Tournament Rules

2007 "Professional Tarpon Tournament Series" Ladies Day Rules

These rules will remain in effect during the 2007 "Professional Tarpon Tournament Series" Ladies Day Tournament. Interpretation of these rules will be left exclusively to the tournament director. The Professional Tarpon Tournament Series is a made for television series. In the event of a rule violation, the Tournament Director may impose such sanctions, as he deems appropriate, including, without limitation, disqualifications, forfeiture of prizes and prohibition from participation in subsequent tournaments. By competing in the PTTS all competitors agree that decisions of the tournament director and tournament committee are final in all matters and are not subject to appeal, and are not reviewable by any court of law. The tournament director and/or the tournament officials can make changes to the stated rules at any time.
1. Participation and Eligibility:
Participation in the Tarpon Anglers Club tournaments is open only to members of the Tarpon Anglers Club in good standing. Competition Membership is open to men and women over the age of 16. The Tarpon Anglers Club reserves the right to refuse membership and participation in any or all events to any individual or team at the discretion of the Tournament Director and/or his committee.  Male captains or mates may NOT actively fish, handle the rod or reel during the fight, deploy or retrieve baits, etc. Captain and/or a mate may drive the boat, leader and/or gaff a fish, bait hooks, tie knots, etc.   Any violation of this rule will result in the disqualification of a hooked fish, and may result in the disqualification from the tournament.   
A. Membership Fee - Membership fee in the Tarpon Anglers Club is $30.00. It includes T Shirt, official decal, and eligibility to compete in the Professional Tarpon Tournament Series. Five dollars from each membership will go to benefit Tarpon Conservation.

B. Entry Fees- Entry fees to participate in the Professional Tarpon Tournament Series Ladies Day will be $500.00.  This includes participation of one team consisting of five (5) people, (1) one designated team captain, one (1) designated mate and (3) three team members. (1) One observer is allowed per tournament boat during tournament hours. Only (2) two active, licensed captains are permitted on each competing team. An active licensed captain is defined as someone who has captained more than one for-hire fishing charter within the last year.
1. Team may secure an entry by submitting a completed application and deposit of $1,000.
2. Entry fee(s) must be paid in full no later than two weeks prior to the event. 
4. Once accepted into the tournament, all deposits and tournament entry fees are non-refundable. In the event a team cannot fish a tournament that they have paid for, they may submit a written reason why, and the Tournament Director may elect to refund or transfer the money
5. In the event the event is cancelled, the entry fees will refunded, less administrative costs.

6. Teams competing in the previous years events will receive priority entry and first right of refusal.  Sponsor teams receive priority over all other teams.

C. A full field will consist of (50) fifty teams.  There is no limitation on Ladies Day entries.
2. Federal, State, and Local Laws:

