Rules

1. Registration: Basic entry registration fee is $500 per boat, per day of fishing. Each boat is allowed to enter up to 3 times.

All paid entries, including calcuttas, must be received before 8pm on September 30, 2023. Any entry fee paid with a

dishonored check automatically voids boat entry.

2. Pay Structure: Each Base Entry $500 will be eligible to win the largest swordfish division (1st -50% / 2 nd -30% / 3 rd -20%).

-10% of tournament purse and Calcutta’s will be used for tournament expenses (Trophies, awards party, expenses,

etc.)

3. Eligible Species:

Swordfish (Xiphias gladius)- the tournament will require that a swordfish weigh 80# or greater to qualify for awards

and prizes

Big Eye Tuna (Thunnus obesus)- No minimum weight required- Minimum 27” CFL

Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares)- No minimum weight required- Minimum 27” CFL

4. Optional Calcuttas: Optional Calcutta’s are available with each base entry for an added fee.

The Largest Swordfish Calcuttas are incremental, meaning that you must enter Level 1 before you can enter Level 2,

and Level 1 & 2 before you can enter Level 3 etc.

- Largest Tuna $250 (1 st -50% / 2 nd -30% / 3 rd -20%).

- Small Boat Largest Fish $250 (1 st -100%)

- Two Fish Stringer: $250 (1 st -100%)

-Eligible species include Swordfish, Big Eye Tuna, Yellowfin Tuna

-Each entry shall be able to enter up to two qualifying fish towards the stringer, per day.

-This is NOT an aggregate weight over multiple days or multiple entries! --The teams with the largest

single day stringers shall win the prize money.

Example: Entry 001 Oct 8 th , 2021

Swordfish: 182.5 lbs, Big Eye Tuna: 146.1 lbs

182.5 lbs + 146.1lbs = 328.6 lbs Stringer

- Largest Swordfish Level 1 $100 (1 st -50% / 2 nd -30% / 3 rd -20%).

- Largest Swordfish Level 2 $250 (1 st -50% / 2 nd -30% / 3 rd -20%).

- Largest Swordfish Level 3 $500 (1 st -50% / 2 nd -30% / 3 rd -20%).

-In the event no qualifying tuna is caught in the “Largest Tuna Calcutta”, prize money will be awarded to the participants with

the largest qualifying swordfish. Only participants entered in the largest tuna Calcutta may win the money. In the event no

qualifying sword is caught, the money will be raffled to a single entry that was entered in the largest tuna Calcutta.

5. Small Boat Eligibility

A small boat shall be defined as ANY boat with a factory listed LOA (length overall) of 34’0” or less.

6. Tournament Dates and Fishing Hours: October 1 st -31 st , 2023. Teams may fish any day in the month of October. Lines in

will be 8am, Lines out at 3pm. Any fish hooked before lines out may be fought after hours.

****************************IMPORTANT*************************

To declare a fishing day, Teams must “text message” the committee number by 8pm the day prior to

fishing. A response will be given to acknowledge the entry.

Procedure: Send a text message to the committee number (757) 613-2360 that includes your team’s entry

number/boat name/fishing day.

Example: 001/BoatName/10-01

*If no response is given or you have any questions, reach out to the tournament director at

757-409-0225

7. Captains Meeting: A virtual captains meeting will be held on September 30 th , 2023, at 7pm on the Oceans East Facebook

pages. Any rule changes that occur will be posted on the tournament site and social media pages. For any questions or

comments about rules, contact tournament director via text message 757-409-0225

8. Ports & Boundaries: Boats may depart from any port between Ocean City, MD and Oregon Inlet, NC. A boundary of 100

nautical miles from the Chesapeake Light Tower must be followed. Fish that are hooked within the boundary may be

played outside the 100nm boundary.

9. Weigh Stations:

Teams may choose to weigh their fish at any of the three tournament weigh stations:

-Virginia Beach Fishing Center 757-491-8000

-Oregon Inlet Fishing Center 252-441-6301

-Curtis Merritt Harbor Marina (Capt Steves Bait and Tackle 757-336-0569)

-Don Mauzy 443-523-9886

10. Tackle & Angling Requirements: All fish must be caught on a rod and Reel. Electrically driven reels are permitted but

must be mounted on a fishing rod. J-hooks are permitted in dead, live and artificial baits. No limits on number of lines.

Buoy rigs can be used; however the bait must always remain connected to a rod and reel inside the boat. Harpoons and

flying gaffs can be used to land fish. Fighting chairs, rod holders, and multiple anglers may be used to catch fish.

11. Regulations: All Federal and State regulations must be followed; any violation is grounds for disqualification. Each boat

fishing in the tournament will be allowed to keep 1 swordfish per person with a maximum of 4 fish per day, per vessel.

12. Weigh-In Procedure: Weigh-in times will be from 4pm-7pm at the weigh stations. If your team cannot make weigh-in for

that day, the fish may be weighed the following morning. Special arrangements can potentially be made to weigh fish

after hours by contacting the committee number (757-613-2360) or tournament director (757-409-0225).

Each entry may only submit 3 fish to qualify for prizes from each fishing day. The weigh master will only weigh 3 fish

from each vessel per day!

*****If your team catches 3 Swordfish and 1 Big Eye tuna on the same day, you may only weigh 3 of those fish on the

tournament scales to qualify. The first 3 fish selected to be weighed will be the qualifying fish for that team, that

day.*****

Fish may be transported by vehicle to the weigh stations after notifying the committee number or tournament director.

In the event of a tie, the first fish weighed in will be considered the winner. Fish must arrive at the dock in edible

condition. Frozen fish will not be weighed. Mutilated fish are not to be weighed. In this case, “mutilation” is defined as

any damage that would impair the fighting ability of the fish. Examples include a shark bite, missing tails, and damage

from a propeller. The weigh master and tournament committee will make the final decision on a mutilated fish. The

decision to reweigh a fish must be made while the fish is still hanging.

13. Additional Rules: All winners are subject to a polygraph test. By virtue of signing the entry form, Registered Participants

agree to submit to a polygraph examination if requested to do so by tournament officials. Failure to comply will result in

disqualification of that Participant and, at the discretion of tournament officials, the participant’s entire team.