Tunabite.com
2009 West Coast Open
Tournament Rules
(final)
Entry:
1. All boats, captains and crew in the tournament must be
registered and entry fee paid in full at least 24 hours prior to weighing in.
2. The captain of the boat is the tournament entrant. There is
no limit to the number of eligible anglers on the boat or any restriction on
who the boat captain decides to take on his boat.
3. Crewmembers can purchase an additional entry and weigh in
the same as any captain. In this case all fish weighed must be caught on a boat
that is entered in the tournament.
4. Only one prize per entrant will be awarded. The exception
to this rule is any entrant can win the exotic as well as place in one of the
other prize positions.
5. In the event that 2 or more paid entrants are fishing on
one boat, all paid entrants can weigh a fish on that day.
6. The entry form must be filled out completely and legibly.
7. Any fish found to be caught on an un-registered boat or to
have the weight altered by stuffing foreign objects inside it will be
permanently disqualified without refund.
8. Entry fee is $100 per boat. This is a 4-week, 5 weekend
open window. There will be no cancellations accepted. If you don't fish, you
lose.
Note: All weigh stations will require an approved
entrant Document to weigh your fish. What this means is when we receive your
payment & Liability release, we will e-mail you the papers you need.
Boat Size Restrictions:
Privately owned sport boats up to 35' are allowed.
6 Pack charter boats up to 30' are allowed.
Any boat displaying a F&G or Federal commercial registration number must be
30' or less in length.
Head boats are not allowed.
General:
This is a sport type tuna tournament. Trolling as many rods as you can and
non-trolling techniques like backing into schools, pitching baits, casting,
jigging, hand thrown harpoons use of casting tackle, use of spinning tackle,
use of live bait or live bait teasers are acceptable tackle. Small commercial
boats registered with DMV 30 & under can participate. Gil nets, sain nets,
trawl nets, long lines, harpoon guns and other commercial techniques are
strictly prohibited.
Weigh Stations:
Note: All tournament boats should
speak to the other boats in the tourney on the VHF radio on the day that they
fish and weigh their fish before 12 noon on the following day.
Current weigh masters are:
Giovanni's Fresh
Fish Market & Galley: 1001 Front St. Morro Bay, CA 93442 - Giovanni - 805-772-1276 805 772
2123 (Confirmed)
Royal Sea foods Monterey: At the
end of the commercial wharf # 2 Monterey harbor. - Geno 831 655 8326 831 238
6913 (Confirmed)
Bayside Marine: 333-B Lake ave. Santa Cruz harbor. Ca. 95062 - Todd -
831 475 2173 - VHF channel 11. (Confirmed)
Half Moon Bay Sport fishing: In the
main row of sport shops and restaurants at H.M.B. harbor Sherry - 650 726
2913. (Confirmed)
Fish On Bait n Tackle: 1580 East shore Rd. Bodega, Ca. Ca. 94923
- Les - 707 875 2323 VHF channel 77. (Confirmed)
Less Fernandez cell is 707 490-4067, thats in case you come in after
hours he will open his doors to weigh.
Noyo Fishing Center: 32440 N. Harbor Dr. Fort Brag, Ca. Kevin - 707
964 3000. 707 972 4781. (Confirmed)
Englund Marine: 2 commercial St. Eureka, Ca. 95501 at the harbor Phil
- 707 444 9266. (Confirmed)
Englund Marine: 201 Citizens Dock Rd. Crescent City, Ca. 95531 Chris -
Phone # is 707 464 1650 (Confirmed)
Boundaries:
All eligible fish must be hooked within the tournament boundaries, which are:
No more than 150 NM miles due west from the California coast. No further south
than the 3420.00 line. No further north than 4159.56 line (the Ca/Or border).
Any boat that exceeds the boundaries will be disqualified for that day and
un-able to weigh in until after 12 noon the following day. Launching in any
harbor south of Morro Bay or north of California is not allowed.
Times:
The tournament starts on Friday at 12.01 AM July 31, 2009 and will run for 4
weeks and 5 weekends. The last day to fish will be Sunday August 30, 2009 with
a final weigh in closing on Monday August 31, 2009 at 11:00 AM. Each boat is
eligible to fish as many of the days as they choose.
Weigh-In:
All boats desiring to weigh in a fish should return to the weigh master that
they contacted on the VHF. All fish are to be weighed in the round. This means
not cleaned, gutted or gilled. When you arrive at the weigh masters shop,
please present the official entrant weight record document with CF# that you
received in the mail. The weigh master may also ask for a photo ID. Have the
weigh master record the weight of your fish on both his and your weight record
sheet. It is your responsibility to make sure that the weigh master includes
the location, time and date and signs both documents. When you have weighed a fish,
It is your responsibility to bring it to the attention of tunabite by sending a
fax copy of your weight record sheet to 831 335 3870. In the event that a Fax
is not available, you can also bring it to our attention by PM. We will than
verify with the weigh master. This must be done within 2 days of weighing in.
The size and species records will be at the discretion of the weigh master. The
weigh master will have the final say on any fish. If the weigh master declares
a fish as previously frozen or not valid for any reason, this will be the final
call. After weighing, each fish weighed can be gutted on the spot and inspected
in any manner that the weigh master determines to be appropriate. Only (1)
qualifying game fish of each species is eligible to be weighed in per entrant
per day. The registered team captain or co-captain can request that a fish be
re-weighed so long as the request is made to the weigh master while the fish is
still hanging. Any alteration of catch or fish not caught on a registered boat
will disqualify the entire entrants entry without refund. Weighing of the same
fish at more than one official weigh station will disqualify all your fish for
the day. What this means is that you cannot weigh fish caught on the same day
at 2 different weigh stations. You can go on a second trip the following day
and weigh those fish at a new location.
