Club Rules
Adopted March 11, 2021
1. Membership: Membership in Thursday Night Bass Club is limited to 35 boats. Boaters are not limited to the partners listed on roster. If boater cannot attend, the partner may enter boat and have partner. In this case, credit for the catch and points will be given to registered club member. Boater and partner may not operate separate boats in same tournament. Boaters must participate as boater in minimum of ten Thursday Night Club tournaments during year to remain on roster for following year. For each all-day tournament fished, boaters will receive credit for 2 fished tournaments. If requirements are not made, boater goes to bottom of waiting list for the following year. Current members will cast vote on new members wanting to join club at pre-season meeting held in spring. Boaters without a valid boat permit will be terminated from club membership.
2. Dues: Yearly membership fee is $20.00 per boat or team and is required to be paid before fishing in any Thursday Night tournament. Money is used to cover cost of end of year prizes. A banquet will be held sometime during off season, during which time prizes will be awarded. Paid members who have fished ten (10) or more tournaments may receive an award.
3. Start/End Time: Start time will be 5:15 PM sharp for the entire duration of the season. End time will be decided prior to each tournament, with 9:00 PM being the latest time any tournament will conclude. Boaters will take off in four separate flights: A, B, C, and D. Assignments will rotate each week. The all-day tournaments will be determined by a random draw. Disqualification will be after five minutes past the end of the predetermined end of tournament. Contestants arriving late for start of tournaments must have live-wells checked as soon as possible by any other tournament contestant before fishing. Those arriving late must pay entry fee before weigh-in.
4. Entry Fee: $20 per boat with big bass pool included. Double amounts will apply for all-day tournaments. The two-day fall tournament will consist of a two-day cumulative weight with one set of points being earned following the second day of competition. If two boaters choose to fish together, they must declare prior to the tournament whose name they will pay under. That boater is credited with the fish weight and a tournament fished.
5. Safety and Sportsmanship: Life preservers must be worn during initial take-off and kill switch must be attached (State Law) when big motor is in operation. Bow and stern lights must be in place and operating (State Law) after sunset while boat is moving. Stern light only will be allowed while stationary. Boater will receive warning for first offense of not having lights on and will be disqualified for each tournament the offense occurs thereafter. Please obey lake speed limit. No boat may pass another boat from the flights before them on take-off, unless the boat cannot make the speed limit. No boat will fish closer than a 50-yard circumference to a boat that was first positioned on a point or bank. If you need to pass a boat to reach a fishing area, or if you wish to fish in the same area as another boat, please be courteous and ask other boater for permission. If you are not sure, ask.
6. Payout and Points: Based on one spot for every four boats entered, with maximum of five and minimum of three spots being paid. Ties for payout will be broken by each team’s biggest fish. If no big fish has been weighed in by either team, the combined payout for the spot for which they are tied plus additional spots in the standings below (when applicable) will be divided equally between the tied teams. In the event of tie for the final payout spot, that designated amount will be divided equally between the tied teams.
Ties in standings that do not earn a payout will also be broken by biggest fish. If no biggest fish has been weighed in, ties in standings will result in equal points being earned by all teams tied for the designated spot, with the points below being adjusted for the remaining participating teams. If a team participates but does not weigh in any legal fish, they will receive ten (10) points for the tournament. The best twenty (20) results for each team will be used to determine final standings and end-of-year awards. Payout and points will be what was approved as presented at meeting.
7. Limits, Bumps and Penalties: Weigh-in will begin when at least two members of the Tournament Committee are present at the scales. Only largemouth or smallmouth bass will be weighed. All fish must be brought to the scale in a weigh-in bag. Bass must be between 0-14” & 18” or longer with a limit of 3 bass per team/boat. All culling will be done on the water and no more than 6 fish are allowed in live-well at any time with a partner or 3 without. No frozen or mangled fish will be accepted for weigh-in. A penalty of 8 ounces will be deducted from total weight of all fish for each dead fish. Penalty will not be deducted from Big Bass weight.
Official bumper will give courtesy bumps, however bumps must be requested BEFORE any fish is placed in the basket. Pinching and sweeping of the tail of the fish is permitted to ensure that the fish is less than 14 inches and a minimum of 18 inches. If an angler requests a courtesy bump and the fish is determined to be illegal, the fish will not be allowed to be weighed, however no penalty will be assessed. If a fisherman attempts to weigh in an illegal fish without requesting a courtesy bump, the illegal fish will be disqualified and a penalty of 8 ounces will be deducted from the total weight of the angler’s remaining legal fish. The club bump board will be the only board able to be used.
