Bylaws

Bylaws for the Lake Wales Po' Boys Bass Club

2024 - 2025

BYLAWS FOR THE LAKE WALES PO’ BOYS BASS CLUB

ARTICLES I. Name and Purpose:

Section 1: This club shall be called Lake Wales Po’ Boys Bass Club of Lake Wales, FL.

Section 2: Purpose: To stimulate public awareness of bass fishing as a fun, competitive sport. To offer our state conservation department our organized moral and political support and encouragement. To promote full adherence to all local and state laws, and conservation codes. We will work to acquire adequate water standards. To detect and report any polluters and call public and political attention to any crimes. To improve our skills as bass anglers through a fellowship of friendly exchange of bass catching techniques and ideas. We will promote other local clubs and businesses.

ARTICLE II: Membership:

Section 1: Requirements for membership. To become a member, a person shall:

(a) Voluntarily express a genuine interest in acquiring membership.

(b) Membership shall cost thirty-five dollars per person per year.

Section 2: Club meetings and tournament places and times:

(a) Club tournaments will be on the fourth Sunday of each month unless moved to third Sunday due to holiday.

(b) Club tournament times will be from safe daylight until 2:00 PM unless changed by majority vote of those members present.

ARTICLE III: Elections and Officers:

Section 1: Officers and their duties:

The officers of the club shall consist of:

(a) President: Presides over all functions and directs all official business.

(b) Vice President: Acts as program chairman, assists president to his duties and presides in the absence of the President.

(d) Treasurer: Collects and distributes all moneys. Maintains accurate financial records and presents current balance reports in monthly newsletters. *

*Same person may hold secretary and treasurer’s offices if so voted at annual meeting.

(e) Tournament Director and Co-Tournament Director: Responsible for organizing and operating all club tournaments and enforcement of all tournament rules. Investigates all protests concerning tournament and may consult the club officers.

(f) Public relations officer: Coordinate efforts with sponsors, other events, with other organizations.

(g) Club Photographer: Take pictures at weigh-ins, and other club functions. Will coordinate with

secretary for publishing of photos to website or newspapers in a timely manner.

Section 2: Elections: The election of officers shall be held annually at the banquet meetings during the month of

March. Election shall be by simple majority of members present, and shall be by popular vote. Election for each

office shall be held separately in order listed in Article III, Section I.

Section 3: Eligibility of vote: Each member is entitled to one vote. Tie votes to be broken by acting President.

Proxy votes are not permitted.

Section 4: Term of office: The term of office is for one year which shall begin and end after the Classic Club

Tournament in March, or until a successor assumes office.

Section 5: Vacancies: In the event of an office becoming vacant, nominations shall be asked for and/or an

election held to fill the remaining term of that office.

Section 6: Eligibility of holding office: To be eligible for an office, a member must:

(a) Have been a member for six months.

(b) Have attended at least 50% of Club functions during the prior year.

ARTICLE IV: Removal of membership. A member shall be dropped from the membership roll for the following:

(a) Failure to pay dues.

(b) Any action which would reflect dishonor and disgrace on the Club.

ARTICLE V: Club points and procedures and club classic tournament.

Section 1: The Club points and procedures are:

(a) Points will be awarded on a team basis. Points are awarded as follows: The winning team receives

50 points. Points per team will decrease by one for each finishing position through the lowest

weighted team possessing a fish. Teams not weighing in fish will receive ten points less than the

lowest weighted team for that tournament.

Exp. A tournament with 22 participating teams and only 16 teams weighing in fish:

1st – 50 7th – 44 13th – 38 18th - 25

2nd- 49 8th – 43 14th – 37 19th - 25

3rd – 48 9th – 42 15th – 36 20th – 25

4th – 47 10th – 41 16th – 35 21st – 25

5th – 46 11th – 40 17th – 25 22nd – 25

6th – 45 12th – 39

(b) 1st big bass will be awarded an additional 2 points.

(bb) Second big bass will be awarded an additional 1 point.

(c) Teams are allowed three guests, and are allowed to replace a partner only once, per year. Guests must pay ten dollar guest fee.

(d) In the event that members from two teams join during the season to form a new team, the lower point total of the two original teams will be used. An alternate can replace a quitting member with no penalty.

(e) In the event that a team splits during the season, and both members continue to fish separately, or with new partners, by the following tournament, the accumulated points total will be split evenly.

Section 2: Club Classic Tournament procedures and qualifications are:

(a) Teams must fish a minimum of nine regular season tournaments to qualify for the classic.

