SEA HORSE ANGLERS CLUB BILLFISH TOURNAMENT

JULY 14-18, 2010
www.seahorseanglers.com

Unofficial Rules

The Tournament

The Sea Horse Anglers Club Billfish Tournament is a three-day, big-fish team event, with top team honors going to the team that tallies the most points during the tournament. Prizes pay down to third place (first, second and third). The tournament will also award cash and prizes to the team(s) that catches the largest blue marlin and game fish (by weight). A trophy and cash prize will also be awarded to the high-point angler. Eligible species for the tournament are blue marlin, white marlin, spearfish, sailfish, yellowfin or big eye tuna, wahoo and dolphin.

Entry Fee
The fee is $2,000. per team. This basic entry fee covers the participation of all registered captains, mates and anglers. It also covers attendance at all planned entertainment and social activities. The tournament committee reserves the right to deny tournament entry of any individual, organization or corporation.

Captains' Meeting/Final Registration/Kickoff Party
A final registration, captains' meeting and kickoff party will take place from 5-8:30 p.m., July 14, at the Dockside Pub in Hamilton. All teams that are preregistered and teams needing to register must send at least one representative to obtain their tournament credentials and the team captain's bag. All anglers and boat captains must attend the scheduled angler/captains' meeting at 7 p.m., July 14, in the Dockside Pub. If they do not attend, they accept and agree to be bound by all instructions and/or rule changes made during that meeting. In an effort to maximize participation, registrations will be accepted until 8 a.m., July 15.

Angler and Crew Requirements
Without exception, each boat must have on board one designated boat captain, one designated team representative and one designated mate. Changes of captain and crew are allowed but must be communicated to the tournament committee prior to any day's fishing. There is no limit of anglers per boat in this tournament. Boats may receive aid from other boats in the form of towing due to mechanical failure. Teams and boats are not allowed to receive assistance in landing or releasing fish. All participants must exercise good and courteous sportsmanship whether at the dock, under way or fishing.

Rules
IGFA rules apply in this tournament unless otherwise stated (see release rules for scoring points).
It is the responsibility of each registered angler and crewmember to know, understand and abide by IGFA and tournament rules during this competition. Any angler, captain or mate who deliberately breaks these rules will be immediately expelled and disqualified from this and future tournaments without a refund of any jackpot or registration fees. All winners may be asked to take and pass a polygraph test.
Mates cannot hook the fish or touch the rod, reel or line (including the double line) at any time for any reason once the fish takes a bait or lure. The bait-and-switch method of angling is permitted; however, fish must be hooked at least 10 seconds before the mate may touch the leader. Wind-on leaders are permitted but may not exceed 30 feet as per IGFA rules. For a complete list of the IGFA rules, go to www.igfa.org.

Release Rules
All teams must provide their own digital still or video camera to verify releases. The camera must show the correct time and date on each photo or video. To score an official release, the fish must be at leader, and an identifiable photo must be taken of the fish, showing the control number code, time and date. When you know you are going to release the fish, you must call tournament control and ask for the control number code. The control number code will be between 1 and 5. Then have your designated photographer or any other crewmember hold up the supplied number card next to the fish as the photo is taken. The photo or video must identify the species, number code, time and date. A snooter or rope may be used to control the fish at boatside.
After the release photo is taken, the official time, species, control number and angler name must be written on the catch report affidavit. Each registered team captain, boat captain, mate and registered angler must then sign the catch report affidavit. At the end of the day's fishing, the camera, catch report affidavit and all photos or video footage taken must be brought to the weigh station for verification of official release points. Failure to do so will result in disqualification of that day's catch. Do not delete any photos or video taken during the tournament.

Scoring, Billfish Division
Five hundred (500) points rewarded for every blue marlin officially released, or 1 point per pound for every blue marlin weighed and verified over the 500-pound minimum.
Two hundred (200) points for every white marlin officially released.
One hundred (100) points for every sailfish or spearfish officially released.