All participants are required to follow all applicable Federal, State, and Local regulations and laws. Any violation of such rules may result in disqualification from the tournament.
3. Professionalism:
The PTTS is a professional tournament fishing series and all participants must maintain a high level of professionalism at all times. All participants must show courtesy and respect to all anglers participating and not participating in the events at all times. Failure to do so may result in disqualification from any and all events.
A. Alcohol and Drugs-The carrying and consumption of alcoholic beverages and/or non-prescription drugs on board a contestants vessel is strictly prohibited during tournament hours. Anyone found to be in violation of this rule will be immediately disqualified from the event.
B. Other- Each angler will also receive as part of their membership a TAC, Professional Tarpon Tournament Series decal, which must be displayed on the port side console, engine or pilot station on every competitor boat.
4. Tarpon Entries:
A. Only (1) tarpon may be weighed in per team.
B. All tarpon hook ups must be reported to tournament officials immediately after the fish is hooked up. All fish will be weighed in by tournament officials.
C. Eligible fish to be weighed must be hooked in the mouth of a tarpon. This must be verified by a tournament official and/or a competing captain. As such, teams must not remove the hook from the tarpon until the hook location has been verified. Unverified fish and fish hooked outside of the mouth are not eligible to be weighed nor are they eligible for release points.
D. A release occurs when a member of a competing team touches the leader portion of the line. This touch must be verified by a tournament official and/or a competing captain. Once a fish has been leadered, the competing team must make a decision to weigh or release the fish. Failure to do so in a timely fashion will result in the disqualification of the fish.
E. Tarpon may only be gaffed or roped in the lower mandible. Once a fish has been gaffed and/or roped it must be weighed in and is not eligible for release points. In the event a gaffed fish is lost for any reason, the team is not eligible to gaff another fish during that tournament. Once a fish has been gaffed and/or roped, the tournament team must attach a State issued “possession tag” to the fish, and proceed immediately to the designated weigh station. The team may take as long as necessary to reach the weigh station to ensure that the fish is not subjected to undue stress and injury. The fish must remain fully submerged during the transport to the weigh station and the boat must travel at a slow speed.
F. Ineligible fish for weigh in or release points will include but not limit fish that have
a. jumped into a boat
b. been brought aboard a boat
c. been hooked outside of the mouth of the fish
d. been bitten by a shark during the fight to the severity that the fish is unable to be released alive.
G. The Professional Tarpon Tournament Series is a "live" release tournament series. Dead fish are ineligible for weigh in and/or release points. In the event a tarpon is unable to be revived after being weighed in, the weight and points will be forfeited.
H. Intentional handling of a fish by the gills in any fashion may result in disqualification.
5. Permitted Fishing Locations:
A. Fishing is restricted to Boca Grande Pass. The pass boundaries are defined by FWCC Administrative Rule 68B-32.005 as,
Begin at the westernmost edge of the Lodge Dock (26º 43.416’ North Latitude, 82º 15.433’ West Longitude) on the southeast bay side of Gasparilla Island; thence proceed due east on a straight line to the westernmost edge of the intercoastal waterway (26º 43.416’ North Latitude, 82º 14.616’ West Longitude); thence proceed in a southerly direction to the #75 Intercoastal Waterway Marker (26º 42.466’ North Latitude, 82º 14.566’ West Longitude) on the northeast bay side of Cayo Costa; thence proceed around the northern tip of Cayo Costa along the shoal to the QR test buoy (26º 42.000’ North Latitude, 82º 15.433’ West Longitude) on the northwest Gulf coast side of Cayo Costa; thence proceed northwest on a straight line to the #12 red buoy (26º 42.333’ North Latitude, 82º 16.750’ West Longitude) marking the entrance to Boca Grande Pass; thence proceed northeast on a straight line to the easternmost edge of the concrete pier (26º 43.133’ North Latitude, 82º 15.700’ West Longitude) at the lighthouse beach on the southwest Gulf side of Gasparilla Island; thence proceed along the shoal around the southern tip of Gasparilla Island to the Lodge Dock, the point of beginning.
B. Any fish hooked from a boat outside of the boundaries will be immediately disqualified. Leaving the boundaries is permitted only when fighting a fish hooked inside of the boundaries, unless otherwise authorized by a tournament official.
C. The tournament director and/or committee reserve the right to change these boundaries at any time.
6. Equipment: The tournament director and/or committee members reserve the right to perform equipment checks before and/or after any or all events. If a team refuses to allow the tournament director and/or a tournament committee member to inspect their gear, they will be immediately disqualified from the event.
A. Rods and Reels- Only manual spinning and conventional rods and reels will be permitted. Anglers may use a fighting chair and/or a harness worn by the angler. No other attachments are permitted. No more than (3) three rods may be used at one time.
B. Line- Monofilament, flourocarbon, dacron and hybrid monofilament lines are permitted but must have a minimum breaking strength of (40) forty pounds as stated on the manufacturers label. Braided line is not permitted.  The tournament director and/or tournament committee reserves the right to test competitors’ line.
C. Leader- Wire, monofilament, and fluorocarbon leaders are permissible. Leader size may not exceed 150 lb. breaking strength as stated on the manufacturers packaging. Leader systems may not exceed (12) twelve feet in length, including double lines.
D. Baits- Teams may use livebait, dead bait, and artificial baits at anytime. Chumming is not permissible. Liquid attractants and/or pork strips are permissible but must be applied inside of the teams vessel. Dispensing of liquid attractants into the water is considered chumming and can result in disqualification.
E. Hooks- Only single “Circle” hook rigs are permissible. You may not use “J” hooks. The maximum allowable size circle hook is 14/0 as stated on the manufacturers packaging. *Artificial lures manufactured with a “J” hook are permissable.
F. Trolling and Anchoring- Trolling and anchoring are expressly prohibited.

