Oklahoma Bass Anglers Tube & Mini Boat Association

Membership Rules and Regulations for 2010

Adopted 1981 –Amended 2010

General Membership Rules

        1.    OBAT&MBA is a non-profit organization

        2.    Membership fee is $25.00.  The fee will increase to $30.00 after the first Point Tournament.

3. Membership will be free for current member who signs three new members (excluding Tackle & Backwoods show).
4. Wives or spouses and children age 15 and under are honorary members of OBAT&MBA, and may fish any or all tournaments.  Honorary members are not required to pay the $25.00 membership fee.  Wives and spouses and children 16 or older are required to pay the tournament fee to be allowed in the boat.  Children 15 and under are allowed to fish or ride in the boat of a current member, and the tournament fee is optional.
5. All participants are required to sign a release of liability waiver form prior to fishing any tournament.  This waiver form is contractual and binding as long as you are a member in good standing of OBAT&MBA.
6. Any member wishing to bring children 15 and under outside his/her immediate family must provide a written letter releasing club of liability.  The letter must be signed by the children’s parent, or legal guardian, and received by a club officer prior to fishing any tournament.
7. All members are required to conduct themselves in an appropriate manner at all functions and club meetings.  Any problems that may arise will be handled by club officers, and could result in the dismissal, or disqualification of anymore not complying with club rules.
8. All tournament fees are to be paid prior to the start of every tournament.  If an emergency arises and you are unable to make check-in, you are required to find a club officer prior to start fishing.  You will be permitted to locate an officer by cell phone if one is available.
9. It is the member’s sole responsibility to know all rules and regulations of OBAT&MBA
10. There will be no changing of the rules during the year.  All emergency’s and protests will be handles by club officers.
11. Only club members will be allowed to vote on any issues up for vote.
12. Mini-Boats must meet the following requirements:
    1. No boat longer than 12ft in length
    2. No gas motor will be allowed to exceed the maximum horsepower coast guard rating.
13. All club funds will be kept in the club account throughout the calendar year.  All club funds will be distributed at the end of the calendar year.  The only exception will be the $300.00 start up money for the upcoming year.
14. New officers will be elected at the end of year Banquet.  New officers will assume his/her new duties each December.  Officers will receive one paid entry to a tournament of their choice.
15. Club officers will meet in December for any rule changes, and submit to the general membership to be voted on at the January membership meeting.
16. A Treasury report will be available at all meetings.  The Treasury report may be included in the monthly newsletter.
17. Members attending the end of year banquet will select all lakes for the upcoming year.
18. All motions & changes for upcoming year will be submitted in writing to the president prior to current year’s banquet.

Classic/Mystery Tournament

1. If a Mystery Tournament if selected by the club members at the beginning of the year, the members will vote on the on the desired lake at the last point meeting or last point tournament lake.
2. If the members select a Classic Tournament at the beginning of the year, the tournament will set up, and not change.
3. All rules apply weather it’s classified as a Classic or a Mystery Tournament.
4. At the Classic /Mystery Tournament pre-fishing if off limits Monday through Friday of the week preceding the tournament.
5. The Classic/Mystery Tournament is “Free” to all members of OBAT&MBA who qualify by fishing 6 (six) regular season tournaments you may buy 1 tournament and not fish to qualify as long as there are 6 (six) tournaments paid for.
6. A “BIG BASS POT” of $10.00 is optional for any angler wishing to participate. ($5.00 Per Day)
7. All Classic/Mystery pay outs and trophies will be awarded at the end of year banquet.
8. PAY OUT’S for Classic/Mystery Tournament is as followed
   1. 1^st            25%                                        b.  2^nd      18%

c.    3^rd             15%                                        d.  4^th      9%

e.    5^th             8%                                          f.  6^th      7%

g.    7^th             6%                                          h.  8^th       5%

i.      9^th            4%                                          j.  10^th      3%

      Tournament Rules & Regulations

1.        Club officers will choose the tournament dates for the upcoming year in the December meeting.

2.        They will present their recommendations for the dates to the club members at the January membership meeting.

3.        Rules of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety, and conservation are required of every participant.  Participants are required to observe the rights of others.  A distance of (50) fifty feet is required unless permission to fish inside those limitations is obtained.

4.        All participants must comply with regulations to: Lights, Registration, Life preservers, Fire Extinguishers, and Sound devices.

5.        Participants are to observe all local, state, federal, and club rules at all times.

6.        Participants must fish with artificial lures or baits only.  Pork trailers are allowed.  No live baits.

7.        Bass caught by participants must be taken alive and in a conventional sporting manner.  No trolling.

8.        Fish must be kept in an aerated system when transporting from one spot to another.

9.        Participants can fish from tube or mini boats.

10.     A boat longer than (12) twelve feet is allowed for tube placement.  All members in the boat must be members of OBAT&MBA. (See rule 6-8 of general membership rules)

11.     Participants may fish any area of the Tournament Lake except in restricted areas.

12.     All “Point Tournaments” are off limits to pre-fishing Monday through Thursday preceding the tournament, with Friday being a legal pre-fish day.

