Sailfishing Palm Beach, Florida

TOURNAMENT BOUNDARIES:

Fishing will be on Thursday, February 2nd and Friday, February 3rd, 2012. The Committee Boat will announce lines in on VHF channel 78 at 8:00 am. Boats must remain in the water (i.e., not transported in any manner to another location). Dates and times are final. There is no weather day. The committee boat will monitor Channel 78 VHF and 80 VHF as a backup.

FIRST DAY OF FISHING

8:00 a.m. – Lines in the water on a radio signal from the Committee Boat
4:00 p.m. – Lines out of the water on a radio signal from the Committee Boat
6:00 pm. – Deadline: Memory Chips turned into Committee Boat

SECOND DAY OF FISHING

8:00 a.m. – Lines in the water on a radio signal from the Committee Boat
2:00 p.m. – Lines out of the water on a radio signal from the Committee Boat
4:00 pm. – Deadline: Memory Chips turned into Committee Boat

ENTRY:

This is a boat event. Each boat participating must pay an entry fee of $5,700 + tax, which allows six VIP gift bags and provides six VIP social privileges. Each additional social privileges is $575 + tax.

ENTRY REFUSAL:

The tournament committee reserves the right to refuse tournament applications or entry from any prospective entrant, with or without cause at its sole discretion. Entrants and/or entrants proposing to fish on boats that have been barred from other fishing tournaments can expect to have their entry rejected. Any applicant refused entry shall be entitled to a refund of all entry fees.

GENERAL RULES:

Fishing must be performed in accordance with principles of good sportsmanship, and in compliance with these and IGFA rules as published in the 2007 Edition of the IGFA World Record Game Fish book under “International Angling Rules.” Sailfish Cup tournament rules will be strictly adhered to, and all decisions of the Tournament Director will be final. Any angler(s), captain(s), or mate(s) found to be in any violation of any tournament rule may be disqualified from this tournament.
There is no maximum number of anglers per boat. This is an OPEN EVENT: Professional guides, captains, and mates are eligible to participate as anglers.
A boat may only be changed as a result of mechanical breakdown and after approval is received from the Rules Committee.
The maximum number of fishing lines in the water shall be six (6), with a maximum of two teasers. Only single hook rigs are permitted. We require the use of non-offset circle hooks when used with live or dead bait or natural bait/artificial lure combinations. Live bait teasers are not allowed.
No one except the angler may touch the rod, reel or line after the fish has been engaged. “Engaged” is defined as the time at which drag is engaged (engage the drag lever or close the bail). No one except the angler may touch the rod, reel or line while the fish is being fought. The angler, captain, or crew may only touch the leader during the release of the fish. They must touch the leader and not the double line. It is recommended that the leader be cut as close to the fish as possible, rather than by breaking the leader.
Crew members are permitted to cast baits. Once an angler is fighting a fish, the angler must fight it to conclusion (loss or release) before fighting another fish. If there is a multiple hookup, the angler may proceed to the next fish once the first fish has been fought to conclusion. No one else may touch the rod other than the angler who engages the fish.
A mutilated fish is not eligible.
Double line, if used, must leave the rod tip during the fight, and the fish must be fought on specified class line. The double line shall be limited to fifteen (15) feet and the leader shall be limited to fifteen (15) feet. However, the combined length of the double line and leader shall not exceed twenty (20) feet.
Line Test Limits: It is the responsibility of the angler and crew to ensure that the proper test line is used. Manufacturer has stated test line is a maximum of 20 lbs. test. Lower test line may be used, but no bonus is awarded for using lower test line. No braided lines may be used (i.e. Spiderwire, Spectra or FireLine), only monofilament.
Live, dead or artificial baits may be used. No entangling devices or material may be used. Live bait chumming is PROHIBITED throughout the course of this tournament. Any bait that is replaced on a fishing line or teaser line because of injury, weakness, fouling, or for any reason whatsoever, shall be retained within the vessel. In addition, any vessel participating in this tournament shall not permit any other vessel to “chum” on their behalf. Ground chum is permitted for the purpose of catching bait only and not to be used while sailfishing.
Tournament anglers who use live or dead natural bait are required to use non-offset circle hooks in the tournament. The only condition in which traditional j-hooks may be used is when anglers are using lures.
Bait may be obtained by any means before commencement of fishing hours 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. on the first day of fishing and 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. on the second day. During fishing hours, boats may catch their own bait but may not obtain bait from any other boat. Ground chum may be used to obtain bait only.

