For anyone who might have questions about the bass club affiliated TBFN organization, I wanted to post a little about our history and organization. I would be happy to answer any questions you have and help your club find information about our organization. Our board of directors and officers are 100% volunteer anglers just like yourselves. Regional leadership is elected and hold quarterly meetings with club presidents. Our President is elected by the BOD and our other officers are appointed and approved by the board. We also run regional trails for the weekend angler. Check us out. I would love to hear from you!

BASSMASTERS' CREED

I promise to create among my fellow anglers, and the public in general, an awareness of my Chapter's and Society's contributions to angling, conservation and outdoor recreation.
I will encourage and instruct the youth of my community in the art of bass fishing. I pledge myself to full adherence to all conservation codes and to detect and report any polluter of our nation's waters.

FOUNDING PRINCIPLES OF THE BASS ANGLERS SPORTSMAN SOCIETY (B.A.S.S.)
1. To organize the bass anglers of America.
2. To stimulate public awareness of bass fishing as a major participation sport and elevate it to a place of prominence.
3. To improve our skills as bass anglers through the exchange of expert bass catching techniques and ideas.
4. To offer our state conservation departments our organized moral and political support and encouragement. To promote full adherence to all conservation codes.
5. To demand adequate water standards and legal enforcement of existing regulatory standards. To detect and report any polluter and call public and political attention to the crime.
6. To encourage private and governmental study necessary to maintain quality fishing and fish habitat and to ensure quality fisheries for ourselves and future generations.
7. To promote and encourage youth fishing. Kids don't just go fishing � they are taken fishing. We must instill in our youth an interest in and love for this great sport.
8. To present national championship bass fishing tournaments. These tournaments will bring together the nation's most dedicated bass fishermen, and the publicity derived from them will stimulate public interest in bass angling.

INTRODUCTION

For more than 30 years, the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation has been more than a name. It has been a community united by a sense of camaraderie and a spirit of belonging to something unique that carries from generation to generation. Over the years, members have decided to join the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation for many reasons other than exciting tournament fishing. The vision of true pioneers in our history � Ray Scott, Don Butler and many others � established conservation and a focus on building youth programs in addition to fishing competitions as areas critical to the viability of the sport and our lifestyle. B.A.S.S. Federation Nation members, as well as B.A.S.S. employees and sponsors, have given tirelessly to the sport and the vision of these pioneers.

B.A.S.S. FEDERATION NATION PRIVILEGES OF MEMBERSHIP
� A subscription to B.A.S.S. Times, the official magazine of the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation
� Eligibility to compete in state and divisional tournaments and the prestigious B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Championship
� An insurance program that provides $1 million liability coverage for sanctioned club events
� Sponsorship programs from premier partners available exclusively to members of the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation
� Monthly coverage of Federation Nation events, programs, achievements and initiatives in B.A.S.S. publications (more than 4 million readers)
� Six Bassmaster Classic berths (one from each Federation Nation Division)
� Early entry opportunities on B.A.S.S.-sanctioned tournaments
� Membership for the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation is just $30 a year

THE ROAD TO THE BASSMASTER CLASSIC
Rising through the ranks of the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation to compete in bass fishing's most prestigious tournament takes dedication and perseverance, but the rewards for advancing to the next level are great. The steps from local club/chapter to Classic are presented below:
CLUBS AND STATE CHAPTERS: Anglers qualify through their local clubs for the State Team Qualifier Tournaments. Local clubs along with the State Chapter determine the qualifying format on the state level. The State Chapters of the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation hold State Team Qualifier(s) to qualify a 12-person team plus two juniors and two alternates, one qualifying through the tournament(s) and the State President or his/ her representative. States determine the qualifier format for their state.
DIVISIONALS: B.A.S.S. invites each B.A.S.S. Federation Nation state chapter to bring a 12-person team plus two juniors and two alternates to one of 6 (six) B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Divisionals. Format of the divisional is determined by B.A.S.S. The purpose of the divisional is to qualify one person from each state for the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Championship. The divisional is a "team" tournament. Prizes are awarded to the teams only. The highest finishing person from each team will qualify for the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Championship.
FEDERATION NATION CHAMPIONSHIP: Currently 47 B.A.S.S. State Federation Nations and six B.A.S.S. International Federation Nations compete within one of the 6 (six) divisions to qualify for the Bassmaster Classic. The anglers compete individually in this tournament to determine a champion, however, the highest finishing angler within each of the 6 (six) divisions will earn a berth into the Bassmaster Classic.
BASSMASTER CLASSIC: Six (6) anglers qualify through the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Championship to fish the Bassmaster Classic.


A PARTNER IN CONSERVATION
Belonging to B.A.S.S., the "Worldwide Leader in Bass Fishing," means much more than membership in a global club of bass anglers. Since the early 1970s, B.A.S.S. has taken a proactive response to addressing the nation's vital aquatic resource issues. In the early years, it meant taking legal action against industries making a toxic soup of the nation's waterways. Today, the agenda has grown more complex, and B.A.S.S. follows a parallel path in dealing with the issues through its Conservation program.
The backbone of the organization is founded on a grass-roots core of members whose passion extends beyond bass fishing. These men and women, young and old, belong to B.A.S.S. Federation clubs nationwide. They are environmental stewards always on the lookout for issues that have local and even national significance.
The B.A.S.S. Conservation program works a "top down" to "bottom up" approach in dealing with six key, fundamental issues vital to the future health of the nation's aquatic resources. From local bass clubs to the national level, where B.A.S.S. works cooperatively with government to develop sound management policy, the protection and enhancement of aquatic resources will remain a top priority.

