UNOFFICIAL TOURNAMENT RULES (Descarga el PDF)

The Tournament
The Los Cabos Billfish Tournament is a three-day big-fish team event with top-team honors going to the team that tallies the most points per pound during the tournament and pays down to third place (first, second and third).  The tournament will also award cash and prizes to the team(s) that catch the largest fish (by weight) in three eligible billfish species.

A release trophy and cash prize will also be awarded to the boat releasing the most eligible billfish.
Optional marlin, tuna, wahoo and dorado jackpots will also award cash and prizes.
Entry Fee
The fee is $5,000 per team (up to six registered anglers). This basic entry fee covers the participation of one to six registered anglers. It also covers attendance at all planned entertainment and social activities for up to six participants.

• $100 for each non-angler participation-ticket package. (Guests of anglers are welcome but are required to purchase participation tickets for entry to all planned entertainment and social functions.) $50 for Awards Cocktail and Dinner Banquet only October 20. The tournament committee reserves the right to deny tournament entry of any individual, organization or corporation.

A final registration, captains meeting and kickoff party will take place from 4 to 8:30 p.m., October 14, at the Playa Grande Resort.
All teams that are preregistered and teams needing to register must send at least one representative to obtain tournament credentials and the team captain’s bag.  All anglers and boat captains must attend the scheduled angler/captains meeting at 6:30 p.m., October 14, at the Playa Grande Beachside Terrace. If they do not attend, they accept and agree to be bound by all instructions and/or rule changes made during that meeting.  In an effort to maximize participation, registrations will be accepted until 7 a.m., October 15.

Angler, Crew and Boat Requirements
Without exception, each boat must have on board one designated boat captain and at least one designated mate.  Captain and crew changes are allowed but must be communicated to the tournament committee prior to any day’s fishing.  There is a limit of six registered anglers per boat in this tournament; however, if a team has an angler drop out, an additional angler can be signed on if he/she registers and pays the tournament committee $100 BEFORE the start of that day’s fishing. Designated captains and mates can also be registered anglers. Guests are allowed on the boats. Boats may receive aid from other boats in the form of towing due to mechanical failure. Teams and boats are NOT allowed to receive assistance in landing or releasing fish. All participants must exercise good and courteous sportsmanship whether at the dock, under way or fishing.

Schedule of Events
Event location: The Playa Grande Resort. Weigh-ins at the weigh gantry in front of Picante Sportfishing next to Puerto Paraiso Mall.
October 14 — Final registration, captains meeting and kickoff party from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Playa Grande Resort.  Captains meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m.
October 15 — We will have a visual checkout each morning from 6:15 a.m. till 7:15 a.m. (The BIMINI START is at 7:30 a.m. — Fishing day: 7:30 a.m. start, 4:30 p.m. lines out.)
October 16 — We will have a visual checkout each morning from 6:15 a.m. till 7:15 a.m. (The BIMINI START is at 7:30 a.m. — Fishing day: 7:30 a.m. start, 4:30 p.m. lines out.)
October 17 — We will have a visual checkout each morning from 6:15 a.m. till 7:15 a.m. (The BIMINI START is at 7:30 a.m.)
October 18 — Awards Banquet will be held at 7:00 p.m. at the Playa Grande Resort.
Rules
IGFA rules apply in this tournament unless otherwise stated. (See release rules for scoring release points.) (*If necessary, registered anglers are allowed to pass the rod when fighting fish.  When registered anglers are fighting a fish they must comply with IGFA angling rules and regulations.)
It is the responsibility of each team and crew member to know, understand and abide by IGFA and tournament rules during this competition. Any angler, captain or mate who deliberately breaks these rules will be immediately expelled and disqualified from this and future tournaments WITHOUT a refund of any jackpot or registration fees. All winners may be asked to take and pass a polygraph test. For a complete list of the IGFA rules, go to www.igfa.org.

