2024 Sailfish Classic

Tournament Rules

 2024 Official Tournament Rules

This is a fun tournament, and all participants are expected to fish in a sportsmanlike manner and to follow IGFA Regulations as well as the following additions.  Please pay special attention to the “circle hook only” rule amendment (8.i).

1.     Minimum Boat Size: 30 feet LOA.  Final determination of boat eligibility will be at the discretion of the Tournament Committee.

2.     FEDERAL AND STATE REGULATIONS - All vessels and participants shall comply with Florida state and Federal Fisheries laws and regulations regarding fishing licenses, vessel permits, fishing gear, season size limits and bag limits. 

3.     The tournament fishing will begin at 8 a.m.  All entrants must check out each day by radio with the Committee Boat before entering the ocean.  All entrants must not pass the sea buoy before 7 a.m.   Boats must leave and enter from Fort Pierce Inlet, St.  Lucie Inlet or Jupiter Inlet.   The tournament fishing will stop at 3:00 p.m.   All boats inside the inlet by 4:30 p.m.  will be considered on time.   Any late returns shall be penalized by deducting all fish caught for that day.   Mechanical or electrical problems will not excuse a late return.

4.     Tournament fishing boundaries and inlets:

a.   Northern Boundary 27°50’00” N, 2 miles South of Sebastian Inlet

b.      Southern Boundary 26°50’00” N, 8 miles South of Jupiter Inlet

c.   Only inlets within the boundary lines are allowed (i.e.  Ft.  Pierce, St.  Lucie, Jupiter)

5.     Dangerous boat operating during tournament and especially in the inlet area will result in DISQUALIFICATION!  No passing allowed between Sandsprit Park and the St.  Lucie Inlet.   To maintain safety in a narrow channel, no passing between Sandsprit Park and the seaward side of the North/South breakwaters.  A slower boat may, at its discretion, via Channel 73 VHF invite a faster boat to pass in the restricted area.  Safe and gentleman-like conduct to and from Pirate’s Cove Marina is expected.

6.     Backing down is permitted.

7.     Any fish hooked before 3:00 pm and reported to the Committee Boat may be fought until caught, but vessel must be in by 4:30 pm.   Any fish hooked after 3:00 pm on any fishing day is ineligible.

8.     Line, Leader, Bait, Rods and Reels

a.   The angler or crew will furnish all tackle and line.

b.      Spinning Reels are not allowed.

c.   All sailfish must be caught on dead bait or artificial lures.  No live baiting or chumming permitted.  Dead bait or artificial teasers without hooks are permitted.

d.      LINE AND BACKING: 20lb line is the only line permitted in this tournament.   Monofilament, multifilament, and lead core multifilament lines may be used.  Wire lines are prohibited.  Backing is permitted.  The catch shall be classified under the breaking strength of the first 16.5 feet of line directly receding the double line, leader, or hook.   This section must be comprised of a single, homogenous piece of line and may not exceed 130-pound line class.

e.      Double lines are not required but are measured from the start of the knot, braid, rill or splice, making the double to the furthermost end of the knot, splice, snap, swivel or other device used for securing the trace, leader, lure or hook to the double line.  The double line shall be limited to 15 feet.

f.     LEADER: The use of a leader is required.  It must meet the following specifications: The length of the leader is the overall length including any lure, hook arrangement is 15ft.  There are no regulations regarding the material or strength of the leader. 

g.      The combined length wind-on leader or double line, and the leader, shall not exceed 20 feet, including the hook.   

h.      Single hook only.

i.    “NON-OFFSET” CIRCLE HOOKS ONLY – J-HOOKS ARE NOT ALLOWED.

j.     LINES & TEASERS: A Maximum of 8 (eight) lines per boat are permitted.  Any combination of baited lines and teasers/dredges may be used as long as  no more than 6 (six) lines with bait are used to fish.    Teasers are permitted without hooks.  Live teasers are not permitted.  Teasers may be deployed from rod but with an electrical reel or kite rod with an electric reel.  Teasers must come off the outriggers.

