Official Rules & Regulations
1. TEAMS: Two-person teams, one team per boat. In the spirit of good sportsmanship, each team member should strive to have an equal amount of casts to fish. Both anglers on the team must land a billfish, in order to win any Team Award. Each, boat, each day will have an observer assigned according to the boat draw.
2. LEADER & LINE: Maximum total leader is 12-feet. IGFA rules apply to leader, class tippet and shock tippet. All anglers will use Mason 10kg (20-lb) test line for tippet material. This line will be furnished by the tournament committee, at least 30 days prior to the tournament. The class tippet must be at least 15 inches long (measured inside connecting knots). Bite tippet cannot exceed 12 inches from the class tippet side of the knot to the hook.
3. SCORING: 100 points for each sailfish billed and released and 500 points for each marlin billed and released. If the fly and hooks are removed before the fish is released, the angler will receive an extra 10 points for the catch. In the case of a tie, the team receiving the most points first by time wins.
4. FISHING HOURS: No lines of any kind including teasers in the water before 8 am. All lines, INCLUDING TEASER LINES must be out of the water at 3:30 pm. Anglers and Captains must be at the check-in no later than 5:00 pm or they forfeit their days catch.
5. REPORTING: Releases must be radioed in to tournament headquarters immediately upon the release. Fish hooked up after 3 pm must immediately be radioed in to tournament headquarters.
6. TEASING: Teasing may be done by one of the anglers, the mate and/or the captain. The craft must be completely out of gear before putting your fly into the water - starting your cast - before hookup and during the retrieving/working your fly. Fly casting may only be done by the anglers. If a boat goes back into gear, for any reason, the fly must come back to the boat and re-cast with the boat out of gear.
7. BOAT MOTION: BOAT MUST BE OUT OF GEAR BEFORE THE FLY IS PUT IN THE WATER OR THE CAST IS MADE!!!
8. RULES: IGFA rules for fly fishing will be followed.
9. LEGAL RELEASE: A legal release occurs if and when the mate grabs the sailfish's bill or the marlin's bill. If the fly and hooks are removed before the fish is released, the angler will receive an extra 10 points for the catch.
10. PENALTIES: Any infraction of these rules or IGFA rules governing fly fishing may result in disqualification of the involved fish and possibly disqualification from the tournament. Protests must be in writing and turned into the tournament committee on the day of the infraction. The decision of the tournament committee is final. Anglers must turn in their daily catch sheet upon returning to the dock each day. The sheets must be turned in whether or not a fish is caught. Catch sheets must be signed by anglers, captain and observer.
11. BREAKDOWNS: There will be no makeup time for breakdowns. The captain of the broken down boat is responsible for providing a substitute boat for his anglers. The tournament radio operator will assist with the arrangements as best he/she can. If the disabled boat cannot make it to the 5 pm weigh-in, they must report their catch by radio by 3 pm.
~ Welcome Observers ~
We the Tournament Committee want to welcome all the Observers to the 2010 Fifth Annual Stu Apte Fly Fishing Sailfish Tournament. With a special welcome to IGFA's Mike Myatt.
We also want to take this opportunity to say THANKS to all of you for your help and support.
Having you on board helps make this prestigious tournament a very successful one.
Stu Apte
Tournament Chairman
OBSERVERS DUTIES
1. MEASURING CLASS TIPPET: Must be at least 15 inches long (measured inside connecting knots)
2. MEASURING BITE TIPPET: Cannot exceed 12 inches from the class tippet side of the knot to the hook.
3. The boat must be out of gear before the anglers fly is put into the water, or their cast - or before hooking the fish - during the retrieving (working their fly). If a boat goes back into gear, for any reason, the fly must be retrieved to the boat and re-cast with the boat out of gear. (see angler rule 6)
4. CAUGHT FISH: A legal release occurs if and when the mate grabs the sailfish's bill or the marlin's bill. If the fly and hooks are removed before the fish is released, the angler will receive an extra 10 points for the catch.
5. OBSERVER MUST SIGN ANGLERS SCORE CARD EACH DAY!
6. ENJOY THE EXPERIENCE!!!!
