WELCOME TO THE SFC WALKER'S CAY BLUE MARLIN OPEN
Join us in 2025 for the second annual Walker's Cay SFC Blue Marlin Open, held at legendary Walker's Cay on May 28-31. With stunning ocean views, world-class competition, and the thrill of reeling in the catch of a lifetime, the Walker's Cay SFC Blue Marlin Open is a can't-miss event. Don't miss out—secure your spot today!
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QUESTIONS? Email Tournament Director Ryan Edwards at redwards@allenexploration.com.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
The "Event Tent Style" fishing tournament at Walker's Cay offers a more formal and structured experience, featuring sit-down Captain's Dinner and Awards Banquet inside a large, indoor air conditioned event tent. While providing an added touch of elegance and hospitality, this format still embraces the breathtaking Walker’s Cay setting and the camaraderie of great fishing, blending tradition with a stunning island atmosphere.
REGISTER
TOURNAMENT RULES
The Captains Meeting will be at 7:30 P.M on May 29, 2024. All team members should attend the Captains Meeting/Dinner.
1. PERMITS & LICENSES
All teams must possess a Bahamas Fishing Permit.
2. FISHING HOURS
The Walker’s Cay Open will begin with the call of "lines in" at 8:00am and continue until 4:00pm on May 29th, 30th and June 1st. No baits, sonars or teasers in the water before lines in. Boats may leave the marina at 5:00am. Any fish hooked before 4:00pm and reported to the tournament committee may be fought until caught, lost or released; any fish hooked after 4:00pm is ineligible. All boats must be inside of the marina (crossing into the entrance of the marina marked by the rocks/breakwater) before 6:30pm each evening. If you are not in the marina prior to 6:30 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 gamefish requiring a weigh-in must be in the marina prior to 6:30pm. (Exceptions Below) There are no lay days or weather days, unless determined by the Committee. Fish at your own risk.
LARGEST BLUE MARLIN CUT-OFF HARVESTED:
If you are hooked up to a blue marlin after the closing of fishing on Day 1 or on Day 2, you may continue fighting the fish until you catch the fish. You will then have 2.5 hours to get inside of the marina after the Blue Marlin is the released, boated or lost. There is no time limit to harvest or release a blue marlin hooked up prior to the call of lines in. A blue marlin weighed after 6:30 PM on Day 1 and Day 2 will only count towards the Largest Blue Marlin Calcutta & Overall Points. No Daily points awarded for any blue marlin on Day 1 and Day 2 weighed after 6:30PM.
On Day 3, you must be inside of the marina by 11PM for a harvested Blue Marlin hooked prior to the call of lines out to count towards the Largest Blue Marlin Calcutta. No Overall points or Daily Points will be awarded to a blue marlin weighed after 6:30PM on Day 3.
BILLFISH RELEASE POINTS CUT-OFF:
If you are hooked up after the closing of fishing on Day 1 or on Day 2, you may continue fighting the fish until you catch the fish. You will then have 2.5 hours to get inside of the marina. A billfish release time prior to 6:30PM will count towards your daily and overall points. There is no time limit to release a billfish, but any release past 6:30PM will only count only towards your overall points.
On Day 3, all billfish hooked prior to lines out must be released by 6:30PM for daily and overall points to be awarded.
3. ANGLING & EQUIPMENT
The Walker’s Cay Open is a modified IGFA Tournament. IGFA rules apply, except for rules modified and stated in the Tournament Rules below.
• International Billfish Tournament Regulations Apply
• Unlimited anglers per team per day are permitted, with no restrictions.
• Hook and hand is permitted with one pass as soon as possible, then IGFA rules apply.
• 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.
• Maximum line 130-pound test.
• 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, Spearfish, and Sailfish are eligible for catch and release. Blue Marlin, Tuna (Bigeye, Yellowfin or Blackfin only), Wahoo, and Dolphin (Mahi-Mahi) are eligible for weigh-in, with a 10 lb. minimum weight requirement.
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6. BLUE MARLIN WEIGH-IN/GAFFING PROTOCOL
​Minimum length to harvest a blue marlin is 107’ Lower Jaw Fork Length (LJFL). Fish meeting the minimum length will be weighed and awarded 1 point per pound and will count towards your daily and overall points. In the event that a fish does not meet minimum length, it will NOT be weighed, and the fish will be disqualified, and no points shall be awarded. Only one blue marlin may be taken per boat in the tournament. All white marlin, sailfish and spearfish must be released.
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) ten (10) minutes of the time reported by radio to the "Committee Boat". If the timestamp of the identification of the fish is over ten (10) minutes from the VHF call, then the release time will be over to the time of the identification time. If a reporting error is made, VIDEO evidence will decide the outcome.
8. GAMEFISH DIVISION WEIGH-IN
​Teams may weigh-in one of each species per day. Standard scale hours are 4:00PM. – 6:30PM each fishing day. Teams may weigh-in after 6:30PM only if they have a confirmed hook-up and return inside of the marina within 2.5 hours after the release, boating or loss of fish. Any weigh-in outside of standard hours must be reported to the tournament director. On Day 3 scales will close at 6:30PM.
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
A “Qualified Catch” is defined as:
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Any blue marlin, white marlin, sailfish and spearfish (all species).
