TOURNAMENT RULES 2024-2025
1. RULES: Interpretation of these rules shall be left exclusively to the Cape Coral Bass Club Officers. The decision of the Club Officers shall be final in all matters.
2. ENTRY: Members Only. Invited guests may fish one tournament per year and are eligible for the Big Bass Pot only, provided that they paid their entry fee for Big Bass. Invited guests that fish must keep their catch separate from the Member’s catch.
3. ENTRY FEE: Entry fee shall be $30.00 per member per regular tournament, with an 64% payback, with an optional Big Bass Pot of $5.00 per member per tournament, if fees are paid in person or by one partner at a regular club meeting. An additional $5.00 charge shall be charged if the entry fee is paid at the ramp. The two (2) day tournament fee shall $35 with an optional Big Bass Pot of $5 each day ($10 for both days). If a member has paid for a regular club tournament and is unable to fish the tournament, the entry fee will be carried over to the next regular tournament. However, if the member cannot fish the “last” regular tournament of the season, the entry fee for the last regular tournament of the season will not be carried over and will not be refunded. No entry fees will be carried over to the next season.
4. REGISTRATION: Each Member must register in person prior to the start of a tournament. Failure to register and pay prior to the start shall result in disqualification. Members who register and pay in advance at the regular club meeting, or via mail in check, will pick starting positions at that meeting (prior to the start of the draw, the names of the paid participants will be called). It is the Member’s responsibility to make sure their name is listed as paid for that tournament. No re-draw will be done. If a Member’s name is not called and they do not advise the Board before the start of the draw, or do not respond when their name is called for the draw, they will receive the last boat number available. All others will be assigned positions as they pay.
5. PAIRING OF PARTNERS: A Member may choose any Member, anytime, any regular tournament. He may choose a guest, if it is that guest’s first tournament. In the event, that for a calendar year, there are non-boater members, it will be that non-boater’s responsibility to acquire adequate means to participate in all sanctioned club tournaments, All non-boaters will carry a boater status understanding that they are in full compliance with the Rules and Regulations of the Cape Coral Bass Club.
6. TOURNAMENT TIMES: Regular club tournaments shall be from safe light as determined by the Tournament Director. Weigh-in time shall be given at pre-flight announcements. Night tournaments shall be held from 3:00 PM until 10:00 PM.
7. SCORING: Scoring shall be determined by the total pounds and ounces of each competitor’s catch during that tournament. Only Largemouth Bass and Peacock Bass will be weighed. A limit of two (2) Peacock Bass with a minimum of 14 inches (14”) and one over 17 inches (17") can be weighted per Member per day. The total limit shall be five (5) bass per day. At no time during any tournament shall a contestant exceed the tournament limit in his live well. Tournaments, if permitted by the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission, shall have a minimum length of twelve inches (12”). Tournaments not so permitted, the Official State Laws pertaining to that body of water will apply. If a bass is presented for weigh-in and fails to measure minimum length, a penalty of loss of that fish plus the loss of the largest fish will be assessed. Any bass that appears to have been mangled, mauled, mashed or altered will be weighed at the discretion of the Tournament Director. Bass shall not be put on a stringer at any time during the tournament. Bass shall be measured on a flat “Golden Rule” board only. All contestants shall be subject to a polygraph test if so warranted. A contestant may ask for a courtesy measurement prior to the weighing of their catch only. It is the contestant’s responsibility to ask to have fish weighed for Big Bass Pot. Any violation will result in an automatic disqualification of the contestant. Protests must be in writing and given to the Tournament Director within fifteen (15) minutes after weigh-in has ended.
8. PRE-TOURNAMENT PRACTICE: All tournaments that are scheduled to be held in the Cape Coral city limits are to be off limits to all Club members for one week prior to the event, starting on Sunday at sundown. This applies to Regular, Team-Trail, and Mini-Bucks tournaments. Any violation will result in disqualification of the contestant. Protests must be in writing and given to the Tournament Director within fifteen (15) minutes after weigh-in has ended. This Rule applies to all Cape Coral Bass Club members even if they are not participating in that tournament.
9. SAFETY: Safe boating must be observed at all times. It is required that a chest type life preserver be worn when the boat is on plane. All boats must have approved Coast Guard equipment on board. Navigational lighting is to be used at all times during night and low light conditions. Violation of this Safety Clause shall result in a warning first. The second violation of this Safety Clause will result in disqualification of the contestant.
