TOURNAMENT RULES

1. EVENT SCHEDULE
The Captains Meeting will be video recorded and distributed to all competitors. A representative from each team must sign electronically as confirmation. 

2.CAPTAIN’S MEETING
In order to be respectful and supportive of our friends at Bisbees’s and the Bisbee’s Los Cabos Tournament, the Zane Grey Championship Invitational Tournament (“ZGCI”) Captain’s Meeting will be shared presented via video no later than Friday, October 18, 2024, to all registered teams. Each team must electronically acknowledge the receipt of the Captain’s Meeting video via electronic signature. The ZGCI Tournament Director and staff will be available on Friday at TBD location from 6pm – 9pm to answer any questions prior to the first fishing day on Saturday.

3. PERMITS & LICENSES
Registered boat Captains, Mates and Anglers are required to comply with all Mexican Federal and State laws regarding fishing licenses, size limits, bag limits and any other regulations that may apply. Sport Fishing Championship highly encourages all tournament participants to register for a Mexican Sport Fishing License prior to the start of the tournament by visiting https://sportfishingmx.com/#obtenerLicencia. It is the responsibility of the tournament participants to obtain the proper licenses and remain in compliance with Mexican regulations.

4.  SHOTGUN START & FISHING HOURS
The Zane Grey Championship Invitational will begin with the official Shotgun Start at 7:00am each day of competition. Boats must line up behind the ZGCI Committee Boat at 7:00am prior to the start of each tournament day. At 7:00am, boats may depart from the marina following the shooting of the ceremonial flare and a call on the radio (Channel TBD) to begin the day’s competition.

Lines in for the tournament coincides with the Shotgun Start at 7:00am and continues until 5:30pm on October 19, 20 and 21. Baits, sonars or teasers are prohibited in the water before lines in. Any fish hooked before 5:30pm and reported to the tournament committee via radio or text message may be fought until caught, lost or released on Day 1 or Day 2. Any fish hooked after 5:30pm is ineligible.

All boats must be inside of the marina (crossing into the entrance of the marina marked by the rocks/breakwater) before 6:30pm each evening. If you are not in the marina prior to 6:30 your catch/points will be disqualified, unless you have notified the tournament committee on channel 71 of a hook-up prior to the call of the lines out (on Day 1 or Day 2 only).

In the event that a fish is caught after lines out, you will have 2.5 hours after the release, boating or loss of the fish to be inside of the marina. Any gamefish requiring a weigh-in must be in the marina prior to 6:30pm (exceptions below).

There are no lay days or weather days, unless determined by the Committee. Fish at your own risk

5. MARLIN HARVEST CUTOFF TIME
If you are hooked up to a marlin after the call for “lines out” on fishing Day 1 or on Day 2, you may continue fighting the fish until you catch the fish. You will then have 2.5 hours to get inside of the marina after the marlin is the released, boated or lost. There is no time limit to harvest or release a marlin hooked up prior to the call of lines in. A marlin weighed after 6:30 PM on Day 1 and Day 2 will only count towards the Largest Marlin Calcutta & Overall Points. No Daily points awarded for any blue marlin on Day 1 and Day 2 weighed after 6:30PM.

On Day 3, you must be inside of the marina by 5:30PM for a harvested marlin to count towards the Largest Marlin Calcutta. No Overall points or Daily Points will be awarded to a blue marlin weighed after 6:30PM on Day 3.

On Day 3, all billfish hooked prior to lines out must be released by 5:30PM for daily and overall points to be awarded.

6.  ANGLING & EQUIPMENT
The Zane Grey Championship Invitational Tournament is a modified IGFA Tournament. IGFA rules apply, except for rules modified and stated in the Tournament Rules below. 

7. BOUNDARIES
There is a 50-mile boundary rule - radius from the marina.

8. TOURNAMENT SPECIES
Blue marlin, black marlin, striped marlin, white marlin, sailfish, spearfish, yellowfin or bigeye tuna, wahoo and dorado. Blue and black marlin minimum eligible weight is 300 pounds. Only two marlin may be weighed per boat per day, and only one marlin may be weighed per angler per day. Striped marlin, sailfish and spearfish are release only. Minimum weight for tuna, wahoo and dorado is 20 pounds.

9. REPORTING OF BILLFISH
​A billfish hook-up must be called in to the "Committee Boat" within the first minute on VHF channel 71. The "Committee Boat" will validate your hook-up by announcement. A billfish release must be called in to the "Committee Boat" with the following information: species released, boat name and angler name. The "Committee Boat" will then verify your information by announcement and give you a release time, which must be recorded on your daily catch affidavit and turned in at the end of the fishing day, with your video evidence. It is unnecessary to call in any other species besides billfish. If you lose your fish prior to release (i.e. jump off, pulled hook, etc.) please inform the "Committee Boat" as soon as possible. If you call in a release, then it will be recorded as a release. The time stamp of the digital image is the official release time and must be within (plus or minus) ten (10) minutes of the time reported by radio to the "Committee Boat". If the timestamp of the identification of the fish is over ten (10) minutes from the VHF call, then the release time will be over to the time of the identification time. If a reporting error is made, VIDEO evidence will decide the outcome.

