Bass-Jons

I. Name and Purpose

A. Club Name: The club shall be called BASS-JON’S “Share the Knowledge!”

B. Purpose: Improve our skills as bass anglers through fellowship and a friendly exchange of bass catching techniques and ideas, to promote and encourage youth and family fishing, and a love for this recreation. “Share the Knowledge!”

C. Bass-Jon’s will generally support the state conservation department and report problems and concerns to the proper authorities.

II. Meetings

A. There is an annual club meeting, usually in January.

1. Date, location and time of the annual meeting will be sent via e-mail and/or web posting.

2. The meeting agenda should include:

(1) Announced tournament schedule/locations.

(2) Review and make changes to the by-laws.

(3) Welcome returning club members.

(4) Introduce and welcome new club members.

(5) Complete required paperwork.

(6) Accept payment of annual dues.

B. Officers voted to their position during the previous year will assume their duties immediately upon election and will be responsible for coordinating the January annual meeting.

C. Additional club meetings when required will be held directly after each tournament weigh in. Any member can bring up any topic for discussion at meetings.

D. Club meetings needed in between tournaments will be announced via e-mail or web posting by a club officer.

 III. Number of Members

A.  A 50 member limit will be initially imposed at the annual club meeting. Club officers will determine membership beyond 50 members.

B. An effort will be made to maintain a 2:1 (30:15) Boater to Non-Boater ratio.  Club officers will determine non-boater membership beyond a 2:1 boater to non-boater ratio.

IV. Requirements for Membership

A. Be at least 18 years of age. Persons under 18 years of age must have parent’s or guardian’s consent.

B. Must be current with club dues and owe no fines from previous years.

C. Maintain a good attitude towards other members and respect their views and interests.

D. Members from the previous year will not be considered members until they indicate an intention to maintain membership with the club for the following year. Members from the previous year who have not notified a club officer by the second scheduled tournament of their intent to fish with the club will be dropped from the roster.

E. If a person expresses interest in becoming a club member and attends the 1st meeting of the year, the perspective member will be voted on after their first tournament fished.

F. Individuals who want to become a member after the annual meeting:

1. Must first attend either the annual club meeting or one tournament before they can be voted in as a member.

2. Must state their intent to join to a club officer. Until the intent to join the club is expressed to a club officer, individuals will be treated as guests.

3. Will be voted on and attain a majority of the voting members in attendance.

G. Members in good standing have paid annual dues, owe no fines (from the current or previous years), respond to intent messages or coordinate with club officers for absences, and abide by the rules and standards of conduct.  No response to intent messages for three (3) consecutive tournaments will place the member in an “inactive” status. Members who want to return to good standing in the club and continue to fish tournaments must make a request to the club president. The club officers will decide and inform the members of the returning member’s status.

 1. Members who do not remain in good standing or who have been moved to the waiting/inactive list will be afforded the same privileges as guests.

2. Members not in good standing are not permitted to vote for club officers and on club issues.

3. Members returning to good standing will not be required to pay annual dues a second time.

H. Membership is open throughout the year.

I. Membership Dues

1. Annual membership dues are $25.00 per person, $50.00 for family plan members and AR (At Risk COVID) members $25 unless under family plan. All members are required to pay annual dues to be considered in good standing.

2. Dues are payable at the annual meeting, or when voted into the club. Annual dues not paid before the second scheduled tournament will result in the member being placed in an inactive status. They will not be considered a member and will be afforded the same courtesy as guests, until they have paid the dues. Members who want to return to good standing in the club and continue to fish tournaments must make a request to the club president. The club officers will decide and inform the members of the returning member’s status.

3. Paid dues are not refundable at any time. Dues will assist in the purchase of trophies, awards, web hosting services, etc.…

J. Members must have the required forms completed and a current copy must be on file with the club president in order to fish tournaments.

IV.1 AR Members (At Risk COVID 19)

A. Purpose is to allow “at risk” Boater members to fish by themselves until the pandemic has passed or they feel they are safe to resume normal boater requirements. AR members is a senor / medical sensitive individual who due to the COVID-19 Virus requests permission to fish alone,

1.Member who is 65 or older.

