Region Rules

The Virginia Bass Federation Tournament Rules and Regulations will govern the conduct of Region I tournaments with the following exceptions:

I. NUMBER OF TOURNAMENTS
There will be six (6) Region tournaments each year as recommended by the Tournament Director and approved by the club representatives and the Region I Board of Directors (Region Officers). The duties of the Tournament Director shall also include the coordination and scheduling any necessary tournament schedule changes.

II. PARTICIPATION
Region tournaments will be open to all active members of clubs in good standing in Region I. A club in good standing will provide Region 1 Board of Directors the name of a Youth Director and Conservation Officer prior to each tournament season. Further each Chapter shall participate in 50 percent of all Region meetings, tournaments, and 50 percent of all youth events or any such other functions as agreed upon by the body at large.

III. TOURNAMENT SUPERVISION & COMMITTEE

A. The tournaments will be supervised by the Region Officers.

B. Each Chapter will provide the names of two members (one boat) to serve as tournament officials. The Tournament Director will appoint personnel from this pool to assist in the operation of each tournament. The Tournament Director will determine duties/assignments for these officials prior to the tournament.

C. The Region Secretary will be responsible for keeping accurate records for all Region tournaments.

IV. TOURNAMENT RULES

A. Only SMALLMOUTH BASS, LARGEMOUTH BASS, and KENTUCKY (spotted) BASS will be weighed for official Region I records. Region I will enforce a twelve inch (12") minimum size limit except on bodies of water where a slot limit is in force. Region I will use the maximum slot limit length for its minimum size. Region I will use a "Golden Rule" to officially measure all fish. Any fish presented for official weigh-in that does not meet the minimum size will be considered [illegal]. Any fish that does not meet the minimum acceptable length will be removed from the competitor’s catch and the competitor will be assessed a one pound penalty for each short fish deducted from the total weight of his remaining legal fish. All fish will be measured with mouth closed and tail fanned.

B. Region I will abide by a 5 fish limit for all tournaments unless a lower limit is in force for a particular body of water where the tournament is conducted.

C. Boats may be allowed to be pulled at all tournament sites at the discretion of the Tournament Director when conditions are present that do not allow for the safe docking of boats for weigh-in. Tournament officials may pull their boat at each tournament site.

D. All fish will be brought to the scales in bags provided by the Region or they will not be weighed.

E. Any fish presented for weigh-in which is judged to be dead will result in an eight ounce (8 oz.) or .50 of a pound penalty for each such fish, to be deducted from the total weight for the day.

F. There will be a check-out and check-in boat at each tournament. Anglers must check with the official check-in boat or a tournament official in order to receive credit for his catch for that day. Late arrivals will be penalized one half pound (½ lb.) per minute they are late including any weight to be counted toward a lunker award. Any competitor who is more than 15 minutes late will lose all credit for the day's catch. There will be no acceptable excuse for being late.

G. Weigh-in will be conducted by flight.

H. All fish in a competitor's boat when he/she checks-in at the check-in point becomes the property of the tournament committee. Subsequent discarding or transferring any fish will result in immediate DISQUALIFICATION for that day. The practice of culling after check-in is strictly prohibited.

I. Each angler will check his creel to ensure he/she weighs the exact number of fish he/she checked in with. After an angler presents his/her fish for weigh-in, or places it into the first holding tank, he/she may not change the number of fish being weighed in.

J.      There will not be a restriction for fishing within 50 yards of a marina gas pump.

V. ENTRY FEE for all participants will be $35.00 per angler per tournament day.

VI. SELECTION OF PARTNERS.

A. Both partners have to be participants in the tournament and active members of an active club in Region I.

B. When entering the draw for a scheduled Region 1 tournament as a single boater, if at the end of the draw and the conclusion of the draw meeting an angler is still identified as a single boater (without a co-angler/partner) this single boater is guaranteed boating status for this tournament. Any additional single angler that would register at a later date would be paired with this boater on a first come, first paired basis. If an angler that was in the draw has a partner that withdraws from the tournament after the draw meeting, they would then be considered the first non-boater/co-angler. At that time they would be paired with the single boater unless a non-boating angler is available. Any single angler (one with-out a partner) showing up at the tournament site for on-site registration would also be considered a non-boating angler unless a non-boating angler also shows up at the site.

VII. INDIVIDUAL SCORING

A. Individual points will be awarded based on the actual weight and number of fish presented at weigh-in. The winner of a tournament will be awarded 250 points. The Region Classic winner will be awarded 350 points based on a two day tournament. In the event the tournament is reduced to a one day tournament, the winner will be awarded 250 points.

B.     Each succeeding placement (based on weight) will be awarded one less point until all who have weighed fish receive points. Ties for those with the same weight and number of fish will receive the higher of the points for the placement (e.g., a tie at 24^th and 25^th place would receive the points for the 24^th place).