k.      Neither teasers nor baits are allowed in the water until fishing starts at 8:00 a.m.

l.     Boats can be dead in water or moving forward for the first hook up.  If baits are left in the water for multiple hook ups, the boat CAN be backing down, but any fish caught must be hooked, fought and released from the cockpit.  If baits are brought in, they may not be put back out until normal trolling is resumed. 

m.    In the event of a multiple hookup, the angler may make use of the rod holder to hold the rod.  NO REELING OF LINE CAN OCCUR FROM A ROD HOLDER DURING THE HOOKUP.

n.      PITCH BAIT IS ALLOWED.

9.     Only releases by registered anglers will count towards totals.  Any registered anglers per boat, per day with no more than two (2) of those registered anglers being professional.  Any points caught by professionals will count towards the overall results for the Treasure Coast Series.  As defined by the Light Tackle Tournament, a professional is any person who has been paid for their professional services as a captain, mate or crew member while engaging in fishing within the last twelve (12) months.

10. Scoring ties will be broken by the boat first achieving winning status as determined by the time recorded in daily catch logs.  The numeric day of fishing for the boats in question will also be used to break scoring ties.

11. Competing boats must honor and give fighting boats all the room necessary.

12. Any protest must be filed in writing or by the angler on the observer’s daily log by 6:00 PM on the same day as the protested incident.  A $200.00 protest binder must accompany all protests.  This binder is refundable if the Rules Committee upholds the protest.  All protests will be held confidential, and the Rules Committee’s decision WILL BE FINAL.

13. PENALTY: Any boat disregarding rule 11 that is reported to the Committee Boat will have one fish deducted.  Boats violating this rule may be penalized only if another boat files a protest in writing to the Rules Committee.

14. Participants in the Pirate’s Cove Sailfish Classic enter at their own risk.  Officials and all other persons connected directly or indirectly with the operations of the tournament shall be exempt from any liability for loss, damage, negligence, harm, or injury suffered to any participant, entrant, sport fisherman, their companions, boat captains, crew members, vessels and equipment which may occur during the tournament.

15. All boats must carry Liability Insurance.

16. The terms and conditions of this Agreement shall be construed, interpreted, and enforced under the laws and judicial decisions of the State of Florida, notwithstanding any principle of conflicts of law.   In the event any part of this Agreement shall be declared illegal, invalid, or void, such declaration shall not affect the validity of any of the other terms or provisions of this document.

 

 TOURNAMENT POLICY & LIABILITY WAIVER

1.      By signing the entry, you adhere to all tournament rules.

 

2.      Pirate’s Cove Sailfish Classic has the right to move tournament dates in case of severe weather and can refuse entry/participation to anyone for any reason at any time.

 

3.      All participants are expected to maintain a reasonable and sportsmanlike demeanor at all times throughout the tournament. Unsportsmanlike or threatening conduct towards tournament organizers or other participants, or any other behavior which the tournament organizers deem inappropriate, in their sole discretion, will result in immediate disqualification of the entire team with no refund of entry fees.

 

4.      Participants of this tournament enter at their own risk. Officials, committee members, sponsors and ALL persons connected directly or indirectly with the operations of the Pirate’s Cove Sailfish Classic shall be exempt from any liability for loss, damage or negligence, harm or injury suffered by any participant, entrant, sportfishing vessel, captain, crew members, vessels and equipment which may occur during this tournament.

 

Cancellation Policy: Entry fee is non-refundable unless the tournament is cancelled by Pirate’s Cove Sailfish Classic. Pirate’s Cove Sailfish Classic has the right to move, postpone and or cancel a day(s) of the tournament due to severe weather.

