CACA tournament rules for 2016

[Crappie Greg]

2016
Central Arkansas Crappie Association (CACA) Tournament Rules



Interpretation and enforcement of these rules shall be left exclusively to the Tournament Committee. It is the Tournament Committee’s discretion to make a change where safety of the contestants is a concern. In the event of a rule violation, they may impose such sanctions, as they deem appropriate, including, without limitation, disqualification, and forfeiture of prizes, entry fee, and prohibition from participation in subsequent tournaments. All Federal, State, and local laws must be obeyed and it is the contestant’s responsibility to know these laws.


1. Everyone will need to attend the registration before each tournament to sign release form and tournament voucher.

2. There will be a $40 per person membership fee; membership period will run from Jan-Dec, this is to help with expenses for the club. (Membership can be paid prior to any event)
5. When you enter the weigh in line you will need your fish in a cooler ready to weigh in, we will only weigh your fish one time, and there will be no cooler swapping you will need your own cooler with your fish in it before you come to the line!!!

6. We will follow a 90/10 payout we will hold 10% from each tournament to help with the payout at the Championship! So we are still a 100% payout club.

7. Mobile devices cannot be used during tournament hours to communicate any fishing information to other competitors in voice or text message. This includes Marine radios, walkie-talkies, CB's, etc.
8. Spotting: During tournament hours no one may spot fish for you or mark fishing spots for you!

9. Hole Sitting: No hole sitting by a competitor on non-competitor boat during the tournament will be allowed.

10. Other equipment: Binoculars and other magnifying devices are not allowed during pre-fishing or tournaments at any time.

11. No one can be hired or compensated in any way to fish with you or mark fishing spots for you 30 days prior or at any tournament.

12. SPORTSMANSHIP
Team members/CACA 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, CACA, CACA sponsors, the sport of fishing, and CACA 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, CACA 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.

13. Spotters/observers and polygraph: By participation in a CACA tournament you agree to allow a spotter/observer in your boat at any time from Registration until the end of the tournament. By participation in a CACA tournament you agree to submit to and pass a polygraph test or similar test in order to qualify for the receipt of any door prize. CACA shall have the right to polygraph any competing team, at CACA'S discretion. Any member that refuses to take polygraph or who fails a polygraph may have membership revoked.

14. Tournament Protest: Protest must be made in writing to the tournament director within 30 minutes following the end of the official weigh-in time. Protest must cite the rule allegedly broken. Protest must be deemed a legitimate protest by the tournament director. Both parties may be subjected to a polygraph. All complaints shall be handled in house and with confidentiality. The tournament director's decision is final in all matters.
15) Eligible participants-- Participation in the CACA Tournaments is open to anyone. There is no qualification to be a member of the CACA or to be eligible to participate.
16) Alcohol and safety equipment-- No alcohol may be consumed during or preceding tournament hours. Participants suspected of being under the influence of alcohol during tournament events will be disqualified; this includes the time periods of registration through awards ceremony. All safety equipment required by law enforcement must be in the boat at all times and utilized.

17) Cancellation and Delay-- In the case of extreme weather and/or water conditions, CACA tournament officials reserve the right to postpone or cancel the event. In which case, tournament will be rescheduled by the CACA Committee at a later date.

18) Tournament hours and Ramps—MAY VARY CHECK WEBSITE FOR INFORMATION. Tournament fishing hours will be from 7:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. (8.5 hours of fishing time); although the actual start and stop time may vary slightly with the changing sunrise throughout the year. All participants will register at a designated place and are then free to proceed to their fishing locations and await the official “start fishing time”. Participants are allowed to trailer to alternative ramps as well. Participants must stop fishing at 3:30 p.m. (or the time designated) and be at the weigh in line no later than 4:30 p.m. (or the time designated) for the weigh in. Anyone arriving after 4:30 p.m. (or the designated time) will be disqualified and not allowed to weigh in.

