NEBA of MA 2008 Tournament Entry Form

Tournament Hours: 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM Pre-Registered Check-in Period: 5:00 AM to 6:30 AM.
On-Site Registration: 5:00 AM to 6:00 AM for all on-site registrations. Bring completed entry form to tournament site, or complete application on-site.
All participants must have their boats checked by 6:30 AM and in the water by 6:45 AM.
Membership Requirements and Fees: All participants must be members of The North East Bass Association of Massachusetts, either as an independent member of or a NEBA of MA club member. NEBA of MA Association Membership Fee is $55 for the calendar year (which includes 1 state banquet ticket), paid directly with your tournament application, through your club or at the tournament site. To qualify for Family Membership Husband, Wife/Significant other must reside at same address. Their children can live in any household and must be under 18 years of age as of April 1st.
Entry Fee: $100.00 if pre-registered by date above; additional $20.00 late-fee on-site or after cut-off date
On-site registration Entry fee: Cash only $120.00. Consists of $100.00 entry fee and $20.00 late fee.
Launch Fees: If an EPO is needed a $10.00 EPO fee will be assed at the site per team. Any additional ramp, parking, or launch fees are the responsibility of the contestant.
Lunker Pool: Optional $10.00 Big Bass Pot (payable on-site in cash only) 100% paid-out in cash for the largest (heaviest) bass.
Maximum Number of Entries at each tournament is 40 Boats. All entries are taken on a first-come, first-served basis.
Pre-Registration by Mail: Send complete application to be received by the cut-off date (the Monday prior to the Tournament date). Pre-registrations received after the cut-off date will reserve a slot at the tournament but will also incur the $20.00 late fee. A team may reserve slots at all five tournaments by paying 50% ($250) with the initial registration and the remaining $50 per tournament at each tournament's on-site registration. All applications must include payment in full (checks preferred) and photocopies of watercraft liability insurance policy and valid membership numbers. NEBA of Mass, Tournament Registration, P.O. Box 202, Webster, MA 01570
Proof of Insurance Required: All entry forms must be accompanied by proof of valid $300,000 watercraft liability insurance (copy of valid insurance policy with expiration date) Incomplete Applications will not be processed! Rules pages must be singed and turned in as well! No slots will be reserved and the late fee will apply unless all information and complete payment (unless the team prepays the $50 per tournament for all 5 tournaments) are provided prior to the pre-registration cut-off date.
Refunds: Your entry fee will be refunded if you notify Tournament Officials of your intent to withdraw prior to the pre-registration cut-off date. No refunds after pre-registration cut-off date. Tournament Officials can be reached by telephone. (Paul Grzyb (774) 230-1971 or Dave Sullivan (508) 949-7699).
Prize Money: Prizes are paid-out to top 5 places based on 20 boats. Payout is 70% of $100 entry fees at each Trail Tournament. Prizes are pro-rated based on the actual number of entries. For every additional 5 boats (over 35 boats) we will add another cash prize. $50.00 Prize for Top Adult/Youth or Mix/Team at each tournament. Teams can only claim one prize whichever is of higher value and remaining prizes in that pool will fall to the next team in line and if 4 or more participate an additional prize of $25 will be awarded.

Boat Owner Name: _________________________________________________ Phone No.: __________________________

Mail Address: __________________________________ City:______________________ State:________ ZIP:__________

NEBA of Mass. Number _____________________________

Boat Reg. No._______________________ Make __________________________ Hull Length:__________ Horsepower:______

Tow Vehicle Reg. No.___________________________ Trailer Reg. No.:_______________________________

Partner Name: _______________________________________________________ Phone No.: __________________________
Mail Address: __________________________________ City: ______________________ State:________ ZIP:___________
NEBA of Mass Number _____________________________
Boat Reg. No.:______________________ Make:__________________________ Hull Length:____________ Horsepower:______