 

SAILFISH (Tier 1):

 

  1. THIS IS A SAILFISH RELEASE TOURNAMENT.   An official release will be credited when the swivel touches the rod tip for the first time, or the mate takes control of the leader.   The digital image must have the colored flag of the day in view.   Release is official when swivel touches the rod tip, or mate takes control of the leader.  The leader must be cut as close to the fish as possible.  Deliberate jerking or snatching of leader by mate to cause the leader to break will disqualify the fish.

2.      A sailfish hook-up must be called into the “Committee Boat” as soon as possible on VHF channel 73.   If unable to reach “Committee Boat” by VHF radio, then releases can be called in by cell phone.   The “Committee Boat” will validate your hook-up by announcement.   Any cell phone releases called in will be relayed over VHF radio.   All boats must have a VHF radio.   The “Committee Boat” will then verify your information by announcement and give you a release time, which must be recorded on your daily catch affidavit and turned in at the end of the fishing day, with your video evidence.   If you lose your fish prior to release (i.e.  jump-off, pulled hook, etc..) please inform the “Committee Boat” as soon as possible.  The time stamp of the digital image is the official release time and must be within (plus or minus) fifteen (15) minutes of the time reported by radio to the “Committee Boat.”  If the timestamp of the identification of the fish is over fifteen (15) minutes from the VHF call, then the release time will be moved to the time of the identification time. 

a.         Video Requirement: Every billfish released in the tournament must be verified by video footage clearly identifying the release.  The video clip to be shot by all teams should be to initialize the video device with the time, date and GPS location, and flag color of the day at the start of fishing.  All videos and score cards must be turned into the “Committee Boat” by 6 p.m.

3.      Sailfish catches must be reported to the Committee Boat as released.  Boat name, angler name and time of release must be reported, and fish number caught for video/camera.  Releases may be relayed if Captain cannot reach Committee Boat.

  1. The total number of fish caught will determine winners regardless of the number of days fished (up to three).

 

GAME FISH (Tier 2, 3 and 4)

 

GAME FISH –

You must enter tier 1 to participate in tiers 2, 3 and 4.

 

Winning gamefish will be determined by weight.  In the event of a tie, the winner will be determined by the first fish weighed in.  Fish must be in fresh edible condition and fit for human consumption.  All gamefish must be weighed on the day they are caught.  Hookup time for gamefish should NOT be reported to Tournament Headquarters. 

 

Level VII - “Winner take all - dolphin” prize money will rollover to the next year’s tournament if no qualifying fish is weighed.  See Rule 19 for Level VII - Largest Dolphin Winner Take All time schedule. 

 

Gamefish are defined as kingfish, dolphin, wahoo, and blackfin tuna.  If no qualifying gamefish are caught in Level 2, the tournament will retain the money. 

 

WEIGH-IN - All gamefish eligible for prizes must be off-loaded and weighed at the official Tournament weigh station from the boat landing the fish.  The fish must be entered on the official entry form by the Tournament Weigh Master.  The same scales and weigh station will be used for all fish.  Participants must notify the tournament committee by radio, text or phone prior to 4:00 p.m. and give specific ETA to the official weigh station. 

 

The weigh station is located at Pirate’s Cove Resort and Marina. 

 

WEIGHT ALTERATION - Attempted weight alteration of any gamefish will be subject to disqualification and automatically disqualify the boat from the tournament.  IGFA rules apply regarding mutilated fish.  The Rules Committee reserves the right to cut open any fish for inspection of suspected weight altering efforts such as inserted weights, ice, water, etc.

 

The Weigh Master has the right to refuse any fish in his sole discretion. 

 

The weigh station will remain open until the last checked in boat is offloaded and fish is weighed. 

 

Participants fishing from the Jupiter Inlet or Ft. Pierce Inlet may bring fish to the weigh station by boat or vehicle. 

 

PRIZE PAYOUT SCHEDULE - Prize money checks will be made payable to the person or entity so indicated on the registration form of the winning boat.  Social Security number or Taxpayer I.D.  number of the recipient must be provided on the entry form.  All undisputed funds will be distributed 10 days after the tournament.