THE TOURNAMENT

The Bermuda Billfish Blast is a three-day, billfish 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 award cash and prizes to the team(s) that catch the largest blue marlin and game fish (by weight). Billfish release trophies and cash prizes will also be awarded to the team(s) with the most billfish release points. The high-point angler, lady angler and junior angler (age 17 and younger) will receive a trophy and a prize package. Eligible species for the tournament include blue marlin, white marlin, spearfish, sailfish, yellowfin and bigeye tuna, wahoo and dolphin.

 

BASE ENTRY FEE

The fee is $3,500 per team (up to six registered anglers) if registered by May 31, 2023.  Teams registering after the early registration deadline pay a base entry fee of $4,000. This basic entry fee covers the participation of up to six registered anglers. It also covers attendance at all planned entertainment and social activities for up to six participants. The fee is $150 for each non-angler participation-ticket package. The fee is $100 for the July 7th Awards Dinner Banquet only (Guests of anglers are welcome but are required to purchase participation tickets for entry to all planned entertainment and social functions.) The tournament committee reserves the right to deny tournament entry of any individual, organization or corporation.

 

The final registration, captains meeting and kickoff party will take place from 4 to 9:30 p.m., July 3, at the Hamilton Princess Hotel. All teams that are preregistered and teams needing to register must send at least one representative to obtain tournament credentials and the team captain's bag. All anglers and boat captains should attend the scheduled angler/captains meeting at 7:30 p.m., July 3, at the Hamilton Princess. If they do not attend, they accept and agree to be bound by all instructions and/or rule changes made orally or in writing during that meeting. In an effort to maximize participation, registrations will be accepted until 8:29 a.m. (Bermuda time) on July 4.

 

 

CANCELLATION POLICY

In an effort to receive early registrations, the tournament will allow participants to cancel their registration until the deadline of 10:00 p.m., July 3. The tournament will refund all entry fees less a $100 processing fee.

 

ANGLER, CREW & BOAT REQUIREMENTS

Without exception, each boat must have on board one designated boat captain and one designated mate. Captain and crew changes are allowed but should be communicated to the tournament committee prior to any days fishing. There is a limit of six registered anglers per boat in this tournament; however, if an angler drops out, an additional angler can be signed on with the team if he/she registers before the start of that day's fishing. Designated captains and mates can also be registered anglers. Guests are allowed on the boats. 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.

 

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

 

Event Location: The Hamilton Princess Hotel. Weigh-ins and release video check in at the Barr's Bay Park Waterfront.

July 3 — Final registration, captains meeting and kickoff party from 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Hamilton Princess Hotel. Dinner served at 6:30 p.m. Captains meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m.
July 4 — Fishing day: 8:30 a.m. start, 4:30 p.m. lines out. Release Video Check-In,    Private Bar and Weigh Station at Barr’s Bay Park.
July 5 — Fishing day: 8:30 a.m. start, 4:30 p.m. lines out. Release Video Check-In, Private Bar and Weigh Station at Barr’s Bay Park.
July 6 — Fishing day: 8:30 a.m. start, 4:30 p.m. lines out. Release Video Check-In, Private Bar and Weigh Station at Barr’s Bay Park.
July 7 — Awards Banquet Dinner will be held at 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Hamilton Princess Hotel.

 

RULES

IGFA angling and tackle rules apply in this tournament (see tournament release rules for scoring billfish release points). It is the responsibility of each registered angler and crew member to know, understand and abide by IGFA and tournament rules during this competition. Any angler, captain or mate who deliberately breaks any IGFA or tournament rules will be deemed ineligible for any prize, award, honor, or recognition and may be immediately expelled and disqualified from this and future tournaments without a refund of any jackpot or registration fees. For a complete list of IGFA angling and tackle rules, go to igfa.org. The tournament will also distribute official tournament, IGFA angling and tackle rules.

 

BILLFISH RELEASE RULES

All teams must provide their own video camera(s) to verify releases. All video recording equipment must be set to the proper Bermuda time and date and must be synchronized to the official tournament time. To verify a catch, you must use the release cards provided. Teams will be informed of the release card to use prior to each days start of fishing. To score an official release, the video footage must include sufficient footage to (1) clearly identify the species; (2) show a team member, angler or crew touching the leader while the fish is still hooked; (3) display the release card provided by the tournament; (4) identify the time and date of the catch; and (5) show the catch and full release of the fish. The video must identify all of these elements. Do not delete any video taken during fishing hours, even if it does not include the above elements and will not be used to prove a catch. After the release video is taken, the time, species, release card of the day and angler name must be written on the catch-report affidavit. Each registered angler and boat captain must then sign the catch-report affidavit. At the end of the day's fishing, the camera, camera connections, catch-report affidavit and all video footage taken must be brought to the release video check station for verification of official release points. Catch reports should be turned in by 7 p.m. unless a team is fighting a fish after lines out at 4:30 p.m.