13.     A maximum of (5) five bass can be weighed in at each weigh-in.  Fish must be at least (10) ten inches in length unless Lake or State regulations are different.  No carryover fish will be allowed on (2) two day tournaments.

14.     Tournament director will designate check in, start fish, stop fish, and weigh-in times.  No one will be checked in prior to check in times.  No one is eligible to leave check-in site until you have paid your fees, and had your live well checked.  Check in will be waived for day (2) two of a (2) two day tournament.

15.     All boats should slow to a courteous speed when approaching, and passing mini-boats or tubers.  There will be a no wake in sheltered areas.

16.     A list of all tournament participants will be maintained at the tournament weigh-ins.

17.     The tournament director will be in charge of all tournaments and the official bump board.  If the tournament director deems a fish to be questionable for any reason, then a club officer not directly involved will make the final ruling on weather the fish in question is legal.  This decision will be final. 

18.     A legal fish must touch the mark of the bump board, with mouth closed, and either by laying flat or by fanning the tail to touch the mark.  If a fish is found short, then that fish will be thrown out and a (1) one pound penalty will be assessed.  You may use the official bump board to measure questionable fish prior to weigh-in starting; this is called a courtesy bump.  If weigh-in begins  before posted time an angler will still be able to bump their fish up to the designated time given.

19.     A penalty of 2/10 pound will be assessed to participants weighing in a dead fish.  The tournament director will determine if any and all fish are dead or alive.

20.     Tournament participants up to (15) fifteen minutes late for weigh-in will be penalized (1) one pound per minute.  If more than (15) fifteen minutes late it will result in a disqualification.  The tournament director will appoint a member to watch for late participants.

21.     Fish must be at least (10) ten inches in length unless the lake limit is larger, then that lake limit will be used.  If a “Slot Lake” is used the (10) ten inch minimum will still be in effect.

22.     If a “Slot Lake” is selected.  Example:  If the lake has a 13-16 slot, a fish touching the (13) thirteen inch mark of the bump board it is an “illegal” fish.  If the fish is touching the (16) sixteen inch mark it is a legal fish.  This is in effect even if fanning the tail

23.     A verbal protest of club rules may be protested to a club officer within (15) fifteen minutes of last call for fish to be weighed in.  If a verbal protest is made, then all awards will be withheld until the outcome of the protest is settled.  The participant protesting has (48) forty-eight hours to put his protest in writing.  This should include the date of the infraction, the name of the individual the protest is against, an outline of the reason for the protest, a list of any possible witnesses, and the signature of the individual filing the protest.  The club officer’s decision on any and all protests will be final.

24.     There are no spotters, and no outside assistance from non-members allowed while fishing any club tournaments.

25.     Any person in violation of club rules during a tournament will forfeit their catch for that day on which the rule was broken.

26.     This club reserves the right to administer a polygraph test to any member at anytime.

Pay Out & Points

1.        Tournament fees will be $25.00 for one-day tournaments, and $30.00 for two-day tournaments.

2.        Fees will be distributed in the following manner.  $3.00 will be held out for the daily big bass per entrant per day.  80% will be paid out in the tournament pot, 20% will be deposited into club account for club operating expenses, and end of year awards.

3.        Tournament pots (minus Big Bass) will be paid out in the following way.  With up to 30 participants: 1^st 50%, 2^nd 30%, and 3rd 20%.  31 participants or more: 1^st 40%, 2^nd 30%, 3^rd 20%, and 4^th 10%.  When available, Tackle packs will also be handed out.

4.        As well as prize money, points will be given in the following manner based on tournament weight for every angler weighing in fish.  (Minus any Penalties) 1st 100 points, 2^nd 99 points, 3^rd 98points, continuing down in points to the last contestant weighing in fish. With consolidating the club champion and angler of the year 1 point will be awarded per whole pound of fish to each anglers score at the end of each tournament.  Anglers not weighing in fish will receive 10 points less then the last angler weighing in fish.

End of Year Awards

1.        End of year awards will consist of the following:

a.        “Club Champion” Plaque will be awarded for the Angler who receives the highest point total at the end of the year.  (Total weight will be the determining factor to break all ties)

b.       2^nd through 5^th place will also receive Plaques for highest point totals at the end of the year

c.        “Big Bass Award” Plaque will be awarded to the angler with the biggest fish of the year.

d.        “Rookie of the Year” will be awarded for the Rookie Angler with the highest point total at the end of the year.

e.         “Female Angler of the Year” will be awarded for the Female angler with the highest point total at the end of the year.

 Note:  All members must physically fish 5 tournaments to be eligible for end of year awards.