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2009 “Professional Tarpon Tournament Series” Rules

“Professional Tarpon Tournament Series” Rules
These rules will remain in effect during the "Professional Tarpon Tournament Series" season. 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.  Teams must enter all PTTS events.
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 will be $1000.00 per series event. Entry in the Tarpon Cup Championship will be $2,000. This includes participation of one team consisting of 4 people, (1) one designated team captain and (3) three team members. (1) One observer is allowed per tournament boat during tournament hours.  Observer may not assist the Team in competition.
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 first event.  If you entry is not paid in full by the deadline, a team on the waiting list may move into your spot.
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 transfer the entry to another series event.
5. In the event a series 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 a maximum of (50) fifty teams paid entries.  Corporate sponsored teams in some instances are not recognized as paid teams.
D. Anglers will earn points towards the Team of the Year competition and entry in to the Tarpon Cup based on their finishing position in each series event. Should a break up of a team occur, all points earned shall stay with the named captain. In the event the named captain cannot participate in an event, he can name an alternate captain for that event. An alternate captain may be used only (2) two times during the course of the series. The team must participate in at least five (5) events to be eligible to win Team of the Year and/or participate in the Tarpon Cup.
E.  Tarpon Cup Championship:
Entry Fee into the Tarpon Cup Championship will be $1,500.  Top 25 teams will be eligible to compete.  The Championship will be a five hour, single day event.  Two (2) Tarpon entries are allowed. The winner will be decided by aggregate weight of up to two (2) Tarpon 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.

1. 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.
2. Drinking alcohol is NOT permitted at Gasparilla State Park.

B. Dress Code- All team members must be dressed in identical shirt tops.  Logos and names may vary, but the color scheme should match for all four team members tops.

1. Fishing Etiquette- Teams MUST “circle the pack” after they have completed their fishing drift, IE make every effort circle the other boats actively fishing.  Teams must also make every effort not to “short drift”, IE stop directly behind, another competing or recreation boat.  Teams must also make every effort to allow a competing team or recreational angler that has a fish on the chance to land the fish.  IE reeling up lines if necessary, moving out of the way, not dropping lines directly in the path of an oncoming boat with a fish on when, there is a high probability that action will result in lines becoming entangled.

“DO UNTO OTHERS, AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU”
4. Tarpon Entries:
A. Only (1) tarpon may be weighed in per team, per event, except during the Tarpon Cup. Teams may weigh in two fish  during day one and one fish during day two of the Tarpon Cup.
B. All tarpon hook ups must be reported to tournament officials immediately after the fish is hooked up.  Weighboat and Committee boats DO NOT have to confirm hookup and may not always confirm.  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 leader touch/release occurs when a member of a competing team touches the leader or double line portion of the line. This touch must be verified by a tournament official and/or a competing captain. The team must then report the confirmed leader touch to the weighboat.  They will then receive a confirmation number of the leader touch.  It is the responsibility of the team to continue to call in the leader touch until they receive the confirmation number.  Once a fish has been landed, 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. 
1.  In the event a leader touch cannot be verified by a competing team or committee boat, the team must still call in the touch.  Points will be awarded and a polygraph examination will be used to determine the validity of the leader touch if a tournament team elects to protest the touch.
E. Tarpon may only be gaffed or roped in the lower jaw. 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 and remain in 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.
E. been hooked by two different teams.
***In the event any of the disqualifying terms cannot be verified by a competing team or committee boat, the fish will be allowed to be weighed.  A polygraph examination will be used to determine the validity of the fish entry if a tournament team elects to protest the catch.
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.
I. Overtime- Any fish hooked before the official tournament time ends  is eligible to be counted as an entry.  The team must land the fish within Thirty (30) minutes of the end of the event to be weighed or counted for release points.  If the leader is touched before the overtime expires, the team will be awarded 50 points for a release.
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 permissible.
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.
C. Each competing teams boat must be numbered visibly on the hull. Numbers may range 1-99 and will be issued on a first-come-first-serve basis. We will provide standard black and white numbers to each boat unless you elect to manufacture your own. The numbers must be clearly visible from 50 feet away and must be placed on either side of the hull.
8. Points and Point System:

Teams will acquire points through out the tournament series with the goal of winning Team of the Year and reaching the Tarpon Cup Championship.

A. Acquiring Points- Points are acquired by finishing place, weight of weighed fish, release of fish, most release, entering a first place fish and participation. Point system is as follows:
1.First Place- 200 points
2. Second Place- 150 points
3. Third Place- 100 points
4. Fourth Place- 75 points
5. Fifth Place- 50 points
6. Tarpon Weight- 1 point per pound of the weighed fish. Example: 180 lb fish = 180 points.
7. Release- 50 points per release
8. Participation- 100 points
9. Ladies Day Participation- 100 points
10. Most Releases- 50 points
11. Leading Event- 50 Points
B. Most Releases- The team with the most total releases outside of the Top 5 finishing places in an event will receive 50 points.  Ties are broken based on the first fish release time.
C. Leading Event- If a fish weighed places first place and the team takes the lead, that team will be awarded 50 bonus points for leading the event.  The winner of the event will not be eligible for the 50 point bonus.
Tarpon weight points are only eligible for the top (5) five finishing weights.

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 of the leader touch of the fish entry.  If the team fails to radio in the time of the leader touch, the time the fish is weighed in will be used.  The team that leader touches earliest shall receive precedence. If the winners are based on numbers of releases the team that leader touched 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 time of the teams first released/leader touched fish during the series will determine the winner.
***Each team MUST report all leader touches of all fish regardless of intention to weigh or release the fish.
9. Weather:

The tournament day may be shortened or canceled due to unsafe weather or water conditions. The event will not be held if the NOAA has issued a Small Craft Advisory for the date and time(s) of an event.  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 before the following weeks tournament, or at a date and 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.