Crappie Masters Rules for OCAC sponsored tournaments

Crappie Masters Rules for OCAC sponsored tournaments

Download a printable PDF copy of the rules here.

TEAMS: You may enter alone or with a partner of your choice. No more than two (2) persons will be allowed in a participating boat during tournament hours.
WEATHER: In the case of extreme weather/water conditions or National emergencies, Crappie Masters shall have the right to postpone or cancel any tournaments with the return of entry fees. If extreme weather occurs during tournament hours, seek shelter immediately and return to fishing following extreme weather.
FISHING HOURS: Fishing hours will be posted on tournament flyers, Club Social Media pages, and announced at registration.
ENTRY FEES: Entry fees will be collected at registration and are due before any team participates in the tournaments. Entry fee amounts will be posted on tournament flyer, Club Social Media pages, and announced at registration
STATE LAW: Teams must comply with all State and boating regulations throughout the entire year, including the use of P.F.D.’s and kill switches. Fishing, boating regulations, and licenses are the responsibility of team members. State fishing laws and boating regulations supersede tournament rules. Violation of State or Local law is grounds for disqualification.
MINORS: Any minor (under 18) who participates, must make arrangements to have a parent or guardian present at registration to sign a release form
BIG FISH: Big fish entries are included in the tournament entry. Only one (1) Big Fish entry per team. Only one (1) big fish will be weighed in. Teams will have that fish marked and designated as their big fish at weigh-in.
MEMBERSHIP: Crappie Masters membership is required to fish all Crappie Masters events. Failure to have an active/paid membership is grounds for disqualification. Crappie Masters reserves the right to refuse and/or revoke memberships without cause, reason and/or explanation and without recourse at our own discretion. Membership does not guarantee the ability to enter a tournament. Crappie Masters may deny tournament entry to a member without cause, reason, explanation or recourse.
PRIZES: Prizes will be given after the tournament. Teams must be present to receive prize. A team member fishing alone can qualify for the championship, for points, and for placement in the overall tournament.
OFF LIMITS: Tournament waters off limits will be announced prior to the week of the tournament on tournament flyer or Club Social Media pages, if applicable. It’s the teams responsibility to be aware of any off limits
FISHABLE WATERS: Fishing within 50 feet of a Marina gas pump or within 50 feet of a competitor’s boat, which is first anchored, is prohibited (Trolling motors must be in up position and anchor rope visible or any shallow water anchoring device must be deployed to be considered anchored). A safe and courteous distance (50 feet) should be maintained when trolling motors are in use. Fishable waters are areas that tournament officials can access the fishing team via a John boat with a gasoline propelled tiller handle with lower unit. Boats may fish anywhere except areas designated as “off limits” or “no fishing” by Local, State or Federal officials or as posted on the Tournament Information page or announced at the Seminar. Any violation of off-limits water will result in disqualification. Participants are not allowed to exit the boat to gain access to fishable waters. Teams may enter fishable waters at any public access ramp. Trailering is allowed.
ALCOHOL: Alcohol beverages are not allowed during the tournaments. Use of alcohol or non-prescribed drugs during tournament hours is prohibited and will result in disqualification.
COMPENSATION: No one can be hired, compensated, or offered compensation in any way to fish with you, mark fishing spots for you, or help you gain a competitive advantage in anyway 30 days prior to any tournament.
BOATS: You must fish from a boat. Rubber Rafts, Canoes and Go-Devils are not allowed. Two-person teams (one boat per team) must stay within 25 feet of each other while fishing.
POLES: Limit of eight (8) poles per team during tournament applies except where a state limit is set at a lesser number. Teams may use rod and reel combos, hand-held pole and reel combos or hand-held poles.
BAITS: A maximum of two baits per pole may be used during tournament hours if in accordance with Local and State laws. Live and artificial bait may be used.
MOTORS: All tournament boats are required to have a minimum 6 HP or greater motor.
OTHER EQUIPMENT: Binoculars and other magnifying devices are not allowed during tournament hours or within 30 day prior to the tournament. Under water cameras during competition is not allowed. The use of mobile communication devices such as cellular phones, marine radios, walkie-talkies, CB’S, etc. to communicate fishing information during tournament hours is prohibited.