*Designated mates CANNOT HOOK the fish or touch the ROD, REEL OR LINE at ANYTIME for ANY REASON after the fish is hooked up unless they are also registered anglers. (*If necessary, registered anglers are allowed to pass the rod when fighting fish.  When registered anglers are fighting a fish they must comply with IGFA angling rules and regulations.)
*The bait-and-switch method of angling is permitted; however, fish must be hooked at least 10 seconds before the mate may touch the leader.
*Wind-on leaders are permitted but may not exceed 30 feet as per IGFA rules.
*A 45-nautical-mile fishing boundary is in effect for this competition. Any tournament boat witnessed venturing outside of these boundaries by at least two other participating tournament vessels will be disqualified from further competition. However, in an effort to avoid false claims against tournament leaders, any fish taken by the offending vessel on days prior to the alleged infringement will still be eligible for prize money. Any boats found making false claims of boundary infringement will be disqualified WITHOUT a refund of any jackpot or registration fees and banned from further competition.

Eligible Species
Blue marlin, black marlin, striped marlin, sailfish, spearfish, yellowfin tuna, wahoo, dorado.

SCORING
Billfish Division
One point per pound for every blue marlin officially weighed and verified over 300 pounds. One point per pound for every black marlin officially weighed and verified over 300 pounds. One point per pound for every striped marlin officially weighed and verified over 175 pounds. In the event that a billfish is brought to the scales and fails to make the minimum weight limits for the species, the team catching the fish will be penalized 300 points PLUS two points per pound that the fish is under the minimum weight. They will receive no other points for the fish.
Any billfish boated for ANY reason MUST be weighed. Failure to weigh a boated fish will result in immediate disqualification for the remainder of the tournament and forfeiture of all points previously earned.
*Only one marlin may be taken per day, per boat.
Each eligible billfish species (blue marlin, black marlin and striped marlin) will be scored one point per pound.

RELEASE RULES
All teams must provide their own digital still or video camera to verify releases. The camera must show the correct time and date on each photo or video. To score an official release, the fish must be at leader and an identifiable photo must be taken of the fish, showing the control-number code, time and date. When you know you are going to release the fish, you must call tournament control and ask for the control-number code. The control-number code will be between 1 and 5. Then have your designated photographer or any other crew member hold up the provided number card next to the fish as the photo is taken. The photo must identify the species, number code, time and date. Do Not Delete Any Photographs Taken During Fishing Hours.
After the release photo is taken, the official time, species, control number and angler name must be written on the catch-report affidavit. Each registered angler and boat captain must then sign the catch-report affidavit. At the end of the day’s fishing, the camera, catch-report affidavit and all photos or video footage taken must be brought to the weigh station for verification of official release points. Failure to do so will result in disqualification of that day’s catch.

Catch-Report Affidavit
All catches must be recorded on the catch-report-affidavit sheets provided. The official time, species, control-number code and angler name must be written on the catch-report affidavit. Each registered angler and boat captain must then sign the catch-report affidavit. The catch-report-affidavit sheets must be turned in at the weigh station each day whether you catch a fish or not.
• In the event of a tie, the team reaching the highest score first wins.
• All winners may be asked to take and pass a polygraph examination.

TWD Jackpot
The optional tuna/wahoo/dorado jackpot is purely a biggest-fish category with scoring calculated at one point per pound. The largest tuna (yellowfin), dorado and wahoo caught over the three-day event win the jackpot. Minimum weights for this category are as follows:
Yellowfin tuna — 40 pounds; dorado — 25 pounds; and wahoo — 25 pounds. Only teams registered in the TWD jackpot are eligible for cash and prizes.

Marlin Jackpots
Optional marlin jackpots are offered for most releases per day, largest marlin per day and largest marlin of the tournament. Only teams registered in the marlin jackpots are eligible for cash and prizes.

Line
130-pound-test maximum; tournament or non-tournament lines are eligible. If the stated line test is 130-pound or less on the label, it is allowed in the tournament.

Leaders
The length of the leader is the overall length INCLUDING any lure or hook arrangement.
In all line classes exceeding 20-pound (10 kg), the leader shall be limited to 30 feet (9.14 meters). The combined length of the double line and leader shall not exceed 40 feet (12.19 meters) total.
The tournament committee holds the right to examine any tackle, line and/or leaders at anytime during the event. Refusal to allow the committee to examine any tackle, line and/or leaders will result in immediate disqualification from the event WITHOUT a refund of any jackpot or registration fees.

