Pensacola International Billfish Tournament 2024 Tournament Rules
Eligible Fish:
Species:
Blue Marlin* ………………………………110” Minimum fork Length
Broadbill Swordfish*……………………..60” Minimum fork Length
White Marlin……………………………………..Catch & Release Only
Sailfish………………………………………………Catch & Release Only
Spearfish……………………………………………Catch & Release Only
The minimum weights of Wahoo, Dolphin and eligible Tuna are 20 pounds.
Billfish lengths are measured from the tip of the lower jaw to the fork of the tail (LJFL). All participating anglers are required to catch and release billfish smaller than the minimum requirements and enter them in the Catch and Release Competition.
The PBGFC encourages the catch and release of all billfish.
minimum fork length
Blue Marlin – 110 In. • Broadbill Swordfish – 60 In.
NO FISH WILL BE WEIGHED IN UNLESS THEY MEET TOURNAMENT SPECIFICATIONS
1.0 DATES AND TIME
Tournament fishing days are Thursday June 13, Friday June 14 and Saturday June 15, 2024. Tournament fishing may begin at 12:01PM, Thursday June 14, 2024. There is no “lines out” time. All
participating boats with eligible fish to be weighed or reported must be “IN LINE” at the designated weigh scale location no later than 7:00 PM, Saturday June 15, 2024. Weigh-in times,
dates, and procedures are listed in Section 6.
2.0 REGISTRATION
Early registration is available via regular mail and through the Pensacola Big Game Fishing Club’s website at www.pbgfc.com or go directly to https://pibt.catchstat.com. Late registration will be
held at the Captains Meeting held on Wednesday June 12, 2024. All boats must be registered to be eligible for tournament awards or prizes. Entry to the Pensacola International Billfish Tournament is $3,000.00 (plus applicable sales tax) per boat for up to 4 registered anglers in addition to the captain and mate. Any additional registered anglers are $150.00 (plus applicable sales tax) per angler. For those boats of current members of the Pensacola Big Game Fishing Club, there is an entry fee of $2,500.00 (plus applicable sales tax) per boat for up to 4 registered anglers in addition to the captain and mate. Any additional registered anglers are $150.00 (plus applicable sales tax) per angler.
3.0 JUDGING, LICENSES, AND PERMITS
Judging in the PBGFC tournaments is based solely on tournament rules. Boats and anglers are encouraged to comply with all Federal and Florida state laws regarding fishing licenses, size limits, bag limits and any other regulations that may apply. For information regarding Florida Saltwater Fishing Licenses refer to www.myfwc.com/license/recreational/saltwaterfishing/ or call 888.347.4356. For information regarding Federal HMS Permits call 877.872.8862 or refer to hmspermits.noaa.gov.
4.0 DEPARTURES/BOUNDARIES
Participating boats may depart from Panama City (Saint Andrew’s Pass), Destin (East Pass), Pensacola Pass, Perdido Pass, and Mobile Bay at 12:01PM, Thursday June 13, 2024. Departure from either pass must be videoed with a time and date stamp shown on GPS. Video must include sufficient information & landscape views for the reviewer to properly identify the pass. Any boat returning to
shore during the tournament and continuing to fish the tournament after returning to shore must depart from one of the four designated passes and video the departure with a time and date stamp
shown on GPS. Trailering of boats between passes is prohibited and constitutes grounds for tournament disqualification. There are no tournament boundaries once the boat has left one of the four designated passes.
5.0 ANGLING & EQUIPMENT RULES
Any member of the team may set the hook and fight the fish or set the hook and immediately pass the rod to another team member, but the rod must be passed within one (1) minute and may only be passed one time after which the angler must then fight the fish unassisted. No electric reels or harpoons may be used in catching any fish other than Swordfish. Swordfish may be caught with either
hand-crank reels or electric reels and harpoons may be used to assist in the landing of the fish.
6.0 WEIGH-IN
Tournament scales will be located at the Palafox Pier, 997 S Palafox St. Pensacola, FL 32502 (see map on www.pbgfc.com). Scales will open at 4:00 PM and close at 7:00 PM on Friday. Scales will open Saturday at 3:00 PM. You must be “IN LINE” outside the Marina no later than 7:00 PM to weigh-in. All fish brought to the scales must be in edible condition. Weight determined by weighmaster shall be final. The Tournament weighmaster reserves the right to reject any fish due to poor condition, freezing (or exhibiting signs of having been frozen), or mutilation. All fish must be brought to the scales by the boat from which it was caught. This includes catch and release forms and color video confirmation. A member of the boat’s crew must remain with the fish until completion of the weigh in procedure. The crew member must sign the weigh-in ticket and verify the weight, which will then become official. All fish entry forms must be properly completed prior to presentation of the fish for weigh in. NOTE: Boats are responsible for removing all fish brought to the weigh-in. Our Dock Crew will return your catch to your boat.