Tow Vehicle Reg. No.___________________________ Trailer Reg. No.:_______________________________
CHECK-OFF IF: [ ] Adult/Child* Team (*child must be under 18 as of April 1st) [ ] Mixed Couple Team
[ ] Members of NEBA of MA. Affiliated Club(s). If YES, list club(s):______________________
By entering this NEBA of MA Team Tournament at my own risk, I hereby acknowledge that all bodies of water contain obstacles and hazards and that I am responsible for the safe operation of my boat, and I waive all liability claims against Tournament sponsors, hosts, officials, and all parties associated with the tournament. I have read the Tournament Rules and agree to abide by them. I also agree to accept the Tournament Officials' decisions as final.
BOTH CONTESTANTS MUST SIGN AND DATE BELOW
Boat Owner: ________________________________________________________ Date: ___________________

Partner: ____________________________________________________________ Date: _______________________
(if Partner is under 18, Legal Guardian must sign also)

Please check off	May 18 - Webster Lake	Sept. 12 &13 - Finals - Champlain South Bay
Site(s) and Date(s)	June 22 - Lake Shirley	October 5 - Open Tournament - Webster Lake
	July 20 - Quabog
	August 3 - Ct. River Brunell's
	August 17 - Manchaug
Indicate Amounts	Entry Fee(s) $100 per Tournament	$
Enclosed	Late Fee $20 if after pre-reg. Date	$
	NEBA of MA Membership Fee $55	$
	Family Membership $70 ($55 + $15)**	$
	Total:

North East Bass Association of Massachusetts 2008 Tournament Rules
*New for 2008 - Equitable Entry System (EES)

