points Tournaments:

• All draw tournaments will be scored on a 100-point system.  100 points for 1^st, 99 points for 2^nd, and so on.
• In the event of a tie in, each of the tied participants will receive the same points and equally split the prize money and a coin toss will determine plaques.  Example: if two (2) tie for 1^st place, they will each receive 100 points and spit the 1^st and 2^nd place prize money.  If two (2) tie for 10^th place, each will receive 91 points and so on.
• Contestants who fish a Points Tournament, but do not catch any fish will be awarded 15 (Show Points) less than the contestant who received the least points but did catch fish.  Example:  The last points awarded being 80 points, those who did not catch fish would be awarded 65 points.
• No points will be awarded for not finishing the tournament.

Chautauqua Lake Bassmasters

2008 Tournament Rules 

1.)    All competitors are expected to follow the highest standards of Sportsmanship, Courtesy, Safety, and Conservation.   Any infraction of these principles may be cause for disqualification.  No points or prize money will be awarded for any disqualification.

2.)    Each competitor must complete and sign the official entry form prior to the start of the tournament.                  No exception!

3.)    Only artificial lures may be used (pork baits o.k.) and trolling is not allowed.

4.)    Only largemouth and smallmouth bass will be weighed.  Except where local regulations are different, no more than five (5) bass per angler in a draw tournament and no more than five (5) bass per team in a open team tournament may be brought to the scales and all must be at least 12 inches in length (measured closed mouth and tail fanned).  A penalty of one pound plus loss of fish will be assessed for each short fish brought to the scales.  A courtesy Golden Rule will be available before the weigh-in.

       5.) All boats must have a suitable aerated container to keep a tournament limit of bass alive and healthy.  A four-

ounce penalty will be deducted for each dead fish weighed in.  Culling of dead fish is not allowed.

 6.) There will be an Official Checkpoint for the morning boat check and check-in for every tournament. Contestants 

       must leave the tournament send off location by boat and must return by boat, except in emergency situations. 

 7.) Every boat must be checked for adherence to the rules prior to send off during all tournaments.

 8.) A one (1) pound penalty will be assessed for each minute you are late to the check-in, and loss of that day’s catch 

      after fifteen (15) minutes late to check-in.  Neither contestant in a boat, stopping to help another contestant

      in an emergency situation, will be penalized for being late to check-in as long as the tournament director 

      has been notified either directly or other means.  All fishing ceases upon check-in.

 9.) Each contestant may use only one (1) rod at a time.

 10.) There will be no fishing within twenty-five (25) yards of:  another tournament boat that is anchored, an active or 

       inactive gas pump, or the Official Tournament send off and check-in location.

11.) Cutting ahead of another contestant fishing a shoreline will not be tolerated.  (see rule #1)

12.) All contestants must have a approved U.S. Coast Guard floatation device in the boat at all times and it must be 

       worn and fastened whenever the combustion engine is running.  

13.) Anyone caught adding to or altering a fish in any manner will be disqualified.

14.) No illegal drugs and/or alcohol shall be consumed or allowed in the boat during tournament hours.  Being under 

       the influence is prohibited and will result in disqualification.

15.) In case of a tie, cash prizes will be combined and split.  A coin toss will determine plaques.

16.) The Tournament Director’s decision is final at each event.  A formal written appeal must be filed with the 

       Tournament Director within ten (10) minutes of his/her final decision.  Any and all complaints against another

        contestant must be filed before the end of the weigh-in.  No complaints will be heard or acted upon thereafter.

17.) The weigh-in will begin approximately fifteen (15) minutes after tournament hours.  You are expected to check-

       in.  Call or tell another contestant if you cannot make the weigh-in or expect to be more than one-half hour late. 

       Failure to notify the Tournament Director by some appropriate means will be cause for disqualification.

18.) Anyone leaving the tournament site for any reason before the weigh-in, or fails to turn in their weigh-in voucher

       at the weigh-in, will not receive any points, including show points.

19.) Every contestant is responsible for his/her own insurance coverage.

20.) If a boater or non-boater is going to be late for the tournament, it is his/her responsibility to contact the 

      Tournament Director or any of the club members via cell phone before the start of the tournament.  Failure to do

       so will result in disqualification.  Final decision will be up to the tournament committee members present.