Tournament Rules

1. Participation

All club member spouses will be given complimentary membership as long as the member-spouse is in good standing, and may participate in any or all club events with no exceptions. Young adults between the age of 11 and 18 may join the club’s youth affiliate club. They may become B.A.S.S. members in good standing with the Columbia River Bassmasters and B.A.S.S. federation on their 18th birthday. An angler must be a member of the Columbia River Bassmasters, in good standing (Club and B.A.S.S. dues paid) to participate in any of the "regular" (the main draw tournaments that award points toward angler of the year) club tournaments.  New club members must attend at least one monthly club meeting prior to fishing a club tournament.

2. Draw for Partners

Draw for team partners shall be held at the club meeting immediately prior to the tournament. Anyone wishing to participate after the initial drawing shall notify the Tournament Director(s) who shall be solely responsible for pairing. If a member cannot attend the meeting, they must contact the Tournament Director before the meeting to be placed in the draw. 

No two club anglers may fish together during two consecutive tournaments, but may fish together more than once during the year. Club members are not permitted to bring other club members as guests. 

Husband/wife, Father/child, Mother/child may fish as a team and not be entered in the draw.

3. Draw Procedure

The club seeks to ensure that all non-boaters are paired with a boater. The process is as follows:

A. Boater’s names and non-boater names will be placed into two different containers. 

B. A name will be drawn from each container until all pairs have been matched.  If the paired drawing violates Rule 2, then the non-boaters name will be held out for the next boater to be drawn.  If a violation of Rule 2 is the last drawn pair, then an adjustment should be made by pairing to the previously drawn pair.  The draw order will also determine the tournament blast off order.    

C. If there are more non-boaters than boaters, any non-boater(s) not drawn will be given priority the following month. 

D. If there are more boaters than non-boaters, any boater not draw may elect to a) fish alone, b) bring a guest, or c) become a non-boater and be paired with another non-drawn boater in a first-come first-served order by the Tournament Director.

E. If a non-boater's partner does not show up on the morning of a tournament, every effort will be made to "get him a ride" in one of the other boats. If his partner should cancel prior to the morning of the tournament, he should call the tournament director to see if other arrangements can be made.

4. Entry Fee

Entry fee for each tournament shall be $40.00 per boat and shall be distributed as follows:

- $20 to the club general fund

- $20 tournament payout

There will be a cash payout of one place per three boats up to a maximum of three places. Big Fish for the tournament will also receive a cash payout. Distribution of prize money shall be in accordance with the formula contained in the official club tournament book. If all teams catch no fish, there will be a 100% refund. All place money not awarded will be deposited in the club treasury. In case of a tie, the team with the largest fish will determine the winner. Once entry fees have been paid, there will be no refunds to entrants. The tournament director will maintain a copy of the current payout sheet and tournament regulations.

5. Sportsmanship

Contestants in Columbia River Bassmasters club tournaments are expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy and safety. Any infraction of these sporting principles may be cause for disqualification. Consumption of alcohol or illegal drugs, etc. by any contestant will not be tolerated and shall be cause for automatic disqualification for this and future club tournaments.  Courtesy must be practiced at all times, especially with regard to boating and angling in the vicinity of non-contestants who may be on tournament waters.

6. Safety

Safe boating conduct and all safety precautions must be observed at all times by all contestants. Each contestant is required to wear a Coast Guard approved chest-type life preserver. This preserver must be worn any time the combustion engine is operating. The preserver must be strapped, snapped or zippered securely and maintained in that condition while the engine is running.

7. Tackle

Only artificial lures may be used. No prepared or live bait, other than pork type strips or rinds, is permitted. Only rods and reels are permitted. Only one rod may be in use and in the water at any one time. However, any number of rigged rods may be in the boat for substitute purposes. No rod over 8 feet in length may be used. Tournament partners may share/loan tackle between themselves with no penalty.

8. Landing Net

A dip (landing) net is permitted in the boat for use during any tournament.

9. Horsepower Regulations

Maximum horsepower for all outboard motorboats used in tournament competition will be the stated Coast Guard horsepower rating, per plate attached to the boat by the manufacturer. The horsepower of the outboard engine must not exceed the rating specified on this rating plate.

10. Boat and Motor

For the safety of all contestants, ALL boats must be equipped with some kind of ignition kill switch.  The kill switch lanyard must be attached to the boat driver any time the gasoline engine is in gear except during the time when the boat is being loaded or unloaded on the trailer.  It having been determined that boats equipped with "stick steering" presents a greater than normal safety hazard, no boat so equipped shall be used during the tournament by any contestant.

11. Permitted Fishing Waters

No fishing will be permitted in any area designated "off limits" by the Tournament Director during the pre-tournament meeting, or within 50 yards of another boat that was first anchored or electric motor in use in that location. A contestant cannot move in on a boat, which is drift fishing, or working an area with an electric motor, and claim that area by anchoring. It is permitted to courteously fish along with another boat at a 50-yard distance out of casting range. All fishing must be done from a boat. All contestants must leave and return to the starting point by boat.  Boats cannot be trailered from one fishing location to another during tournament hours.