(b) Classic entry fee shall be $50.00 per boat, plus $20.00 per boat per day going towards big bass pot.

(d) Plaques will be awarded to team members upon their first first, second, or third place finish in an individual tournament after fishing a minimum of three tournaments. Members will receive mountable tags for each subsequent first through third place finish. Tags will also be given to the angler with the biggest bass of an individual tournament. These awards are to be given at the weigh-in of the following tournament. First, second, and third place for the season, and largest bass of the year awards will be given at the year end banquet.

(e) The classic will be a two-day tournament using the combined weight to determine payback.

(f) The lakes for the following year will be elected by majority vote to determine the following year’s schedule.

(g) The lake for the 2-day, E C Smith classic will be determined by drawing from the three best lakes of the regular season, following the final weigh in February. First name out is classic lake.

(h) Prefishing prohibited five days prior to the classic. This applies to all members and their alternates.

(i) First day boat numbers will be assigned by the final points positions for the season.

(j) Second day boat numbers will be in order of first days standings.

(k) In the event of a tie for year end points among the top three teams the order of finish to determine the points champions will be based of a cumulative total of the years total weight per team.

(l) A $25.00 gift card or cash equivalence must be submitted to the treasure on or before the August tournament for each member. For those teams/members that join after the August tournament, they have three months to submit their $25.00 gift card or cash equivalent , there will be no exceptions. Any team that qualifies to fish the classic that has not submitted gift cards or cash equivalent, will not be permitted classic entry.

ARTICLE VI: Club Tournament Rules:

1. Life vests/Lifejackets will be worn and secured by all persons’ participating in any Club tournament anytime their boat is on plane.

2. All boats must be checked by the Director, or someone otherwise appointed, at the ramp.

3. 5 fish limit per boat, 12” minimum size largemouth bass, closed mouth, pinched tail, on golden rule, provided the club has obtained size exemptions for the tournament lake.

4. The State size exemptions stipulate, A: all fish must be released alive, B: no culling of dead fish, C: a .25 pound penalty per dead fish be imposed on total weight, D: the exemption is for size only and not on bag limit for that lake.

5. Any team observed not following guidelines from rule #4 will be disqualified.

6. Teams presenting a short fish at weigh-in will lose their big bass with the option to prove length of fish. There will be no courtesy checks. Any team that brings 3 or more dead fish to the scale shall be disqualified.

7. Entry fee shall be fifty dollars per boat with optional twenty dollars per boat big bass pot. Big bass pot shall be split 60% / 40%, for 1st & 2nd largest bass.

8. Club payback will be 80% total for first three places. Splits are 40% first, 25% second, 15% third. Big bass payback is 100% of big bass pot.

9. No alcoholic beverages or drugs during tournament hours.

10. No gas motor trolling.

11. Cash only when entering tournaments unless prior arranged.

12. Fishing is not permitted within fifty yards of any anchored boat with trolling motor up.

13. Only one rod per person may be used at any given time. Artificial bait only.

14. Starting positions for each tournament will be based on order of arrival and payment on the morning of the tournament.

15. During weigh-in, boaters will bring fish to scale location. Boater takes responsibility of releasing fish. Release location will be strictly enforced, as per directed by tournament director or club officer. Failure to follow release site directions shall lead to immediate disqualification and forfeiture of tournament winnings.

16. All boats must have aerated live wells.

17. Member arriving at launch site late must contact an officer, obtain exemption from bucket, pay entry, and have live wells inspected, in order to fish tournament.

18. All members and guests will sign a Club Release of Liability form.

19. Late boats not within designated (on time area), will be penalized one pound per minute up to five minutes, then be disqualified.

20. In event of boat failure, at least one contestant, with fish kept separate, may be transported to weigh-in by another boat. No fishing allowed after picking up another competitor.

21. Any protest involving rules violations must be presented to tournament director in written form within 15 minutes of tournament’s end, after director calls “scales closed”.

22. Decisions of the tournament director are final.

23. No angler may leave boat during tournament hours, except for emergencies, such as bad weather, medical, or restroom.

ARTICLE VII: Method of amending Club bylaws is as follows:

Section 1: The bylaws may be amended at any regular tournament/meeting by a majority vote of the members present provided written notice of the proposed change has been provided to the membership at least one regular tournament /meeting prior to vote. This applies for changing any rules concerning Lake Wales Po’ Boys Club.

Revised 3/19/2020

Lake Wales Po Boys Bass Fishing Club