8. Releasing of Fish: All fish must be released a minimum of 150 yards from the docks – NO EXCEPTIONS!!! Fish releasing for each tournament will be done alphabetically, beginning with the first tournament of the season with no less than two release boats per tournament.
9. Tackle and Equipment: Only artificial bait or lures may be used; pork style baits are allowed. Rod and reel only. Only one pole may be used at a time. All other baits tied to lines must remain inside boat. All boats must have adequate live-wells to maintain fish in good condition. Ice or other agents may be used to help keep fish in good condition. Non-penetrating cull tags only. Dip nets are allowed. No trolling with aid of electric or combustion engine allowed. Alabama type rigs/lures are not allowed.
10. Money Collection: Collection for each Thursday night will be done by the winners of the previous week’s tournament. They are also responsible for live-well checks. They will be in charge of collection and weigh-in. In the event previous winners cannot make next tournament, they are responsible for finding substitute.
11. Off-Limit Areas: Fishing will not be allowed in the marina area. You may start fishing from point to point, but cannot cast into the marina area. Areas roped off by camper clubs for swimming are off limits. No fishing will be allowed in 4-H cove beyond black buoys or in any other areas roped off by lake officials. No fishing in roped off areas during spawn! Anyone caught fishing in these areas will be disqualified and will be subject to club termination.
12. Tournament Entries: City of Jacksonville requires our tournaments not to exceed 25 contestants. Since we have 35, there is a chance more than 25 could show up to participate. If that occurs, newest members would be bumped from tournament in reverse order of time sequence of when their name was submitted to tournament chairman for membership.
13. Protests: Protests from any member must be noted to the tournament committee before the weigh-in is complete. The Tournament Committee will vote to decide if a rule has been violated. The Club President will only cast a vote in the case of a tie between committee members. If a violation is determined to have occurred, the boater will be disqualified for the night.
Thursday Night Bass Club Tournament Committee
1. Membership: Membership in Thursday Night Bass Club is limited to 35 boats. Boaters are not limited to the partners listed on roster. If boater cannot attend, the partner may enter boat and have partner. In this case, credit for the catch and points will be given to registered club member. Boater and partner may not operate separate boats in same tournament. Boaters must participate as boater in minimum of ten Thursday Night Club tournaments during year to remain on roster for following year. For each all-day tournament fished, boaters will receive credit for 2 fished tournaments. If requirements are not made, boater goes to bottom of waiting list for the following year. Current members will cast vote on new members wanting to join club at pre-season meeting held in spring. Boaters without a valid boat permit will be terminated from club membership.
2. Dues: Yearly membership fee is $20.00 per boat or team and is required to be paid before fishing in any Thursday Night tournament. Money is used to cover cost of end of year prizes. A banquet will be held sometime during off season, during which time prizes will be awarded. Paid members who have fished ten (10) or more tournaments may receive an award.
3. Start/End Time: Start time will be 5:15 PM sharp for the entire duration of the season. End time will be decided prior to each tournament, with 9:00 PM being the latest time any tournament will conclude. Boaters will take off in four separate flights: A, B, C, and D. Assignments will rotate each week. The all-day tournaments will be determined by a random draw. Disqualification will be after five minutes past the end of the predetermined end of tournament. Contestants arriving late for start of tournaments must have live-wells checked as soon as possible by any other tournament contestant before fishing. Those arriving late must pay entry fee before weigh-in.
4. Entry Fee: $20 per boat with big bass pool included. Double amounts will apply for all-day tournaments. The two-day fall tournament will consist of a two-day cumulative weight with one set of points being earned following the second day of competition. If two boaters choose to fish together, they must declare prior to the tournament whose name they will pay under. That boater is credited with the fish weight and a tournament fished.
5. Safety and Sportsmanship: Life preservers must be worn during initial take-off and kill switch must be attached (State Law) when big motor is in operation. Bow and stern lights must be in place and operating (State Law) after sunset while boat is moving. Stern light only will be allowed while stationary. Boater will receive warning for first offense of not having lights on and will be disqualified for each tournament the offense occurs thereafter. Please obey lake speed limit. No boat may pass another boat from the flights before them on take-off, unless the boat cannot make the speed limit. No boat will fish closer than a 50-yard circumference to a boat that was first positioned on a point or bank. If you need to pass a boat to reach a fishing area, or if you wish to fish in the same area as another boat, please be courteous and ask other boater for permission. If you are not sure, ask.