7.0 ELIGIBLE FISH
No fish will be weighed in unless they meet the specifications referenced in Section 6. Only registered anglers may catch and report eligible fish. All winners are subject to polygraph examination. The following provides the tournament requirements for eligible species:
• Blue Marlin – 110 inches measured from the Lower Jaw to Fork Length (LJFL);
• Broadbill Swordfish- 60 inches measured from the Lower Jaw to Fork Length (LJFL)
• White Marlin, Sailfish, & Spearfish – Catch & Release Only
• Wahoo, Dolphin, and Tuna (Yellowfin, Bigeye, and Blackfin) must weigh a minimum of 20 pounds.
Bluefin are not an eligible species for the tournament.
All participating anglers are required to catch and release billfish smaller than the minimum tournament requirements specified herein.
8.0 BILLFISH VIDEO REQUIREMENTS
All Billfish entries (including both Catch & Release and blue marlins brought to the scales) require video confirmation. An uninterrupted video showing the following must be provided:
• Tournament designator;
• Angler fighting the fish;
• Confirmation of catch – wind on leader or swivel touching the rod tip, or mate touching the leader;
• Clear video of fish to allow for proper species identification;
• Release of fish (if the fish is released) or fish on the cockpit floor (if the fish is brought to the scales);
• Complete pan of the cockpit of the cockpit showing no other lines in the water;
• For Chavers Construction Tag & Release Swordfish only, video must include successful tagging of the fish with tag visible upon release, and turning in of the completed tag & release card;
• GPS time and date stamp.
For Catch & Release entries, in the last sequence of the video, the camera must not stop recording during the wiring or “catch”, release of the fish and immediately following a complete pan of the
cockpit showing no other lines in the water, and the GPS time and date stamp. This segment of the video must be uninterrupted. If the GPS is not recorded, or the video is not continuous, the last day of tournament fishing is used as the release date and the time will be the time you checked in with the Tournament Scales, assuming all other video elements are satisfied. Catch & Release Billfish shall not be removed from the water or catch will be disqualified.
For any blue marlin brought to the scales, in the last sequence of the video, the camera must not stop recording during the wiring and landing of the fish to the cockpit floor, and must include immediately following a complete pan of the cockpit showing no other lines in the water, and the GPS time and date stamp. This segment of the video must be uninterrupted. If the GPS is not recorded, or the video is not continuous, the last day of tournament fishing is used as the catch date and the time will be the time you checked in with the Tournament Scales, assuming all other video elements are satisfied.
Teams shall be responsible for all required cables in order for the Tournament video verification judge to properly view the video. We must be able to transfer your video to a laptop computer for viewing. All videos must be in digital format, preferably on a SD or Micro SD card and the owner of the video consents to the copying and/or transferring of the video to the Pensacola Big Game
Fishing Club and the use of the video by the Pensacola Big Game Fishing Club not only for tournament requirements but for promotional purposes as determined in the discretion of the Pensacola Big Game Fishing Club.
9.0 AGREE & CONSENT
The participants agree and consent to the use of any photograph, motion picture, video or audio recording in which they appear or are heard, by the Tournament or Pensacola Big Game Fishing Club
for any purpose whatsoever including, but not limited to, resale, advertising, and promotional material without compensation or restriction of any kind.
10.0 BILLFISH REPORTING
All Billfish released or boated must be recorded on the Billfish scorecard in the sequence they were caught. The scorecards must be signed by the boat captain in which he attests to and agrees with the accuracy of the information recorded. The scorecards will be handed out at either the Captains Meeting or at the weigh-in dock. These cards will be taken by a crew member to the Video Verification judge for review. Alternate reporting to tournament headquarters may be done by satellite phone by calling 850-324-0390; a Billfish scorecard still will need to be completed even for those fish called in to tournament headquarters. Do not call in to report tuna, dolphin, or wahoo.
