Rules

DATES:
The Tournament will consist of two days of fishing, Friday, June 6, 2008 and Saturday, June 7, 2008. One day or part thereof of offshore fishing by one-third of the boats entered constitutes a complete tournament. In the event of inclement weather, the tournament wil be completed on the first day that the tournament chairman and tournament committee declare fishable.

Important Changes for 2008:
New for 2008 - Tournament Anglers MUST USE only non-offset circle hooks when deploying natural bait or natural bait artificial lure combinations. Tournament anglers may deploy "J" hooks with artificial lures.

TOURNAMENT REGISTRATION:
Anyone registering on Wednesday, June 6th, can do so at tournament headquarters which will be located at The Isle of Capri Casino Resort from 1:00 PM until 9:00 PM.

CAPTAIN’S MEETING:
The Captain’s Meeting will be held from 6:30-7:00 PM at the Isle of Capri Casino Resort on Wednesday, June 4th, 2008. The Captain’s Banquet will begin at 7:00 PM at the Isle of Capri Casino Resort. Everyone is invited to attend the Captain’s Banquet.

THE CAPTAIN/OWNER OR DESIGNATED REPRESENATIVE MUST BE PRESENT AT THE CAPTAIN’S MEETING. SIGN IN IS REQUIRED.

TOURNAMENT START:
In the interest of true sportsmanship and to keep all participants on as near equal basis as possible, the start of the tournament and the fishing hours will be as follows:
Boats may depart anytime after 4:00 PM, Thursday, June 5th, 2008.

FISHING HOURS:
Fishing is to begin at 12:01 AM on Friday, June 6th, 2008 and continue to 6:00 PM Saturday, June 7th, 2008. Scales will open at 4:00 PM Friday, June 6th, 2008 and close at 11:00 PM. Scales will open at 4:00 PM Saturday, June 7th, 2008 and close at 11:00 PM. All fish caught during the tournament must be weighed before scales close on Saturday, June 7th, 2008.

REPORTING OF BILLFISH – BILLFISH ONLY:
Committee boats and communication frequencies will be announced at the Captain’s Meeting. All billfish must be reported to one of the committee boats. This is a MUST requirement. Please use alternate frequencies for ship-to-shore conversations, to facilitate reporting of billfish. DO NOT report Tuna, Dolphin, or Wahoo.

REPORTING OF BILLFISH:
Be prepared to give the following information:
1. Name of Boat
2. Name of Angler
3. Species of Billfish
4. Time tagged & released OR boated.
The committee boat will verify your catch by giving you a confirmation number and time reported. Please make certain that the committee boat has confirmed your data. NOTE: If you are hooked up prior to closing of fish be certain to notify one of the committee boats at once to receive permission to continue fighting the fish. Your committee boats will be monitoring VHF Channel 78 and Ship to Shore Channel WQB335, SSB 4125 or 4146.

ACCEPTABLE FISH:
The following species are eligible for competition when caught by properly registered anglers in accordance with tournament rules. The Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic Tournament uses the rules of the International Game Fish Association as a guideline.

• Blue Marlin – 100 inch minimum
• Tuna – 20 lbs. minimum weight
• Wahoo – 20 lbs. minimum weight
• Dolphin – 20 lbs. minimum weight

Blue marlin must measure at least 100” inches from the tip of it’s lower jaw to the fork of it’s tail. No angler may have in his possession more than one blue marlin per day. Any angler in violation of this rule will be banned from further participation in the tournament without refund. All blue marlin entered must be in good condition.
The weighmaster and dockmaster reserve the right to reject any fish entry because of poor condition 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 committee. THEIR DECISION IS FINAL.

IMPORTANT: Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Angling Permit is required!

During the Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic HMS permits must be certified prior to:
1. Weighing of Tuna and/ or Blue Marlin
2. Turning in Tag & Release cards for Billfish.

MISSISSIPPI STATE FISHING LICENSE IS NOT REQUIRED

WEIGH-IN:
Tournament scales will be located at the weigh-in dock at Point Cadet Marina. The scale will be open Friday, June 6th, 2008 from 4:00 PM until 11:00PM. Saturday, June 7th, 2008, the scales will be open from 4:00 PM until 11:00 PM. Boats having fish to weigh must be inside the Mississippi Sound Waters (specifically, inside channel marker #34 to the East, and inside channel marker #2 to the West) by the designated closing for the scales. ALL FISH MUST BE BROUGHT TO THE SCALES BY THE BOAT FROM WHICH IT WAS CAUGHT. A winning fish in any of the categories must be caught and presented at the weigh-in by the officially registered and qualified angler with tournament tail tag attached to fish.

