Crappie Tournament Rules

GENERAL: 

1. Each angler must be an active member of the Oklahoma Crappie Anglers Club to participate in tournaments.  Membership is $40/year and runs concurrent to the club’s fiscal year (Jan1 thru Dec 31).  All anglers 15 YOA and younger when fishing with a parent or guardian may do so without a membership.
2. All anglers must be present at the anglers meeting which will be held at the specified location 1 hour before official tournament start.
3. TEAMS: You may enter alone or with a partner of your choice. No more than two (2) anglers will be allowed in a participating boat during tournament hours. Each team is also allowed one youth, age 15 or younger, in the boat during the tournament.  
4. WEATHER: In the case of extreme weather/water conditions or national emergencies, the club shall have the right to postpone or cancel any tournaments.
5. FISHING HOURS: Fishing hours are posted on the tournament information page.
6. ENTRY FEES/REFUNDS: Tournament entry is $80.00/boat for 1-day tournaments and $160.00/boat for 2-day tournaments which includes the Big Fish entry. 

TOURNAMENT REGISTRATION: All participants must be pre-registered to fish the tournament.  Registration deadline is 6:30 pm on the Friday before the tournament.  Online registration is required.  A $50 late fee will be applied for any registrations after the specified time. Refunds will only be offered in cases of emergencies.

The only exception to this rule is that new anglers who have never fished an OCAC event will be given a 1 time exemption from the late fee. 

7. STATE LAW: Teams must comply with all STATE FISHING AND BOATING REGULATIONS, including the use of a PFD. Fishing and boating regulations and licenses are the responsibility of team members. State fishing law and boating regulations supersede tournament rules. Violation of laws are grounds for disqualification.
8. MINORS: Any minor (under 18) who participates must make arrangements to have a parent or guardian present at the weigh-in.
9. BIG FISH: Big fish entries are included in the entry fee.  Only one Big Fish entry per team.   Only one big fish will be weighed in and contestants will have that fish marked and designated as his/her big fish at weigh-in. 
10. PRIZES: Prizes will be given after the tournament. Angler(s) must be present to receive a prize. 
11. ALCOHOL: Alcoholic beverages are not allowed during the seminar or tournament or the weigh-in. Use of alcohol or non-prescribed drugs during tournament hours is prohibited.
12. COMPENSATION: No one can be hired or offered compensation in any way to fish with you, mark fishing spots for you, or help you gain a competitive advantage in any way 30 days prior to any tournament.
13. 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. Only the violated team can file a complaint.  A safe and courteous distance 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 angler’s meeting.  Any violation of off-limits water will result in disqualification.

All participants must be off the water 30 minutes after official sunset on the Friday night before the tournament and will be off limits until the conclusion of the tournament. The only exception will be those participants that are utilizing a “dock” for boat storage overnight and then the participant can only be on the water while en route directly to and from the meeting area.

FISHING

14. BOATS: You must fish from a boat. Rubber rafts, canoes and Go-Devils are not allowed. Two-person teams (one boat per team) anglers must stay within 25 feet of each other while fishing, if one angler leaves the boat the other must stop fishing until the partner returns. If the partner will not return for the remainder of the tournament, then the remaining angler may resume the tournament.
15. POLES: A maximum of eight (8) poles in the water per team applies except where a state limit is set at a lesser number. Teams may use rod and reel combos, handheld pole and reel combos or hand-held poles.
16. BAITS: A maximum of two baits per pole may be used during tournament hours if in accordance with local state laws. Live and artificial bait may be used.
17. SPOTTING: During tournament hours no one may spot fish for you or mark fishing spots for you.
18. 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.
19. HOLE SITTING: No hole sitting by competitor or non-competitor boat during the tournament will be allowed.

WEIGH-IN

20.  VOUCHER: A weigh-in voucher will be issued to each registered team at the registration/seminar signup. That voucher must be presented back to the tournament director at the weigh-in.
21.  Weigh-in: Weigh-in will be immediately following the tournament close. All teams must be in the weigh-in line by the designated time.  Anglers not in the weigh-in line by the designated time will not be allowed to weigh-in.
22.  FISH: A team cannot weigh-in more than 7 crappie and those crappie must be alive when entering the Official Weigh-In line. Any team presenting more than 7 crappie will be disqualified. Once you have entered the weigh-in line, your fish will be counted (7 crappie) and be verified dead or alive. 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, and entered on the weigh-in voucher, you will then be allowed to weigh-in those fish, even if one or more die before reaching the scales. Only the fish presented may be weighed in, at no time may a team add or remove any of the fish presented.  The tournament director 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 tournament officials.
23.  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 the information page.