11.0 TOURNAMENT AWARDS:
• Tournament Champion – 1 ($25,000)
• Step One Automotive Big Blue Award -1 ($35,000)
• 50K Tuna Challenge Presented by Pensacola Sports -1 ($50,000)
• Casey Hyman Plumbing Tuna – 1 ($7,500), 2 ($2,500), 3 ($1,250)
• Marine Max Dolphin – 1 ($7,500), 2 ($2,500), 3 ($1,250)
• Vannoy’s Tires Wahoo – 1 ($7,500), 2 ($2,500), 3 ($1,250)
• Hevi Transport Big Swordfish Award – 1 ($10,000.00)
• Chavers Construction Swordfish Tag & Release Award -1 ($3,000)
• Pensacola Rubber & Gasket Top Small Boat Award -1 ($3,000)
• Heaton Brothers Construction Big Friday Award – 1 ($3,000)
• Top Lady Angler -1 (award)
• Top Junior Angler – 1 (award)
• Chad Chadbourne Memorial Top Club Boat Award -1 (award)
TOURNAMENT CHAMPION – Awarded to boat with the heaviest tournament-legal blue marlin. In the event there is no qualifying tournament-legal blue marlin, awarded to the boat that achieves the highest amount of points based on the point system referenced in Section 12.
STEP ONE AUTOMOTIVE BIG BLUE AWARD – $35,000.00 awarded to the boat with the largest Blue Marlin at or over 700 pounds.
50K TUNA CHALLENGE PRESENTED BY PENSACOLA SPORTS – $50,000.00 awarded to the boat with the largest yellowfin tuna over 242 pounds. IGFA rules apply (including no hand- off of rod). See Hot Sheet for particulars.
TOP WEIGHED BLUE MARLIN – 1ˢᵗ Place award for heaviest Blue Marlin brought to the dock that meet eligibility requirements as stated in Tournament Rules.
PENSACOLA RUBBER & GASKET TOP SMALL BOAT AWARD–$3,000.00 awarded to the top boat 32 feet and under in length or 39 feet and under in length and powered by outboards with the most accumulated points for the tournament. Points based on system referenced in Section 12.
HEATON BROTHERS CONSTRUCTION BIG FRIDAY AWARD – $3,000.00 awarded to the boat with the heaviest tournament-legal Wahoo, Dolphin, or Tuna weighed on Friday.
TOP LADY ANGLER AWARD – Awarded to the Lady Angler with the most accumulated points for the tournament. Points are based on system referenced in Section 12.
TOP JUNIOR ANGLER AWARD – Awarded to the Junior Angler with the most accumulated points for the tournament. To qualify as a Junior Angler the registered angler must be under the age of 18 years
at the date of the Captain’s Meeting. Points are based on system referenced in Section 12.
TOP CLUB BOAT – Chad Chadbourne Memorial Award awarded to the boat of a current member of the Pensacola Big Game Fishing Club with the most accumulated points for the tournament. Points based on system referenced in Section 12.
CASEY HYMAN PLUMBING TUNA, MARINE MAX DOLPHIN & VANNOY’S TIRES
WAHOO – 1st, 2nd & 3ʳᵈ place prize money for fish in these categories that meet eligibility requirements as stated in Tournament Rules
HEVI TRANSPORT BIG SWORDFISH AWARD – $10,000.00 award for the heaviest tournament-legal Swordfish brought to the dock which is at or over 60” LJFL.
CHAVERS CONSTRUCTION TAG & RELEASE SWORDFISH AWARD – $3,000.00 award for the highest number of swordfish with video confirmation of tag and release for confirmed broadbill swordfish. In the event of a tie, tie-breaker is the earliest time of the last broadbill swordfish tagged and released.
The Step One Automotive Big Blue Award, 50K Tuna Challenge Presented by Pensacola Sports, Hevi Fuels & Marina Oyster Barn Big Swordfish Award, Pensacola Rubber & Gasket Top Small Boat Award, Chavers Construction Swordfish Tag & Release Award, and the Heaton Brothers Construction Big Friday Award award amounts will be paid to the qualifying winners regardless of the number of boats entered in the tournament. Any other tournament award that features prize money is based on the participation of a minimum of 50 boats for that level of prize money. Only those categories that
are filled will be awarded.
12.0 POINT SYSTEM
Point system used to calculate the Tournament Champion, Top Small Boat, Top Lady Angler, Top Junior Angler, and Top Club Boat, will be based on the following:
o Weighed Blue Marlin – 1 point per pound
o Catch & Release Blue Marlin – 500 points
o Catch & Release White Marlin, Sailfish, Spearfish, or unidentified bill fish; (Swordfish do not count as a billfish for Catch & Release points) – 200 points
o Dolphin (1 per boat) – 3 points per pound
o Tuna (1 per boat) – 1 point per pound
o Wahoo (1 per boat) – 2 points per pound
Boats may weigh multiple tuna, dolphin, and wahoo but only the largest of each species will count towards the point total.
