Rules
1. The purpose of this club is to create an atmosphere of friendly competition.
2. Fish at your own risk. South Carolina Foothills Bass Angles Association is not responsible for any accidents. Use caution and follow recommended safe boating practices.
3. Life jackets must be worn and kill switches attached if the combustion engine is running.
4. Alcohol, drugs, or abusive behavior will not be tolerated.
5. All state and local ordinances are to be followed.
6. All boats must be equipped with the mandatory safety equipment as directed by the SCDNR.
7. Anyone caught cheating or breaking rules may be disqualified from tournament and/or club without refund.
8. PRE-FISHING FOR ANY TOURNAMENT HAS A THREE-DAY CUT OFF. NO FISHING AFTER TUESDAY THE WEEK OF THE TOURNAMENT. After Tuesday the lake is off limits until tournament time. (No fishing, No boating, No scouting)
9. Largemouth, Kentucky Spotted and Smallmouth Bass only.
10. Artificial lures only. Fish must be caught by legal means on rod and reel with hook and line. Trolling with gas motor is not allowed. NO SNAGGING & NO DRAGGING. Each team member is allowed only one line in the water at a time.
11. Team fishing - Two people per boat equals one team.
12. Members and alternates only are eligible for tournaments. (See *note in section II)
13. Each team is allowed to submit (2) alternates or one of your immediate family members (son. Daughter Father, Mother, Brother, Sister or spouse). Any alternate on the list will be eligible to fish with any team. Alternates must abide by all rules, including pre-fishing cutoff date. A TEAM CAN ONLY USE AN ALTERNATE 2 TIMES DURING THE YEAR. With the exception of your immediate family members.
14. If a member of a team should be unable to attend an alternate can be used or a member can fish by himself providing he pays the full entry fee.
15. Opposing team members may fish together; however only one team will be awarded the points for the tournament. The two fishermen will decide which team will receive the points.
16. Any fish caught including big fish by an alternate will apply to original team year-end standings.
17. Official tournament times on schedule page. No waiting on late arrivals.
18. Tournament blast off times will not be changed. Exception: In the event of severe weather tournaments will be delayed or cancelled. Note: Severe weather can include low lake levels due to drought. Ramp access will determine low level conditions.
19. All boats must start at designated landing on the schedule page.
20. No club business is to be discussed with SCFBA officials prior to blast off.
21. Tournament sign in and entry fees are requested prior to the cutoff time listed on the schedule.
22. Each team is responsible for any launch fee.
23. Live wells will be checked at random.
24. Prior to blast off please leave docks open for other boats to have access for picking up their team members. Be courteous to your fellow club members; don’t leave unattended boats tied to docks unless necessary.
25. Blast off will be at safe light as determined by the tournament director. NOTE: Cut Off Time on the schedule is not the blast off time.
26. Blast off will take place in flights of 10 boats approximately 1 minute apart. Each flight will be signaled by the use of an air horn and/or megaphone. Flight assignments will be determined by drawing at sign in. Teams not signed in by the listed “Check In” time on the schedule will automatically be assigned to the last flight. DO NOT BLAST OFF BEFORE YOUR FLIGHT IS SIGNALED. All boats must idle out and blast off in a safe and controlled manner 25 yards of more apart. USE CAUTION. (NOTE: If there is a bridge located near the launch landing DO NOT proceed under the bridge away from the landing prior to the sounding of your blast off signal. When blasting off you MUST obey the no wake zone at the bridge.)
27. All areas of any lake that are off limits by SCDNR are prohibited.
28. All teams must be at the original launch site at the tournament end time. Every minute late 1-pound will be deducted up to 5 minutes and then the team will be disqualified.
29. Fish will not be weighed until 15 minutes after the end of the tournament. DO NOT BRING FISH TO THE SCALES EARLY. Fish are to be brought to the scales in plastic bags with water, no nets allowed. TEAMS BRINGING FISH TO THE SCALES WITHOUT WATER WILL BE DISQUALIFIED FROM THE TOURNAMENT.
