ARTICLE I - Name and Purpose

Section 1: Name

The club shall be called BASS-JON'S

Section 2: Purpose

To improve our skills as bass anglers through a fellowship of friendly exchange of expert bass catching techniques and ideas, and to promote and encourage youth and family fishing, and a love for this recreation. To support our state conservation department efforts and to report problems and concerns to the proper authorities. " Share the Knowledge"!

ARTICLE II - Membership

Section 1: Number of Members

The club shall maintain at least 6 members and not exceed 50 members:

A. Boater to Non-Boater 2 to 1 ratio shall be maintained, until there is 20 plus boaters assigned to the rolls of the club. President and Vice President to determine ratio after 20 boat limit met.

Section 2: Requirements for Membership to become a club member, a person shall:

A. Voluntarily expresses a genuine interest in membership.

B. Be 18 years of age, if under 18 must have parent consent.

C. Be voted on by membership. (proxies are allowed) Vote shall be by secret ballot the new member may be present and affirmation must be 2/3rd majority.

D. All new members must first attend 1 club meeting/tournament.

E. Must be current with club dues.

F. Maintain a good attitude towards other members and respect their views and interests.

G. Membership is open throughout tournament season.

Section 3: Membership Dues

A. The membership dues shall be $25.00 annually, payable at the monthly Meeting. Paid dues are not refundable at any time. Dues will assist in the purchase of, trophies, awards and etc.

B. Membership family plans, to increase family and children participation. The costs will $50.00 per family this will pay for the adult member and they'll be allowed alternate between immediate minor family members for back seat rights. This is design primarily for minor children and will only count as two membership slots within the club rolls. Only two in a boat rule still applies. Complete membership forms and tournament release forms for all those in the program must be held in order to participate in the family plan.

Section 4: Meeting of Members

A. Club meetings will be held directly after Club Tournaments weigh in.

B. There will be an organization meeting held annually to vote in new club officers and determine the upcoming Tournament schedule and or changes to By-Laws.

ARTICLE III - Tournaments and Events

Section 1: Rules

A. Tournament dates will be drafted and approved at the Annual club meeting.

B. Tournament locations will be drafted and approved at the Annual club meeting.

C. Launch sequence, meeting site and meeting time will be half hour prior to sunrise, exact times as directed by the Club's Tourney Director.

D. Tournaments will last from actual sunrise to 1600/4 PM Weight In. Summer Tournaments may be extended to 1700/5 PM or earlier if otherwise agreed to by a majority vote prior to blast-off.

E. Your five best bass must be caught before the tournaments completion time. There is no minimum length. All live fish will be release after being weight and measured.

F. The club will use the following point system for awarding points at each tournament:

1st Place = 15

2nd Place = 14

3rd Place = 13

4th Place = 12

5th Place = 11

6th Place = 10

7th Place = 9

8th Place = 8

9th Place = 7

10th Place = 6

Those with fish; 11th place and above get 4 points

Those with no fish get 2 points

- If two club members have the same weight during a tournament the tiebreaker will be the longest fish or heaviest fish.

- If two club members have the same point total for "Angler of the Year" competition at the end of year, the tie breaker will be heaviest weight total.

- Lunker results will also be maintained throughout the tournament season to determine "Biggest Bass of  Season Award".

G. Those members showing up and not weighing in a fish will receive 2 points for the tournament. New members will earn 1 point only, pro-rated after being voted into the club for "Full Membership". Only full members will earn placement points.

H. There will be a 4-OZ penalty for weighing in a dead fish, per fish. There will be a 1/2-lb per minute late penalty (up to 15 minutes late). More than 15 minutes late will result in automatic DQ. Members must either have their boat beached or partner ashore preparing boat/tow vehicle for boat recovery by 1600 or the clock will start for penalties.

I. There is an entry fee for tournaments. $5 per person. The $5.00 will be placed in the Lunker Pot. The heaviest fish at weigh in wins the Lunker Pot. The Lunker Pot is a 100% payback to the boat/team. No money goes towards the club. Guests invited by the club are allowed to participate in the Lunker Pot. Money to be collected by Tourney Director prior to the start of tournament or in his absents a club officer. Lunker pot to be shared between partners unless otherwise agreed upon between the Boater Partners. In the event that no fish are caught during a tournament, the Lunker Pot collected for that tournament will be rolled over to the next scheduled tournament.