G. Attachment Materials- You may only use wire, wire ties, line, split rings, and/or any other material used to attach a weight to a hook or fishing line that has a minimum breaking strength of (50) fifty pounds, as stated on the manufacturers packaging. In the event you use a main line with a manufacturers stated breaking strength of over (50) fifty pound test, you must attach the weight with wire, wire ties, line, split rings, or any other material used to attach the weight, that is greater than or equal to your main line strength.
7. Boats and Motors:
A. Boats- All competing vessels must be a minimum of (16) sixteen feet in length. Each vessel must have all required U.S. Coast Guard safety equipment. In addition it must have a working bilge pump.
B. Motors- Maximum horsepower for all outboards used in tournament competition will not exceed the horsepower limitations as set by the U.S. Coast Guard horsepower rating plate attached to the boat by the manufacturer. By signing the registration form, each contestant agrees to submit their boat and/or motor to an inspection by factory trained personnel. Falsifying information on entry forms or altering the horsepower numbers on the motor or rating plate will be cause for disqualification from the tournament and may result in future ineligibility to enter series events. Anytime the combustion engine is operating, there must be a driver in the driver's seat in full control of the boat. The driver is prohibited from fishing while acting as the driver. An electric trolling motor may be used at anytime.
8. Winning:

Winners are decided by official tarpon weight, not the number of points acquired during a series event. Official weight will be rounded to the nearest pound. In the event no tarpon are weighed in by the stated finish time, the team that has released the most fish during the event will be named (1st) first place winner, the team with the second most releases will place (2nd) second, etc. In the event no fish are weighed in or released by the end of the stated finish time, the tournament will go into “sudden death” overtime. The team that weighs in or releases the first tarpon in overtime will be named the winner. “Sudden Death” overtime will last as long as it takes to crown a tournament winner, but will be broken in to thirty minute increments.

B. Ties

Ties shall be broken by the official time posted on the weigh slip. The team that weighs earliest shall receive precedence. If the winners are based on numbers of releases the team that released their first fish the earliest will be the finish ahead. In the event there is a points tie for Team of the Year, and entrance to the Tarpon Cup, the total weight of fish weighed throughout the series will determine the winner.
9. Weather:

The tournament day may be shortened or canceled due to unsafe weather or water conditions. The decision to shorten, postpone, or to cancel will be left totally to the discretion of the tournament director and/or committee. A 1-hour period shall constitute a day of fishing. In the event a tournament is postponed, anglers will return to a designated location until it is deemed that fishing can resume. Every effort will be made to finish the tournament on the set date. If that is not possible, the official make up day will be the following day at a time to be determined by the tournament director and/or committee.
10. Insurance:

Liability insurance is required of all contestants utilizing their boats in any Tarpon Anglers Club tournament. Each team prior to competition is required to show proof of insurance, a copy. Minimum required is $100,000.00.

11. Captains Meeting and Registration:

A mandatory Captains Meeting will be held the night before the series event. Every captain is required to be there. Failure to attend the meeting could result in lost fishing time during the series event.
12. Polygraphs:
EACH COMPETITOR AGREES TO SUBMIT TO A POLYGRAPH TEST
The administration and interpretation of the polygraph test shall solely be the responsibility of the Tournament Director, tournament officials and the individual who administers such polygraph test and at their discretion select the place and time at which such polygraph test shall be administered. Should a team member refuse to take, or fail the polygraph test, their team will be disqualified from that event and forfeit all winnings and points from that event. The results of the polygraph are final and are not reviewable by any court of law.
13. Protests:

All protests must be submitted in writing, along with a $500 cash deposit, within fifteen (15) minutes of the end of tournament fishing time to the tournament director or tournament official. The protestor also agrees that if there is a question of verifying the charge of a protest that he or she also may be subject to take a polygraph. The cash deposit shall be returned to the contestant submitting the protest, if the protest is upheld.