2.Has a pre-existing condition such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease.

3.AR members are encouraged to wear PPE (face coverings) when interacting directly with club members.

4.Members requesting to be placed in an “AR” status will submit their formal request by e-mail or phone to become AR members to the Club Officer for approval.

5.AR members will follow all other By-Laws except allowing non-boaters to fill the back seat. AR members will not be allowed to bring their family or guests.

6.AR members may revert to regular boater status if they want at any time and must notify club officers of their desire to change status.

7.AR members will get same points just like all other members for Angler of the Year competition.

V. Family Plan

 A. The purpose of the family plan is to increase family and minor children participation. The family plan includes:

1. Spouses and girlfriends / boyfriends

2. Siblings / Parents / Children / Cousins

3. Children and grandchildren (under 18 years of age only)

4. Members who would like to fish under the family plan with a minor, who is not a family member, will be allowed to as along as the minor’s parent signs the required permission forms. Requests must be made to the club president and may be approved on a case-by-case basis.

B. Annual dues for the family plan are $50.00 per family. This will pay for the primary club member and any qualifying person in the member’s family. The member can alternate between family members.

C. Members in the family plan will be considered one boater and one non-boater on the club roster. The primary family member will be considered the boater.

D. The “two people in a boat” rule still applies.

E. The member must have completed membership forms and tournament release forms for all those participating in the family plan.

F. Club members who are not going to fish with a family member should post as a normal boater or non-boater in response to intent to fish. 

 G. Members scheduled to fish with a family member, but the family member does not fish (meaning the primary member fishes alone) are still required to pay the tourney fee ($10.00).

H. If a member declares “family plan” for a tournament, and the family member does not attend the tournament (meaning the primary member fishes alone) for two (2) consecutive tournaments or four (4) tournaments during the season, family plan status will be revoked, and the primary member will be required to be in the normal boater/non-boater pairings.

 I. To regain family plan status, the primary member must make a request to the club president. The club officers will decide and inform the club of the member’s return to family plan status.

J. Family Plan members will receive two votes for the family when voting for officers or other club issues.

K. To qualify for the classic same rules apply for the boat (FP) must fish at least half tournaments. So, if FP member who owns the boat fishes the required number, then everyone on the plan is qualified to fish the classic no matter the number of tournaments fished. Still only two in a boat. Those that fish the Suffolk Team Challenge or a Benefit tournament under Bass-Jons will have that event count towards their events needed to qualify for the classic, however no points towards Bass-Jons AOY, Junior AOY and Non-Boater AOY.

VI. Junior Anglers

A. Members under the age of 18 will be considered junior anglers.

B. Junior anglers will be treated as all other members and are subject to the same rules and regulations as adult members. No special rule considerations will be given to junior anglers.

C. If adult anglers are not comfortable fishing with or cannot fish with a junior angler, they must inform the club officers.

1. There is no penalty for adult anglers who do not wish to fish with junior anglers.

 2. Once informed, the tournament director will not pair that member with a junior angler.

D. Adult members fishing with junior anglers are responsible for complying with laws and regulations associated with persons less than 18 years of age.

E. Anglers under the age of 18 will not receive a vote for officers or general club issues.  The exception is a Junior Angler that fishes in the normal draw as a non-boater.

VII. Guests

A. Guests are only permitted to participate when the club’s officers grant permission.

B. Permission will only be granted if all club non-boaters interested in participating in the tournament have been assigned to a boat and there are still open seats.

C. No guest will be allowed to fish more than three (3) tournaments in a calendar year.

 D. All guests must sign the tournament waiver form before fishing.

E. No guests will be allowed to fish in the club Classic or other designated special tournament.

F. Every club member, whether a boater or non-boater, is allowed to bring a guest to the tournament.

G. Members may use a guest’s boat as long as it complies with local restrictions and boating regulations. Members who fish from a guest’s boat are the responsible party, unless the member is a minor.