J. The first boat on location has the right of way; others should stay at Least 25 feet away for safety purposes.

K. No alcohol or drugs are allowed during club events.

L. No live bait is to be used in club events, only artificial baits and pork baits are allowed.

M. All angling must be done from boats.

N. Landing nets are permitted for the safety of the fish.

P. Tournament cancellation will be determined by the club President, Vice President and or Tournament Directors.

Q. Tournaments being cancelled will be rescheduled by consensus of club.

R. The person earning the most points for all meetings/tournaments will determine the clubs "Angler of the Year" award.

- For points Club members will use their best top 10 for competition of Bass-Jon's "AOY".

- Largest Fish of the tournament season will win the "Bass-Jon's Biggest Bass of the Season" award.

S. There is a maximum of only two club members in a boat during any/all tournaments.

T. There must be at least two boats and three persons fishing during any tournament or cancellation of the tournament will take effect.

U. All club members must be current on all club dues.

V. Only club members in good standing are permitted to participate in any tournament.

W. Guests are only permitted to participate when the club's officers grant permission. Permission will only be granted to those persons interested in becoming a member of the BASS-JON'S of VIRGINIA and if all club non-boaters interested in participating in the tournament have been assigned to a boat and there are still open seats in boats. No guest will be allowed to fish more than three times in the season. All guests fishing must sign the Tournament Waiver form before fishing. No guests will be allowed to fish in the Club Classic or the Annual Night Tournament.

X. Only one rod and reel are to use at one time to fish.

Y. All tournaments will begin promptly at the selected starting time. All members will be responsible for arriving on time for launching and starting. The club will not wait for late arrivals. If club members show up at tournaments after blastoff, they still may be able to compete. But they must find the club member or a club officer to check their live well before fishing.

Z. Pairing of Boaters and Non-Boaters will be done by drawn by the Tournament Director, after Intent to Fish the Tourney E-Mail end date has been reached. for the next tournament.

1. For the first tournament of the year the Tournament Director will hold a drawn and notify club members of the pairing.

2. Only boaters with parent/guardian responsibilities to (minors, under 18) Club members who are participating in the tournament will be excluded from the drawn.

3. Junior Anglers who have parental release to fish with any club members will be included in the draw.

4. Junior anglers who fish with parent or guardian must inform Tournament Director of their assign partner prior to the draw.

5. All club members will answer the "Intent to Fish the Tourney E-Mails within seven days, and commutate his/her intent to fish and or probability they may attend. If they have not answered the Intent to Fish the Tourney E-mail they will not be allowed to fish the tourney.

6. The Intent to Fish the Tourney E-Mails will post two weeks prior the tourney.

7. The Tournament Director will conduct a draw before the tournament and release the results via an e-mail and or the web site.

8. An additional short Notice Draw may have to take place for late entrees or extenuating circumstances, this will be done at the discretion of the Tourney Director and or Club Officers.

9. Any members who have answered the Intent to Fish Tourney E-Mail with a positive response and do not show up at the tourney will be accessed a Fine of $5 dollars which will be collected at the next tourney he/she attends.

9. I . When a boater member replies to the intent to fish message in the affirmative and then withdraws from the event AFTER the pairings have been sent, he/she is responsible for notifying his/her non-boater partner. He/she will also notify the tournament director that the non-boater has been notified.

9. II. The tournament director may (at his/her discretion) reserve "empty" backseat on boaters who did not draw a partner. this would be annotated in the pairings message as " John Doe & Reserved". This designation would prohibit that boater from pairing up with any other boaters who have a empty backseat. As a boater who has selected/drew a "Joe Doe & Reserved" designation your name will be placed at the bottom of the list of boaters for this designation, this will limit your chance of drawing this designation repeatedly throughout the season. If after the draw all boaters, non-boaters, guests and reserve boats have been determined. If and when there is more than one boater with empty back, than the Tournament Director will hold a draw to match boaters, the determination of whose boat to use will reside with the team members. Also see 9 IV for further details. There will be a reserve boat for every ten boats assigned unless non-boater backseat issues arise.