10. SPORTSMANSHIP: All contestants are expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety and conservation at all times. There shall be no consumption of alcoholic beverages, and/or drugs during tournament hours. Any violation may result in the disqualification of the contestant. Protests must be in writing and given to the Tournament Director within fifteen (15) minutes after weigh-in has ended. If a contestant is fishing in a sanctioned regular Club or Team Trail Tournament (Open tournaments are eliminated from this ruling) in the canal limits of Cape Coral, Florida, then he or she will be allowed to fish off the front of the boat, although, if that contestant or contestants engage in this act he or she, whether at idle speed or not, must waive any competitors by that are within two (2) boat lengths of that contestant or contestants’ outboard motor. It is a courtesy to ask permission of the boater before passing.
11. TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT: Only artificial lures, with the exception of pork, may be used. All bass must be caught live and in a conventional sporting manner. No trolling with combustion engines. All contestants must stay in the boat at all times with the exception of an emergency. No wade fishing is allowed.
12. DEAD FISH/LIVE FISH: Every effort must be made to keep bass alive by use of a properly aerated live well. Eight (8) ounces {.50 pound} will be deducted for each legal dead bass weighed in. This penalty also applies to big bass for the Big Bass Award.
13. LATE PENALTY: Contestants shall be penalized one (1) pound per minute from his or her total weight, including any weight to be counted of big bass. Anyone who is late ten (10) minutes or more will lose all weight for that tournament day. In the event of a mechanical breakdown, only clearly marked fish may be transferred to another tournament boat for transport to the weigh-in. These fish must also arrive at the weigh-in on time or the late penalty rule will be applied.
14. TIES: In the event of a tie, in a regular club tournament, positions shall be resolved by combining the awards and equally dividing them among the tied contestants. First half and second half point ties will be determined by the total number of pounds and ounces for that period.
15. POINTS: There shall be twelve (12) qualifying tournaments. Points will be awarded for each tournament as follows: the winner receives one hundred (100) points; second place receives ninety-nine (99) points; third place receives ninety-eight (98) points, and descending to the last place that caught fish. All members who did not catch fish in the tournament shall receive points at a rate of ten (10) points less than the last position of weight. Five (5) additional points will be awarded for each club meeting attended as long as the member signed in at the meeting. Members cannot sign in for any member not actually at the meeting.
Awards shall be awarded as follows for the highest weights:
1st half of the year weight winner for the tournaments from March through August.
2nd half of the year weight winner for the tournaments from September through February.
1st and 2nd half of year weight winners will each receive a $50.00 check.
16. FISHERMAN OF THE YEAR AND CLASSIC ENTRY: Members will use their best ten (10) tournament points of the twelve (12) regular club tournaments to determine fisherman of the year standings and entry into the Classic. The top sixteen (16) fishermen will fish in the Classic Tournament. To be eligible to fish in the Classic Tournament the fisherman must participate in a minimum of six (6) regular club tournaments during the year.
17. OWNERSHIP OF FISH: All fish become property of the Cape Coral Bass Club. For the first bass of the year weighing eight (8) pounds or more in a regular club tournament, that member will be given $100.00 by the club. The Cape Coral Bass Club will release all live fish after they are weighed in.
18. PROSPECTIVE MEMBERS: Prospective members may fish one (1) tournament as a guest of the Cape Coral Bass Club. The guest will be eligible for big bass only, providing they have paid for the event.
19. CONTESTANT CROWDING: Contestant crowding is not allowed. Each boat actively fishing must keep at least two (2) cast (75 feet) lengths distance from any other boat actively fishing. This rule may only be waived if agreed to verbally by contestants in each boat. Sportsmanship should prevail.
20. CHANGES TO TOURNAMENT RULES: These Tournament Rules may be changed at any regular club meeting by two-thirds (2/3) vote of all members present or by proxy, provided that the proposed change shall have been presented at a previous regular club meeting. This proposed change will be posted on the club website at least ten (10) days in advance of the date when such change is to be voted on.
MINI MEGA BUCKS 2024-2025
#1 THE QUALIFYING ROUND
The Qualifying Round shall be open to all members. Boat numbers will be determined by a draw at the club meeting prior to the first round. It will be first-come first-served if paid at the ramp. From all entrants in the Qualifying Round the top twenty (20) weight holders will advance to the next round. If a total of twenty (20) members do not catch fish, another Qualifying Round will be held at a later date for all members who did not advance or fish the first Qualifying Round. From this round the field of twenty (20) members shall be filled.
