By-Laws

BY-Laws

ARTICLE I

SECTION I: NAME PURPOSE

NAME: This club shall be called: BASS ACKWARDS

PURPOSE: To improve our skills as Bass Fisherman through fellowship and friendly exchange of Bass catching techniques and ideas.

ARTICLE II: MEMBERSHIP

SECTION I

A limit of twenty (20) people shall be placed on the general membership.

SECTION II

To become a club member, a person shall:

A. Voluntarily expresses a genuine interest in membership.

B. Be at least sixteen (16) years of age.

C. Be sponsored by a member at a regular club meeting.

D. Be voted by membership secret ballot. Affirmation must be by 2/3 majority of the members present.

E. Removal of membership

a. Members who are more than four (4) months behind in dues. (Extenuating circumstances are to be addressed by the executive

committee).

b. Any member whose conduct shall or does bring discredit or dishonor on this club shall be removed from membership by

simple majority vote of no less than 50% of club members. Receiving a conviction for the violation of any fish and game law of

any state during club sponsored events is sufficient reason for removal.

F. Any former member whom left the club in good standing and desires to return may do so by attending any regular monthly meeting and acknowledge their intent to rejoin.

No vote will be required unless there is a question of this persons good standing (i.e. conduct, owes past dues or was asked to leave the club, etc) in the past.

SECTION III

Dues are $5.00 per month, due at the monthly meeting. Members who are deployed for a period of more than 150 days will have their

dues reduced to 1/2 (one half) the current rate during deployment.

ARTICLE III: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE VACANCIES AND ELIGIBILITY

SECTION I

The executive committee and their duties shall consist of:

A. PRESIDENT: Plans and organizes all club activities. This includes scheduling and conducting meetings, handling or assigning

administrative details and directs all official business.

B. VICE PRESIDENT: Assumes the duties of the President in his absence.

C. RECORDER: Maintains accurate minutes, membership records, dues, and checking account records.

SECTION II

NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

A. Nominations and elections for executive committee shall be taken annually at the first regularly scheduled meeting during the month

of December.

B. Elections shall be by simple majority, secret ballot vote of the members present.

C. Re-elections of officers are permitted.

SECTION III

ELIGIBILITY TO VOTE

A. Each member is entitled to 1 (one) vote. Proxy votes are not permitted.

SECTION IV

TERM OF OFFICE

A. The term of office is for one (1) year, which shall begin January 1st and end on December 31st, or until the successor assumes office.

SECTION V

VACANCIES

A. In the event of an office becoming vacant, nominations shall be asked for, and an election held to fill the vacant office.

SECTION VI

ELIGIBILITY FOR HOLDING OFFICE

A. To be eligible to hold office a member must have been a member in good standing for six (6) months.

ARTICLE IV: METHOD FOR AMENDING THE BY-LAWS

SECTION I

AMENDMENTS TO THE BY-LAWS

A. Will be reached by 2/3 vote of club members present. A 50% attendance of club membership must be present.

ARTICLE V: TOURNAMENTS

SECTION I

Schedule

A. There shall be a set number of tournaments each year. The number shall be set at the February Meeting and approved by a 2/3

majority.

B. The position that members finished the previous year will determine which members select club tournaments for the year.

C. A member shall determine each tournament date and launch site. The final schedule must be approved by a 2/3 majority of

members present at the February meeting.

1. That member shall be responsible for tournament times, weigh-in and logging weights.

2. Collecting and dispersing the prize money.

D. Any requested change to the schedule must be approved by a 2/3 majority of members

present at the meeting prior to the tournament affected.

E. Launch site may be changed prior to tournament if safety of members and equipment is a

concern. This must be approved by a 2/3 majority of members participating in the tournament.

SECTION II

Prize Money

A. There will be a $10.00 entry fee per tournament. Big fish entry will be $5.00, collected prior to blast off. Two-day tournaments

will be treated as two (2) one-day tournaments.

B. The club collects 10% of tournament fees and the remaining money is paid out to the top three (3) places

(1st = 50%, 2nd = 30%, 3rd = 20%) which is to be rounded up to the nearest whole dollar and the remaining going to the club.

Money's not claimed for top three places will be reverted to the club treasury.

SECTION III

Regulations

A. Artificial lures will be used unless otherwise stated.

B. Only Black, Spotted and Smallmouth Bass will be scored for points. Legal size will be 12" minimum or according to state law,

whichever is larger. Virginia Creel and Length Limits, North Carolina Creel & Length Limits

C. No participating boat will have more than one legal limit per person.

SECTION IV

Scoring

A. Points will be awarded at each club tournament for total weight as follows;

8 pts. for fishing the tournament.

