2010 Rules
NOTE: For a printable version (Adobe PDF) of these rules, click here.1. Entrants must register at Rod ‘N’ Reel Dock by 8:00 PM on Thursday April 29th, 2010 (phone 301-855-8450) or write Rod ‘N’ Reel, Box 99, Chesapeake Beach, MD 20732 or at www.rodnreeltournament.com. Last minute entries will be accepted at the discretion of the Rules Committee.
2. Entry Fee will be $135.00 for Charterboats (or any boat with a licensed guide aboard) and $95.00 for a private boat each day. Discount for 2 days - $235.00 Charterboat, $160.00 - Private boat for 2 days, and for all 3 days - $335.00 Charterboat and $225.00 Private boat.
3. To be eligible for door prize drawings, entries must be received no later than April 20, 2010 and entrants must be registered to fish for a minimum of 2 days. Your boat number must be present to win. This year you will receive an extra boat number marked "For door prize drawing - please bring to the Captain's Meeting and the Reading of the Rules meeting" on April 29th, 2010 at 6:00 PM. If the captain is unable to attend, he or she may select a crew member to carry this boat number to be deposited in a container for the door prize drawings - you must be present to accept the door prize.
4. Each boat will prominently display a placard (issued by the rules committee). This placard must be displayed at all times during the tournament.
5. Tournament will be three days: Friday - April 30th, Saturday - May 1st and Sunday - May 2nd, 2010. Should a day be cancelled, all daily prizes associated with that day will be drawn from the Lucky Bucket. Participants shall monitor VHF channel 72, CB channel 1, or call 800-233-2080 to determine cancellations.
6. Any boat may be boarded by tournament representatives for a thorough inspection of fish boxes, bilges, containers and compartments at any time.
7. At no time after the start of the tournament is any boat permitted to approach another boat, structure or land. If this rule is broken, the entrant will be disqualified and the entry forfeited. Verified emergencies may be excused from this rule. Boats wishing to register fish can come to the main fuel pier only at Calvert Marina or Rod ‘N’ Reel to register their fish at any time during the hours of the tournament and may go back into the bay; however, only the captain or mate may leave the boat and return to go back out.
8. Weigh Stations are Calvert Marina (Solomons Island) and Rod ‘N’ Reel (Chesapeake Beach). Recorded weights at the time of measurement are final. Fish must be weighed in by 4:30 PM SHARP each day! If you are standing in line, your fish will be weighed. If you are approaching the fuel pier and not in line, your fish will not be weighed. You are only allowed to check in 2 rockfish per boat per day.
9. No lines in the water before 6:00 AM each day.
10. Boundaries: Maryland waters of the Chesapeake Bay (no tributaries). Boundaries are subject to enforcement by committee boats, aerial surveillance and fellow participants. Out of bounds will result in disqualification without refund.
11. All fish entered in this tournament must be caught by hook & line.
12. Upon return to port, each boat must go to the weigh station first, verified emergencies may be excused from this rule.
13. All fish entered will be subject to such examination, externally and internally, as the judges deem necessary. Judges reserve the right to delay any award should the fish go to a laboratory for extensive testing to determine the legality of the fish. In case of fraud, the entrant will be subject to prosecution. All persons on any boat registering a fish will be subject to a lie detector test if the judges deem necessary or protest is filed. All protests shall be made in writing to the judges no later than one hour after the last fish has been weighed. Judge’s decisions are final. Challenges shall not be considered without a proper protest being filed. Any fish entered in the tournament is subject to disqualification if the judges decide it bears suspicious marks or characteristics. All decisions by the judges are final.
14. A GRAND PRIZE of $7,000 for the heaviest rockfish of the tournament. Rockfish must be caught with a rod and reel. The Daily Prize Schedule is repeated here.
Rockfish Prizes (by weight)
$7000 GRAND PRIZE ROCKFISH
Friday Saturday Sunday 1.
$2000 $2000 $2000 2. $800 $800 $800 3. $650 $650 $650 4. $600 $600 $600 5. $550 $550 $550 6. $500 $500 $500 7. $450 $450 $450 8. $400 $400 $400 9. $350 $350 $350 10. $300 $300 $300 Private Boat Daily Bonus Prizes
$1000 $1000 $1000 Top Lady Angler
Top Lady Angler in Tournament will win $1000
Children's Category
1st in Children's Category will win $500 in Savings Bonds 2nd in Children's Category will win $300 in Savings Bonds 3rd in Children's Category will win $200 in Savings Bonds 15. A BONUS of $1,000 will be paid to a private boat for a single largest fish by weight per day (One prize per fish allowed.) All winners will be at the discretion of the Rules Committee.
16. An individual fish may win only one prize by weight per day. In the event a prize is unclaimed, a winner will be drawn from the “LUCKY BUCKET”. One day entrants have one chance at prizes, two day entrants have two chances at prizes and three day entrants have three chances at prizes. Unclaimed prizes will be drawn from the Lucky Bucket. All prizes and “LUCKY BUCKET” drawings will be awarded at the conclusion of the tournament. In case of ties in weight, the earliest entry will be declared the winner.
17. Children's Category is for children age 12 and under. Top Lady Angler is for age 13 and over.
18. All communications between judges and fishermen will be monitored on CB Channel 1 and VHF Channel 72. There will be a fish report on these channels on the hour, every hour. Please be courteous at these times so everyone may hear these reports.
19. Entry fee must accompany application. Make checks payable to Rod ‘N’ Reel Captain’s Association. It is your responsibility to have your fish weighed at the official weigh-in stations - Rod ‘N’ Reel, Chesapeake Beach and Calvert Marina, Solomons Island.
20. As participants in this year's Pro-Am Sportfishing Tournament sponsored by the Rod ‘N’ Reel Captain’s Association, Inc. to be held in Chesapeake Beach, knowing the risks and dangers involved in such activities and any unanticipated dangers that may develop, you agree to hold harmless and discharge the sponsor, namely the Rod ‘N’ Reel Captain’s Association Inc., the Rod ‘N’ Reel, Inc., All Tackle, The Fisherman Magazine, Jasper Engines & Transmissions and Sport Chevrolet, their assigns, lessees, agents, employees and directors, from any and all damages, demands, actions, cost and/or expenses by or on behalf arising out of personal injury, property damage and or accidents incurred by participants engaged in the 29th Annual Rod ‘N’ Reel Pro-Am Fishing Tournament.
21. Our entrants are strongly encouraged to release all fish not eligible for the tournament or which they do not want for personal consumption. Please help conserve our precious resource.
22. By registering to participate in the tournament, all persons consent to the use without payment or restrictions, of any photographs and his or her name in which the captain, crew and/or boat appear for any purposes whatsoever.
23. Drawings for all door prizes will be held at the Captain’s Meeting and “Reading of the Rules” on Thursday, April 29th, 2010 at 6:00 PM in the banquet room in the Rod ‘N’ Reel Restaurant. See Rule #3 for eligibility for door prizes.
