ENTRY FEES
Basic Entry Fee for a team of up to four anglers to compete in the Catalina Classic is $2,080 per team. There is an $80 discount for those teams that pay in cash, making the cash entry $2,000. Additional anglers may be added for $130 each, or if paid in cash it’s $125 per angler. There is a maximum of six anglers per team. Entry fee includes one team entry kit. Each angler receives a Tournament Hat, Tournament T-shirt, Awards Ceremony ticket and raffle drawing ticket. Entry Fees may be paid by credit card, cash, check or wire transfer. Cash, check, or wire transfer entries will receive a four-percent cash discount on all entry fees and optional daily jackpots.
OPTIONAL DAILY JACKPOTS
- Separate optional daily jackpots in the amounts of $250, $500, $1,000, and $2,000 per day are available for interested teams (add 4% for credit-card payment).
- Participants may compete in any optional daily jackpots in any combination.
- Teams entering any daily jackpot level must enter for both days of the tournament.
- All daily jackpots pay back 85% in a winner-take-all format using the tournament point scoring rules.
- Daily Jackpot prizes will roll forward and backward if there are no qualifying fish weighed on one or more days by a Daily Jackpot entrant. For example: If no qualifying fish are weighed to claim one or more of the Daily Jackpots on day one then the prize or prizes will roll forward to the second day and will be added to that days respective Daily Jackpot prizes. If the Daily Jackpot prizes are claimed on the first day of the Tournament but not the second day, the prizes will roll backward to the team or teams that claimed the prizes on the first day.
- Penalty points assessed for weighing an undersized fish on the second day of fishing will not affect a team’s Daily Jackpot winnings on the first day of fishing.
- Once a Daily Jackpot prize has been earned it cannot be lost by earning penalty points for weighing an undersized fish on a different day. However, a team that weighs a qualifying fish and an undersized fish on the same day shall have any penalty points deducted from the weight of their qualifying fish in determining any Daily Jackpot winnings on that day.
- If any daily jackpot prize goes unclaimed, the tournament will refund those entry fees less the portion deemed earned by the tournament.
QUALIFYING FISH
- For any fish to count in the Catalina Classic, the fish must meet the official minimum length of 80 inches fork length, measured from the lower lip (with the mouth closed) to the fork in the tail, or a weight of 145 pounds. This is the standard to be used. Tournament Control reserves the right to adjust the minimum length and weight requirements based on current conditions. If any adjustments are made to the minimum length and/or weight, they will be announced at the mandatory captains meeting.
- All fish measuring less than 80 inches or weighing less than 145 pounds must be released.
- Only striped marlin measuring 80 inches or weighing 145 pounds or more shall qualify in the tournament. A penalty for weighing undersize fish will be assessed.
- For each striped marlin weighing less than the minimum 145 pounds and measuring less than 80 inches, a penalty of 15 pounds will be deducted from the weight of the largest qualifying fish weighed by the team for the Tournament’s First through Third Place cash prizes.
BOATING AND WEIGHING FISH
- Once a marlin is brought into the boat’s cockpit, it is deemed boated and MUST be weighed. Failure to weigh a boated fish will result in tournament disqualification and forfeiture of any previous points, prizes and jackpots.
TOURNAMENT CASH PRIZES
- All cash prizes are based on a 100-team quota. Should there be more or less teams all cash prizes will be adjusted accordingly. First Place wins $76,000, Second Place wins $28,000 and Third Place wins $16,000. In addition to first through third place cash prizes, the team that finishes in fourth place will win a free entry into the 2012 Catalina Classic.
- Winners will be awarded their prizes on the basis of heaviest striped marlin caught, determined by weight only.
- A single team can claim only one of the tournaments first through third place “Cash Prize Places.”
- In the event of a tie, those teams involved will divide the prizes evenly.
- All prize payments will be made within 30 days of receipt of the appropriate IRS documentation from the winners.
TEAM ROSTERS AND CAPTAINS
- A team shall consist of one to six team members with one team member designated as captain.
