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Rules and Information
$1,600 per boat. Checks made payable to New Smyrna Beach Billfish Invitational Tournament, Inc. All entries received after September 20, 2010, will be $1,900. Entry fees are non-refundable. Winner Take All. Most points on the final board. Heaviest Dolphin, Wahoo and Tuna Category D: $100 First Fish Released, ($50) First Released Billfish Day one, ($50) First Released Billfish Day two Category E: $100 “Nooner Award” for billfish release time closest to but not after 12pm ($50) Day one, ($50) Day Two Category F: $500 For all outboards & boats 38’ and smaller ($300)Small Boat Division 60/40 most points on final board ($100) Small Boat Daily Award Day One, ($100) Small Boat Daily Award Day Two Category G: $500 For all outboards & boats 38’ and smaller ($500) winner take all Fish Species: Blue Marlin, White Marlin, Sailfish, Wahoo, Dolphin and Tuna IGFA rules apply in the tournament except as noted. A copy will be provided with the captain's packet. All boats must leave and return from the Ponce de Leon Inlet. Boats are not allowed beyond the inlet sea buoy before 5:30 am. Boats must reach the inlet sea buoy by 5:30 pm Friday and Saturday. Blue or White Marlin - 300 points Meat fish categories, wahoo, dolphin and tuna, must be weighed in at the Brannon Community Center. These categories do not carry any point value. Winners will be determined by the heaviest weight. Permits and
Licenses The Tournament Committee reserves the right, at their discretion to place observers on any participant’s vessel. In case of ties, the winner will be determined by the earliest time fish was released per committee boat times. Maximum line test is 30 lbs. The leader shall be limited to 15 feet; the combined length of a double line and leader shall be limited to 40 feet. Lines and leaders are subject to random testing by the Tournament Committee. All boats must check in via radio to the tournament headquarters upon arrival at the Ponce de Leon inlet Sea Buoy. If there are fish to be weighed in, a weigh-in number will be assigned at the time of check in. Daily reports must be completed by each team with tournament issued release times and all angler's names that caught qualifying fish are mandatory in this report. Captains are required to sign each report prior to submission to the tournament director with the captain directly being responsible for prompt submittal of the report. Failure by a Captain to sign the release report will mean that the fish will not be considered for points. All protests will be settled the day they are officially lodged with the tournament director. All anglers and captains from all boats must be present for such hearing. All protests must be lodged in writing with the tournament director before the conclusion of the day that the protest occurs. By signing the entry form, all parties acknowledge that the decision of the tournament director is final. All protests must be accompanied by a $100.00 deposit which will be returned only if the tournament director determines the protest to be valid. Polygraph Testing: Crewmembers, Captain and Mate of winning boats and individual trophy winners will be subject to polygraph testing before receiving any money and/or trophies. Polygraph test for winners will be given on Sunday October 10, 2010. The NSBBI may, at its discretion, also request that a polygraph test be taken by any other angler or crew member registered to that boat (Designated place and time to be announced at Captains Meeting.). By virtue of signing the entry form entrants agree to the final decision of the polygraph test. Refusal to submit to the polygraph test will be automatic grounds for disqualification from the Tournament and any winnings. Any angler, crew member or captain found to be guilty of cheating or conspiring to cheat will be disqualified from this tournament and may be banned from future New Smyrna Beach Billfish Invitational, Inc., tournaments. The tournament is limited to boats 31 feet long or longer. New Smyrna Beach Billfish Invitational, Inc., reserves the right to change these rules if the tournament director determines, at his sole discretion, that such changes are in the best interest of the tournament. The official weigh station is the Brannon Community Center. Positive identification of Blue Marlin, White Marlin and Sailfish must be made when the fish is at the boat. If the fish pulls off before the legal release, no points will be awarded for that fish. Remember, positive identification at the boat is essential to the credibility of this tournament. Do not bring the fish into the boat unless it will be brought to the weigh station. Once a boat's engine(s) engage in reverse, only fish hooked prior to backward motion will be eligible for points. Backing boats into pods of fish is not permitted. No more than six (6) rods may be fished at any time. Teasers are limited to two (2) as long as approved by I.G.F.A. rules and not pulled by a rod and reel combination. No live bait permitted. Marlin and Sailfish boat "hook-ups" must be reported immediately to a committee boat by radio. Each team is responsible for recording the time of hook-up, angler, fish identification, boat name and time fish is reported released by committee boat. Official radio channel for the New Smyrna Beach Billfish Invitational tournament will be 72 VHF. Telephone information will be provided at the captain's meeting. Fishing may begin anytime after 8 am. Boats must be checked in at the sea buoy by 5:30 pm on Friday and Saturday. Failure will result in disqualification for all points for any offending boat for that day. Lines must be out of the water by 3:00 pm on all fishing days. Any fish that is mutilated will be disqualified and will not be eligible for points. Weather: The tournament committee may cancel fishing anytime it considers weather conditions to be unsafe. However, it is agreed by all parties that each captain has the ultimate responsibility of determining if conditions are unsafe for his vessel. One day of fishing will constitute a complete tournament and awards will be presented accordingly. Should there not be one day of fishing, the tournament will be rescheduled with dates T.B.D. Tournament entries, less 5%, will be refunded if no days are fished. Liability: It is understood by all parties that each participant enters the tournament at his or her own risk and assumes all risks that may be involved by their participation. It is further understood that anyone may elect not to participate at any time due to weather or for any other reason, in which case the entry fee for that boat will be forfeited. Dockage: The NSBBI has reserved several slips in New Smyrna Beach which will be available beginning in September to registered tournament boats. This will be designated by the NSBBI on a first come basis. Reservation confirmation will only be accepted after completed tournament applications with entries have been submitted. For tournament docking, contact: The Tournament Committee at 386-290-4181. |