NEW FOR 2008 - No qualifying to reach to the finals under the EES. In order to fish the finals on Lake Champlain you need to be a NEBA of MA member by May 18th and meet the criteria outlined below.
CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP - To be held in conjunction with the finals and the trophy to be awarded to the winning club at the finals
EES Equitable Entry System for INDEPENDENT NEBA of MA Members - 3 tournament minimum to qualify for the finals. If you are an INDEPENDENT member of the NEBA of MA and do not belong to a sanctioned club, you must fish 3 state trail events to qualify for the finals and your INDEPENDENT partner must do the same. If your partner cannot fish the finals you can pair with a NEBA of MA club member in good standing or another INDEPENDENT member that has met the 3 state tournament minimum requirement. All entry fees will count towards the finals in the EES.
EES Equitable Entry System for NEBA of MA Club Members – NEBA of MA members in good standing can fish as many or as few state tournaments as they wish with all their entry fees counting towards the finals. NEBA of MA members can fish the finals with any NEBA member of any club or Independent member that has met the 3 event requirement.
EES Financial Breakdown – If you fish all 5 state trail events with the same partner then your entrance to the finals is free. The equitable dollar amount is $30 per team per event that is taken via the 70/30 split. That means that a team fishing all 5 events contributed $150 and that is the equitable number for this year. No money is ever lost if you participate in the finals which will be a 100% payout of the EES for that year. Example (1) If you are a NEBA of MA club member and you and your partner fished 2 state trail events you would have contributed $60 towards the finals and the EES number for 2008 is $150 so the finals would only cost you $90 to enter. Example (2) If 2 NEBA of MA members fished all 5 events and then decided to each fish the finals with another NEBA member from any club that didn’t fish any state trail events then they would have contributed $150 the EES number but because they split into 2 teams they each would bring $75 in EES money to their team and the entry fee for the finals would be $75 for each team. The team EES number simply has to add up to $150 so the more state trail events you fish, the cheaper the finals are.
PARTICIPATION AND ELIGIBILITY - The NEBA of MA Tournament Trail is open only to members of the North East Bass Association of Massachusetts, with current membership cards. (Membership fees may be paid on-site.) Any person under the age of 18 must have the signature of their legal guardian. Watercraft (Marine) Liability insurance is required with a minimum of $300,000 coverage. Professionals: Individuals that have fished two or more tournaments requiring an entry fee of $500 or more in the preceding six months are not eligible to fish.
REGISTRATION - PRE-REGISTERED PARTICIPANTS - In all state tournaments, all pre-registered participants must check-in with the Tournament Officials by 6:30 AM and have their boats inspected and in the water by 6:45 AM. Participants not checked-in by 6:30 and launched by 6:45 AM will not be allowed to fish, no points will be awarded, and the team's entry fee will not be refunded. On-site registration must be completed by 6:00AM
REGISTRATION - ON-SITE - Participants registering at the tournament site must check in with the Tournament Officials by 6:00AM and have their boats inspected and in the water by 6:45 AM. Pre-Registered participants not checked-in by 6:30 or launched by 6:45 AM will not be allowed to fish, no points will be awarded, and the team's entry fee will not be refunded. The following are required for on-site registration: Payment of registration fee, Marine/watercraft liability insurance with a minimum of $300,000 coverage, NEBA of MA Mass. Membership Card. (Membership Fees may be paid on-site.)
PRE-TOURNAMENT FISHING - There is no cut-off date for pre-fishing tournament waters. However, NEBA of Ma. Club Tournaments are prohibited on Trail Tournament Waters for 6 days prior to each Trail Tournament.
SPORTSMANSHIP AND COURTESY - All participants in NEBA Tournaments are expected to follow the highest standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety, and conservation. Any infraction of these fundamental sporting principles may be deemed cause for disqualification. The possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages and/or drugs in a participant's boat or on their person during official tournament hours will be cause for immediate disqualification. Anyone on medication under a doctor's order must notify the Tournament Officials prior to the start of the tournament. Tournament hours extend from the start of registration until the scales have been officially closed by the Tournament Officials. Maximum courtesy must be practiced at all times, especially in regards to the general public. No competing boat may fish within 50 feet of another occupied boat, regardless of whether the other boat is a tournament contestant. Any act of a participant which reflects unfavorably upon the NEBA's efforts to promote fisheries conservation, clean water, and sportsmanship will be reason for disqualification from the current tournament and/or all future NEBA of MA Tournaments. Protests must be submitted to the Tournament Officials, in writing and signed, before the scales are officially closed. The protesting participants must be available to confront the accused with the Tournament Officials.
SAFETY - Safe boating must be practiced at all times. Each contestant is required to wear a chest-type, Coast Guard approved life preserver (PFD), fastened securely, at all times that the combustion engine is running. Suspender-type vests must be worn on the outside of all garments, and cannot be removed unless there are other acceptable Type III vests readily accessible in the boat. All boats must operate in a safe and sane manner and observe any and all speed zones that are posted on tournament waters. The maximum speed limit for all tournaments is 45 MPH, unless lower or higher speed limits are posted on the tournament waters, required by law or local rules and regulations, or required by the Tournament Officials. Ignition kill switches must be used properly, and attached to the driver at all times that the combustion engine is running. Boats on plane must maintain at least 75 feet of distance between each other and or applicable local law.
TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT - 0nly artificial lures may be used. No live or prepared bait is permitted, with the exception of pork strips or chunks and rinds, etc. Only casting, spin-casting or spinning rods and reels may be used. All others are prohibited. Any number of fishing rods may be rigged in the boat but, only one rig may be used at a time. Nets, with a maximum overall length of 6 feet (72 inches), are allowed. Trolling as a means of fishing is not allowed. No underwater listening or vision devices of any kind are allowed. Cell phones and two-way radios may be used for emergency/non-tournament purposes only.
BOAT AND MOTOR -Every boat must have all Coast Guard required equipment. The minimum boat length is 14 feet. Canoes, barges, and similar cumbersome or unstable craft are not allowed. The horsepower rating of the motor must not exceed the horsepower rating of the boat. Tiller steering is allowed, but stick steering is not allowed. All boats must have a functioning ignition kill switch, which must be used properly.
LIVE WELLS - All boats must have a functional live-well space, of proper and adequate size, and properly aerated to maintain alive a team's limit of bass. Tournament officials shall have the sole responsibility for determining whether aeration and capacity are "proper and adequate". Stringers are not allowed.
EMERGENCIES - Contestants must remain in their boat at all times during tournament hours, except in the case of dire emergency. If toilet facilities are not available and contestants must leave their boat to relieve themselves during tournament hours, they must ask another participating boat to witness their leaving and returning to their boat. No boat shall approach within reaching distance of another boat during the tournament, except for an emergency. It is mandatory that a courtesy bucket is aboard for all participants and it is to be used if the need arises.
OFFICIAL CHECKPOINT - There shall be only one official checkpoint in the morning and afternoon, and this point shall be designated at the pre-tournament briefing. At the time of check-in, all competitors and their boats shall be in full compliance with all the rules set forth herein and by the Tournament Officials. All boats must proceed directly past, within 50 feet of, the launch boat at tournament check-in. All boats must check in, regardless of whether they have fish are not. At check-In, all boats shall identify themselves by means of their boat number and proceed immediately to the designated weigh-in area. The check-in boat will remain on the water for 15 minutes after the official check-in time. Check-in and weigh-in procedures will be as defined at the pre-tournament briefing. At least one team member must stay with the team's catch until the catch has been weighed and recorded.
TOURNAMENT WORKERS - must be allowed to trailer their boats before all other tournament participants' so that they can proceed to their duties. Any team/boat that obstructs a tournament worker's boat may be disqualified. Any team/boat that fails to follow weigh-in procedures, as announced at the pre-tournament briefing, may be disqualified.
WEIGH-IN AND SCORING - Tournament scores will be based on the total weight of bass caught by each team. Only black bass (largemouth and smallmouth), caught during tournament hours on the tournament waters shall count toward a team's catch. Daily limits and size will be established at the pre-tournament briefing. If more than the legal limit of fish is found in a team's possession, that team will be disqualified. If in the judgment of the Tournament Officials any bass presented for weigh-in has been mashed, mauled, mangled, or altered, that bass will not be counted toward the team's score. Bass presented for weigh-in that fail to meet the established minimum length will not be weighed-in and shall incur a one-pound penalty for each short bass. Due to the variance in measuring devices, all participants may check their measuring device against the official 'Golden Rule' prior to the close of the morning registration period (6:30 AM). There will be no 'courtesy checks' of fish.
Competitors are expected to keep their bass alive if at all possible. Dead fish may not be "culled"--they must be weighed-in with the team's catch. Four ounces (.25 lb.) will be deducted from the team's score for each dead fish weighed-in. The determination of a 'Dead Fish' will be based on the Tournament Officials' judgment of the fish's likelihood of survival.
TEAM ACCUMULATES TRAIL POINTS FOR ANGLERS OF THE YEAR - 200 points awarded for first place; 2 points less for each place after first; 20 points less than the last team with fish for teams that check-in with no fish; 0 points for teams that do not check in or are disqualified. (NEW for 2008) A change in partners constitutes a new team and new points however each team may engage the use of a substitute 1 time only per season per team as long at that substitute meets all the NEBA of MA qualifications and as long as 1 team member is present. A substitute receives no EES value towards the finals. A team can fish with 1 member any time.
TOURNAMENT DROP POINTS - No points will be awarded for dropped tournaments.
TIES - In the case of a tie for any place, the tie will be broken in the following manner: (1) biggest fish, then (2) Total number of live fish. If still tied, the prize money and points of both places will be divided equally between the teams.
LATE PENALTY - There shall be no excuse for tardiness. A late penalty of 1 pound per minute will be assessed for teams that check-in after the official check-in time, and the team will be disqualified if more than 15 minutes late. All fishing must cease upon check-in. After proper recognition at the check-in point, competitors will have ample time to proceed to the weigh-in site at a slow idle. The official starting and check-in time will be announced at the pre-tournament briefing.
VIOLATIONS – Any ticket or citation issued for speeding, fishing violations or improper boating operation during a NEBA of MA event will cause immediate disqualification from the event. Other violations will be at the tournament committee’s discretion for disqualification.

INTERPRETATION OF RULES - All decisions in interpretation of these rules by the Tournament Officials' will be final.

BOTH CONTESTANTS MUST SIGN AND DATE BELOW THAT THEY HAVE READ THE RULES AND UNDERSTAND THEM.

Boat Owner: ________________________________________________________ Date: ___________________

Partner: ____________________________________________________________ Date: ___________________
(if Partner is under 18, Legal Guardian must sign also)

NEBA of MA 2008 Tournament Entry Form

North East Bass Association of Massachusetts 2008 Tournament Rules *New for 2008 - Equitable Entry System (EES)

North East Bass Association of Massachusetts 2008 Tournament Rules
*New for 2008 - Equitable Entry System (EES)