- No more than six people are allowed on board during tournament hours (with the exception of designated tournament or media personnel).
- Each team member must be listed on the official team roster. Substitutions are permitted with prior notification to and approval by Tournament Control.
- The team captain will be responsible for all correspondence and payments to the tournament and distribution of all prize money for their team. It is the team captain’s responsibility to insure that all team members follow all rules and regulations of the tournament.
- All boats must fly the official Tournament Flag during the Tournament.
- Any misrepresentation on the team’s signed entry form, signed release affidavit, signed weigh master certificate or violation of any tournament rule will be cause for disqualification and forfeiture of any prize money and merchandise won in the tournament.
Fishing Times
- Monday, September 19
- Monday morning beginning at 6:40 a.m. Tournament Control will conduct a Radio Roll Call on VHF channel 71. Teams are required to make radio contact with the Tournament Control Boat.
- Boats will then line up for the 7 a.m. Shotgun Start and “start fishing.” There is no fishing prior to 7 a.m. but bait fishing is permitted.
- Lines Out is at 5 p.m. Any fish hooked after 5 p.m. will not count in the tournament.
- The weigh in station will close at 10 p.m.. The weigh-in will take place at the Green Pleasure Pier.
Tuesday, September 20
- Tuesday morning beginning at 6:15 a.m. Tournament Control will conduct a VHF Radio Roll Call on channel 71.
- Boats will then remain in Avalon Harbor vicinity until the 6:30 a.m. Lines In call to start fishing. There is no fishing prior to 6:30 a.m. but bait fishing is permitted.
- Lines Out is at 3 p.m. Any fish hooked after 3 p.m. will not count in the tournament.
- Boats weighing in must be back in Avalon Harbor by 5 p.m. This is a firm deadline. Weigh ins will take place at the Green Pleasure Pier.
- A boat is considered inside the harbor when they cross the imaginary line between the red and green harbor lights.
- Failure to enter the harbor before the deadline will disqualify all fish for that day.
- If you are late, you still must weigh any fish on board to determine if any penalty points may accrue for any undersized fish.
FISHING AREA
- Each team will be given a Grid Map. Fishing outside the designated grid area will disqualify all fish caught that day.
- Tournament Control may request any team to give their immediate Lat/Lon coordinates at any time. Teams are required to report their approximate location of all hook ups according to the grid map within 10 minutes of the hookup, whether or not the fish is still hooked.
- Tournament Control reserves the right to make adjustments to the tournament Grid Map based on current conditions. Any changes will be announced at the mandatory captains briefing before fishing begins.
- All boats must fly the official tournament flag during tournament hours.
VHF AND TOURNAMENT CONTROL
- All boats are required to have a functioning VHF radio.
- Each morning at roll call, the tournament may announce an alternate channel for communication for the day. The alternate channel will be VHF Channel 65. Channel 71 will be the default channel if an alternate channel is not available.
- VHF communications between tournament boats is permitted, but please switch to a different channel for conversation.
- Radio silence is to be observed during the final 30 minutes of fishing each day, with the exception of an emergency or to report a hook up, a boated fish or a release.
- Teams are required to immediately report their hookups, including grid location, angler, and whether it is a bait or lure fish.
- Teams are also required to immediately report the catch, release or loss of any hookup.
- In the event that radio communication is difficult, please assist tournament control by relaying communication if possible.
- The use of profanity on the radio is strictly prohibited.
CAMERA POLICY
- It is highly recommended that teams provide their own video camera to be used to document catches during this years’ tournament. The tournament will have equipment available onsite to play back your videotapes/disks/camera cards, etc.
- Each team will be given a disposable camera to be used to photograph and document team catches as a back up and to supplement their video camera.
- A set of sealed instructions will be given to each team. All teams must follow the instructions included in their package in order for their catches to qualify.
- It is the team captain’s responsibility to make sure his team’s camera and videocassette/disc/camera card is submitted to the proper tournament official.
