2013 Ladies Fish Off Rules & Regulations
RULE 1: The tournament is open to female anglers only. Men may join the fun as captain and crew.
RULE 2: Registered anglers are responsible for providing their own fishing vessel and must have a valid Florida fishing license.
RULE 3: Check Out from Hillsboro and Port Everglades Inlets: All boats must check out for visual recognition. Check out points will be the Hillsboro Inlet Finger docks and Lauderdale Marina docks, which will be open from 6:00 am – 7:00 am on Saturday. After 7:00 am, boats must be checked out visually at Lighthouse Point Marina fuel dock. Assigned boat numbers must be displayed on the starboard side of your boat. Boat numbers must be displayed at all times, not just at check out. Once visually checked out, boats may proceed to fishing grounds. However, there will be no lines in until the official start at 7:00 am. This announcement will be made on channel 78. No fishing for live bait is allowed between the time of check out and tournament start time of 7:00 am.
RULE 4: Check In: All boats must be visually checked into Hillsboro Inlet Finger docks by 4:00 pm. If you are not visually checked in by 4:00 pm, you will be automatically disqualified. There is NO lines out time.
Tournament channel is 78.
RULE 5: Fishing area is Florida waters only. Boats fishing in the Bahamas will be automatically disqualified.
RULE 6: All IGFA rules apply to the Ladies Annual Fish Off. No wire lines are permitted. The use of treble hooks and electric reels (except kite rods and downriggers) are prohibited. Stinger hooks must be firmly imbedded or firmly attached to the bait.
RULE 7: Live bait, dead bait and lures are permitted. Live chumming is prohibited.
RULE 8: Anglers must abide by IGFA rules by hooking and reeling in their own fish. Mutilated fish are not eligible. Any fish that has been tampered with to increase the weight shall be disqualified and removed from the tournament. The weigh master’s decision is final.
RULE 9: The following species are eligible: Cobia, Dolphin, Kingfish, Wahoo and Black Fin Tuna.
RULE 10: Scoring – One point will be awarded per pound, per fish with a 10 lb. minimum per fish. Fish not meeting minimum weight will not count. All boats must adhere to Florida recreational bag limits as they pertain to all eligible species. To view current recreational bag limits, visit www.myfwc.com.
a) A maximum of four fish per species, per boat may be weighed.
b) A maximum of ten fish per boat can be weighed.
RULE 11: All boated catches must be reported at time of catch to the committee boat, by boat number and angler name. Fish not called into committee boat are not eligible. All boats must be visually checked into the Hillsboro Inlet by 4:00 pm.
RULE 12: Tournament officials will monitor VHF radio channel 78. Back up channel is 74. Please use a relay if you cannot contact the committee boat on channels 78 or 74. A cell phone will be provided at the Captain’s meeting.
RULE 13: Awards and/or trophies will be given as follows: Top Ten Boats, Top Three Anglers, Top Master Angler, Heaviest Fish of the Tournament, Top Three Species, Top Family, Top Captain, Top Three Junior Anglers, and Top Three Peewee Anglers.
RULE 14: Registration fees will not be refunded for any reason.
RULE 15: Weather: If a small craft advisory #1 flag is flying, the tournament will be postponed until Sunday, June 2nd.
RULE 16: Registered junior anglers age 11-16 are eligible for all awards. IGFA rules apply for all junior anglers. If a junior angler places in the Top Three Anglers of the tournament, she will not be eligible to place in the Top Three Junior Anglers.
RULE 17: Peewee division is 10 years and under. Peewee anglers may be assisted with reeling in their fish. Fish caught will ONLY be eligible for Top Three Peewee Anglers. Only three fish may be weighed in per Peewee. Fish must weigh a minimum of 5 lbs and meet all state, federal and local regulations.
RULE 18: A family of 2-4 anglers is defined as any combination of anglers through marriage or blood fishing on the same boat. In order to be eligible for Top Family, anglers must be identified as family on the registration form.