#2 THE ELIMINATION ROUND
The Elimination Round shall be held during the second half of the regular club year. From this Elimination Round the top ten (10) weights shall determine the members who will advance to the Final Round. Starting positions for this round will be determined by the position the individual placed in the first Qualifying Round (1st place is boat #1, etc.).
In both the Qualifying Round and the Elimination Round contestants may fish with any member that has qualified.
#3 THE FINAL ROUND
The Final Round location of the “Mini Mega Bucks” shall be determined by vote of the top ten (10) finalists. If all qualifying members are boaters, then there will be no boat draw. Your boat position is determined by your qualifying position. Partners for the Final Round shall be drawn by the top five (5) finishers of the Elimination Round if there are non-boaters who qualified.
RULES FOR MINI MEGA BUCKS:
Must be a member of the Cape Coral Bass Club on or before the first regular club tournament in July. Must fish a total of five (5) regular club tournaments between March and December 1st. Must pay $20.00 per Tournament round plus $5.00 for the Big Bass pot. A late fee of $5.00 for payment at the ramp. No refund for tournaments not fished. Must catch legal fish to advance to each round. All regular club tournament rules will be followed. In the event of a single boater in the final round, an observer shall be appointed.
The site of the Final Round shall be determined at our December club tournament and is “off limits” to all club members one week prior to the tournament. Pay-off will be for first, second and third places, determined by the club officers from the funds available. The Final Round will only be a draw tournament if there are non-boaters who qualify. The top five (5) boaters will drew partners from the remaining qualifiers at the December club tournament. Otherwise, if all ten (10) qualifiers are boaters, they will use their own boat and the boat position is based on their weight positions from the previous round. A top weight leader may fish the Elimination Round, if there are fewer than twenty (20) participants, by having fished both qualifying rounds, not qualified, but having paid for both rounds.
TEAM TRAIL RULES 2024-2025
**This tournament trail is open to members of the Cape Coral Bass Club only!**
You can be a member of the Team Trail Series ONLY with a $15.00 membership fee. These members WILL NOT be able to participate in any other Club tournaments other than the Team Trail Series, however, ALL Cape Coral Bass Club rules, insurance requirements and regulations will apply.
The Team Trail will consist of 4 (four) tournaments.
Locations will be voted on by the Team Trail club members at the meeting prior to the scheduled Team Trail tournament. If a team pays for the tournament at the meeting and the team elects not to fish the tournament due to the location that was voted on, the tournament entry fee will be automatically rolled over to the next Team Trail tournament. The entry fee for the last tournament in the series will not be rolled over. This rule only applies if the decision is made on the night of the meeting. No exceptions.
Members will form their own teams, consisting of (1) or 2 (two) members. Participants must be full Cape Coral Bass Club Members or members of the Team Trail Series to participate. An alternative team member is allowed one time only.
Teams will be allowed to weigh in 5 (five) fish per tournament (one over 22” per team member unless tournament permits otherwise).
There will be an entry fee of $50.00 per team/boat per tournament, which includes the Big Bass pot (non-refundable). A $5.00 late fee will be charged if payment is made at the ramp. Boat numbers will be determined by a draw at the club meeting prior to each tournament. It will be first-come first-served if paid at the ramp.
The payout for EACH Team Trail tournament will be as follows: First place 60%, Second place 40%. Each tournament is a separate tournament and there will be no overall payout at the end of the four inasmuch as the funds will be disbursed at each tournament. Checks will be disbursed at the Regular Club Monthly Meeting.
A trophy will be awarded to the Overall first and second place teams of the four (4) tournaments, which will be presented at the Year End Picnic. All regular club rules will be in effect during all tournaments.
WAYNE ODER CLASSIC 2024-2025
Entry into the Wayne Oder Classic is determined by the top sixteen (16) point holders from the best ten (10) regular club tournaments. Members must have fished a minimum of six (6) regular club tournaments and attended a minimum of three (3) regular meetings. Should an alternate be necessary and the alternate does not qualify, they will fish as an observer only. No prizes or trophies will be awarded to these alternates. The observers will only be able to participate in side pots IF the other qualified participants agree by a vote. There is no Big Bass payout for this tournament.
The site of the Classic will be determined from the twelve (12) regular club tournament sites and voted on by the top sixteen (16) finishers after the last club tournament in February.
This is a draw tournament. The top eight (8) boaters will draw partners from the remaining eight (8) finishers.
Prizes and/or trophies will be determined by the Club Officers from the funds available. There is no payout for big bass in this tournament.
Cape Coral Bass Club
2112 SE 2nd St. Cape Coral, FL 33990