SPOTTING: During tournament hours no one may spot fish for you or mark fishing spots for you.
LANDING FISH: Crappie must be hooked and landed with a rod or pole by team member(s). Crappie must be hooked through the lip or in the mouth. Landing nets may be used.
HOLE- SITTING: No hole sitting by a competitor or non-competitor boat during the tournament will be allowed.
LIFE JACKETS: Life jackets or personal flotation devices must be worn while on plane. All State and Local rules and regulations supersede tournament rules.
SCALES: Scales will be set up, following tournament hours, for weigh in. Tournament Director will open the scales no later than one hour after the end of fishing hours.
FISH: All fish must be brought to the official weigh-in line in a cooler. Coolers must be a minimum of 30 quarts. Failure to bring your fish to the weigh-in line in a cooler will result in disqualification. Fish bags or buckets are prohibited. Teams may weigh in seven (7), live crappie on tournament day. Teams seven (7) crappie must be alive when entering the official weigh-in line. Teams presenting more than seven crappie will be disqualified. Once you have entered the weigh-in line, your fish will be counted and be verified dead or alive by the tournament official. Dead fish will be removed and you may then continue to the scales for your official weigh-in. Once your fish have been verified alive you will then be allowed to weigh those fish, even if one or more die before reaching the scales. The tournament official has sole responsibility for the declaration of dead or alive crappie. No mutilated fish may be weighed. Mutilation is defined as any damage that impairs the fish’s fighting ability. All decisions regarding mutilation will be made by Crappie Masters tournament officials. Crappie Masters has the right to keep weighed in fish for further evaluation at our own discretion without explanation or cause.
WEIGH IN SITE: Crappie must be weighed at the official Crappie Masters tournament Weigh-In site. You must be in the weigh in line at the official weigh in site by the announced time.
TOURNAMENT HOURS: All crappie brought to the scales for weigh-in must have been caught during the tournament hours from tournament waters by the team bringing them to the scales. Tournament hours are posted on tournament flyers, Club Social Media pages, and at Registration. Teams will be allowed to be on the tournament waters, on tournament day, anytime following the beginning of registration. If pre-registration occurs then no team is allowed on tournament waters prior to two (2) hours before the official start of tournament hours.
LENGTH: All crappie brought to the scales for weigh-in must meet State length requirements for the State in which they are being weighed and may not have any weight enhancements. Any team bringing in illegal crappie to the weigh-in line will be disqualified.
FINAL WEIGHT: Combined weight of the days of competition will determine winner on all two day tournaments.
TIES: In the case of a tie for teams finishing in the money, big fish of each team will be the tie breaker. If a tie occurs and the teams did not weigh a big fish, the prizes will be split and plaques will be awarded in a coin toss.
AWARDS: Team members must be present at the official weigh-in to be eligible for prizes.
DIVISIONS: Adult/Youth Division must have one team member, sixteen years of age or younger, in the boat during tournament hours to be eligible. Male/Female Division teams must consist of one male partner and one female partner, in the boat during tournament hours to be eligible.
POINTS RACES: All teams competing in Club tournaments are automatically entered into the Points Race. Points Race is run on a 100 point system. 100 points awarded for 1st place and one less point for each spot below 1st place. Points are accumulated for each tournament and the highest accumulated points following the regular season will win the points race. Prizes will be awarded to the highest placers.
CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP: Teams may qualify for the Club Championship by
1. Winning a regular season tournament,
2. Finishing in the top 10 of the points race,
3. Top finishing Adult/Youth team in the points race,
4. Top finishing Male/Female team in the points race
5. Bump down to teams outside the top 10 in the points race to make up for the teams winning a tournament and finishing in the top 10 in the points,
6. Fish all regular season tournaments and you automatically qualify.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: Teams may qualify for the Crappie Masters National Championship by
1. Finishing in the top 5 in the Club Points Race,
2. Finishing in the top 3 in the Club Championship,
3. Points Accumulative Qualification, if you fish one regular season Crappie Masters National Qualifier you can combine your points from the qualifier to your Club points and if they total more 350 points or more, then you qualify