Weigh station hours are the normal business hours
of the weigh masters shop. Should the weigh master be out for lunch or should
any condition beyond his/her control make it impossible to weigh the fish, it
will be the tournament entrants responsibility to either wait for the weigh
master to return or make further arraignments with and approved by the weigh
master. (NO EXCEPTIONS)
Tie Breaker:
In the event of a tie, the first fish weighed will determine the winning boat.
The other fish will be moved down one position.
Qualifying &
Eligible Fish Species:
First, through 10th place is biggest tuna. Species include Albacore, Blue fin
and big eye.
Exotic species are: Yellow tail, Yellow Fin, Dorado, Opa, Swords, Spearfish +
Black, Blue & Striped Marlin.
Skip Jack does not count cause it's bait!
Prizes:
First Place: Seven
Night trip for two to Puerto Vallarta: Includes air + all inclusive lodging for 2 persons + one
person fishing big game for 12 hours with Mickey and Dynamo Dan on Danny Osunas
Black Fin.
Winner of first place may choose
the cash or the PV trip.
Awarding of the above trip/cash
depends on entrant count.
First place will
be 40% of entry fees collected: Winner may choose to apply this cash to the lodging and air
portion of the PV trip. Tunabite will pick up the big game fishing trip at no
cost to the first place winner providing that the first place winner agrees to
have their video published.
Second Prize: 20% of entry
fees collected.
Third Prize: 10% of entry
fees collected.
Forth Prize: Pending.
Fifth Prize: Pending.
Sixth Prize: Pending
Seventh Prize: Pending.
Eight Prize: Pending.
Ninth Prize: Pending
Tenth Prize: Pending.
Exotic: Pending.
Additional prizes and sponsors: Are pending. Any additional prizes will
be added to the existing prizes above.
Balance for legal fees and club expenses.
Entrant Protocol:
To enable prudent and safe passage for all boats entering and departing harbors
and or weigh stations, all boats should contact the Tournament Weigh Station on
the designated VHF channel when within range and confirm approximate weigh in
time. In the event of congestion at the weigh-in station, boats declaring to
weigh-in fish may be further ordered by the weigh master to wait until the
weigh master can weigh in their fish. In this event, the Weigh master shall
notify each individual boat based on recorded time of arrival when to proceed
to the weigh station. Any boat, captain or crew observed for violating this
rule and or operating in a reckless or un-sportsmanlike manner may be penalized
5 pounds per fish from the day's catch. A repeat offense will result in 5
pounds being deducted from all fish weighed. A 3rd offense will result in
disqualification from the entire tournament without refund.
Cash & Trip Prizes:
Prizes checks will only be made payable to the person or entity as designated
on the official Tournament registration form or their designated agent in
writing. Any prize valued at $600 or more will require a Social Security number
or Taxpayer I.D. number + valid name & address of the recipient and a 1099
will be sent. Any non-California resident who wins a prize valued at
$1,500 or more is subject to California state income tax withholding of 7%. Unless disputed, checks and small packages will be mailed
20 days after the last day of the tournament. The winning entrant should make
arraignments to pick up large prizes. Once prizes are mailed it is final and no
dispute will be considered.
Protests/Disputes:
Protests must be submitted in writing and mailed certified mail to tunabite.com
5250 Hwy. 9 Felton, Ca. 95018 with a fee of $300.00 paid by money order or
certified check (refundable if protest is upheld). Disputes must be postmarked
no later than September 8 2009. All disputes will be reviewed and voted on by
the Tunabite tournament review committee. By virtue of signing the Tournament
entry form all participants agree to the final decision of the review committee.
It is understood that the spirit intended for the tournament is to be enjoyable
and in good fellowship for all participants.
Mechanical Breakdown:
In the event that a tournament boat becomes disabled beyond repair, that boat
may transfer it's remaining eligible days of fishing to any other boat
providing that the replacement boat is of the same size or smaller and that the
original entrant is fishing on the replacement boat. If a replacement cannot be
found than no entry fee or part of will be refunded.
Federal & State
Regulations:
The weight and/or length of the eligible fish for each eligible species,
submitted for weigh-in each day are subject to State of California and/or
Federal laws. All boats must possess all current and valid required permits or
licensees as required by applicable law. Any team without valid permitting
and/or in violation of State and/or Federal law may have their fish
disqualified.
Waiver/ Disclaimer:
It is expressly understood that all participants in this tournament enter at
their own risk, and that Tunabite.com, it's Officers, Weigh Masters, Directors,
Tournament Rules, Observers, Committees, Sponsors, and all persons connected
directly or indirectly with the operation of said tournament, shall be exempt
from any liability whatsoever for libel, slander, loss, damage, negligence,
harm, injury or death suffered by any participant, entrant, vessel and
equipment, companions and guest, boat captains, mates, crew members, which may
occur during or in conjunction with this Tournament. Additionally it is
understood that all participants consent and agree that they are solely
responsible for all their actions.
By signing the Official Tournament Registration form the boat owner, captain
and mate(s), anglers and guest, consents that the Tournament may use without
payment or restriction, any photographs, video footage, in which he or she may
appear for any purpose whatsoever, including but not limited to resale,
advertising, commercial or promotional material.
Entry form: http://www.tunabite.com/2009entry.html
Entrant list: http://www.tunabite.com/2009entrant.html