H. Once a member has fished with a guest, the member must fish two tournaments before being allowed to bring another guest. If the member was scheduled to fish with a guest, and the guest does not fish the tournament, the member is still required to fish two tournaments before being eligible to bring another guest.

I. A guest does not have to state any intent to become a member of the club.

J. If a member is approved to fish with a guest and the guest does not attend the tournament (meaning the member fishes alone) for any 2 tournaments during the year, the member will not be eligible to bring guests for the remainder of the season.  The guest policy is not a tool to allow members to avoid the pairings and fish alone.

K. The member will still be required to pay the $10.00 entry fee.

L. AR members are not allowed to bring guests due their status.

VIII. Tournaments and Events

A. Tournament dates / Locations will be drafted by the current officers in Oct for the upcoming season. This is done due the large number of clubs and open trails fishing the lakes / river systems. This allows advance planning and avoiding duplication, so clubs / open trails don’t event on the same dates and location.

1. Tournament dates and locations will be drafted by the current club officers and presented to the members as an initial schedule via the message board for voting in Oct.

2. As a community courtesy, every attempt will be made to de-conflict tournament dates with holidays with other tournament trail schedules and fishing clubs. Conflicting schedules will not be the absolute factor in determining tournament dates. Each member will be allowed give input to the officers after the initial posting.

3. Each tournament is one day event held on a Saturday or if a two-day event Sat & Sun.  Normal Weigh In is at 4PM

B. The decision to change a tournament date/location after the schedule is completed will be decided by the club officers.  Changes are limited to situations where the event location or date MUST be changed. Examples include weather concerns or ramp closings. There will be no changing locations due to anticipated low numbers, once accepted during the annual meeting and voted on the schedule it remains. If the event is canceled, it will be held the following week.

C. Annual Club Classic

1. The Club Classic will be held at the end of the year and any money left in the club treasury will go toward pay outs for 1st – 3rd or more places, depending on funds remaining in the club treasury and the number of members fishing in the tournament.

2. The normal tournament fee ($10.00 per boat) will still be collected and paid out.

3.  In order for a club member to participate in the Club Classic he/she must participate in at least half of the scheduled tournaments. If there are an odd number of tournaments that season, the required number of tournaments to fish will be rounded down.  Attending a tournament blast off and paying an entry fee constitutes participation for the purposes of Classic qualification.  All members must qualify for the Classic under these rules with no exceptions. Note: if Club Members are participating in an event that represents the club such as the Suffolk Challenge this event will count towards number of tournaments needed in order to fish the classic.

4. Normal pairings will be held for the annual Classic.

5. Members, who are qualified for and have posted positive intent to fish the Classic, the first day will be a draw to select the body of water to fish the classic, the second day by vote; in person at the first day weigh in. All bodies of water fished (lakes) for the current are eligible to be selected. The officers will determine which method will be used.

6. Scheduled tournaments fished as a guest will count as qualifying tournaments for the annual Classic if the guest becomes a member.

Intent to fish and pairing of boaters and non-boaters.

A. An “intent to fish” message will be posted on the web indicating the date, time, lake, and pertinent information for the upcoming tournament. (Approximately 2 weeks prior to the tournament, if time allows)

1. The intent message will include a deadline for submitting your intent to fish the upcoming tournament.

(a) Boaters may submit to fish as non-boaters and non-boaters may submit to fish as boaters.

(b) Boaters may not arbitrarily choose to fish by themselves.

(c) If fishing under the Flex Member plan it must be stated in the intents.

(d)   Members must provide the following information: 

“Yes” “no” – I intend to/not to fish.

“Boater” “Non-Boater” “Family Plan” “AR Member” “FM Member – I intend to fish as a boater or non-boater or indicate that you are on the family plan.

“Guest” – If you are requesting to bring a guest.

“Normal” “Early” “Late” – If there is an option to vote for a modified tournament weigh in time.

“Name” – Add the name of your guest or family member fishing with you.

