Monster Rockfish Tournament

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Rules

2010 Tournament Closed - See Results

Rules and Regulations

Initial Entry Fee:

Flat entry fee of $400 per vessel. This entry fee structure provides participants with entry into the main tournament, allowing them the chance to win First, Second and/or Third place in the main category of largest Rockfish (Striped Bass). Tournaments Within Tournaments (TWTs), sometimes referred to as a Calcutta, are available to any paid participant at additional fees. TWTs are detailed below.

Vessels registered in the tournament must have current and up-to-date USCG registration and be compliant with all federal, state, and local ordinances and codes. Any and all captain, crew, and anglers shall possess proper licensing requirements and abide by rules guiding said licenses. Participants under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a legal guardian for the duration of the tournament. The Tournament Committee in its sole discretion may refuse entry of any registrant.

Applicants attempting to pay by check or credit card with insufficient funds available shall not be registered in the tournament until all funds are processed and guaranteed by tournament committee. Bounced checks may result in a surcharge to applicant from Tournament Committee of fifty dollars ($50.00).

Early Bird Registration Discount: Register by August 1st, 2011 at MonsterRockfishTournament.com and receive fifty dollars ($50.00) off the initial registration fee of $400.00. Only one discount may be applied to registration.

Date and Location:

Saturday October 29th, 2011. The tournament shall start at 5:00AM as this is the earliest legal time allowed in the state of Maryland to fish Chesapeake Bay tidal waters. It is not required that any vessel actually start at this time. Tournament shall take place in Maryland waters of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Vessels with fish to be weighed-in must be at their corresponding weigh-station (notated on vessel flag) no later than 3:30 PM on October 29th, 2011. This means “foot on dock”. A dock master will accept any fish for weigh-in so long as the vessel has arrived at the appropriate weigh-station dock and exited the boat with the fish to be weighed-in by 3:30. This will be considered the “dock side rule”. All fish to be weighed-in must be presented to designated dock master with tournament tag affixed to fish through the mouth and gill. Fish will not be accepted in any other fashion.

Eligible Fish Species/Fishing Methods:

The Initial Entry Fee is for Rockfish (Striped Bass) ONLY. All fish must be caught by hook and line and must be by acceptable recreational fishing practices as determined by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources of Maryland. TWTs will be held for “other” species and categories to be explained below.

Registration/Registration Meetings:

Initial registration will be via Internet or by mail. Registration and payment are available at www.MonsterRockfishTournament.com. Registrants will be provided with an electronic receipt and will be notified via email, mail and/or telephone of any forthcoming tournament details. Captains packages will be supplied at designated “Captain’s Meetings”. If no-one is available to participate in the Captain’s Meeting, the official package with tournament gear (flag, tags, shirt, etc.) will be mailed to you prior to the event. The purpose of the registration meeting will be to clarify rules or amendments and to issue Captain’s Packages and boat numbers.

Registrants must choose a weigh-station to which they must weigh all eligible fish. There are four weigh stations. With the exception of a Chesapeake Bay caught state record Rockfish (Striped Bass) all tournament participants will be registered to their assigned weigh Station.

Awards

Prize money will be mailed within 2 weeks unless contested. Maryland State Record, Chesapeake Bay caught Rockfish (striped bass) winner will be awarded $100,000. This amount may be paid in a lump sum or as an annuity at Tournament Committee’s discretion. The following award schedule is based on a minimum participation of two hundred (200) vessels. With a minimum of two hundred (200) boats officially entered in the tournament, the purse shall have the following payout schedule:

  • - First place: $20,000
  • - Second place: $7,000
  • - Third place: $3,000
  • - Total payout: $30,000
  • - Total payout with a Maryland State Record Chesapeake Bay caught rockfish: $130,000

If less than 200 boats enter, the total prize allocation reduction will be based on a per boat subtraction of $300, for each boat less than 200 entered. This amount will be divided evenly between the three prize amounts by way of ratio, based on a common denominator of 1,000.

Example: There are 190 registered boats. The overall purse will be reduced by ten (10). Ten (10) is then multiplied by the reduction amount per vessel shorted: $300. Therefore the purse is reduced by $3,000. This amount will be divided evenly between the three prize amounts by way of ratio.

  • - First Place will be reduced from $20,000 to $18,000
  • - Second Place will be reduced from $7,000 to $6,300
  • - Third Place will be reduced from $3,000 to $2,700
  • - State Record Chesapeake Bay caught Rockfish (striped bass) will still receive $100,000.