30. No one is to disturb, interrupt, or talk with club officials during the weigh in process. Our full attention is required to accurately and efficiently perform our functions during this time.
31. Only 5 fish allowed to be brought to scales. No culling at scales. (Teams in violation of this rule will receive a weigh in of 0 fish and 0 weight)
32. Fish size-14 inch minimum on a golden rule.
33. Fish to be weighted only once.
34. Each team to weigh their biggest fish FIRST. A team member will select which one fish is to be weighed as their big fish. Only one fish per team will be weighed for big fish.
35. The biggest fish between tying teams will decide ties in weight for position.
36. Teams must release live and healthy fish with exception of trophies.
37. Weigh In
· Length is determined by distance from the bottom lip of mouth closed to the end of the tail as it lies. No tail pinching.
· 0.2 pounds deducted for each dead fish.
· The weigh master determines total weight. All decisions made by weigh and length masters will not be challenged.
Section II – Fees
All fees apply. There are no optional fees.
*Club Membership Fee: $10.00/member
*Point Pot: $30.00/member
Tournament Entry Fee: $60.00/boat/tournament
Fish Off Entry Fee: $75.00/boat
*NOTE: A team member that is under the age of 15, at the time of sign up, will only owe a $10.00 club membership fee. The point pot and yearly big fish fees will be waived; however the team will not be allowed any alternates.
The payout will be based on the attached pay sheet. 1st & 2nd big fish will be awarded. Only one big fish award per team. Only the top 5 places will be awarded.
Year end points pay off will be awarded to the top three teams. Payout is based on Points Pot for the year. Year end points will be determined by accumulating points from each tournament during the SCFBA tournament trail. (No tournaments will be dropped) A tie in points will be decided by the following order: (1st) Total weight for the year, then (2nd) Big Fish for the year, then (3rd) Total # Fish for the year. If there is still a tie the place awards will be split for the tying positions. (i.e. If a tie for 1st place the two teams will split 1St & 2nd place awards.)
Points will be awarded starting at 100 points for 1st place and counting in descending order to 99 points for 2nd, 98 points for 3rd, etc.
Bonus points are awarded as follows:
YEAR END BIG FISH WILL PAY TWO PLACES. BIG FISH WILL PAY 60% OF BIG FISH POT. 2ND BIG FISH WILL PAY 40% OF BIG FISH POT. ONLY ONE BIG FISH AWARD PER TEAM.
Teams must fish 10 of the 10 tournaments to qualify for the “Fish Off Classic.”
If a team misses a tournament the team can buy the tournament(s) to be eligible for the fish off. To buy a tournament it will cost the team the $60.00 entry fee per tournament missed. If a tournament is missed it must be paid at sign in at the fish off.
The Fish Off pay schedule will be based on the same percentages as a normal points tournament and two big fish; one for each day. The big fish pot will be split 50/50 for each day’s big fish. Prize money will include 10% from each tournament plus the entry fee for the fish off.
· No alternates will be allowed to fish in the fish off.
· Opposing team club members may fish together in the fish off.
The three lakes with the best fishing results (average weight per boat) for the year will be used in a drawing to determine the locations of the “Fish Off Classic”. The previous year’s fish off lake(s) will not be eligible to be in the drawing. The fish off will take place on the 2nd week of November.
Open tournaments will payout 75% in collection. The 25% will be applied toward club expenses. The payout schedule will follow all other guide lines listed in Section III – Payout.
Section VII – Eligibility
Teams must fish a minimum of 7 tournaments to be guaranteed a spot in the club for next years SCFBA tournament trail.
Section VIII – Miscellaneous
Check the SCFBA website for announcements, updates, points, tournament results, rules, and schedules. The FBA website is www.scfba.com
If you miss a tournament it is your responsibility to find out details for the next tournament. Check the website for updates and information.