19) Pre Tournament Inspection and Registration – Each team will register and pay the entry fee the morning of the tournament during registration. Registration ends 30 minutes prior to start of tournament time. Each team is responsible for having their coolers and live wells checked prior to launching or trailering to an alternate launch by one of the tournament officials or designees.

20) Practice – Pre-fishing or practice is allowed before any tournament, but the lake is off limits from Midnight the night before until you are registered the morning of the tournament.

21) Teams-- Can consists of two adults and children under the age of 16. If you are old enough to have a license you are considered an adult. You may fish alone or with a partner but no more than two adults in a boat. (Rod rule applies a team can only fish with 8 rods during any tournament.) If one teammate has an emergency or cannot fish the other teammate can fish the tournament and as long as he/she list the absent teammate on the voucher they will both be awarded points and qualification status for the championship, but the teammate fishing cannot fish with someone else for that tournament. So for points and championship qualification one teammate must fish no prepayments will be allowed.

22) Fishing Methods – Maximum pole limit is 8 poles unless the lake limit is less. This holds true even if more than 2 fishermen are in a boat. All fish to be weighed must be caught during tournament hours!! Live or artificial bait or combination of both is allowed. In the case of a single man team, you are limited to the per person lake limit for that tournament, but not to exceed 8 poles. Yo-Yo’s are not considered as an authorized fishing method by the CACA. (You can have more than 8 poles in your boat you cannot fish with more than 8!). USING 8 POLES DOES NOT APPLY TO ANY ONE POLE TOURNAMENT!! DURING ONE POLE TOURNAMENTS YOU CAN ONLY USE ONE POLE PER PERSON!

23)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. No trailer hooks allowed.

24) Winners and Ties-- Winning weights will be determined by the heaviest 7 fish of legal size. Legal size is strictly governed by the state and local lake laws and is the responsibility of the participant to adhere to these laws. Any deviation or law breaking of legal size fish will result in disqualification of that tournament. Hot Seat Provision – In order to avoid any ties, the first person to weigh in will be declared the leader in both total weight and big fish until unseated by a heavier weight. The leader in both categories will be required to remain in the general vicinity of the weigh station. Fish do not have to be alive to be weighed but is heavily encouraged. (please do not put your fish on ice you plan on weighing in they need to be kept in a cooler or live well in water preferably with some kind of oxygen to attempt to keep them alive). The first place, second place, and third place teams will be required to reveal how they fished, general area they fished, bait used and any other info they can give to help everyone learn how to be a better crappie fisherman! This is supposed to be fun and educational!

25) Entry Fees-- Entry fees will be $60 for each boat which automatically includes a $10 big fish entry. Entry fees not collected during registration time will be considered as a non-participating boat to the event and therefore cannot participate in the awards payout. Payout will be 1 in 5 boats. After each 5th boat a place will be added (in example 6 boats enter, two places will be paid, 11 boats enter, three places will be paid and etc.) Entry fees will be cash only. Entry fees do not cover boat launch fees or license it is each person’s responsibility to take care of this. We will follow a 90/10 payout at each tournament 10% will be held out at each tournament to help with payout at the Championship this is still a 100% payback scale with all money being paid out .


26) Big Fish – Each team will present their selected big fish to be weighed and considered for the big fish award. One fish per team will be weighed. (Hot Seat Provision Applies) The big fish payout will be 80% to the single largest crappie and 20% to the second largest crappie. Both places cannot be won by the same team since each team is allowed only one big fish to be considered per tournament.

27) Awards Splitting– In the event of a team winning prize money or a big fish pot, any splitting of the prize money will be determined by that team at their discretion.

28) Tournament Series-- will consist of 8 Tournaments and 1 Championship. The Championship Lake will be drawn 10 days prior to the date and will be a lake we fished during the regular season or another lake but all will be in Arkansas.