The angler must remain with the fish until completion of the weigh-in procedure. The angler must sign the weigh-in stat sheet to verify the weight, which will then becomes official.

NO BILLFISH ALLOWED WITHOUT HMS PERMIT NUMBER AND CONFIRMATION NUMBER. PLEASE NOTE: IN THE EVENT OF A TIE, THE FIRST FISH WEIGHED IN AT THE SCALES WILL WIN.

IMPORTANT: A tail tag with boat name and angler’s name must be attached to each fish before unloading at the weigh scales.

AWARDS:
Awards will be presented to the angler/boat on the basis of the heaviest eligible fish caught in the following categories:

Blue Marlin- 1st 2nd 3rd
Wahoo- 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
Dolphin- 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
Tuna- 1st 2nd 3rd 4th

In case of a tie, the first fish weighed in at the scales wins.
Each angler can weigh in a maximum of 3 wahoo, 3 dolphin, and 3 tuna per day.

TOP BOAT AWARD:
Point per pound for Blue Marlin weighed at the dock. 300 points for Tagged Blue Marlin, 200 points for tagged White Marlin, and 100 points for tagged Sailfish and Spearfish.

TAG & RELEASE AWARD:
In the interest of conservation, anglers are encouraged to tag & release billfish smaller than the 3rd place fish previously posted on the scoreboard. There will be a tag & release drawing for an award. Each billfish tag & release card will be placed in a drawing to determine the winner. All tag & release cards must be given to the weighmaster prior to 11:00 PM Saturday, June 7th, 2008.
Tag & release forms may be brought to the dock by any boat registered in the tournament, but must include time of confirmation and confirmation number from a committee boat and the HMS permit* number of boat that tagged and released the fish. (*This number must be on file with tournament committee and was confirmed during the registration.)

THE ALBERT “BILL” McLELLAN 2000 “MAGNIFICENT BLUE” TAG & RELEASE AWARD
In addition to the Top Boat Award and the Tag & Release Drawing, a trophy will be presented to the boat with the most accumulated tag & release points. In case of a tie the boat with the earliest tag date and time received from a Committee Boat will be declared the winner.

MISCELLANEOUS:
All tournament entries are non-transferable and non-refundable. Payment of the entry fee constitutes a representation by each entrant that he/she has read and fully understand the tournament rules that he/she will abide by such rules and the decisions of the tournament committee.
If the tournament should be cancelled due to any cause beyond the control of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic, entry fees will be refunded to entrants less a pro-rated share of tournament expenses as solely determined by the tournament committee. Entrants shall have no claim against the Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic for return of said entry fees less pro-rated share of tournament expenses.

All fish brought to the dock and weighed will become the property of the Tournament and will be donated to charity.

PROTESTS:
All protests must be presented in writing along with a $500 deposit by the team captain to the tournament committee no later than 15 minutes after the last fish is weighed and recorded on the final day of the tournament. All entrants agree to abide by tournament rules. Poor sportsmanship will be grounds for disqualification from this tournament. All decisions of the tournament director and rules committee are final. Any violation of these rules resulting in disqualification will result in forfeiture of entry fee and prize money.

WAIVER/DISCLAIMER:
It is expressly understood that all participants in this tournament, Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic, enter at their own risk, and that the Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic, officers, sponsors, directors, and all persons connected directly or indirectly with the operation of said tournament, shall be exempt from any liability for libel, slander, loss, damage, negligence, harm, injury or death suffered by any participant, entrant, sportfisherman, his/her companions, boat captains, mates, crew members, vessels and equipment which may occur during or in conjunction with the tournament. By tournament entry, the captain consents that the Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic may use without payment or restriction, any photographs in which he/she or any of their crew may appear for any purpose whatsoever; including, but not limited to resale, advertising, commercial or promotional material. The captain and his crew further release the Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic, officers and directors, and all persons from injury, loss or damage which may result. All state record winners must submit to and pass in a conclusive manner, a polygraph examination administered by a licensed polygraphist provided by tournament officials. All entrants agree to submit to a polygraph examination at the request of the tournament committee if there is a conflict involving said entrant. Failure to submit to such an examination will result in disqualification of the entrant at the sole discretion of the tournament committee.

ALL DECISIONS OF THE TOURNAMENT JUDGES AND RULES COMMITTEE WILL BE FINAL