SPORTSMANSHIP: Team members/Crappie Masters members are required to follow high standards of sportsmanship, honesty, courtesy, safety, conservation and to conduct themselves in a manner that will be a credit to themselves, Crappie Masters, Crappie Masters sponsors, the sport of fishing, and Crappie Masters efforts to promote the sport. Examples of conduct not complying with those standards include, but are not limited to, the following: • Violation of or failure to comply with any of the official rules. • Consumption of alcoholic beverages or any kind of mind-altering substance during registration or during tournament hours. • Conviction of a felony. • Suspension/disqualification from any tournament or fishing organization for cheating, refusing or failing a polygraph. • Any other words, conduct or actions (including and not limited to discussion forums and internet sites) reflecting unfavorably upon efforts to promote safety, sportsmanship, fair competition and compliance with the tournament rules, or which fail to comply with these standards set forth in the first sentence of this paragraph.
CONDUCT: In case of any conduct not complying with the standards, Crappie Masters shall have the right to refuse any entry application, deny a paid entry application, or revoke a membership by returning the entry fee/membership fee of a previously accepted application, or to disqualify a team.
UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT: Unsportsmanlike conduct can be grounds for disqualification if circumstances require and will be at the discretion of the Tournament Director. Unsportsmanlike conduct could result in membership revocation.
PROTEST: Protest must be made in writing to the Tournament Director within 30 minutes following the end of the Official Weigh-In. Protests must cite the rule allegedly broken. Protests must be given to the Tournament Director. Protest must be deemed a legitimate protest by Tournament Director. Both parties may be subjected to a polygraph. All parties involved and all grievances, protests, and complaints shall be handled in house with confidentiality. The Tournament Director’s decision is final in all matters.
COMPLAINTS: Complaints about teams outside of protest times should be made directly to Tournament Director. Complaints must be in written format. Tournament Director decisions in handling complaints is final in all matters.
SPOTTERS/OBSERVERS: Tournament Directors shall have the right to place a spotter boat/and/or an observer in the boat with any competitive team at any time during the competition, from the start of competition to the finish. Any refusal will be grounds for disqualification.
BOAT/LIVEWELL/STORAGE: Crappie Masters tournament officials shall have the right to at random, board and inspect the boat of any competing members, at any time from Registration until the end of the tournament. Refusal to allow inspection is grounds for disqualification.
POLYGRAPH: By your participation in a Crappie Masters tournament, you agree to comply with the rules, and agree to submit to and pass a polygraph test or similar truth test in order to qualify for the receipt of any prize. Crappie Masters shall have the right to polygraph any competing team, at Crappie Masters discretion. Any team having a member who has failed or refused to take a polygraph test or was a team that was disqualified or denied a prize because either member of that team failed or refused to take a polygraph or who has ever been denied a prize because he or she misrepresented compliance with a tournament rule or because of unsportsmanlike conduct may be disqualified and/or have their membership revoked. A team member who failed to pass a polygraph or whose condition does not permit the administration of a test because of team member’s use of alcohol or drugs will be disqualified. The use of alcohol or non-prescribed drugs during tournament hours is prohibited.

RELEASE

Contestants agree to release Crappie Masters, Inc., its staff and all sponsors from any liability arising from the administration of tournaments and/or the decisions made in result of tournaments. All decisions regarding compliance with these rules and the interpretation of these rules will be made by the Tournament Director and Crappie Masters, which reserves the right to make additional reasonable rules for the conduct of its tournaments if circumstances require. All decisions are final, and all matters are not subject to appeal.

A pre-tournament Registration is held for the review of the rules. You are liable to abide by all rules and rule changes made during registration; therefore, one team member is required to attend unless absence is pre-approved by Tournament Director. Crappie Masters does not discriminate for reasons of race, creed, color or national origin.