If a blue marlin brought to the scales fails to make the minimum weight limit, the team that caught the fish will be penalized 500 points, plus 2 points per pound that the fish is under the minimum weight. For example, if a fish weighs 480 pounds, that team will be penalized 500 points for not meeting the weight requirement and another 40 points for the 20-pound difference. The total penalty would cost them 540 points, and they would receive no points for the fish.
Any billfish boated for any reason must be weighed. Failure to weigh a boated fish will result in immediate disqualification for the remainder of the tournament and forfeiture of all points previously earned. Only one blue marlin may be taken per day, per boat. All white marlin, sailfish and spearfish must be released. Once a billfish is boated, the team must take a picture or video of the fish while measuring the short length and girth of the fish. The measurements of the fish must be reported to the tournament committee.

Yellowfin or Big Eye Tuna, Wahoo and Dolphin Division
This is purely a biggest-fish category with scoring calculated at 1 point per pound. The largest yellowfin or big eye tuna, dolphin and wahoo caught over the three-day event will win a percentage of the base entry cash and prizes. Minimum weights for this category are yellowfin tuna, 50 pounds; dolphin, 20 pounds; and wahoo, 25 pounds.

Catch Report Affidavit
All catches must be recorded on the catch report affidavit sheets provided. The official time, species, control number and angler name must be written on the catch report affidavit. Each registered team captain, boat captain, mate and the anglers must then sign the catch report affidavit. The catch report affidavit sheets must be turned in at the weigh station each day whether you catch a fish or not. In the event of a tie, the team reaching the highest score first wins. All winners may be asked to take and pass a polygraph examination.

Line
The maximum line strength allowed is 130-pound test. Tournament and/or non-tournament lines are eligible. If the line test stated on the label is 130 pounds or less, the line will be allowed in the tournament.

Leaders
The length of the leader is the overall length, including any lure or hook arrangement. In all line classes exceeding 20-pound (10 kg), the leader shall be limited to 30 feet (9.14 m). The combined length of the double line and the leader shall not exceed 40 feet (12.19 m) total.
The tournament committee holds the right to examine any hook set, line and/or leaders at any time during the event. Refusal to allow the committee to examine any hook set, line and/or leaders will result in immediate disqualification from the event without a refund of any jackpot or registration fees.

Rods
Unlimited in use or numbers.
Teasers
Unlimited in use or numbers.
Baits
Live bait, dead bait, lures and any combination thereof are permitted in this tournament.
Hooks
All tournament participants must use non-offset circle hooks for all species whenever natural baits or natural-bait/artificial-lure combinations are used.

Daily Fishing Hours
Fishing will commence at 8 a.m. and end at 4 p.m. on July 15, 16 and 17. In the event of late hookups, etc., all fish must be back to the weigh station and in the slip by 11:59 p.m. on the day of fishing.
The tournament committee reserves the privilege of changing starting and finishing times for any reason it deems necessary. A radio start will take place each morning at 8 a.m.

Radio/Communications
The official tournament channel will be 7 INTERNATIONAL. All billfish hookups, releases and lost fish must be reported to tournament control, along with the boat name, boat number, angler name and fish species. The tournament control's time will act as the official time for any and all catches and releases without exception. At the captains' meeting, a Bermuda cell phone number on which teams can also communicate will be given. During the last hour of fishing each day, all hookups must be reported.

Weather
There is no weather committee. The tournament is conducted on a fish-at-your-own-risk basis. If any portion of the tournament is fished and a team or teams land or release fish that match the tournament's eligible species and minimum weight limits, then prizes will be awarded.

Protests
All protests must be stated in writing and accompanied by $500. All protests will be settled the day of the incident. All protests on July 15, 16 and 17 must be in the hands of the tournament's designated rules official by 7 p.m. on the day of the alleged incident unless there is a protest regarding a fish that comes to the scales late. The protesting party, as well as the accused team members, captain and crew, must be present in any official protest hearing. If the accused or protesting teams fail to show up for the protest hearing, they forfeit their right to be heard and will abide by the decision of the official tournament judges. All decisions of the official tournament judges are final.