VALIDATION REQUIREMENTS:

Video: Each boat is responsible for providing a memory chip for each day that will be returned to the boat WHEN IT IS NO LONGER NEEDED BY THE COMMITTEE. All fish caught and released should be videoed at least once during the fight and at the time of release. Failure to video a fish will result in disqualification of that particular fish. Failure to finalize a Memory Chip will also result in disqualification. In the event your video camera malfunctions or some other unusual circumstance results in no video, the angler may petition the Rules Committee to have his catch allowed. The Rules Committee may request special polygraph test or other corroborating evidence that would help validate the catch. Basically, NO VIDEO=NO FISH. The decision of the Rules Committee is final.
Memory Chips (must be provided by each boat), line and angler’s register (provided in packet) will be turned in to committee boat, or by vehicle, no later than two (2) hours after lines out or the catches for the day do NOT qualify.
Polygraph: All winning teams will be subject to and must pass polygraph testing. Refusal to take the test will result in disqualification. Any person aboard the boat also may be subject to and must pass the polygraph test. Refusal to take the test will result in disqualification. Polygraph tests will include but will not be limited to questions on angling and release procedures and species of fish. Polygraph tests are final and winners are not official until test results are obtained.
Release: Proper release techniques must be used. Release is official only if the following conditions are met:
- All sailfish must be released. Fish must be fought on the specified class line (i.e., double line and the leader must leave the reel) for the majority of the time the fish is hooked up. The fish must be brought close enough to the boat for the mate, angler, or captain to touch the leader, you may not touch the double line only the leader.
- A recognizable video image MUST be taken for a qualified release.

COMMUNICATIONS & REPORTING:

The Committee Boat will monitor VHF Channel 78 with VHF Channel 80 as a backup.
All boats must report “releases” to, and be acknowledged by, the Committee Boat at the time of the occurrence. Failure to report your release in a timely manner will result in disqualification. All teams are required to report catches immediately, by radio. Your release may be relayed by another boat if you are out of radio range. If you are out of radio range and you have not received a relay, you need to report your release via cell phone. ALL cell phone reports will be relayed on the radio. It is your responsibility to get your fish number confirmation from the committee boat upon your release. No fish number, NO FISH. The phone number to call will be available at the Captain’s meeting.
Any fish hooked 10 minutes before lines out must be called in. If any boat is “hooked-up” at the time the Committee Boat calls for “lines out,” the boat must reaffirm the “hook-up” with the Committee Boat.
Memory Chips, line samples and angler’s register must be submitted within one and a two (2) hours after the Committee Boat calls for “lines out of the water.” An exception to this rule will be allowed in the event that a “hook-up” was reaffirmed with the Committee Boat at the time of “lines out of the water.” In this case, the Memory Chips, line sample and angler’s register may be submitted two and a half (2.5) hours after “lines out of the water.” If the Memory Chips, line samples or Angler’s register do not make it to the weigh station or are not acknowledged to be in the control area on time, no points will be awarded for that day. Control area shall be determined and set at Captains Meeting. Confirmation must be made by the Committee Boat. Acts or situations that will disqualify a release: Any violation of these Rules or violation of the guidelines as published in the 2007 edition of the IGFA World Record Game Fish Book under “Angling Regulations” will disqualify a fish. All decisions of the Rules Committee are final.

PROTEST:

All protests must be in writing and submitted to the Rules Committee on the day of the alleged violation by 6:00 p.m. with a deposit of $100. If the alleged violation is found to have occurred, the deposit of $100 will be refunded. If the Rules Committee finds no violation, the deposit will not be refunded. The decision of the Rules Committee will be final.

TOURNAMENT WINNERS & SCORING:

Winners will be determined in accordance with the Tournament Scoring System:

Each sailfish caught receives one (1) point, zero points for killed sailfish.
In case of a tie, winners will be determined by the release time of (their, or the teams) last fish. (i.e. It is whoever caught their last fish first).

PRIZE MONEY:

First Place: cash plus trophy
Second Place: cash plus trophy
Third Place: cash plus trophy