Entry Fees and Cash AwardsEntry fees are based on team qualifications. Entry into the amateur "NO FEAR" division is $1500 per team. Entry into the Regular "Pro" division is $3,000 per team. Both Amateur and Pro teams are limited to six team members. Teams with amateur status may enter and compete in the regular "Pro" division but no designated "Pro" team may enter into the "NO FEAR" category. Optional Daily jackpots of $500, $1,000 and $2,000 per day are available for interested teams in both the "NO FEAR" and Regular Tournament Divisions. Teams with amateur status may enter and compete in the optional regular "Pro" daily Jackpots but no designated "Pro" team may enter the "NO FEAR" Daily Jackpots. All Daily Jackpots pay back 85% in a winner take all format. Tournament prizes are also based on an 85% payback. First Place receiving 51% of entry fees, Second Place receiving 25.5% and Third Place receiving 8.5%. Team Qualifications For the purpose of the Avalon Billfish Classic ProAm, the following guidelines are to be used to determine "NO FEAR" Amateur status: Any team who has at least one member that has been paid for operating and/or crewing any commercial, charter or private fishing boat in the last three years is ineligible to compete in the "NO FEAR" Amateur Division Tournament or Daily Jackpots. Any team who who has at least one team member that has been on an Avalon Billfish Classic, Zane Grey or Catalina Classic Cash Prize winning team in the last three years is also ineligible for "NO FEAR" Amateur status. All teams who enter the "NO FEAR" Division will be required to completely fill out the "NO FEAR" entry form and must have that team verified before "Start Fishing" on Monday, September 10th. Any changes to the team during the event must be approved by the Tournament Director. Any misrepresentation by a team entering the "NO FEAR" Division may result in disqualification and forfeiture of all prizes and entry fees. Point Scoring The Avalon Billfish Classic Release will feature two days of fishing with a point scoring system. Scoring of points by teams will be determined as follows: A released striped marlin is worth 100 points. An official release occurs when the leader or swivel reaches the rod tip or when the mate or a team member grabs the leader (not the double line) and the event is recorded on video with the fish in the picture. The release of the fish must be captured on the team's video camera with the audio turned on and the volume set to an adequate level for subsequent playback. All VHF radio instructions by tournament control must be followed or the release will not count. The fish does not have to be tagged to be counted as a released fish. Teams are not permitted to be entered in and fish a second tournament that overlaps in any manner the fishing times of the Avalon Billfish Classic Release Marlin Tournament. Fishing Procedure A grid map will be provided to all team captains. Tournament Control shall be notified immediately when a fish is hooked-up and then immediately when it has been released. The team must report within 10 minutes of hook-up the approximate location according to the grid map. Tournament Control may request Lat/Long position of any tournament boat at any time. Any fish hooked prior to "Stop Fishing" may be played until lost or released if Tournament Control has been notified at time of hook-up. "Stop Fishing" time for the Avalon Billfish Classic is 4:00pm each day and "Lines Out" is 4:05pm each day. If a team hooks a fish between 4:00 and 4:05 the hook-up must be reported to tournament control BEFORE 4:05 PM. Any fish hooked after 4:00pm will not count in the tournament but may be played until lost or released. Failure to report any fished hooked-up between 4:00 and 4:05 will disqualify any catch/release points previously earned on that day of fishing. Any fish that subsequently dies during the fight will count in the tournament as long as Tournament Control is notified that the fish can not be released and there is video proof that the fish is dead and/or can not be revived. There is a back-in-the harbor deadline time of 6:30pm on Monday and Tuesday that must be met or your released fish will not qualify. A team is considered back inside the harbor when their vessel breaks the line between the red and green harbor entrance lights. The rod, reel, line, lure and leader with hook must be presented to the tournament judges for inspection. General Rules A team shall consist of one to six team members with one team member designated as the Team Captain. A maximum of six people are allowed on board during tournament fishing hours. Team Captains will be responsible for all correspondence and payments to Catalina Classic, Inc. and distribution of all prize money for their team. It is also their responsibility to insure that all team members follow all rules and regulations of the tournament. Any misrepresentation on the teams' signed entry form, signed release affidavit or violation of any tournament rule will be cause for disqualification and forfeiture of any prize money and merchandise won in the tournament. Decisions by the rules committee of Catalina Classic, Inc., on any question of tournament rules or interpretation shall be final. Any disputes arising between the tournament and a team captain or any of his team members may be settled by binding arbitration at the sole discretion of the tournament's rules committee. Tournament boats shall be required to have a VHF radio with channel 71 for communication purposes. Radio silence must be observed, unless there is an emergency or a hookup, during the last 30 minutes prior to stop fishing. Radio communications between tournament boats will be permitted, but not on channel 71. All boats must fly the official tournament flag during the tournament. Helicopters, official observers, fixed wing aircraft and a marine biologist may be utilized by tournament officials to aid in the enforcement of all tournament rules. Registration will be on Sunday, September 9th, at the Casino Dock Café from 4:00 to 6:00pm, registration/check-in is mandatory for all team captains. All team captains will receive final