9. III. If any boater who withdraws from an event should have a "change of circumstances" and be able to fish the tournament after all, his/her "original partner" from the pairings will be reassigned to his/her backseat.

9. IV. If there is large number of boates in a given tourney, the boater or boaters may elect to fish solo if paired with another boater and all non-boaters have been paired. In addition the boater in which he is paired agrees. Notification by both parties to Tourney Director is to be made of the change. Then boaters will have to pay $10 tourney fee.

   AA. Tournament scale will be the club's digital scale, if this scale is inoperative; a substitute digital scale provided by any club member with a reasonably functionally scale and agreed upon by club officers prior to weight in can be used. This same scale will be used for the entire weigh in process.

   AB. The Club Classic will be held at the end of the year and any money left in the club treasury will be placed in pot for payouts for 1st - 3rd or greater spots depending funds remaining in the club treasury. The normal $5 tourney fee will still be collected and paid out to the Lunker Prize.

   AC. In order for a club member to participate in the Club Classic he/she must participate in at least 8 tourneys in the regular season.

   AD. In order to Fish the Bass-Jon's Night Time Tournament, your boat must be in full compliance of the Law regarding lights.

ARTICLE IV - Officers

Section 1: Election and Eligibility

A. Elections of officers will be held at the January club meeting. Any members in good standing may run for any office he/she wishes. Winning an official seat requires 51% of the vote/ Each member is given 1 vote. (Proxies are allowed)

Section 2: Term

A. The term for all offices is one year, starting January 1st of the year elected. No restrictions on the amount of terms served.

Section 3: Vacancies

A. Any vacancies for any offices will be filled upon a special election held within seven days of any officer removed or has withdrawed from the club.

Section 4: Responsibilities

A. President

1. Provides the members with leadership and oversees the club Meetings.

2. Appoints and oversees committee chairman and club representatives.

3. Votes on club matters at the discretion of the club members.

4. Maintains the order of the By Laws and interprets their meanings for the best interest of the club.

5. Directs the organization of the tournament schedule with the clubs Tournament Director.

6. Procures club trophies and awards.

7. Responsible for accounting and disbursements of club funds.

B. Vice President

1. Takes over when the President is unavailable.

2. Takes roll call at club meetings.

3. Votes on all club matters.

4. Assists in setting up club meeting agenda with the clubs President.

5. Acts as clubs Conservation Director.

6. Responsible for accounting and disbursements of club funds in the event the President is unavailable. Also responsible for spot check of Club Treasury.

C. Tournament Director

1. Assists in the organization of the year's tournament dates and locations.

2. Qualifies and weighs all fish with club approved scale and calls Weight to the recorder.

3. Acts as Safety Director, and approves all boats for tournament acceptance.

4. Checks live wells prior to start of tournament.

5. Collects Tourney Fee's

6. Responsible for accounting and disbursements of club funds in the event the Vice President is unavailable. Also responsible for spot check of Club Treasury.

7. Conducts Draws for partners.

8. The Tourney Director is not require to pay an Tourney Fee.

D. Club Photographer

1. Responsible for taking photos at Club tournament & event functions.

2. Provide digital copies to Bass-Jon's Webmaster.

ARTICLE V - Code of Conduct

Club members are expected to represent the club in an ethical and positive manner at all times. Examples of unacceptable conduct include unsafe boat operation, lack of boating/fishing courtesy and sportsmanship, failure to attend meetings/tournaments and the failure to abide by state fishing and boating regulations. Any member who fails to communicate with Club officials for three tournaments in a row will be remove from the active rolls and moved to the Bass- Jon's Waiting List. For members on extended travel due to Military obligations or work related jobs, please notify a club officer so your membership stays active.

ARTICLE VI - Changes and Updates

A. The By Laws may be changed during the months of January, February and March. No changes after the March meeting.

B. Additions to the By Laws because of importance may be addressed at any club meeting during the year.

C. Any changes/additions must be presented before the club during monthly meetings only, and require a 2/3rd vote of all club members present. (Proxies are allowed)

Bass-Jon's