 “Boaters may post to fish with another club member in the Intent Message / This of course if there are enough open back seats for the non-boater members.

 (e) Members may change their intent until the deadline date without penalty.

1. Members who do not respond to the intent message will be considered as not wanting to fish the tournament.

2. Once the intent to fish deadline has been met, the tournament director will conduct a draw of those who intend to fish the tournament to identify a reserve, and pair members for the upcoming tournament. Every effort will be made to not pair members more than once during the year. The results of the draw will be posted in the form of a “Pairing Message.”

(f) The pairing message will specify the tournament location, launch sequence, meeting site, check in time, weigh in procedures and times and any additional information the tournament director believes is pertinent to the tournament.

1. Typical check in time will be 30 minutes prior to official sunrise.

2. Typical start time will be official sunrise.

3. Typical weigh in time will be 4:00 PM. 

(g). Any member who has answered the Intent to Fish message with a positive response and does not show up at the tournament will be required to pay the entry fee for the missed tournament (fine). Collected fines will be put into the club treasury and paid out at the annual Classic.

(h) Members who answer the intent to fish message with a positive response and withdraw from the tournament AFTER the pairings have been sent or posted is responsible for notifying his partner and informing the tournament director that the partner has been contacted.

1. The tournament director will reassign the single member to fish with another member if possible.

       Boaters paired together:

(a) If two boaters are paired together, and will fish together, the determination of whose boat to use will reside with the two members.  The boaters should notify the tournament director of which boat they will use to avoid confusion.

(b) If two boaters are paired and decide to fish separately, they will BOTH notify the tournament director of their intent, and each member will pay a $10.00 tournament entry fee. They are eligible to bring a guest.

(i) If possible, a reserve boat will be designated for every 10 boats participating, so a non-boater can fish if a boater does not show up for a tournament or if a boater’s watercraft becomes non-functioning and he/she still desires to fish.

1. The reserve assignment cannot be traded with another member.

2. The assigned reserve cannot self-assign himself a partner or a guest.

3. An effort will be made to rotate reserve designation among different boaters.

4. When there are boats designated as solo which means a reserve boat has been assigned and there are not enough back seaters to fill all available boats. When this happens, the solo boater can bring a guest at the last minute if they so choose, and it will not count against your guest rotation. There will still a tournament fee $10 per boat. If Solo boat is assigned during the classic, that solo boater can elect to bring a Bass-Jons club member who didn’t fish the minimum tournaments if they are in good standing. 

(j) If any member withdraws from a tournament after the pairings, has a change of circumstances, and can fish the tournament, the tournament director will attempt to match the original pairing. If the original pairing cannot be upheld and there are seats available, the tournament director may assign the member to a different partner, or as a second/alternate reserve.

(k). Changes to times or locations will be passed through e-mail/web posting or phone calls from the club officers.  It is strongly encouraged for each member review the tournament intents message board on the website the night before the tournament for any changes or cancellations.

(l) Tournament cancellation and rescheduling will be determined by the club officers (see VIII.B. for restrictions on changes).

(m) Tournaments may be shortened or extended if agreed to by a majority of members present, or by vote on the tournament intents message boards.

(n) All members will be responsible for arriving on time for check in, start and weigh-in.

1. The club will not wait for late arrivals.

2. Club members who arrive after tournament start time may still fish.

(a) Late participants must check in with a club member and pay the tournament entry fee before weigh-in starts. Entry fee not paid prior to weigh-in will not be accepted.

(b) Late participants should notify a club officer that they have arrived late and have checked in with a club member before they begin fishing. The member who checked the late arriving members live well must verify to club officers that he checked the late member’s live well.

3. Members who do not answer the intent to fish message and show up and request to fish may be allowed to fish at the discretion of the club officers. If allowed to fish, the member will be required to pay a $10.00 entry.

(o) Members who twice do not answer the intent to fish message but show up at check in and request to fish will not be allowed to fish that tournament and may be dropped from the club (officer discretion).