TOURNAMENT RULES

24.  RELEASING FISH: We encourage all live fish that are weighed to be returned to the water as soon as the teams weigh in is completed.
25.  LENGTH: All crappie brought to the scales for weigh-in must meet Oklahoma state length requirements, or be a minimum of 9 inches whichever is greater, and may not have any weight enhancements. Any team bringing in illegal crappie to the weigh-in line will be disqualified.
26.  FINAL WEIGHT: Combined weight of the day of competition will determine the winner of all tournaments.
27.  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 combined and split equally.  Points/plaques/trophies will be awarded in a coin toss.  In the case of a tie for big fish of the tournament, ties will be broken by total weight.
28.  AWARDS: One team member must be present at the Official Weigh-In to be eligible for prizes.  Any unclaimed prize money will be returned to the OCAC.

SPORTSMANSHIP

29. Team 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 and the sport of fishing and 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. 
• Suspension/disqualification from any tournament or fishing organization for cheating, refusing to take 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.

30. CONDUCT: In case of any conduct not complying with the standards, we shall have the right to refuse any entry application, or to deny a paid entry application, by returning the entry fee/membership fee (minus 20% administration fee) of a previously accepted application, or to disqualify a team.
31. UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT: Unsportsmanlike conduct can be grounds for disqualification if circumstances require. 
32. 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.
33. COMPLAINTS: Complaints about teams/anglers for misconduct or unsportsmanlike behavior should be made directly to the Tournament Director.
34. SPOTTERS/OBSERVERS: Tournament officials shall have the right to place a spotter boat(s) 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.
35. BOAT/LIVEWELL/STORAGE: Tournament officials shall have the right to, at random, board and inspect a boat or boats for fishing license, fish bags, storage lockers, live wells at any time from registration until the end of the tournament of any competing member.  Refusal to allow inspection is grounds for disqualification.

DIVISIONS

36. There is only 1 division with no further restrictions.

POINTS SERIES

37. Points series is calculated by the total points awarded for a team’s regular season finishes plus the championship. The championship will be a double points tournament. 

Points are awarded in order of finish.   1st place will receive 100 points,  2nd – 99 points,  3rd 98- points etc. with 1 point separating each position. 

If a team is present at the anglers meeting prior to the tournament but presents no fish at the weigh-in that team will receive 1 point less than the last team to weigh-in fish.

Any team that pays an entry and does not check in at the anglers meeting prior to the tournament will receive zero (0) points for the tournament.  If you have paid your entry and will not make the angler’s meeting,  please contact the Tournament Director prior to 6:30AM the day of the tournament.  (Any exceptions will be determined by the Tournament Director)

A team may consist of  1 or 2 anglers.  A team may consist of 2 adults,  Adult/youth (17 years or younger), or Male/Female.   If an angler changes partners during the season that will constitute a new team.   For an angler’s points to count on the original team they would have to fish with the same partner or alone.  All OCAC club members will be allowed to bring ONE guest for ONE tournament as a substitution for your regular teammate during the season.  This will not apply to Oklahoma Crappie Master tournaments.   (Contact the Tournament Director prior to registering a guest)

CHAMPIONSHIP: 

38. The Oklahoma State Championship will be a 2-day tournament.   To qualify, a team must accumulate a minimum of 300 points or fish all of the regular season tournaments. 

39. Angler of the year (AOY):  will be determined by total points accumulated during the regular season events plus the double point state championship tournament. 
40. Top Male/Female Team of the year:  will be determined by total points accumulated during the regular season events plus the double point state championship tournament (you must compete as a team to be eligible).
41. Top Adult/Youth Team of the year:  will be determined by total points accumulated during the regular season events plus the double point state championship tournament  (you must compete as a team to be eligible).