HABITAT: Simply put, habitat is disappearing at an alarming rate. And without habitat the future of recreational angling and a vital link to the aquatic food chain will be lost. The issues are complex: erosion, sedimentation and reservoir aging. Yet, there is hope and B.A.S.S. Conservation has taken a leadership role in the federal government's National Fish Habitat Initiative. At the national level, B.A.S.S. is proactively involved with federal and state government to enact laws to end the losses while making room for habitat restoration and growth. The habitat agenda is pushed up from the local level through the grass-roots network of B.A.S.S. Federation clubs.

AQUATIC NUISANCE SPECIES: An aquarium owner dumps unwanted fish and plants into the local river, no harm intended. A freighter from overseas pumps ballast water into the Great Lakes, unknowingly setting free harmful fish and organisms. Both scenarios are very real and threaten to destroy or imperil the balance of aquatic ecosystems the size of the Great Lakes, Mississippi River and beyond. As the problem spreads, B.A.S.S. Conservation has joined a growing coalition of concerned policy makers, government agencies and scientists to regulate importation of exotics and stop their illegal introduction to the nation's waters.

AQUATIC VEGETATION MANAGEMENT: Hydrilla and milfoil are unjustly perceived by many sportsmen as ideal habitat for fish and waterfowl. In moderate quantities the plants indeed provide habitat, however when overabundant they become a nuisance to other water users, from boaters to lakeshore homeowners and even municipal drinking water suppliers. B.A.S.S. Conservation advocates and facilitates mediation between all user groups while encouraging stakeholders to establish diverse native plant communities. Ideally, striking the balance will benefit ecosystems and users alike.
ANGLER ACCESS: A fishing trip begins with a place to launch the boat or shoreline to cast a line. Yet access to public waterways has suffered. And finding a boat ramp is the least of the problems. Demands on water supplies, restrictive fishery management regulations on fishing seasons, and horsepower limitations merely scratch the surface of why anglers can't rightfully gain access to public waters. Through a grass-roots approach with bass clubs affiliated with the B.A.S.S. Federation, angler and boater rights are being heard. The cause is ongoing, with the Federation and B.A.S.S. Conservation collectively uniting to open more access areas through improvement and construction programs at public access areas nationwide.

FISH HEALTH: At the first outbreak of the Largemouth Bass Virus, B.A.S.S. Conservation adopted a leadership role to face the issue. The result is an annual summit attended by leading researchers, state fishery biologists and anglers to exchange developments and implement plans of action. B.A.S.S. and its coalition continue making strides to deal with LMBV while identifying other diseases or health problems, among those outbreaks of harmful algae and bacteria that can spark significant fish kills. B.A.S.S. Conservation is an active participant in American Fisheries Society committees and other professional associations whose interests focus on fishery health.

TOURNAMENT FISH CARE: Early on, B.A.S.S. recognized that bass are a renewable resource and concurrently, developed the catch-and-release ethic that is standard with tournaments. B.A.S.S. Conservation continues raising the bar on the practice by supporting scientific research studies focusing on care of tournament-caught bass. The latest practices and improvements are rolled out through the B.A.S.S. Federation while educating anglers about how to better handle fish they intend to release. B.A.S.S. Conservation extends its outreach to the general angling public to ensure a positive perception of bass fishing and tournament angling.
B.A.S.S. IS MORE: When you join B.A.S.S., you get more than just a magazine and a membership card. You are supporting over thirty years of natural resource conservation. Devoted to the challenges that lie ahead, B.A.S.S. continues to work on behalf of our members and the aquatic resources we all value.

A PARTNER IN YOUTH PROGRAMS
B.A.S.S. was formed in 1968 to promote and encourage fishing. Recognizing that youngsters are the future of this great sport, B.A.S.S. took the lead of introducing and educating youth about conservation and the sport of fishing. Your membership in the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation helps support the next generation of responsible sportsmen and women through mentoring, volunteerism and education.
Additionally, the national B.A.S.S. office works to provide youth programs that collaborate with partners and agencies on the local, state and national level to further enhance or develop new outdoor youth programs nationwide and when/where possible, with the six International B.A.S.S. Federation Nations.
Whether youth are learning conservation or fundamental fishing skills through the Junior Bassmaster Chapters or are enjoying spirited competition from club, state, divisional or Bassmaster Junior World Championship competition � it all leads to a healthier B.A.S.S. Federation Nation future for years to come.

PURPOSE
The Texas B.A.S.S. Federation Nation (TBFN) is operated in a continuing evaluation environment by the Board of Directors and the President. Operating under the guidance of the TBFN Bylaws, the challenge of the Board of Directors is to evolve the Bylaws and the Operating Policies and Procedures to further enhance the future of our organization. The Operation Policies and Procedures manual serves as guiding principles�in complement to the TBFN Bylaws�for its Members to review and understand the vision of the TBFN.

MEMBERSHIP
Annual membership fees are subject to change by notification from B.A.S.S., the BFN, and/or the TBFN. Table 1 shows membership fees current as of January 2012.
Table 1. Membership Fees
B.A.S.S. $20.00
B.A.S.S. Federation Nation $30.00
Texas B.A.S.S. Federation Nation $20.00
B.A.S.S. Chapter �Club� Determined by �Club�

Thanks Tim.