(p) A short-notice draw or re-pairing may take place for extenuating circumstances at the discretion of the club officers.

X. Tournament Rules

A. The entry fee for tournament is:

1. $10.00 per boat for each tournament

2. $10.00 for the designated reserve

3. $10.00 for boaters who have been paired, and the co-angler drops from the tournament.

4. $10.00 each for paired boaters who choose to fish alone

5. $10.00, per boat, for family plan members

6. Entry fees will be collected by the tournament director or club officer prior to the start of weigh in.

7. The entry fees will be placed in a “Lunker pot”. Fines will be put in the treasury for pay out at the annual Classic.

(a) The Lunker pot will be awarded to the individual or team weighing the single heaviest fish for that tournament.

(b) The Lunker Pot is a 100% payback to the boat/team who weights the heaviest fish for the tournament.

(c) Guests are allowed to participate in the Lunker pot.

(d) The Lunker pot winnings will be shared equally between team members unless otherwise agreed upon between the team members.

8.  In the event that no fish are caught during a tournament, the Lunker pot collected for that tournament will be rolled over to the next scheduled tournament. No refunds will be given. Members will still be required to pay the entry fee for the next tournament.

B. There must be at least 2 boats and 3 anglers to start a tournament.

C. Only largemouth or smallmouth bass are allowed to be weighed.

D. There is a five (5) fish limit per boat/team.

E.  All fish must be 12 inches, unless different minimum required by state or local authorities.  Penalty for weighing in a short fish will be the loss of the shortest fish plus the weight of the largest fish.  That largest fish is also disqualified from winning big fish.

F. Only one rod and reel may be used at one time. Being used is defined as having the bait/lure in the water, whether or not the angler is holding the rod.

G. The first boat at a location has the right of way; other boats should stay at approximately 50 feet away for safety and courtesy. If you feel you are encroached upon by another angler/team, you must issue a verbal statement to the impeding boat. The offended member/team will notify club officers of any infractions.

H. No illegal drugs are allowed during club events.

I. No live bait is to be used in club events, only artificial baits and pork baits are allowed. Food source and Berkley Alive lures and additives (fish attractants) are allowed.

J. There is a maximum of two persons in a boat during any/all tournaments.

K. All angling must be done from the boat.

L. Landing nets are permitted for the safety of the fish.

M. Trolling as a method of fishing is prohibited.

N. Contestants may fish anywhere on tournament waters available to the public and accessible by boat, except areas designated as “off limits” or “no fishing” by club, local, state, or federal officials or within approximately 50 feet of a competitor’s boat that was first in position.

P. At no time may a contestant leave the boat, either on land or into the water to land a fish or to make the boat more accessible to fishing waters. Emergency bathroom breaks at the boat landing is ok.

O. Each boat must have all required U.S. Coast Guard safety equipment.

Q. Boats must contain a properly aerated live well or cooler with an aeration system to maintain a limit of bass. Stringers are not allowed.

                a. No puncture type cull tags are allowed.

R. Fish must be caught before the tournament completion/weigh in time. While sight fishing if a fish is foul hooked it must be released.

R. Culling dead fish is discouraged.

T. All live bass will be released after being weighed. A dead fish is defined by Tournament director at time of the weigh in. The president or senior officer at the tournament will check the body of water prior to leaving that any fish that my have died after released are retrieved and disposed.

 1. The dead fish penalties will be assessed on that team/member.

2. Dead fish will be collected near the weigh in site and disposed of.

U. There will be a four (4) ounce deduction assessed from the member/team total weight for each dead fish weighed. 

V. There is an eight (8) ounce (1/2-lb) per minute penalty for arriving late to the weigh in site.

1. Fifteen (15) or more minutes late will result in disqualification.

2. To be considered on time, members must either have their boat beached or partner ashore preparing the boat/tow vehicle for boat recovery by the designated end time. Once on time to the weigh in site, fishing is no longer allowed.

3. The tournament director is the official timekeeper. Personal time differences will not be considered or taken into account for determining if an angler/team is late.