RULE 19: In case of a tie, the earliest fish reported will be the winner.
RULE 20: As a condition of the entry in the Tournament, the angler specifically understands, agrees and consents to a polygraph examination if requested by decision of the tournament committee. Refusal of any angler to submit to a polygraph examination shall result in her immediate disqualification. In the sole opinion of the polygraph examiner, any untruthful response in the examination shall result in her immediate disqualification. Any participant so disqualified, shall not be entitled to any prize, award or entry fee refund.
RULE 21: The Ladies Fish Off Committee reserves the right to refuse tournament applicants or entries with or without cause in its sole discretion.
RULE 22: Any protest must be submitted in writing with a non-refundable fee of $100 per incident and delivered to the Ladies Fish Off Committee by 7:00 pm Saturday, June 1st. Discretion of the LFO Committee will be final.
RULE 23: It is expressively understood that all participants enter at their own risk. Directors, officers, committee members, sponsors, officials and all other persons directly or indirectly involved with the operations of the Ladies Annual Fish-Off shall be exempt from loss, damage, liability, negligence or injury suffered to any participant, entrant, sports angler, their companions, boat captains, crew members, vessels and equipment, which may occur during the Tournament.
OPTIONAL Entry Categories
RULE 1: Overall Points: Prize money in this optional competition category is awarded to the fishing team that receives the most points. You must be entered in this optional category to qualify for the prize money.
50% to Top Boat, 30% to Second Place & 20% to the Third Place Boat
Entry fee: $150.00
RULE 2: Heaviest Kingfish: Prize money in this optional competition category is awarded to the angler with the heaviest kingfish. You must be entered in this optional category to qualify for the prize money.
70% to the Heaviest Kingfish & 30% to 2nd Heaviest Kingfish
Entry Fee: $50.00
RULE 3: Heaviest Dolphin: Prize money in this optional competition category is awarded to the angler with the heaviest dolphin. You must be entered in this optional category to qualify for the prize money.
70% to the Heaviest Dolphin & 30% to 2nd Heaviest Dolphin
Entry Fee: $50.00
RULE 4: Heaviest Black Fin Tuna: Prize money in this optional competition category is awarded to the angler with the heaviest black fin tuna. You must be entered in this optional category to qualify for the prize money.
70% to the Heaviest Black Fin Tuna & 30% to 2nd Heaviest Black Fin Tuna
Entry Fee: $50.00
RULE 5: Heaviest Wahoo: Prize money in this optional competition category is awarded to the angler with the heaviest wahoo. You must be entered in this optional category to qualify for the prize money.
70% to the Heaviest Wahoo & 30% to 2nd Heaviest Wahoo
Entry Fee: $50.00
RULE 6: Heaviest Cobia: Prize money in this optional competition category is awarded to the angler with the heaviest cobia. You must be entered in this optional category to qualify for the prize money.
70% to the Heaviest Cobia & 30% to 2nd Heaviest Cobia
Entry Fee: $50.00
RULE 7: Heaviest Fish: Prize money in this optional competition category is awarded to the angler with the heaviest fish, regardless of eligible species. You must be entered in this optional category to qualify for the prize money.
Winner Take All
Entry Fee: $150.00
RULE 8: Heaviest Bonita: Prize money in this optional competition category is awarded to the angler with the heaviest bonita. You must be entered in this optional category to qualify for the prize money. Only one fish per boat may be weighed in.
Winner Take All
Entry Fee: $50.00
RULE 9: Based on 30 boats, the optional competition category prize money totals $18,000. If there are fewer than 30 participating boats, prizes decrease accordingly, just as a greater number increases the prize money.
RULE 10: If there is an optional entry category without a winner, the money collected goes to the Ladies Fish Off Beneficiaries.
RULE 11: 10% of the money collected for the optional entry categories will be donated to the Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center Ladies Fish-Off Student Assistantship Fund, before prize money is awarded.
