A) Entry:
1). All boats must be registered with the Tournament Committee and entry fee paid prior to the first fishing day to qualify for prizes and awards.
2). The number of eligible anglers per boat is limited to six registered lady anglers. All anglers/crew/guests must be registered in writing with the tournament prior to each eligible day’s fishing, and the entry form filled out completely and legibly. In the event of late additions or changes, then the tournament supplied angler/crew/guest form shall be completed and deposited in the designated location (to be announced). Any fish caught by an un-registered angler will be disqualified.
B) General:
1). IGFA rules shall apply, with only the following exceptions.
a). Any crew member may hook the fish, but the rod must immediately be passed to a registered lady angler who must then fight the fish unassisted.* In the event that the fish is hooked on a rod that is fished from the flybridge, then the rod may be passed to a mate and then passed to a lady angler.
b). Spreader Bars are permitted to be directly attached to the fishing line (in lieu of IGFA rule # 6 in section I).
2). This is a trolling tournament. Unconventional non-trolling techniques are strictly prohibited. No backing into schools, pitching baits, casting, jigging, use of casting tackle, use of spinning tackle, use of live bait or live bait teasers.
C) Eligible Departure/Return Ports:
All tournament boats must depart and return directly to either Rudee Inlet or Lynnhaven Inlet on each fishing day to be eligible.
D) Boundaries:
All eligible fish must be hooked within the tournament boundaries, which are a distance of 100 NM of the Rudee Inlet sea buoy (Lat. 36-49.91 /Long. 75-56.19 or TD 27155/41208. Any boat that hooks up within the boundaries is permitted to fight only the fish hooked within the boundaries, until either boated or released, even if during the course of playing this fish, the boat exceeds the boundaries. In this event, it is recommended that if the boat captain determines that the boat may exceed the boundaries, then he shall so notify a committee boat prior to proceeding to exceed the boundaries and inform them of such.
E) Times:
TIME STARTS THE FIRST DAY OF THE TOURNAMENT. Official tournament time shall be GPS. Each boat will fish on August 17th only. No lines or teasers in the water prior to 9:00 AM or after 3:00 PM. The official tournament fishing hours each day are:
Lines In: 9:00 A.M. Lines Out: 3:00 PM
Any boat that has reported a hookup to a committee boat prior to lines out may continue to play the fish until either released or boated.
F) Scoring:
All billfish (Atlantic Spearfish, White Marlin, and Sailfish) shall be awarded 150 points each and Blue Marlin shall be awarded 400 points for a release.
*Tie Breaker for Billfish Release
In the event of a tie, the winner shall be determined by the first boat-team scoring the tying points earliest (determined by time of release) in the respective eligible days of fishing. In the event that there are not at least three (3) teams scoring Billfish Release points, then the winners shall be determined by the greatest number of Game Fish points.
G) Qualifying & Eligible Game Fish Species:
Dolphin, Wahoo and Tuna (Yellowfin, Big Eye & Bluefin) shall be awarded (1) One point per pound.
Each team may weigh-in the largest fish of each eligible species to determine the combined weights.
H) Weigh-In & Score Sheets:
All Billfish release score sheets/Game Fish must be turned in/weighed @ the official tournament scales located at the weigh station in Rudee Inlet only. All boats desiring to weigh in a fish must return directly to Rudee Inlet. Each fish to be weighed/scored shall have a tournament provided ID tag affixed to the tail of the fish prior to arrival. Billfish score sheets must be signed by the boat captain and the angler(s).
Weigh Station Hours: The weigh station will be open from 5:00PM until 7:00PM.
I) Protest and Disputes:
Protests must be submitted in writing and turned into the Tournament Rules Committee accompanied with a fee of $100.00 (refundable if protest is upheld) prior to 7:00pm ON August 19th. The Tournament Rules Committee (to be announced at the captain’s meeting) at their discretion may utilize polygraph tests to reach a final decision. By virtue of signing the Tournament entry form all participants agree to the final decision of the Tournament Rules Committee. It is understood that the spirit intended for the tournament is to be enjoyable and in good fellowship for all participants.
J) Committee Boats:
There will be Committee Boats assigned each day of fishing to record billfish hookups, releases and captures. In the event that a tournament boat is unable to contact a committee boat on a direct basis then they should relay their information to another tournament boat. * Note: Committee boats are volunteers only and will not interpret any rules nor offer any decisions as to such.
K) Radio Frequencies:
Applicable VHF & SSB frequencies will be announced at the Captains Meeting. As a common courtesy, all boats are requested to switch to another operating channel for non-tournament conversations, particularly the last 15 minutes of fishing each day, to enable the reporting of hookups.
L) Reporting Billfish Hookups/Release:
All billfish hookups must be reported to a committee boat immediately upon hookup. All billfish must be reported to the committee boat upon release. Only billfish shall be reported to the committee boat.
M) Mechanical Breakdown:
In the event that a boat experiences mechanical difficulties that may hinder its ability to return to the weigh station within the official weigh-in times, then that team may, at their and the receiving boat’s discretion, transfer their fish to be weighed, or in the event of billfish release(s), their score sheet. In the event that a tournament boat becomes disabled beyond repair, that boat may transfer it’s remaining eligible days of fishing to any other boat subject to prior approval of the Tournament Rules Committee, even if the replacement boat is registered in the tournament, so long as the replacement boat has previously fished all of it’s eligible days.
N) Mutilated/Injured Fish:
IGFA Rules shall apply. The decision of the Tournament Weigh Master shall be final.
O) Federal & State Regulations:
The weight and/or length of the (1) eligible fish, of each eligible species, submitted for weigh-in each day are subject to State of Virginia and/or Federal laws. All boats must possess current and valid Federal tuna permits or any other permits as required by applicable law by species at time of weigh-in. Any team without valid permitting and/or in violation of State and/or Federal law may have their fish disqualified at time of weigh-in.
P) Waiver/ Disclaimer:
It is expressly understood that all participants in this tournament enter at their own risk, and that the Chesapeake Bay Wine Classic Foundation and it’s Officers and Directors, Tournament Rules Committee, Sponsors and all persons connected directly or indirectly with the operation of said tournament, shall be exempt from any liability whatsoever for libel, slander, loss, damage, negligence, harm, injury or death suffered by any participant, entrant, vessel and equipment, companions and guest, boat captains, mates, crew members, which may occur during or in conjunction with this Tournament. By signing the Official Tournament Registration form the boat owner, captain and mate(s), anglers and guest, consents that the Tournament may use without payment or restriction, any photographs, video footage, in which he or she may appear for any purpose whatsoever, including but not limited to resale, advertising, commercial or promotional material.
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