 

SCORING

Billfish Division: Five hundred (500) points awarded for every blue marlin officially released, or one point per pound for every blue marlin weighed and verified at or over the 500-pound minimum. One hundred (100) points for every white marlin, spearfish or sailfish 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 team points, plus two 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 team 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 other points for the fish. Any blue marlin boated for any reason must be weighed. Failure to weigh a boated blue marlin 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 and weighed each day. All white marlin, sailfish and spearfish must be released. Once a marlin is boated, the team must take a picture or video of the fish while measuring the short length, girth and circumference of the tail. The measurements of the fish must be reported to the tournament committee. In the event of a tie the team reaching the highest score first wins with the other team assuming the next award position. This is based on the time of release and boated time of billfish.

 

GAME FISH

Eligible species are yellowfin and bigeye tuna, wahoo and dolphin. This is purely a biggest-fish category, with scoring calculated to the tenth of a pound to 200 pounds and to the pound for fish over 200 pounds. The single largest game fish, yellowfin or bigeye tuna, dolphin or wahoo caught over the three-day event will win a percentage of the base-entry cash and prizes. Minimum weight for this category is 25 pounds. Once a game fish is boated and the intent is to weigh it you must notify tournament control. Teams must use the card of the day and take a photo or video of the fish with the designated card. In the event of a tie the team reaching the highest score first wins. This is based on the time of boated fish. CATCH REPORT AFFIDAVIT

All catches must be recorded on the catch-report-affidavit sheets provided. The official time, species, release card of the day and angler's name must be written on the catch-report affidavit. Each registered angler and boat captain must then sign the catch-report affidavit. The catch-report-affidavit sheets must be turned in at the weigh station each day.

 

LINE

Because the Bermuda Billfish Blast and the World Cup Blue Marlin Tournament are fished on the 4th of July, the line restrictions must be identical. Any line (monofilament, Dacron or braided line) with a manufacturer’s stated breaking strength of 100 pounds or less is accepted; also accepted is any line labeled as “IGFA-rated or Tournament-rated” with a breaking strength of 130 pounds or less. Backing of any size is permitted as long as the top shot does not exceed 130-pound-test IGFA or 100-pound manufacturers stated. The catch shall be classified under the breaking strength of the first five meters of line directly preceding the double line, leader or hook. This section must be comprised of a single, homogenous piece of line.

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 meters). The combined length of the double line and the leader shall not exceed 40 feet (12.19 meters) total. The tournament committee holds the right to examine any hook sets, line and/or leaders at any time during the event. Refusal to allow the committee to examine any hook sets, 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 8:30 a.m. and end at 4:30 p.m. on July 4, 5 and 6. No lines, teasers or the use of omnidirectional sonar technology will be permitted before the official fishing hours each day. 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 8:30 a.m. and finish with a radio lines out at 4:30 p.m.  The tournament control's time will act as the official time for the start, catch and release and end of fishing each day without exception. The official tournament channel will be 7 International.

 

FIGHTING TIMES

In the event of late hookups, etc., all fish must be back to the weigh station and in the slip by 11:59 pm on the day of fishing.

 

RADIO/COMMUNICATIONS

All billfish hookups, releases and lost fish must be reported to tournament control, along with the boat name, angler name and fish species. The tournament control's time will act as the official time for the start, catch and release and end of fishing each day without exception. The official tournament channel will be 7 INTERNATIONAL. An International cell phone number of 407-405-0102 can also be used to communicate. . During the last hour of fishing each day, all hookups must be reported. All game fish boated and intended to be weighed must be called into tournament control.

 

WEIGH-IN/RELEASE VIDEO CHECK IN

The weigh station and release video check-in will be at Barr's Bay Park.

 

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

Participants may lodge protests against any catch which they believe was not made in accordance with these rules. All protests must be stated in writing and accompanied by $500. The tournament judges may call a protest hearing in their discretion; a protest hearing is not guaranteed. All protests will be settled the day of the incident. All protests on July 4, 5 and 6 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. The tournament committee may refuse to consider any protest evidence not submitted at the protest hearing in the presence of the protested team. If the protesting or protested team fails to show up for the protest hearing, that team forfeits its right to submit evidence. Decisions of the tournament organizers with regard to protests are final, nonappealable, and nonjusticiable.

 

SPORTSMAN LIKE CONDUCT

All participants are expected to maintain a reasonable and sportsmanlike demeanor at all times throughout the tournament. Unsportsmanlike or threatening conduct toward tournament organizers or other participants, or any other behavior which the tournament organizers deem inappropriate, in their sole discretion, will result in immediate disqualification of the entire team with no refund of entry fees.

 

POLYGRAPH

Each participant agrees to submit to a polygraph examination at a time and location as determined by the tournament management, and at the discretion of tournament management, following the end of the competition. Failure to successfully pass such an examination may result in a test of a second team member; in the event of failure by the second team member, the team shall be disqualified.