4. Leaving a tournament early

5. If the boat receives a ticket from the Game Warden for a fishing violation this will result in a disqualification.

6. Departing members should attempt to contact another club member to inform them that they are leaving. Notifying a club member will ensure that the boater and non-boater have not gotten into an accident and will prevent members from spending time searching or calling local authorities.

7.  The club officers will review the circumstances under which the boater and/or non-boater quit or abandoned the tournament and will determine if the members’ conduct constitutes unacceptable fishing courtesy and sportsmanship and recommend course of action to be taken.

Y. Weigh In and Scoring

1. The official tournament scale will be the club’s scale.

(a) If this scale is inoperative; a functioning digital scale provided by any club member agreed upon by club officers, prior to weigh-in, can be used.

(b) This same scale will be used for the entire weigh in process.

(c) If the scale breaks or becomes inoperative after the weigh in has been started, and alternate scale will be used and the tournament results will be unofficial until it is determined that all fish were weighed satisfactorily.

(d) If it is determined that not all fish were equally weighed, the tournament results will not be included in the angler of the year totals.

(e) If there is a question or dispute about a weight, it must be brought up before the tournament results are announced.

(f) Any disputes brought up after the tournament results are announced will not be heard.

(g) A member may ask to have any one or all fish re-weighed.

(h) If a member identifies one of his fish as his big fish and then, after that fish is weighed, believes that one of his other fish is bigger, he may ask to have his other fish weighed and recorded as his big fish.

(i) If a member believes that his big fish is heavier than initially weighed, he may ask to have his fish weighed again to verify accuracy.

(j) A member’s big fish will not be eligible if its dead.

(j) A member may not ask to use another scale.

2. The club will use the following point system for awarding Angler, Co-Angler and Junior Angler of the Year points for each tournament: 

1st Place = 15

2nd Place = 14

3rd Place = 13

4th Place = 12

5th Place = 11

6th Place = 10

7th Place = 9

8th Place = 8

9th Place = 7

10th Place = 6

Those with fish, 11th place and below = 4 points

Those with no fish = 2 points

(a) Only members will earn placement points.

(b) Guests cannot earn points for Angler of the year. If a guest becomes a member during the year, previous placement points will be awarded to the new member to compete for AOY.

(c) Total weight ties will be broken by comparing the weight of the largest fish for each tied team. In the event that one team weighs a big fish, and the other team does not, the team weighing the big fish receives the higher place (and points).  If neither team weighs a big fish, then the two teams will be tied and receive the same points.

3. Angler of the year “AOY,” Co-Angler of the Year “C-AOY,” and Junior Angler of the Year “J-AOY”. All awardees will have to fish at least eight tournaments to qualified.

(a) Members who are considered “boaters” will compete for Angler of the Year. Boaters who fish from the back seat of another boat will still compete for Angler of the year.

(b) Members who are considered “non-boaters” will compete for Co-Angler of the Year. Non-Boaters who fish a tournament as a boater will still compete for Co-Angler of the Year.

(c) J-AOY: Junior Anglers will compete against all other Junior Anglers for J-AOY. If there is only one (1) junior angler in the club, the Junior Angler will compete as a Co-Angler for C-AOY.

(d) The Boater, Co-Angler and Junior Angler accumulating the highest point total will be the club’s “Angler of the Year” “Co-Angler of the Year” or “Junior Angler of the Year”

(e) If more than one member has the same point total at the end of the year, the angler with the most wins breaks the tie, if the same then largest fish, if the fish are the same then total weight caught during the year will win AOY/C-AOY/J-AOY.

(f) Club members will use their top ten (10) tournament finishes to determine AOY/C-AOY/J-AOY point total.

(g) AOY / Non-Boater AOY Points: As noted AOY is for boaters however there are instances where these members have boat issues that may have them fishing as a non-boater until boat repairs are made. Points accrued during these instances can be used for AOY; however, the boater member must fish as a boater for the majority of scheduled tournaments. If there are sixteen tournaments, he / she must fish at least eight as a boater for their points total to go for AOY. The majority rule applies to the number of tournaments the member fishes. If the tournaments, they fish as a boater is equal or less than the majority their points will go for Non-Boater AOY.