29) Championship qualification-- To qualify for the championship, teams must fish at least 3 regular tournaments. In the event that a person fishes with multiple partners and qualifies for the championship, that person can choose anyone that has fished at least 3 regular tournaments to fish with them in the championship. In the event that a co-angler (non-boat operator) fishes 3 regular season tournaments with other person, that co-angler also qualifies and can bring a boat and fish as an angler in the championship, however, that person’s partner (if he chooses one) would also have to have fished 3 regular tournaments. Entry fees of $100 per team will apply to the CACA State Championship. CACA State Championship will only pay the top three places. Big fish awards will be considered during the Championship tournament.

30) Points Race-To be considered for tournament points you must fish in the tournament. Points will be 10 points for entering the tournament plus your weight added to that and will be kept for every tournament and at the championship point’s winner for the year will be awarded a prize or cash. See rule 21 for more details.

Tournament Director – This position will keep up with the official weights, records and hold the entries during tournament. This position is also responsible for keeping the records for qualification of teams for the CACA State Championship for that tournament year. Tournament Director has final decision and this decision cannot be appealed.

DIVISION 2-ALL RULES APPLY BUT FOR MORE DETAILS and Division specific rules PLEASE CHECK WEBSITE. If you fish division 2 you will be given a rule sheet to sign prior to your first tournament. This division is for new Crappie Tournament anglers wanting to give tournaments a try!!

For updates check Crappie.com Arkansas forum. Or the Website Central Arkansas Crappie Association, or on Facebook.




​​Entry fees
Yearly Membership $40 Jan-Dec
​ CACA Jersey upon request average price is $70 per Jersey
Standard Tournament $60 per team
Championship $100 per team
Payout will be 1 in 5 scale (see rule 10)


If any questions feel free to call Jason Westerberg 501-231-5762. Or for updates check on Facebook, Crappie.com Arkansas forum. Or the Website Central Arkansas Crappie Association

CACA Division 2 (Novice/Weekend Angler Division)

​This is for new anglers to give Crappie Tournaments a try until they are comfortable or advance to Division 1 by rules listed below. Our goal is to help everyone learn and have fun in these weekend tournaments.

2. Entry fee will be $50 per tournament per team (no added Payout). Besides the Championship which will be $100 per team. CACA membership of $40 is required to fish!
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3. Big fish prize will be awarded as one division at all regular tournaments (Division 1 and 2 combined).
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4. Payout for Division 2 will be a scale of 1 in 3 boats and will be paid back 100% of entry fees minus the $10 dollars for big fish pot. (Example: 2 boats fish first place wins $80 dollars, 3 boats fish first place wins $72 and 2nd wins $48 and so on.) 3 spots paid out maximum!!

​5. If you win 3 tournaments in one season the next tournament year you will automatically advance to Division 1 or if you win $1000 in a season you will automatically advance to division 1 the next year tournament as well.

​6. If you decide to fish in a division 1 tournament you cannot fish again in Division 2 at this point you have advanced yourself. Once you advance by choice or by rule #5 you must fish Division 1 in any future CACA tournament you participate in!! IF there is only one team to fish in division 2 you will be given the choice to fish in division 1 for that tournament without being advanced at the next tournament.

​7. Non-Boater rule, if you are a new participate and choose to fish with a division 1 competitor as a Non-Boater you will fish division 1 for that tournament but if the non-boater returns with that partner for another tournament they will advance as a Division 1 participate for all future tournaments. But if that non-boater returns to another tournament with his/her own boat he/she can fish in division 2 but if he/she has a partner they must be eligible to fish as a division 2 participate as well, if the partner is not eligible the boater will automatically be considered a division 1 participate for that tournament and all future CACA tournaments.

​8. Championship qualification, if you fish 3 Division 2 tournaments you will qualify for the Championship. There will only be one division for the championship and every one from both divisions will compete against one another to crown the year’s champions!!! All Division 1 and 2 qualifiers are eligible for all added payouts at the championship! Qualification for the championship does not mean you will be subject to advancement for the next year as long as you still fall within the rules set for division 2!
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9. A licensed Arkansas guide cannot compete in division 2.
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10. ALL CACA TOURNAMENT RULES ADOPTED FOR 2016 APPLY!!!