Weather:

Participants enter the tournament at their own risk and discretion and accept full responsibility for boat, crew, and anglers. Captain and crew must decide on each individual vessel as to their participation and their vessel capabilities to fish the day of the tournament. No refunds will be given for foul weather. However should the weather conditions be determined by the weather committee to be too foul for the tournament to be held on October 29th, 2011, the determination to postpone the event will be made by 5:00PM on October 28th, 2011. Should the event be postponed, the tournament will take place on November 5th with the same rules and restrictions as outlined herein. In this event each team captain will be notified of the postponement.

Refunds:

Unless prohibited by law the tournament shall proceed. In the event that there are legally no available hours for fishing the tournament on either designated dates due to an "Act of God" or natural disaster, 70% of all entry and TWT fees will be refunded.

Weigh-In:

FISH MUST BE BROUGHT TO AN OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN STATION BY REGISTERED BOAT DIRECTLY FROM FISHING BY WATER.

Fish must be brought to an Official Weigh-In Station only by boat. Fish must be brought to an Official Weigh-In Station by water in the same boat that they were landed. All fish weighed-in will be issued an "Official Weigh-In Receipt" bearing the catch weight and weigh-in time. In the event of an objection, participants must object to catch weight before the weigh-in receipt is issued. Upon receipt of the weigh-in, the catch weight shall be deemed accurate, final, and agreed upon by the Captain. Captains or their designees may weigh-in at any time the weigh-in stations are open. Weigh-in stations will be open from 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM on Saturday. Weigh-in stations will officially close at 4:00 PM on the day of the tournament or as soon as the last fish from the 3:30 "dock side rule" has been presented. No fish will be weighed-in after this time unless the Captain or their designee are in line and have been recognized by the Weigh-Master at the time of closing. All fish are subject to examination internally and externally, as the Weigh-Master deems necessary. Additional examination may be conducted by biologists as deemed necessary by the Tournament Committee. All fish weighed-in will be prominently marked by the Weigh-Master. Weigh-Masters may confiscate or report suspect fish to the Tournament Committee without protest. Fish that are submitted for weigh-in will not be returned.

Protest:

Protests may be submitted verbally or in writing to any official Weigh-Master. Protests are strongly encouraged to be in writing and should be raised at the time of incident. Verbal protests are to be followed up via a written protest to the Tournament Committee and turned over to the committee within 48 hours of the end of the tournament.

Fishing Hours:

From 5:00AM until 3:30PM. No lines are allowed in the water before 5:00AM. No exceptions. The start time is based on the Department of Natural Resources regulations. Boats are not required to start this early.

In case of an emergency breakdown of a participating vessel, a contestant may board another vessel with their fish and boat number to bring to the Official Weigh-In Station Scales by 3:30 PM, so long as prior radio approval is made with designated weigh station.

Largest fish is determined by WEIGHT ONLY. The boat or team captain must decide which fish are to be weighed-in. All fish officially weighed in will not be returned. In the event of a tie, the fish weighed in first will be deemed the winner. In the event of a tie in the first or second place categories, the fish weighed in second will take the following (lower) winning slot.

All fish entered must comply with all State regulations.

All fish will be subject to such examinations as the Tournament Committee deems necessary. All fish weighed will be prominently marked.

Fish will be measured in a straight line from tip of nose to fork of tail to qualify for weigh-in. Tags will be issued to Team captains for identification purposes of fish entered. Tags must be securely placed on fish through the mouth and gill before entering fish in tournament. Mismarked or improperly marked fish will be disqualified.

All fish must be caught on hook and line in the Maryland waters of the Chesapeake Bay or its tributaries.

All fish must be caught on hook and line in the Maryland waters of the Chesapeake Bay or its tributaries.

Disqualification:

The Tournament Committee reserves the sole and absolute discretion to disqualify any angler, crew, captain, registrant, or vessel at any time. Persons may be disqualified from the tournament because of a rule violation, regardless of the severity of the violation. All participants agree to abide by tournament rules and decisions of the Tournament Committee. Decisions as to the disqualification or eligibility of any vessel, crew, or fish weighed in shall be made solely by the Tournament Committee and its decisions shall be final and incontestable. The Tournament Committee reserves the right to disqualify any vessel at any time for misrepresentation made on any application or registration form by any member of the vessel, any suspicious activity or unsportsmanlike conduct. Any boat disqualified shall be for the entire tournament, and shall result in the forfeiture of all tournament fees and prize money even if the disqualification was made after the prize money was awarded.