13.0 OPTIONAL CASH AWARDS
Cash Awards are a voluntary entry for additional potential payout from tournament competition. Cash Awards are not included in the Tournament Entry Fee. Entry into Cash Awards is not required in
order to be eligible for other Tournament Awards. However, you must be registered in the Tournament to be eligible for the Cash Awards Division. Entry in the Cash Awards Division is limited to your
own boat. You may not enter in Cash Awards for other boats that have not elected to participate in Cash Awards. To participate in each Cash Awards Division, the dollar amount of the category must be
paid in full on the night of the respective Captain’s Meeting. CASH, CERTIFIED CASHIERS CHECK, or CREDIT CARDS will be accepted for payment. (There is a 3% Service Fee for credit card payments.) PERSONAL CHECKS WILL NOT be accepted for Cash Awards entry. Even if the boat pulls out of the tournament, Cash Award entries are final and will not be refunded (unless there is no winner in a category in which case the OCA Net will be refunded to the entrants in that category).
Total monies received in each Special Heaviest Fish Weighed OCA entry level will be winner takes-all less 10% for PBGFC expenses (i.e., “OCA Net”). For each Special Heaviest Fish Weighed
OCA entry level, there must be a minimum of 3 entries for that entry level; if there are not at least 3 entries in that entry level, that entry level will be voided and all entry fees for the Special Heaviest Fish $5,000 OCA for that level will be refunded. The winner of each Special Heaviest Fish Weighed OCA entry level will be the boat in that entry level weighing the heaviest tournament-legal fish of any tournament category (as per the eligible fish definitions and minimum length requirements set forth in Section 7.0).
Total monies received in Blue Marlin, Tuna, Dolphin, Wahoo, Swordfish, and Catch & Release categories less 10% for PBGFC expenses (i.e., “OCA Net”) will be split on the following payout scale:
• 10 boats or more are entered in a category split will be 50%, 30%, 20% of OCA Net. (If there is one eligible fish then winner-takes-all of the total cash will be awarded. If there are two eligible fish then the category split will be 60%, 40% of OCA Net);
• Between 6 and 9 boats entered in any given category, the split will be 60%, 40% of OCA Net. (If there is one eligible fish then winner-takes-all of the OCA Net.)
• 5 boats or less, then winner takes-all for eligible fish.• In the event there are no winners in a category, 90% of the full amount for the category will be refunded.
• Total monies received in Blue Marlin, Tuna, Dolphin, Wahoo, Swordfish, and Catch & Release that enter into $2000 and $5000 categories less 10% for PBGFC expenses (i.e., “OCA Net”) will be split
on the following payout scale:
• Between 1 and 9 boats entered in any given category, winner-takes-all of the OCA .
• 10 Boats or more that entered in any given category, the split will be 60%, 40% (If there is one
eligible fish then winner-takes-all of the OCA Net.)
Optional Cash Award Categories:
SPECIAL HEAVIEST FISH WEIGHED
$2500 – $5000
BLUE MARLIN
Pensacola International Billfish Tournament Only
$250 – $500 – $1000 – $2000 – $5000
DOLPHIN/WAHOO/TUNA (Individual Categories) Pensacola International Billfish Tournament
$250 – $500- $1000 – $2000 – $5000
Ladies Billfish Tournament – $100 – $300 – $500 Junior Angler Tournament – $100 – $300
TOP SWORDFISH –
We encourage all Swordfish under the minimum tournament length of 60” (LJFL) to be tagged and
released for future conservation.
Pensacola International Billfish Tournament
$250 – $500 -$1000 – $2000 – $5000
Ladies Billfish Tournament – $100 – $300 – $500 Junior Angler Tournament – $100 – $300
SWORDFISH AGGREGATE
The Swordfish Aggregate OCA is a 2-fish aggregate weight competition where the total combined weight for the boat’s top 2 tournament-legal Swordfish are used to determine winners. Pensacola
International Billfish Tournament
$250 – $500 -$1000 – $2000 – $5000
CATCH & RELEASE CASH AWARDS
Pensacola International Billfish Tournament
$250 – $500 – $1000 – $2000 – $5000
Ladies Billfish Tournament – $100 – $300 – $500 Junior Angler Tournament – $100 – $300
14.0 TIE BREAKERS
Award Categories (Big Blue Award, Wahoo, Tuna, Dolphin, and Swordfish). In the event of a tie, the first fish to the weigh dock will be declared the winner.