10. CATCH & RELEASE RULES
A “Qualified Catch” is defined as: 

1. Any blue marlin, black marlin, striped marlin, white marlin, sailfish and spearfish (all species).

The Tournament awards Qualified Catch points using the following scoring system: 

Blue Marlin: 450 points
Black Marlin: 450 points
Striped Marlin: 125 points
White Marlin: 125 points
Spearfish (all species): 125 points
Sailfish: 100 points

During Tournament, if a team returns to the docks with a marlin to be harvested and weighed, the team may record one marlin as a Qualified Catch in the catch and release category. The team may only record one harvested fish in the release category during the three days of tournament competition.
The Tournament reserves the right to enforce independent video verification reviewed by the Tournament Director and polygraph test examination of any Team Members in order to preserve the integrity of the competition The Tournament Director at its sole discretion may verify Qualified Catches or disqualify the Qualified Catch or a Fishing Team based on the results video verification and/ or polygraph examination.
Sport Fishing Championship competition officials support NOAA, ATCA, the Magnuson-Stevens Act and Code of Federal Regulations 50 CFR 635.21 (f) for the protection of Atlantic Migratory Species, which states: Anglers fishing with natural bait (or natural/artificial combination bait) must only use non-offset circle hooks in billfish tournaments. Anglers may only use J-hooks in billfish tournaments if they are fishing with artificial lures. 
The definition of "natural bait" as adopted by SFC means, any living or dead animal or vegetable substance which on account of the edibility, smell or taste thereof is used in angling to lure fish. Competitors may fight a fish either free standing, in a harness or seated in a fighting chair. SFC Qualifying Events permit competitors to fight a fish based on their preference.
While fighting a fish, a teammate is permitted to assist the Angler by adjusting a harness or chair so long as the teammate does not make intentional contact with the rod, reel or line.
For the safety of all competitors, teammates may reinforce the harness by pressing down on the back of the harness so long as the teammate does not make intentional contact with the rod, reel or line.
Anglers are prohibited from fighting a fish with the rod inside the rod holder. Anglers may not advance or crank the line while the rod is in the holder.
A teammate may pass the rod one time during the fight. If the rod is passed it must be done within the first minute after the hookup of the fish. Video verification may be applied to assure the rod was passed within 60 seconds of hookup.

11. VIDEO VERIFICATION
Identification Markers - each team will obtain 10 colored silicon bands prior to the day’s fishing. This marker must be displayed during the fight and recorded. Failure to show the marker in your video proof will disqualify your catch, even if it is time-stamped.

Release Verification Recordings - each team is required to show video evidence of billfish catch and release. This recording shall be TIME and DATE stamped in accordance with the "official time" as stated by the "Committee Boat" prior to each day's fishing. Your video proof shall include: 1) registered angler fighting the fish 2) proper identification marker 3) sufficient footage of the fish in order to accurately determine the species 4) proper release evidence - see Rule 10 above. All recordings submitted must be easily viewed by the Committee. It is the team's responsibility to have these items and the video cued up for immediate viewing. Failure to do so will delay the verification process. We highly recommend you have at least two recordings on different cameras, and underwater shots are the best way to accurately identify the species.

Billfish Release Affidavit - Each billfish release is required to be noted on the day's affidavit and submitted with your video to the Committee each fishing day. Failure to turn in your affidavit will disqualify that day's catch(es). Affidavits are supplied with your registration package. If you do not have one for each day, please see the Committee for a replacement.

Submission of Recordings - Verification recordings must be submitted to the Committee by 6:30 p.m. each day of fishing. All recordings, images, sounds, etc., shall become property of Sport Fishing Championship and may be used at any time. Recordings and/or images will be downloaded from the team’s device(s) for future reference and promotional use.

Disputes or Protests - All disputes must be submitted by 11:59pm each tournament day. Dispute will be settled by the Committee. All decisions are final. ​

All disputes will be settled by the Committee. All decisions are final.

12. HARVEST RULES
Minimum weight to harvest a blue marlin is 300lbs. In the event that a harvested fish does not meet minimum weight, the fish will be disqualified, and no points shall be awarded. Only two marlin may be taken per boat in the tournament per day. All striped marlin, white marlin, sailfish and spearfish must be released.

