Tournament Rules

Registration

• A representative from each boat must be present at the captain’s meeting; crew are welcome.
• Advanced registration is advised. The tournament will be capped on registration entries due to planning purposes.
• Entry fee is $600 per boat (CASH ONLY).
• Tournament entry categories: Heaviest fish 1st & 2nd. A donation from the entry fee will be given to a local charity.
• Calcutta entry levels: $250 and $550. Breakdown: 1st place 60%, 2nd place 40%. (CASH ONLY)
• No checks or credit cards will be accepted for entry fee or Calcutta.

Weigh-In & Awards

• In case of a tie in weight, the boat weighing in first will take precedence.
• Fish not landed at the weigh station will not count.
• If there is a line at the weigh station nearing 6:00 PM, boats must call in their fish before 6:00 PM and be visible within Barnstable Inner Harbor to the weigh master (VHF Ch. 78).
• Fish must be weighed dressed, gilled, and gutted or it will not be accepted.
• Ice and anything else inside the fish must be removed before weigh-in.
• Captains/boats are responsible for notifying their fish dealer of ETA. After weigh-in, fish must be kept onboard until the dealer arrives. Boats may need to return to inner harbor when buyer is on site.
• Captains and crew who place may be subject to a lie detector test or other verification methods.

Fishing Hours

• Sunday, lines in at 5:00 AM.
• Weigh station opens at 10:00 AM and closes at 6:00 PM.
• Fish must be landed at the weigh station before 6:00 PM.
• Awards dinner promptly at 6:30–7:00 PM.

Boundaries & Compliance

• Boats may leave from any port but must weigh fish (by boat only) at the weigh station bulkhead in Barnstable Harbor.
  Fish cannot be hauled out in any other port until after the tournament.
• Boundary line: From Brant Rock, Marshfield (42 5.269 N, 70 38.476 W) to
  Race Point, Provincetown (42 4.085 N, 70 14.422 W). Fish must be hooked south of this line in Cape Cod Bay.
• Minimum length: 73″. Boats must comply with all state and federal permit rules and regulations.
• Any federal violations result in disqualification. Participants must be commercial permit compliant.
• Fish cannot be transferred between boats.

Catch & Possession Rules

• Boats may only possess one fish at a time. Once a fish is tied off or killed, it cannot be “upgraded.” Possession of more than one fish will result in disqualification.
• Boats are responsible for disposal of their own fish and/or bait. Do not dispose of any parts into Barnstable Harbor.
• Within minutes of hookup, boats must: call in on VHF Ch. 78 with hookup time; record a cell phone video of hookup with GPS timestamp & location.
• A second cell phone video must show the fish on deck or tied alongside (for small boats), including GPS timestamp & location. Weigh master may request the videos by text or at weigh-in.

Equipment Rules

• Spreader bars, harpoons/cockpit sticks, and live bait are allowed.
• Rod and reel only. Prohibited: electrified harpoons, green sticks, bandit reels, longlines, and electric reels for fighting fish.
• Boats must catch their own fish. Airplanes are prohibited.
• Tournament species: North Atlantic Bluefin Tuna.

General Rules

• There is no weather committee. Captains/boat owners are responsible for their own discretion.
• Respect host harbor facilities and slip occupants.
• Tournament channel: VHF 78.
• If there is a line to weigh in, notify the weigh master on channel 78 and you will be placed in order.

Dockage, ramp use and trailer storage arrangements can be made with Barnstable Harbor Master, Barnstable Marine, Sandwich Marina, and Northside Marina. *** EARLY Registration and EARLY entry fee is encouraged.