Any prize winners must be prepared to submit and pass a polygraph test, at the discretion of the Tournament Committee prior to receiving their prize money.

The Tournament Committee at its sole discretion may refuse entry of any person. All decisions made by the Tournament Committee are final.

Waiver of Liability:

Participants in the Monster Rockfish Tournament accept the risks and dangers involved in activity, and they acknowledge that unanticipated and unexpected dangers may occur. Participants agree to indemnify and hold harmless: BAMM Enterprises & Hearst Publications, to include their officers, directors, members, committee members, their assigns, sponsors, lessees, agents, employees from any and all liability for any: claim, loss, injury, damage, demands, actions, choices in action, costs, accidents, libel, slander, negligence and/or death suffered by any member, family, crew, boat and/or other persons which may occur during the term of membership or participation in this tournament.

Future Promotion:

By registering to participate in this tournament, all persons consent to the use without payment or restrictions of any photographs or video and his or her name in which the captain, crew, and/or vessel appear for any purpose whatsoever.

It is the responsibility of all participants to familiarize themselves with all the rules and regulations of this tournament and abide by these rules and regulations. Amendments, additional rules and regulations shall be clarified at Registration Meetings or in your Captain’s Package.

Each boat must prominently display the boat number issued by the tournament committee. This number must be visible at all times during the tournament. This number will be available for pick-up at the official Captain’s meeting. If unavailable to attend the captains meeting, it will be mailed to you or available for pickup at your designated weigh station.

Separation of Vessels:

At no time during tournament fishing hours is a vessel permitted to approach another vessel or structure. Immediately upon returning to port all participants must first weigh-in fish with the Weigh-Master. Participants may not return with fish for weigh-in after having left the vessel and the weigh-in area. Refusal to abide by or error in abiding with this rule will result in disqualification.

Disabled Vessel:

In the event that a vessel becomes disabled during the tournament, the Captain must notify a Tournament Weigh-Master for authorization to transfer their tournament registration to another vessel. Upon approval, the replacement vessel shall assume original boat number, captain and crew. At no time during tournament fishing hours is a vessel permitted to approach another vessel or structure. Tournament vessels are only permitted to return to port during tournament hours at the Official Weigh-In Station they have designated in order to avoid disqualification. Participants returning to port for any reason must first check-in at their Official Weigh-In Station with the Weigh-Master to avoid disqualification.

The tournament is open to all legal US residents and visitors including charter boat captains, professional fishermen and recreational anglers.

Captains participating in the tournament should attend one of the Registration Meetings. Crew is also invited. Any additional rules or regulations shall be clarified at this meeting.

Prize Categories:

Entry Fee: Permits entry for Largest Rockfish (striped bass) by weight (first, second, and third place).

Optional fees for TWTs:

Maryland State Record Bluefish:
Entry fee $50.00. Payout: $20,000

Largest Bluefish by Weight:
Entry Fee $100.00 Payout: 75% of total collected entry fees, in this category.

Largest Rockfish, by weight, at specified individual weigh station (this is a per-weigh-station-TWT):
Entry fee per vessel is $150. Payout: 75% of total collected entry fees at specified weigh station.

Official Weigh-In Station - Locations

  • - Calvert Marina
  • - Point Lookout Marina
  • - Bay Bridge Marina
  • - Rod 'N' Reel
  • - Breezy Point Marina

Registration:

Internet registration will be available June 4th, 2011 through October 27th, 2011. Call us for over-the-phone secure sign up and send checks, payable to BAMM Enterprises, to:

  • Monster Rockfish Tournament
  • 21534 Great Mills Rd
  • Lexington Park, MD 20653
  • Registration forms and payment must be received by October 27, 2011.

Team Captain Packages:

The registrant (team captain) will receive one (1) official tournament T-shirt, one (1) official tournament hat, one (1) official boat registration flag, copy of rules & regulations, fish tags (five per vessel), door prize tickets, extras-sponsor related merchandise. Order form for additional tournament gear.

Sponsorship opportunities:

Please contact Jeff Tomcsik at:

  • BAMM Enterprises
  • Monster Rockfish Tournament
  • 21534 Great Mills Rd
  • Lexington Park, MD 20653
  • 1-877-390-BAMM (2266)