tournament instructions at check-in. Special Rules If there are no qualifying fish released, to claim the 1st through 3rd place regular cash prizes, the unclaimed cash prizes will be added to the claimed prizes. If an insufficient number of daily jackpot division fish are released to claim all daily jackpot cash prizes, the tournament will refund those entry fees less the portion deemed earned by the tournament. If no qualifying fish are released during the tournament, or if weather causes a cancellation, the tournament will be extended to include Wednesday the 12th of September. One day of fishing will constitute a tournament. If after Wednesday there are any unclaimed cash prizes, they will be added to and carried forward to next year's respective cash prizes. Any ties resulting from tournament scoring practices will be decided (broken) based on the earliest time of day the teams involved reached their respective point totals. The team which reached their points first, shall be declared the winner. Tackle IGFA rules will apply in the tournament unless specifically modified in this document or at the tournament check-in on September 9th by the rules committee. Copies of the IGFA rules can be obtained by calling 714-258-0445 and requesting a copy be mailed. They will also be available at registration on September 9th. Rods and reels must be used, leaders are limited to 30 feet overall length. Double line may be used, but the combined length of double line and leader must not exceed 40 feet. There is no restriction on the breaking strength of a leader or double line material. There is no limit to the number of lines that can be in the water at one time. The use of firearms, harpoons, or entangling devices is prohibited. Fishing line must not exceed 80-pound breaking strength. Artificial lures with skirts or trailing material shall not have more than ONE single hook attached to the line or leader and must conform to IGFA rules. For live or dead bait fishing, Circle Hooks must be used and must conform to tournament rules (manufactured zero offset). Hooks must be imbedded in or securely attached to the bait. The use of spotter planes or spotter boats is not allowed. If requested by tournament officials, rods, reels, line, lures, leaders and hooks must be presented to tournament officials for inspection at the dock. Disqualification The following acts or situations will disqualify a team or its catch: 1. Fishing outside the designated grid area disqualifies all fish caught that day. 2. Fishing before "Start Fishing" or after "Stop Fishing" will disqualify a team. 3. Mutilation of the fish by propellers or sharks will disqualify the fish. 4. Boats, which habitually abuse F.C.C. regulations or tournament regulations regarding radio communications, are subject to disqualification. Illegal radio or electronic gear found on a team's boat will be grounds for immediate disqualification. Teams caught communicating in any manner with spotter planes or commercial boats during tournament fishing hours will be disqualified. The use of profanity on the radio is strictly prohibited. 5. Boats are not allowed to come in contact with or pass anything to another vessel during fishing hours unless given permission by tournament control. 6. Any other act not in strict compliance with the rules or intent set forth herein. 7. No more than six people are allowed on a tournament boat during fishing hours. Rule Changes and Protest Policy Any amendments or additions to the tournament rules will be announced at the mandatory team captain's check-in. If there is any disagreement, controversy or necessary clarification of any tournament rule or result, the final irrevocable decision will be made by the tournament rules committee. The violation of any tournament rule may result in the disqualification of both the angler and the team unless otherwise noted. All competitors' protests, if any, must be submitted in writing by a team captain on the same day that the situation generating the protest occurred. Any protests on the last day of fishing must be received by 6:30pm. The protesting team must submit a $500 cash deposit with their written protest. Deposits will not be returned for protest subsequently determined to be without merit or substance. It is expressly understood that these protest rules relate to team protests and do not limit the time the tournament has to enforce tournament rules and regulations. Any misrepresentation on the team's signed entry form, signed release affidavit discovered at a later date by the tournament will be cause for disqualification, forfeiture and the return of any prize money and merchandise won in the tournament. The tournament reserves the right to pursue such misrepresentations without regard to any time limit that all tournament team's protest is bound by. Camera Policy Each team is required to provide their own video camera to be used to document releases during this year's tournament. The tournament will have equipment available on site to play back a team's videotapes/discs. Each team is required to have available at least two videocassettes/discs for use during the event. Each team will be provided with an official tournament disposable camera to be used to photograph and document team releases as a back up and supplement to their video camera. A set of sealed instructions will be issued to each team. All teams must follow the instructions included in their package in order for their catches and releases to qualify. It is the team captain's responsibility to make sure his team's camera and videocassettes/discs are returned to the appropriate tournament official. Polygraph Policy At the sole discretion of the Avalon Billfish Classic Release Tournament, all team captains, team members and observers may be required to take a polygraph test administered by the tournament's independent polygraph contractor. All team captains, and their team members, agree to be bound by this provision and to abide by the results thereof. Boat Inspections All tournament boats are subject to inspection at any time by tournament officials. 
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