1.  PERMITS & LICENSES

All teams must possess a The Bahamas Fishing Permit.

 

2.  FISHING HOURS

The Walker's Cay Blue Marlin Bash will begin with the call of "lines in" at 8:00 am and continue until 4:00 pm on May 19th. No baits, sonars or teasers in the water before lines in. Boats may leave the marina at 5:00 am. Any fish hooked before 4:00 pm and reported to the tournament committee may be fought until caught, lost or released; any fish hooked after 4:00 pm is ineligible. All boats must be inside of the marina (crossing into the entrance of the marina marked by the rocks/breakwater) before 6:30 pm in the evening. If you are not in the marina prior to 6:30 pm your catch/points will be disqualified, unless you have notified the tournament committee on channel 71 of a hook-up prior to the call of the lines out. In the event that a fish is caught after lines out, you will have 2.5 hours after the release, boating or loss of fish to be inside of the marina. Any game fish requiring a weigh-in must be in the marina prior to 6:30 pm. Fish at your own risk.

 

3.  ANGLING & EQUIPMENT

• The maximum sized line allowed is 60-kg (130-lb test), anglers may fish with any size line they choose under this max size. The use of backing is permissible per IGFA rules.

• Top shots must be a minimum of 5 meters (16.5 feet) in length.

• The leader on all classes of tackle over 10-kg (20-lb) must be limited to 30 feet.

• The double line on all classes of tackle over 10-kg (20-lb) must be limited to 30 feet.

• On all classes of tackle over 10-kg (20-lb) the combined length of the double line and leader may not exceed 40 feet.

• For line classes up to and including 10kg (20-lb), the leader must be limited to 15 feet.

• For line classes up to and including 10-kg (20 lb), the double line must be limited to 15 feet).

• For line classes up to and including 10-kg (20-lb) The combined length of the double line and leader may not exceed 20 feet.

• The leader can be made of any material and is measured to the bend of the last hook.

• An unlimited number of teasers and lines are allowed. “J-hooks” are allowed with lures only.

• Natural baits must be deployed with non-offset circle hooks. No live bait allowed.

• Six anglers per team per day are permitted, with no restrictions.

• To be eligible to compete as a Junior Angler, the angler must be 16 years old or under at the start of the tournament registration.

 

4.  BOUNDARIES

There is a 50-mile boundary rule - radius from the marina.

 

5.  TOURNAMENT SPECIES

Blue marlin, white marlin, and sailfish are eligible for catch and release. Tuna (bigeye, yellowfin or blackfin only), wahoo, and dolphinfish (mahi-mahi) are eligible for weigh-in, with a 10-pound minimum weight requirement.

 

6. MUTILATION TO THE FISH

Mutilation to the fish, prior to landing or boating the catch, caused by sharks, other fish, mammals, or propellers that remove or penetrate the flesh will lead to disqualification of the fish from weigh-in and points. Injuries caused by leader or line, scratches, old, healed scars or regeneration deformities are not considered to be disqualifying injuries.

 

7.  REPORTING OF BILLFISH

A billfish hook-up must be called in to the "Committee Boat" within the first minute on VHF channel 71. The "Committee Boat" will validate your hook-up by announcement. A billfish release must be called in to the "Committee Boat" with the following information: species released, boat name and angler name. 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.  It is unnecessary to call in any other species besides billfish. If you lose your fish prior to release (i.e. jump off, pulled hook, etc.) please inform the "Committee Boat" as soon as possible. If you call in a release, then it will be recorded as a release. 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 over the time of the identification time. If there is an error in the reporting of a release or loss of fish, VIDEO evidence is final and will override any miss-communication on the radio.

 

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8. GAME FISH DIVISION WEIGH-IN

Teams may weigh one of each species per day. Scale hours are 4:00 pm – 6:30 pm each fishing day. The minimum weight of each species is 10 pounds. Any fish eligible for weigh-in must be brought to the scales by a team representative, preferably the actual angler.

 

9.  CATCH & RELEASE RULES

All billfish must be released to qualify. A billfish is considered released when: a) the swivel between the mainline or double line and leader hits the rod tip b) the mate grabs the leader or c) the wind-on leader comes through the rod tip. Please release the fish in good condition by either removing the hook-set or cutting the leader as close to the hook-set as possible. "Popping" the leader is not a good method of healthy release, and we ask that you refrain from doing so.

 

10.  CATCH & RELEASE POINTS

• Blue Marlin 500 H&H - 600 points No H&H

• White Marlin 100 H&H 150  points No H&H

• Sailfish 50 H&H - 75 point No H&H (including unidentified billfish and Spearfish*)
   

In the event of a tie in total points between two or more boats for the same award, the winner shall be the first boat to reach the score.

 

11.  CATCH & RELEASE VERIFICATION

Identification Markers - each team will obtain 10 colored silicon bands prior to the day’s fishing. This marker must be displayed during the fight and recorded. Failure to show the marker in your video proof will disqualify your catch, even if it is time-stamped.

 

Release Verification Recordings - each team is required to show video evidence of billfish catch and release. This recording shall be TIME and DATE stamped in accordance with the "official time" as stated by the "Committee Boat" prior to each day's fishing. Your video proof shall include: 1) registered angler fighting the fish 2) proper identification marker 3) sufficient footage of the fish in order to accurately determine the species 4) proper release evidence - see Rule 9 above. All recordings submitted must be easily viewed by the Committee. It is the team's responsibility to have these items, and the video cued up for immediate viewing. Failure to do so will delay the verification process. We highly recommend you have at least two recordings on different cameras, and underwater shots are the best way to accurately identify the species.

 

Billfish Release Affidavit - each billfish release is required to be noted on the day's affidavit and submitted with your video to the Committee each fishing day. Failure to turn in your affidavit will disqualify that day's catch(es). Affidavits are supplied with your registration package. If you do not have one for each day, please see the Committee for a replacement.

 

Submission of Recordings - Verification recordings must be submitted to the Committee by 6:30 pm each day of fishing. All recordings, images, sounds, etc. may become property of Walker’s Cay and Allen X Exploration may be used at any time. Recordings and/or images will be downloaded from the team’s device(s), if needed.

 

Disputes or Protests - All disputes will be settled by the Committee. All decisions are final.

 

12.  TOURNAMENT POLICY & LIABILITY WAIVER

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

 

Walker’s Cay has right to move tournament dates in case of severe weather and can refuse entry/participation to anyone for any reason at any time.

 

All participants are expected to always maintain a reasonable and sportsmanlike demeanor 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.

 

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 Walker’s Cay 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

Each team is required to pay the $4,500 entry fee in full to register. Entry fee is non-refundable unless tournament is cancelled by Walker’s Cay. Walker’s Cay has the right to move, postpone and or cancel a day(s) of the tournament due to severe weather.