TACKLE
- IGFA Rules apply in the tournament unless specifically modified in this document or at the tournament check in.
- Copies of the IGFA rules book can be obtained online at http://www.igfa.org/Fish/INTERNATIONAL-ANGLING-RULES.aspx or by calling 954-927-2628. They will also be available at tournament registration.
- All fishing is to be done using rod and reel.
- Leaders are limited to 30 feet overall length, including all terminal tackle.
- Double line may be used, but the total combined length of double line and leader must not exceed 40 feet.
- There is no restriction to the breaking strength of the leader or double line.
- There are no limits as to the number of lines that may be in the water at one time.
- Fishing line must not exceed 80-pound breaking strength as indicated by the line manufacturer.
- Artificial lures with skirts or trailing material shall not have more than two single hooks 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 be manufactured with a zero offset and not modified in any way. Hooks must be embedded in or securely attached to the bait and conform to IGFA rules.
- If requested by tournament officials, rods, reels, line, lures, leaders and hooks must be presented to tournament officials for inspection.
SPECIAL RULES
- If there are not enough qualifying fish caught to claim first through third place regular cash prizes, the unclaimed cash prizes will be added to the daily cash prizes on a pro-rata basis.
- If an insufficient number of qualifying daily jackpot division fish are caught to claim all daily jackpot prizes, the tournament will refund those entry fees less the portion deemed earned by the tournament.
- If no qualifying fish are weighed in during the tournament, or if weather causes cancellation, the tournament will be extended to include Wednesday the 21st 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.
DISQUALIFICATION
The following acts or situations will disqualify a team or its catch:
- Fishing outside the designated grid area will disqualify all fish caught that day.
- Fishing before “Lines In” or after “Lines Out” will disqualify all fish caught that day (bait fishing permitted).
- Failure to weigh a boated fish will result in disqualification of the team.
- Mutilation of the fish by sharks or propellers will disqualify the fish.
- Coming into contact or passing any item to or from any other vessel without expressed permission from tournament officials will disqualify all fish caught that day.
- Habitually abusing FCC regulations or tournament regulations regarding radio communications are subject to disqualification.
- Illegal radio or electronic gear found on a team’s boat will subject that team to disqualification.
- Teams caught communicating with spotter planes, spotter boats, or commercial fishing boats during tournament hours are subject to disqualification.
- The use of firearms, harpoons, or entangling devices is prohibited and will result in disqualification of fish.
- Any misrepresentation on the teams signed entry forms, signed release affidavits will be cause for disqualification.
- Teams are not permitted to be entered in and fish in a second tournament that overlaps in any manner the fishing times of the Catalina Classic, with the exception of the Avalon Billfish Classic.
- Any other act not in strict compliance with the rules or intent may be cause for disqualification.
RULE CHANGE AND PROTEST POLICY
- Any amendments or additions to the tournament rules will be announced at the mandatory team captain’s check-in and briefing.
- 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 competitor’s protests, if any, must be submitted in writing by a team captain on the same day the situation generating the protest occurred.
- Any protest on the last day of fishing must be received by 6:30 p.m.
- The protesting team must submit a $500 cash deposit with the written protest.
- Deposits will not be returned for protests subsequently determined to be without merit or substance.
- It is expressly understood that these protest rules relate to teams 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 or signed release affidavit discovered at a later date 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.
- Decisions by the rules committee of the California Billfish Series on any question of tournament rules or interpretation shall be final.
- Any disputes arising between the tournament and a team captain or any team member may be settled by binding arbitration at the sole discretion of the tournament’s rule committee.
POLYGRAPH POLICY
- At the sole discretion of tournament officials, 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 team members agree to be bound by this provision and to abide by the results thereof.
BOAT INSPECTIONS AND OBSERVATIONS
- All tournament boats are subject to inspection at any time by tournament officials. Helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, official observers, and marine biologists may be utilized by tournament officials to aid in enforcement of all tournament rules.
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