Rods
Unlimited in use or numbers.

Teasers
Unlimited in use or numbers.

Hooks
All tournament participants must use non offset circle hooks for all species whenever live bait or natural bait are used.
The tournament committee holds the right to examine any tackle, hooks, line and/or leaders at anytime during the event. Refusal to allow the committee to examine any tackle, line and/or leaders will result in immediate disqualification from the event WITHOUT a refund of any jackpot or registration fees.

Baits
Live bait, dead bait, lures and any combination thereof are permitted in this tournament.  Live bait cannot be purchased during tournament fishing hours.

Fighting Times
In the event of late hookups, etc., all fish must be back to the weigh station and in the slip by 11:59 p.m. on the day of the catch. There will be no exceptions to this rule.

Daily Fishing Hours
Fishing will commence at 7:30 a.m. and end at 4:30 p.m. each day.

*All fishing for live baits must be completed 15 minutes prior to lines in. Any tournament boat fishing for live bait between 7:15 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. may be disqualified from that day’s fishing. Any boat may resume fishing for live bait AFTER the 7:30 a.m. start.

*The tournament committee reserves the privilege of changing starting and finishing times for any reason they deem necessary. We will have a visual checkout each morning from 6:15 a.m. till 7:15 a.m. (The BIMINI START is at 7:30 a.m.) Boats will proceed past the committee boat in an orderly fashion and display their boat number to the tournament-committee member; he will record your departure and inform you by radio that you have checked out. (Boats running late due to mechanical problems, etc., and that can’t make the Bimini start can check out over the radio at any time during the day. But they must inform tournament control of their problem and estimated time of departure BEFORE 7:30 a.m.) The tournament control’s time will act as the official time for the start, catch and release and end of fishing each day without exception.

Bimini Start
All boats must be behind the official starting line prior to the daily 7:30 a.m. Bimini start. ANY boat that is beyond the official starting line when the flare goes off may be disqualified from the day’s fishing.

Communications
All billfish hookups, releases and lost fish are to be reported to the tournament control along with the boat name, boat number, angler name and fish species. The tournament control’s time will act as the official time for the start, catch and release and end of fishing each day without exception.The official tournament channel will be 28. In the event that channel 28 is not available, a backup channel will be announced at the captain’s meeting. A Los Cabos cell-phone number on which teams can also communicate will be given at the captains meeting. During the last hour of fishing each day, all hookups must be reported.

Captains Meeting
All anglers and boat captains must attend the scheduled anglers’/captains’ meeting at 6:30 p.m., October 14, at the Playa Grande Resort. If they do not attend, they accept and agree to be bound by all instructions and/or rule changes made during that meeting.

Weather
There is no weather committee. The tournament is conducted on a “fish at your own risk” basis. If any portion of the tournament is fished and a team or teams land or release fish that match the tournament’s eligible species and minimum weight limits, then prizes will be awarded.

Base-Entry Fee
$5,000 per team up to six anglers. This base-entry fee covers the participation of one to six registered anglers. It also covers attendance at all planned entertainment and social activities for up to six anglers.
*$100 for each non-angler participation-ticket package.

Guests of anglers are welcome but are required to purchase participation tickets for entry to all planned entertainment and social functions.
Optional Jackpot Fee
There are optional jackpots available to all teams registered in the general tournament. Each fee represents a team entry into a specific jackpot division. For more information, see the Prizes and Awards section.

Protests
All protests must be stated in writing and accompanied by $500. All protests will be settled the day of the incident. All protests must be in the hands of the tournament’s designated rules official by 7 p.m. on the day of the alleged incident — unless there is a protest regarding a fish that comes to the scales late. The protesting party, as well as the accused team members, captain and crew, MUST be present in any official protest hearing. If the accused or protesting teams fail to show up for the protest hearing, then they are forfeiting their right to be heard and will abide by the decision made by the official tournament judges. All decisions made by the official tournament judges are final.