                    1st 50 pts.
                    2nd 45 pts.
                    3rd 40 pts.
                    4th 35 pts.
                    5th 30 pts.
                    6th 29 pts.
                    7th 28 pts.
                    8th 27 pts. and so on for each person weighing fish.

B. The tournament winner will be decided by accumulated weight during the tournament.

C. In case of a tie, large fish will determine winner.

D. Penalty for each undersize bass weighed-in will cause forfeiture of largest bass in contestant's total days catch.

E. A penalty of two (2) ounces will be deducted from total weight for each dead fish weighed in. The Tournament Director will rule on

all "live/dead fish" issues.

F. To measure fish lay fish flat on tournament board with mouth closed and pinch tail together. Fish tail must touch or exceed the

measurement line.

G. All live fish will be released.

Section V

BLAST OFF

(A.) Blast off will be conducted in the following manner. The tournament director will announce the blast off order after the safety brief at which time he/she will tell the first boat to go. All boats that blast off will do so only when their stern is clear of all club member boats. This will help to ensure that no unsafe conditions develop for members waiting to blast off.

Section VI

WEIGH IN

Official weigh-in bags will be issued by the Tournament Director or his/her assistant. All tournament participants will bring their fish to the scales in the issued weigh-in bag with enough water to cover all the fish. After your fish have been weighed and pictures taken, you will return your live fish to the weigh-in bag, still containing water and then back to the lake or river. This will be done in blast off order. Exception decisions will be made by the Tournament Director. Failure to follow these simple steps to safe guard the health of the fish will result in a "ZERO" fish weighed in.

ARTICLE VI: MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION I

CLUB MEETINGS

A. Shall be held on the first Tuesday of each month.

B. Shall convene at 7 P.M. unless otherwise directed by the President.

SECTION II

CLUB CHECKING ACCOUNT

A. The Recorder and the President must approve all disbursements from the club checking account.

B. The incoming and outgoing Executive committee will hold a club checking account audit every January. In the case of an Officer(s)

remaining the same, the President will appoint an appropriate number of members.

SECTION III

SITUATIONS

A. Any situation that may arise that is not covered by these by-laws/constitution shall be handled as follows;

a. The Executive Committee will make a temporary decision that will remain in effect until the next regularly scheduled club meeting, at

which time the matter shall be discussed and decided by a simple majority of members present.

DATES AMENDED

March 4, 2003 - Re-arranged and removed 1 duplicate

1. Removal of "There will be a twelve (12) inch minimum size limit on bass unless otherwise directed by the Department of Fish and Game" and replaced with "Only Black, Spotted and Smallmouth Bass .

January 6, 2004 - Modified and Added

1. Modified Article 5, Section I, Item C. Added The final schedule must be approved by a 2/3 majority of members present at the February meeting.

2. Added Article 5, Section I, Items D & E: (D) Any requested change to the schedule must be approved by a 2/3 majority of members present at the meeting prior to the tournament affected. (E) Launch site may be changed prior to tournament if safety of members and equipment is a concern. This must be approved by a 2/3 majority of members participating in the tournament.

April 2,2008 - Modified and Added

1. Added Article II, Section II, Item F: (F) Any former member whom left the club in good standing and desires to return may do so by attending any regular monthly meeting and acknowledge their intent to rejoin. No vote will be required unless there is a question of this persons good standing (i.e. conduct, owes past dues or was asked to leave the club, etc) in the past.

2. Modified Article V, Section II, Item A: changed "$2.00" to read "$5.00"

3. Added Article V: Section V - (A.) Blast off will be conducted in the following manner. The tournament director will announce the blast off order after the safety brief at which time he/she will tell the first boat to go. All boats that blast off will do so only when their stern is clear of all club member boats. This will help to ensure that no unsafe conditions develop for members waiting to blast off.

4. Added Article V: Section VI - Official weigh-in bags will be issued by the Tournament Director or his/her assistant. All tournament participants will bring their fish to the scales in the issued weigh-in bag with enough water to cover all the fish. After your fish have been weighed and pictures taken, you will return your live fish to the weigh-in bag, still containing water and then back to the lake or river. This will be done in blast off order. Exception decisions will be made by the Tournament Director. Failure to follow these simple steps to safe guard the health of the fish will result in a "ZERO" fish weighed in.