C. After all points have been awarded; the remaining points will be divided in half. In the event the result contains a half point, the number will be rounded up to the next whole number (e.g., 99.5 would be rounded to 100 points). All participants who did not weigh a fish will be awarded that number of points. Individuals who are disqualified will loose the weight of any fish caught and will receive only participation points for the tournament day. To receive participation points an angler must be registered and go thru blast off.

VIII. CLUB SCORING
The top four points finishers from each club will be totaled and awarded for each tournament.

IX. ANNUAL AWARDS will be provided by Region I.

X. TOURNAMENT AWARDS

A. Individual Awards will be limited to 75% of the tournament fees collected for that tournament excluding the money set aside for the big fish award. Monetary awards will be paid to the top ten positions and for big fish for each tournament. Big Fish funds will be $2.00 per tournament participant.

B. Region I will retain 25% of the tournament fees for the following uses:
1. 10% will be earmarked for year-end awards.
2. 15% will be for:
a. Region I operating expenses
b. Support the Region Team in the Fall Regional Classic

XI. REGISTRATION and CANCELLATION
Pre-registration is strongly encouraged and forms will be accepted at the monthly Region meeting immediately preceding the tournament. Boat starting numbers will be drawn for all pre-registered boats at the monthly meeting preceding the tournament. Registration for all on-site registered anglers will be accepted, and starting numbers will be assigned, on a first come basis until fifteen minutes prior to the start of the tournament. On the second day of a two day tournament the launch sequence will be reversed for pre-registered boats only.

If a tournament is canceled at the site on the day of the tournament due to conditions that the tournament committee deems unsafe or not in the best interest of the region, they may call for a vote of chapter representatives to cancel that days tournament. Should a tournament be cancelled at the site, all anglers that where at the site and in the draw, would receive “show up” points (point value to be determined) once attendance is verified by the club representative. All anglers who registered at the tournament site the morning of the tournament and prior to the tournament cancellation would receive the same amount of points. All tournament fees would be refunded to all anglers.

If a tournament is cancelled at the meeting scheduled for the draw due to conditions deems un-safe or not in the best interest of the region, the tournament is considered a non-tournament and no points are awarded.

XII. SAFETY
The Virginia Bass Federation rules for safety apply, including boat owner insurance requirements.

XIII. TOURNAMENT HOURS
Tournament hours will be from first safe light and will be no less than 8 hours nor more than 9 hours in duration. The tournament director will announce the tournament hours during the Region meeting prior to the tournament. Officials will leave at first safe light; the remainder of the field will blast in flights starting 15 minutes later. Tournament officials will return 15 minutes prior to the start of the weigh-in of the first flight. The tournament start boat will leave as the last boat in the tournament; however, members of that boat will be boat number 1 at the next tournament.

XIV. STATE CLASSIC (20 MAN TEAM) TOURNAMENT
The Top 20 point-finishers after all tournaments have been completed will represent Region I in the State Classic.

XV. TIE BREAKERS

A. The number of fish will be the only tiebreaker.

B. Should a number of anglers have the same number of fish as well as the same weight, ties remain ties. Money awards for tied anglers will be added together and split equally. Trophy positions will result in all anglers who tie receiving a trophy for the appropriate winning place.

XVI. PROTESTS AND FRAUD

A. Formal protests by tournament participants are to be filed by the close of the scales to be considered for action.

B. Upon proper inquiry, should any tournament participant be found [guilty] of fraud or cheating during the tournament the angler may be subject to one or all of the following:
1. Disqualified from Region I sanctioned events for the period of one (1) year.
2. Disqualified from participating in Region I sanctioned events for a period greater than one (1) year.
3. Disqualified from participating in Region I sanctioned events for a lifetime.

C. This rule is not intended to supersede nor deny Region I the right to pursue criminal and/or civil action, nor abdication of the [guilty] party from the Virginia Bass Federation.

D. The determination between cheating and rules infractions will be the sole responsibility and at the discretion of the Region officers.

E. Region I rules regarding proper protest procedures remain functional and shall not be circumvented except in extreme cases.

F. All contestants of sanctioned tournaments held by Region I of the Virginia Bass Federation, will be subject to polygraph examination by a licensed examiner at the direction of the Region I Tournament Committee. (Tournament Committee is defined as the duly appointed body for conducting Region I tournaments; to include Region Officers).

1. Selection of those to be examined will be at random by the direction of the Tournament Committee.
2. Results by licensed examiner along with rulings of the Tournament Committee are final.
3. Findings, along with any refusal to submit to polygraph examination by the direction of the Tournament Committee can be grounds for disqualification in accordance with Section XVI. Subsection B. or other disciplinary actions deemed to be appropriate. (The term. as it is used above, refers to the judgment of the Tournament Committee)
4. This section will be reviewed on an annual basis and a determination will made if the program will be continued.

XVII. RULES INTERPRETATION
            Enforcement and interpretation of all tournament rules shall be the responsibility of the Region Officers. The intent of all such rules, and/or situations not specifically addressed by such rules, will be interpreted and acted on by the Region Officers. All decisions will be final.