Award Category (All other). Release date and time taken from the participant’s GPS, which is required in the release video, will be used for breaking ties. Decisions are based on the
following:
• Times are recorded to the full minute with no rounding up or down of seconds;
• If the GPS shows the time but not the date, the GPS time is used and the last day of tournament fishing is used as the release date; if the GPS shows the date but not the time, the GPS date is used and the time will be 11:59pm of the day in which it was caught. In the event of a tie with multiple fish caught and released, the first boat to achieve the total points is awarded. In the event of a tie with single fish, the first confirmed catch is awarded, confirmation from Tournament Headquarters will be given upon radio contact or arrival at the Tournament Weigh Scale. Properly completed Catch and Release Forms along with color video confirmation may be turned into the Tournament Scales on either day, but must be received before the close of the scales on the last day of the tournament. All Catch and Release forms must be properly filled out before presentation to the Tournament.
NOTE: No Catch and Release Cards will be allowed without species recorded, date and time of confirmation. Any billfish which will be released cannot be removed from the water.
Removal from the water or “boating” a billfish will disqualify the angler from Catch & Release.
15.0 WINNERS/AWARDS:
Official winners will not be announced until the Awards Presentation of each respective tournament. Unofficial results will be continually updated on the Tournament Scoreboard and on the club’s website at http://www.pbgfc.com. In case a weather day is used, the time and location of the Awards Presentation will be announced at each respective Captain’s Meeting. In the event any PBGFC Tournament is postponed and rescheduled, the PBGFC reserves the right to adjust cash prize amounts based on the number of boats registered. Once the flare start at Pensacola Pass has occurred it constitutes a tournament.
16.0 PROTESTS
No protests will be accepted after the conclusion of the awards ceremony. Protest must be presented to the Tournament Chairman in writing by a registered angler and accompanied with a $1,000.00 fee. If the protest is in favor of the angler the fee will be returned. If the protest is in favor of the tournament the fee will be retained. All such disputes shall be decided by the Rules Committee appointed by the Tournament Chairs and shall be final and binding upon all parties.
17.0 MISCELLANEOUS
Payment of the entry fee constitutes a representation by each entrant that they have read and fully understand the Tournament Rules and they 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 Pensacola Big Game Fishing Club, entry fees will be refunded to entrants less a pro-rated share of Tournament expenses as solely determined by The Pensacola Big Game Fishing Club. Entrants shall have no claim against the Pensacola Big Game Fishing Club for return of said entry fees less pro-rated share of Tournament expenses. All anglers are responsible for knowing of any last-minute changes of any kind that are required to be made by the Rules Committee at the Captain’s Meeting.
18.0 NO WORRIES CLAUSE
If your team chooses to be removed from a tournament for any reason, the Pensacola Big Game Fishing Club will refund entry fees less a pro-rated share of Tournament expenses as solely determined by The Pensacola Big Game Fishing Club, as long as a boat member notifies the Tournament committee prior to and does not attend the Captains Meeting. Entrants who do not formally withdraw from the Tournament shall have no claim against the Pensacola Big Game Fishing Club for return of said entry fees less pro-rated share of Tournament expenses. Even if the boat pulls out of the tournament, however, Cash Award entries are final and will not be refunded (unless there is no eligible fish in a category in which case the OCA Net will be refunded to all entrants in that particular category).
19.0 WAIVER/DISCLAIMER
It is expressly understood that all participants in these Tournaments enter at their own risk, and that The Pensacola Big Game Fishing Club, its Officers and Directors, and all persons connected directly or indirectly with the operation of said Tournaments, shall be exempt from any liability for libel, slander, loss, damage, negligence, harm, injury or death suffered by any participant, entrant, sport fisherman, equipment which may occur during or in conjunction with the Tournaments. Registration in any of the tournament whether online, in person, or by mail provides expressed consent that The Pensacola Big Game Fishing Club may use without payment or restriction, any photographs in which he or she and/or their crew may appear for any purpose whatsoever, including, but not limited to resale, advertising, commercial or promotional material. The captain, crew, or any registered anglers further release The Pensacola Big Game Fishing Club, its Officers and members from any injury, loss, or damage which may result. All entrants agree to submit to a polygraph examination at the request of the Tournament Committee. 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 CHAIRMAN AND RULES COMMITTEE WILL BE FINAL!
20.0 NOTES
• The captain, mate, or any registered angler from a participating boat must attend the Captain’s Meeting.
• There is no end of fishing in any Pensacola Big Game Fishing Club Tournament. The angler must be able to have boated (or caught and released) the fish and be in line prior to the closing of the scales for each respective tournament for the boated or caught and released fish to count for the tournament.
• All registered anglers, captain, and mate will receive admission to attend the Captain’s Meeting and the Award’s Ceremony. Each registered angler receives a complimentary Tournament Shirt.
• Please review the Hot Sheets provided at the Captains Meeting for any rules changes and other important information.