The Tournament awards Qualified Catch points using the following scoring system:
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Blue Marlin: 450 points
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White Marlin: 125 points
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Spearfish: 125 points
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Sailfish: 100 points
The Tournament reserves the right to enforce independent video verification reviewed by the Tournament Director and polygraph test examination of any Team Members in order to preserve the integrity of the competition The Tournament Director at its sole discretion may verify Qualified Catches or disqualify the Qualified Catch or a Fishing Team based on the results video verification and/ or polygraph examination.
Sport Fishing Championship competition officials support NOAA, ATCA, the Magnuson-Stevens Act and Code of Federal Regulations 50 CFR 635.21 (f) for the protection of Atlantic Migratory Species, which states: Anglers fishing with natural bait (or natural/artificial combination bait) must only use non-offset circle hooks in billfish tournaments. Anglers may only use J-hooks in billfish tournaments if they are fishing with artificial lures.
The definition of "natural bait" as adopted by SFC means, any living or dead animal or vegetable substance which on account of the edibility, smell or taste thereof is used in angling to lure fish. Competitors may fight a fish either free standing, in a harness or seated in a fighting chair. SFC Qualifying Events permit competitors to fight a fish based on their preference.
While fighting a fish, a Teammate is permitted to assist the Angler by adjusting a harness or chair so long as the Teammate does not make intentional contact with the rod, reel or line.
For the safety of all competitors, Teammates may reinforce the harness by pressing down on the back of the harness so long as the Teammate does not make intentional contact with the rod, reel or line.
Anglers are prohibited from fighting a fish with the rod inside the rod holder. Anglers may not advance or crank the line while the rod is in the holder.
A Teammate may pass the rod one time during the fight. If the rod is passed it must be done within the first minute after the hookup of the fish. Video verification may be applied to assure the rod was passed within 60 seconds of hookup.
9. HARVEST RULES
The following species are eligible for competition when caught by registered anglers in accordance with tournament rules:
Eligible for Weigh-in at Scales
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Blue Marlin-Minimum 107 inches LJFL (1 per vessel per tournament)
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Tuna – 10 lbs. minimum weight
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Wahoo – 10 lbs. minimum weight
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Dolphin – 10 lbs. minimum weight
For each day the scales are open (Friday and Saturday), each boat will be allowed to bring to the scales a maximum of 1 blue marlin, 3 tuna, 3 wahoo, and 3 mahi.
The tournament committee reserves the right to reject any fish entry because of poor condition (must be in fresh edible condition), mutilation (defined as anything the would impair the fish’s ability to swim away (being cut by the propeller or bit by a shark) or one that does not meet the eligible requirements set by this tournament. The condition of the fish will be left to the scrutiny of the tournament director and committee. Committee DECISION IS FINAL.
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10. VIDEO 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 10 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 p.m. each day of fishing. All recordings, images, sounds, etc. may become property of Sport Fishing Championship, 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 must be submitted by 11:59pm each tournament day. Dispute will be settled by the Committee. All decisions are final.
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All disputes will be settled by the Committee. All decisions are final.
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11. TIE BREAKERS
For Catch and Release: Team placement is determined by the first team to reach the highest total points. Verified by video evidence and reporting of billfish release time.
For Fish Weighed: Any category of fish brought to the scales, placement is determined by the order of weigh-in at the scales. The recorded time of weigh-in determines placement.
12. CALCUTTA
The Walker’s Cay Open will run the Calcutta and 90% will be paid back out to the winners.
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The CASH ONLY Calcutta $15,000 Across the Board is Mandatory.
1. $8,000 Daily = 1st, 2nd and 3rd place daily category. Overall points per day. 50%, 30%, 20% payout.
2. $6,000 Overall Tournament =1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. Overall points in the Tournament. 50%, 30%, 20% payout.
3. $1,000 Meat Fish = 1/3 winner take all for the largest dolphin, largest wahoo, and largest tuna. If only 2 qualifying species are weighed the pot will be split in half. If only 1 qualifying species is caught it will be winner take all.
13. TOURNAMENT POLICY & RELEASE OF CLAIMS
By signing the entry, you adhere to all tournament rules and release of claims.
Walker’s Cay Open organizers have right to move tournament dates in case of severe weather and can refuse entry/participation to anyone for any reason at any time.
In consideration of being accepted for participation in the Walker’s Cay Open and Sport Fishing Championship, each Teammate hereby releases, forever discharges, and agrees to hold harmless SFC and its officers, directors, employees, agents, volunteers, partners, members, and or attorneys (collectively the “Releasees”) for any and all losses, claims, or demands of any kind or character whatsoever arising from the negligence or gross negligence of the Releasees or from any other cause connected with or occurring during any SFC Qualifying Event. Each Teammate expressly acknowledges that he/she has received reviewed and agrees to abide by the SFC rules and regulations and this release. Furthermore, each Teammate expressly acknowledges that activities relating to deep sea fishing are extremely dangerous and involve the risk of serious injury or death, and each Teammate hereby assumes full responsibility for the risk of bodily injury or death due to the negligence of the Releasees or any other cause connected with or occurring during any SFC Qualifying Event.
ALL DECISIONS OF THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR AND COMMITTEE WILL BE FINAL.
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.