The following species are eligible for competition when caught by registered anglers in accordance with tournament rules:

Eligible for Weigh-in at Scales:

For each day the scales are open, each boat will be allowed to bring to the scales a maximum of 2 marlin, 2 tuna, 2 wahoo, and 2 mahi.

The tournament committee reserves the right to reject any fish entry because of poor condition (must be in fresh edible condition), mutilation (defined as anything that would impair the fish’s ability to swim away (being cut by the propeller or bit by a shark) or one that does not meet the eligible requirements set by this tournament.  The condition of the fish will be left to the scrutiny of the tournament director and committee. Committee DECISION IS FINAL.

13. GAMEFISH DIVISION WEIGH-IN
​Teams may weigh-in two of each species per day. Standard scale hours are 4:00PM – 6:30PM each fishing day. Teams may weigh-in after 6:30PM only if they have a confirmed hook-up and return inside of the marina within 2.5 hours after the release, boating or loss of fish. Any weigh-in outside of standard hours must be reported to the tournament director. 

On Day 3 scales will close at 6:30PM.

The minimum weight of each species is 20 pounds. Any fish eligible for weigh-in must be brought to the scales by a team representative, preferably the actual angler.

14. TIE BREAKERS
For Catch and Release: In the event that two or more teams have equal scores at the conclusion of Day 1, Day 2 and/ or Day 3, the following tie breakers will be implemented:

#1 - First black marlin released during the Tournament.

#2 - First blue marlin released during the Tournament.

#3 - First striped marlin released during the Tournament.

#4 - First sailfish released during the Tournament.

For Fish Weighed: Any category of fish brought to the scales, placement is determined by the order of weigh-in at the scales. The recorded time of weigh-in determines placement.

15. REGISTRATION & CALCUTTA
Registration for the he Zane Grey Championship Invitational Tournament is $6,500 and must be paid in full at time of registering for the event online through the SFC’s Reel Time App. SFC will retain 100% of the registration revenue, and 100% of the Calcutta will be paid back out to the winners. 15% of the Calcutta is required to be withheld for Mexican State, Federal and Local Taxes.

The Calcutta of $24,000 across the board is mandatory and is paid out as follows.

$10,000 Daily = 1st, 2nd and 3rd place daily category. Overall points per day. 50%, 30%, 20% payout.
$8,000 Overall Tournament = 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. Overall points in the Tournament. 50%, 30%, 20% payout.
$4,000 Largest Marlin (blue or black) = Minimum weight to harvest a marlin is 300lbs. 1st & 2nd place largest marlin payout is 60% / 40%. If only 1 qualifying fish is caught it will be winner take all. If no qualifying fish are caught, the Largest Marlin pot will be added to the overall tournament winners.
$2,000 Meat Fish = 1/3 winner-take-all for the largest dolphin, largest wahoo, and largest tuna. If only 2 qualifying species are weighed the pot will be split in half. If only 1 qualifying species is caught it will be winner take all.

The tournament does not take cash or checks in Cabo San Lucas. Payments must be made ahead of time via credit card, ACH payment or wire. All registration fees and Calcutta dues must be paid prior to 5pm EST on Thursday, October 17, 2024.

16. CANCELLATION POLICY
Each team is required to pay the $6,500 entry fee in full to register. Entry fee is non-refundable unless tournament is cancelled by the Tournament Director and Sport Fishing Championship. Sport Fishing Championship has the right to postpone, delay or cancel day(s) of the tournament due to severe weather. 

17. TOURNAMENT POLICY & RELEASE OF CLAIMS
By signing the entry, you adhere to all tournament rules and release of claims.Zane Grey Championship Invitational Tournament organizers have right to move tournament dates in case of severe weather and can refuse entry/participation to anyone for any reason at any time.

In consideration of being accepted for participation in the Zane Grey Championship Invitational Tournament and Sport Fishing Championship, each Teammate hereby releases, forever discharges, and agrees to hold harmless SFC and its officers, directors, employees, agents, volunteers, partners, members, and or attorneys (collectively the “Releasees”) for any and all losses, claims, or demands of any kind or character whatsoever arising from the negligence or gross negligence of the Releasees or from any other cause connected with or occurring during any SFC Qualifying Event.  Each Teammate expressly acknowledges that he/she has received reviewed and agrees to abide by the SFC rules and regulations and this release.  Furthermore, each Teammate expressly acknowledges that activities relating to deep sea fishing are extremely dangerous and involve the risk of serious injury or death, and each Teammate hereby assumes full responsibility for the risk of bodily injury or death due to the negligence of the Releasees or any other cause connected with or occurring during any SFC Qualifying Event.

ALL DECISIONS OF THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR AND COMMITTEE WILL BE FINAL.