4. Lunker of the year/Biggest Bass of the year

(a) The member who weighs the heaviest single fish during a scheduled tournament will earn the “Biggest Bass of the Season” or “Lunker” Award. Lunkers caught during the annual classic will not count toward the Lunker of the Year Award.

(b) If more than one member ties for catching the heaviest fish they will each is recognized as having the Biggest Bass or Lunker of the Year.

(c) Lunker must be alive to count as Lunker of the day, its weight minus 4 oz will still count for total weight.

XI. Officers

A. Election and Eligibility. Officers are elected by the members to coordinate club actions and make decisions without having to spend unreasonable time contacting each member for their opinion on any/every topic that may arise. Officers should not change decisions or cause the entire club to spend time discussing an issue as a result of a small number (4 or 5) of members being unsatisfied with an issue or decision. Any member can bring up any topic for discussion at a meeting, but the officers have been put into place to prevent wasting time on minor issues. Members who are not satisfied with the performance of the officers that have been put in place by a majority of voting members, can vote different officers into position the following year and/or compete for an officer position themselves so they can help improve the club.

1. Each member present will receive one (1) vote.

2. Elections for new officers will be held after the last scheduled tournament, and before the annual meeting in January. This will allow for the new officers to be in their office to coordinate the annual meeting (January).

3. Any member in good standing may run for or be nominated for any office.

4. Winning an officer seat requires a nomination by another club member or by self-nomination and a majority of votes from the voting members.

*Note: A member can only nominate one person to compete for one position.

5. The term for all officers is approximately one (1) year, depending on election dates.

6. The term will be effective immediately upon election through the election for the following year.

7. There are no restrictions on the number of terms that can be served.

B. Vacancies

1. Unexpected vacancies for officer positions will be filled by a special election held within seven days of the office becoming vacant.

C. Officer Responsibilities

1. President

(a) Provides the members with leadership.

(b) Sets annual meeting agenda and coordinates date, time and location of the annual meeting.

(c) Appoints and oversees committees, chairmen and club representatives.

(d) Maintains the order of the bylaws and interprets their meanings in the best interest of the club.

(e) Procures club trophies and awards.

(f) Account for and disburse club funds.

(g) Coordinate with other clubs and agencies.

(h) Act as lead for community interaction.

(i) Coordinate any special events for the club.

2. Vice President

(a) Assists the president and accomplishes the president’s tasks and requirements in his absence.

(b) Acts as club’s Conservation Director.

(c) Spot check Club Treasury.

(d) Prepares the monthly club newsletter.

(e) Screens nominations for the monthly Angler Spotlight feature.

(f) Leads club meetings

3. Tournament Director

(a) Assists the president and vice president and accomplishes their tasks in their absence.

(b) Qualifies, weighs and records tournament results and submits results to the webmaster for posting.

(c) Acts as Safety Director

(d) Approves all boats for tournament acceptance. This means the boat has an active live well and is safe to operate. The Club and its officers are not responsible that boaters are adhering to state / local laws. It’s the club member who is responsible to maintain their boat, have the appropriate licenses, boat permits, and abide by the laws or restrictions imposed for those bodies of water. If the member gets a ticket for a violation, it’s their sole responsibility and any repercussions imposed by the local / state authorities are those of the boater not the club or its officers. 

(e) Conducts or coordinates live well spot checks prior to the start of tournaments.

(f) Collects tournament fees and fines. Turns fines paid over to the president/treasurer for accounting.

(g) Conducts and announces pairings and tournament coordinating instructions.

(h) Maintains tournament director equipment (scale, weigh bags, banner, camera, bins, etc)

D. Other club positions

1. Club Photographer: The club photographer will not be a club office and will not be elected to fill the position. A volunteer will be sought to fill this position.

(a) The club photographer will receive credit on the website for pictures taken. “Photo taken by ___” or similar statement will be posted along with photographs posted on the website.