12. CRB Members Classic

A CRB Members Classic event will be held after the conclusion of the regular season tournaments.

Qualification: Members that fish four of the season's events, Cabin Fever Classic included, qualify to enter at no cost. 

Payouts: Payouts are accrued from a reserve of 25% of the entry fee revenue from all regular season tournaments plus or minus net balance of operating profit forecast by the year's end. 

Payout schedule: The club pays out on a graduated payout scale of one place per three boats. A separate big fish pool may be collected and paid outside the club payout. 

Draw for CRB Member Classic: No guests. Draw exemptions apply for family members if both are CRB club members. Boaters draw non boats.  Boaters without a draw can fish alone, or enter as a team with another boater without a draw. If a qualifying member does not draw a partner, the member that fished three events highest in points then qualifies and fishes as the partner.

13. Fishing Hours

Tournament hours will be announced at the club meeting prior to the tournament, but may be changed at the morning meeting by the Tournament Director for safety concerns or other reasons.  Contestants must check in and out at the official checkpoint.

14. Scoring and Limit

Team Scoring will be determined by the total weight of each team's catch or total weight of an individual fisherman if fishing alone. Tournament limits are: 5 fish over 12 inches per team or individual.

The Tournament Director or appointed assistants shall conduct the weigh-in of fish. No contestant shall weigh-in their own fish. 

Winners will be determined by aggregate weight. Succeeding places will be determined by descending weight. Big fish will be determined by greatest weight. Scoring points will be awarded to team members according to the following formula:

- 1st place 100

- 2nd place 96

- 3rd place 92

- 4th place 88

And so on, in descending order to the last team that weighs fish.  At that point there will be a 20-point drop, then that amount will be awarded to any team(s) that participate but weigh no fish.

A plaque will be awarded to members who place but haven't previously received one. Thereafter, place winners will receive a plaque attachment to place on the previously awarded plaque.  Plaque attachments will be awarded to each team member eligible for a payout, up to maximum of three places. A plaque attachment will be awarded to the angler weighing the biggest fish for each tournament. It is the responsibility of the Tournament Director to determine if the anglers should receive a plaque or an attachment. Plaque attachments will also be awarded to the member catching the Big Fish of each tournament.

15. Angler of the Year

Club Angler of the Year shall be determined by the most total points accumulated by any member using the best four of all club tournaments, including the Cabin Fever Classic. In case of a tie the winner will be determined first, by total number of tournaments fished and if the tie still exists, by the largest weight of the first three tournaments fished by of each contestant who is tied. 

Angler of the Year will be awarded a plaque or a prize not to exceed $150 value. The angler catching the biggest fish of the year will be awarded a plaque.  Immediate family members will not be eligible for Angler of the Year competition or big fish entitlements at the end of year; they will also not compete for points during the year. They will however, be eligible for any monetary awards given out during tournament events.

16. Expenses

While boaters and non-boaters may agree to any expense sharing they wish, the club recommended procedure is the following. The boater and non-boater fill the tow vehicle and boat prior to departure. Upon return, both are filled again, and the cost shared 50/50. In addition, the non-boater should share the cost of two cycle oil. The suggested rate is $10 for every 12 gallons of boat gasoline. The suggested minimum reimbursement for a local tournament is $40.

17. Penalties

Contestants who are not in the official check point area at the appointed time shall be penalized at the rate of one pound per minute, to be deducted from the total weight of the contestants’ catch that day, including any weight to be counted toward big fish for that day. Tournament Director's time shall be the official time.  Culling is not permitted after check-in. 

Minimum size shall be 12 inches, mouth closed on the longest straight line. One pound will be deducted for each fish under the minimum size. 

A contestant presenting more than a daily five fish limit shall be disqualified for the day. All fish must be weighed in alive. Any fish brought to the scales judged by the tournament director to be dead will result in an eight ounce penalty for each such fish.

18. Pre-fishing

There will be no cut-off time nor closed waters for pre-fishing prior to a tournament. 

19. Live wells

Live wells or suitable substitutes large enough to keep the contestants' catch alive shall be required equipment. The tournament committee, prior to the event, will inspect each live well.

20. Blast-off

Blast-off order will be determined by the partner draw order at the meeting prior to the tournament event.  Last person or team drawn will handle blast-off in 15-second intervals.

21. Fishing Licenses and Rules

All competitors must possess a legal fishing license for the state in which they are fishing. In the case of the Columbia River where it borders Washington and Oregon, the joint laws of both states apply. 

Rules of the licensing state of the competitor must be observed in regard to type of equipment and tackle, hooking methods, etc.

22. Complaints

Complaints must be submitted in writing no later than 30 minutes after the weigh-in, each day, to the tournament committee. The Tournament director will provide, at request, a Complaint Form.  Decisions of the tournament officials will be final. Any rules violated may result in disqualification.