6. Payout and Points: Based on one spot for every four boats entered, with maximum of five and minimum of three spots being paid. Ties for payout will be broken by each team’s biggest fish. If no big fish has been weighed in by either team, the combined payout for the spot for which they are tied plus additional spots in the standings below (when applicable) will be divided equally between the tied teams. In the event of tie for the final payout spot, that designated amount will be divided equally between the tied teams.
Ties in standings that do not earn a payout will also be broken by biggest fish. If no biggest fish has been weighed in, ties in standings will result in equal points being earned by all teams tied for the designated spot, with the points below being adjusted for the remaining participating teams. If a team participates but does not weigh in any legal fish, they will receive ten (10) points for the tournament. The best twenty (20) results for each team will be used to determine final standings and end-of-year awards. Payout and points will be what was approved as presented at meeting.
7. Limits, Bumps and Penalties: Weigh-in will begin when at least two members of the Tournament Committee are present at the scales. Only largemouth or smallmouth bass will be weighed. All fish must be brought to the scale in a weigh-in bag. Bass must be between 0-14” & 18” or longer with a limit of 3 bass per team/boat. All culling will be done on the water and no more than 6 fish are allowed in live-well at any time with a partner or 3 without. No frozen or mangled fish will be accepted for weigh-in. A penalty of 8 ounces will be deducted from total weight of all fish for each dead fish. Penalty will not be deducted from Big Bass weight.
Official bumper will give courtesy bumps, however bumps must be requested BEFORE any fish is placed in the basket. Pinching and sweeping of the tail of the fish is permitted to ensure that the fish is less than 14 inches and a minimum of 18 inches. If an angler requests a courtesy bump and the fish is determined to be illegal, the fish will not be allowed to be weighed, however no penalty will be assessed. If a fisherman attempts to weigh in an illegal fish without requesting a courtesy bump, the illegal fish will be disqualified and a penalty of 8 ounces will be deducted from the total weight of the angler’s remaining legal fish. The club bump board will be the only board able to be used.
8. Releasing of Fish: All fish must be released a minimum of 150 yards from the docks – NO EXCEPTIONS!!! Fish releasing for each tournament will be done alphabetically, beginning with the first tournament of the season with no less than two release boats per tournament.
9. Tackle and Equipment: Only artificial bait or lures may be used; pork style baits are allowed. Rod and reel only. Only one pole may be used at a time. All other baits tied to lines must remain inside boat. All boats must have adequate live-wells to maintain fish in good condition. Ice or other agents may be used to help keep fish in good condition. Non-penetrating cull tags only. Dip nets are allowed. No trolling with aid of electric or combustion engine allowed. Alabama type rigs/lures are not allowed.
10. Money Collection: Collection for each Thursday night will be done by the winners of the previous week’s tournament. They are also responsible for live-well checks. They will be in charge of collection and weigh-in. In the event previous winners cannot make next tournament, they are responsible for finding substitute.
11. Off-Limit Areas: Fishing will not be allowed in the marina area. You may start fishing from point to point, but cannot cast into the marina area. Areas roped off by camper clubs for swimming are off limits. No fishing will be allowed in 4-H cove beyond black buoys or in any other areas roped off by lake officials. No fishing in roped off areas during spawn! Anyone caught fishing in these areas will be disqualified and will be subject to club termination.
12. Tournament Entries: City of Jacksonville requires our tournaments not to exceed 25 contestants. Since we have 35, there is a chance more than 25 could show up to participate. If that occurs, newest members would be bumped from tournament in reverse order of time sequence of when their name was submitted to tournament chairman for membership.
13. Protests: Protests from any member must be noted to the tournament committee before the weigh-in is complete. The Tournament Committee will vote to decide if a rule has been violated. The Club President will only cast a vote in the case of a tie between committee members. If a violation is determined to have occurred, the boater will be disqualified for the night.
Thursday Night Bass Club Tournament Committee
- Jacob Traeger – President
- Richard Snodgrass – Vice-President
- 2021 Committee Members (David Knollhoff, Alan McClelland, Tony Perkins, Jed Arnold, Rob Nichols, Kevin Brunstein)