2. Treasurer: The club treasurer is not a club office and will not be elected to fill the position. A volunteer will be sought to fill this position.

(a) Maintain the club’s treasury, dispenses funds for approved expenditures, and records all property that shall come into the possession of the club.

(b) Collect membership dues and other accounts receivable, such as sponsor fees and member fines.

(c) Disburse the club’s funds as may be authorized by the club President.

(d) Prepares and maintains club financial reports.

(e) Keep itemized account of all receipts, disbursements, and all supporting vouchers and records.

(f) Present a financial report at club meetings when required.

(g) Perform other treasury duties as assigned by the President.

3. Webmaster: The club webmaster will not be a club office and will not be elected to fill the position. A volunteer will be sought to fill this position.

(a) May be asked to provide limited web support for Bass-Jon’s affiliates.

(b) Verify and post tournament results and standings on the website.

4. Club Founder: The club founder, whether filling an elected position or not, is a significant member of the club. In the event of a club officer’s absence, the club founder may stand in and is responsible for the duties assigned to that position.

XII. Code of Conduct

A. Expenses:

1. The tournament entry fees, and any launch fees are typically paid by the non-boater/back seater. A non-boater or partner will not be required to pay any money to the boat owner for gas or tournament entry fees. It is the co-angler’s option to offer additional money to the boat owner for gas, launch fees, etc.

2. It is strongly encouraged for boaters and non-boaters to discuss who is going to pay fees ahead of the tournament to avoid confusion and altercation on tournament day.

B. The boater and co-angler should discuss boat operation for the day.

C. Club members are expected to represent the club in an ethical and positive manner at all times.

D. Examples of unacceptable conduct include unsafe boat operation, lack of boating / fishing courtesy and sportsmanship, failure to attend meetings/tournaments, cheating, note: The Club and its officers are not responsible that boaters are adhering to state / local laws. It’s the club member who is responsible to maintain their boat, to have the appropriate licenses, boat permits and abide by the laws state / local, or restrictions imposed for those bodies of water. If the member gets a ticket for a violation, it’s their sole responsibility and any repercussions imposed by the local / state authorities are those of the boater not the club or its officers. Getting a ticket for fishing violation during a tournament will however they forfeit the (boater / non-boater) from the tournament and points for that event.

E. There is no appeal process.

1. There is no open protesting of decisions from the officers or the club members

2. If the decisions of the officers or club members as a whole are not to the liking of a particular party(s), the member(s) can either leave the club or vote for new officers the following year.

3. In the case of a rule violation the tournament director, Vice President, and President will either:

(a) Determine the punishment or adjudication of the rule violation and any sanctions required or

(b) Present the decision to the club members for a vote to determine any sanctions or adjudication.

(c) If the Officers determine that they alone will make the decision, the president will inform all members of the violation, any additional information used to develop a decision and what the decision is.

(e) Penalties that may be awarded are not limited to but may include Loss of catch for the day; Disqualification from the tournament in question; Disqualification for a few events or for a period of time; Loss of tournament points for a particular tournament; Loss of tournament credit for Classic eligibility.

(f) The favorable public reputation of the club in the sport of fishing, the integrity of its officers, and in the community is an asset and provides tangible benefits for the club.

XIII. By-Law Changes and Updates

A. The by-laws may be changed from January through March and after the last regular tournament of the year, (November and December).

B. No by law additions or changes should be made to rules that affect the tournaments after the March meeting or during the regular tournament schedule. This will prevent tournaments from being fished under different rules. Safety should be the only reason for changes after March.

C. Changes to the rules that will only apply for a specific year should be produced as a temporary addendum or as an interim rule/change and not be added to the by-lays until the members decide to make it a permanent rule. (Examples: method for choosing lakes, inter-club tournaments, or annual Classic).

D. Proxy voting is not allowed.  All voting will be conducted by members present at club meetings, tournaments, or other events where votes are sought for club issues.  There are no exceptions to this rule.