Official Rules
Fish for Holly Sailfish Tournament 2024
1. The entry fee, if paid by December 20, 2023 is $200 for adult angler and $75 for junior (16 & under) angler. If paid after December 20, 2023 the entry fee is $250 for adults & $100 for juniors. Online registration ends January 3, 2024 at 12:01am. Walk-Up registration is allowed until 9pm January 5, 2024 and is $250 for Junior and Adult anglers. Registration closes at 9pm January 5, 2024 for all tournament participants. The angler charge includes entry fee, sales tax, gifts, one Captain & one Mate.
2. This entry is non-transferable and there can be no substitution of anglers unless so approved by the Tournament Director. The Tournament Director reserves the right to refuse tournament application or entry to any prospective entrant with or without cause at their sole discretion.
3. The Fish for Holly Sailfish Tournament rules will be strictly adhered to and all decisions of the Tournament Director will be final. Any angler found to be in violation of any tournament rule may be disqualified from this tournament.
4. This is an Individual Angler tournament there is no limit to the number of anglers per boat. Point scoring will be on both a cumulative and individual basis for trophy purposes. The angler(s) on the boat accumulating the most release points first will be judged the winner of Top Boat. All vessels and/or anglers must possess the proper licenses and permits.
5. This is a catch and release format. Point scoring is a follows: 100 points for each released sailfish. Fun fish will be weighed by pounds and ounces at the weigh-in site at Postcard Inn & Marina from 3:30pm–5:30pm to determine winner of the fun fish categories.
6. Any pound test may be used. Only manufacturers stated circle hooks that are non-offset may be used with live or dead bait.
7. Live bait chumming is prohibited throughout the course of this tournament. Any bait, or portion thereof, not being fished or used as a teaser, is permitted to be returned to the water. Live bait, dead bait, or artificial bait may be used. No entangling device or similar material may be used. Fish must be caught by hook and line in a conventional manner aboard the boat from which it was hooked. Spin or conventional tackle may be used and no more than seven (7) lines can be in the water at any time. This restriction does not include teaser lines.
8. All sailfish hook-ups and releases must be reported immediately to and acknowledged by the Committee Boat. The exact number of sailfish hooked up must be reported, i.e. a single, a double, etc. In addition, the captain must report the final disposition of the hook-up to the Committee Boat (released, tagged, lost, etc.). The tournament channel is 78.
9. This is a HOOK AND HAND tournament. The registered mate may hook a fish but it must immediately be handed to an angler before the hook up is called in.
10. The double line shall be limited to fifteen(15) feet and the leader shall be limited to fifteen(15) feet. However, the combined length of the double line and leader cannot exceed twenty(20) feet. No more than two(2) single hooks may be attached to the leader and then only if both hooks are imbedded in or attached to the bait. These must be attached separately at least a hook’s length apart and not more than eighteen(18) inches.
11. For the purpose of the tournament, a ‘Release’ shall be considered to be accomplished when the captain, angler, or mate touches the leader or the leader knot passes through the first eye ring of the rod or cork and swivel come together at the rod tip. It is recommended that the leader be cut as close to the fish as possible. If a fish is subsequently tagged after being released according to the above criteria, the time of tagging shall be considered to be the same time as the release.
12. If a fish should become hooked on more than one line or become entangled in another line, then the fouled line or lines must be cut immediately. It is the intent of this rule that the fish is fought the majority of the time on a single line, if the fish is not fought the majority of the time on a single line, then the fish will not be scored.
13. Time limits are as follows: Other than bait catching, lines and teasers in the water at 8am and lines out of the water at 3pm. Fish may be fought after lines out provided they have been reported to and acknowledged by the Committee Boat prior to lines out. Sailfish being fought after lines out must be released by 5pm. Fun fish must be weighed from 3:30pm-5:30pm. After 5:30pm, weigh-ins will not be counted. If there is a tie weight, the winning fish goes to the earlier weigh in.
14. Fishing boundaries are based on GPS latitude and longitude. The northerly boundary is the shoreline and the southerly boundary is the 100-fathom curve. The easterly boundary is 80.17.85W and the westerly boundary is 80.51.30W. All fish must be hooked-up within these boundaries. Other than bait catching with the proper permits, no vessel will be allowed to engage in any fishing activity inside of a special preservation area. These SPA’s are marked by four yellow balls.
15. Participants in this tournament enter at their own risk. Officials, committee members, and all persons connected directly or indirectly with the operation of the Fish for Holly Sailfish Tournament shall be exempt from any liability for loss, damage, negligence, harm, or injury suffered to any participant, entrant, sports fisherman, their companions, boat captains, crew members, vessels and equipment, which may occur during this tournament.
