Central Florida Offshore Anglers 2010 rules.
CFOA 2010 Tournament Rules
1. Tournament: This is a one day tournament to be held on Saturday May 22, 2010. In case of unfishable weather as determined by the Tournament Chairman, the tournament make up day will be May 23, or on a later date to be determined.
2. Fishing Regulations: All fish must be caught on hook and line and in accordance with applicable Florida and Federal recreational rules and regulations. From the time that a fish strikes or takes a bait or lure, the angler must hook, fight, and bring the fish to the boat without the aid of any other person. A foul hooked fish may not be weighed in the tournament. Electric or power driven reels are not permitted. (power downriggers are permitted) Stinger rigs are allowed. All gaffs must be equipped with a single hook and be no longer than 8 feet. Flying gaffs or detachable head gaffs are not allowed. Harpoon or lance attachments are prohibited. Once a boat leaves the dock on the date of the tournament it shall not offload or onload people, bait or any other items prior to weighing in the fish. In the event of an emergency the assisting boat may contact the Tournament and receive a waiver PRIOR to rendering assistance.
3. Entry Fee: Entry fee is $150 and to be eligible the signed and completed entry form and entry fee must be received.
4. Captains meeting: Attendance at the Captains meeting is mandatory by at least one team member to pick up the registration card. All boats must display the registration card at all times during the tournament. All boats must monitor channels 16 & 71 throughout the tournament.
5. Time: The tournament shall commence at 6 a.m. on the tournament day and no lines (including sabikis) shall be in the water prior to that time. All boats must check in by 5 p.m. on the day of the tournament at the Bluepoints Marina weigh in dock.
6. Tournament limits: Boats may leave from Port Canaveral, Ponce Inlet or Sebastian Inlet but must return to Port Canaveral by water on the day of the tournament and must fish west of longitude 79 45’ West, south of Ponce Inlet and north of Sebastian Inlet.
7. Weigh in: Weigh in will commence at 3 p.m. All eligible fish must be brought by water to the weighin station at the Bluepoints Marina dock in the boat upon which it was caught. The angler must also be present at the awards ceremony. The angler must declare at the time of the weigh in whether the fish is to be weighed in the slam, Ladies or Junior category. A fish may only be weighed in one of the categories. All fish weighed must be legally caught under tournament, state and /or federal rules. All fish must be weighed the CFOA Weighmaster and all decisions by the weighmaster are final. In the event of fish being weighed of equal weight, the tie shall be broken by the first weighed fish. In the event of a scale failure, a Salter scale may be substituted as the official scale in the event of scale failure; all weights shall be considered official once recorded regardless of scale used.
ALL HOOKS MUST BE REMOVED PRIOR TO WEIGHIN. FISH WITH VISABLE FISH HOOKS WILL NOT BE WEIGHED UNTIL HOOKS ARE REMOVED!
8. Eligible Species: Dolphin, Wahoo, Grouper (Warsaw excluded), Cobia and Kingfish. (Fish may be substituted if changes in Federal or State laws make a species not feasible). A fish may be weighed in only 1 division and the angler must declare for the division (general, ladies or juniors) at the time the fish is weighed and may not be changed thereafter.
9. Largest Fish Prize: There shall be a prize awarded for the largest fish of one of the eligible species weighed of $2,500.00. The winning fish must be in compliance with all other tournament rules and the winning fish will not also be eligible for a Species, Ladies or junior prize.
10. Species Division: The prizes are 1st place $1,000.00; 2nd place $500.00; 3rd place $250.00 in each of the five species.
11. Ladies Division: The female angler (17 or older as of May 22, 2010) that catches the largest fish by weight shall be awarded the prize. Prizes shall be 1st $500.00, 2nd $250.00 & 3rd $100.00.
12. Juniors Division: The anglers who are 16 years old or less on May 22, 2010 that catches the 3 largest fish by weight eligible fish shall be awarded a $500 for first, $250 for 2nd and $100 for 3rd.
14. General Calcutta: A calcutta is available for an additional $100.00 registration fee for the heaviest fish weighed in the tournament. 90% of the money taken in shall be awarded to the boat weighing the heaviest fish in the tournament. 10% of the money shall be kept as a donation to the CFOA.
15. Testing: The tournament reserves the right to test any fish for freshness by any and all appropriate means and to administer a polygraph test to any angler and/or boat captain. All boats shall maintain continuous track logs on their GPS throughout the tournament and until after the awards ceremony and must allow inspection upon request by the tournament committee. Anyone refusing such tests shall be disqualified.
16. Protests: All protests must be presented in writing to the Tournament Chairman with a $500 cash deposit prior to 5:30 pm on the date of the tournament. If the protest is not upheld, the cash prize will be forfeited to CFOA. All decisions of the Tournament Chairman are final.
17. Awards Ceremony: Shall commence after the weigh in has concluded and all eligible fish have been weighed, all prizes shall be awarded at the awards ceremony, in order to receive the prize and the angler and Captain must be present to accept the award. Any award not accepted at the awards ceremony shall be forfeited to CFOA. By accepting the award, the angler and captain agree to allow the use of their names and images as CFOA sees fit.
18. Safety: All boat captains and anglers are responsible for their own safety and it is the responsibility of the boat captain and crew to insure the boat is properly equipped and that it is operated within the limits of the boat and the skill and seamanship of its captain and crew. Each boat is responsible for making the determination as to whether the boat and crew can safely operate on the day of the tournament and in the sea conditions of the tournament.
19. Release: The owner, captain and/or crew of each boat understands and agrees that CFOA, Bluepoints Marina, Milliken’s Reef and any of their volunteers or employees shall not be held liable or responsible in any way for any injury, death or other damages to the crew or the boat that may occur as a result of participation in this tournament. This shall include any damage or injury which is result of the negligence of any person(s) affiliated with CFOA, Bluepoints Marina or Milliken’s Reef. The owner, captain and/or crew intend to fully exempt, release and hold harmless CFOA, Bluepoints Marina, Milliken’s Reef and all of their volunteers and employees from any and all liability or responsibility for any injury and/or damage. All boat captains by signing the registration form acknowledges that he or she understands and agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the CFOA, Milliken’s Reef and/or Bluepoints Marina, staff and/or volunteers from any and all damage or claims brought regarding the tournament. The tournament shall include the captains’ party and tournament.
20. General: The Tournament Committee reserves the right to amend the rules at any time as it deems necessary. We reserve the right to deny entry to any team or participant, regardless of acceptance of entry form or payment, refund of fee will be made. All participants agree that all decisions of the Tournament Chairman are final and hereby agree to waive all rights to any further interpretation and/or litigation. Venue for all claims and disputes shall be solely in Orlando, Orange County, Florida.