IGFA rules will govern each sanctioned tournament with the exception that an angler may receive assistance getting the rod to the chair. The STBGFC abides by all Federal and State laws.
Important Times
Start fishing time will be 6am on the first day of each tournament. You may fish before this time but only those fish HOOKED after the start time will count towards that day’s tournament. Docktime will be between 6pm and 7:30pm on the final day of each tournament. This means that your boat must be in sight of the weigh station at or before 7:30pm on the final day of a tournament for any points to count. On the first day of a two-day tournament, the weighmaster will man the weighstation from 6pm to 7:30pm as well. During a two-day tournament, fish, tag cards and pictures from the first day can be turned in on the second day as long as you do so before docktime of that tournament.
Weather
In the event of bad weather a tournament can be called off at the discretion of the STBGFC Weather Committee. Barring extraordinary events, the default criteria for canceling a tournament will be SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY conditions or worse in the 5am NWS forecast for any of our offshore waters. The STBGFC can change these criteria should unusual circumstances occur. If the first day of a two-day tournament is canceled for any reason we will attempt to fish on the second day (weather permitting). If this happens that determination will again be made at 5am of that second day. Once a two-day tournament is called a “go”, the entire tournament is considered a “go” (again, barring some extraordinary event). Please note that there will be no “make up day” if a one day tournament is canceled.
Points
Points and weights will be accumulated throughout the season during sanctioned fishing tournaments. There will be up-to-date standings posted after each tournament. The final totals at the end of the season will determine the Club Championship and the Individual Award winners.
To obtain boat points towards the boat championship, the fish must be caught by a STBGFC member.
Only billfish and tagged and released yellowfin are eligible for points. One point is counted per pound of billfish weighed at the weigh station if it equals or exceeds the minimum length of 105 inches for Blue Marlin, 68 inches for White Marlin, 65 inches for Sailfish and 56 inches for Swordfish (all measured from the fork of the tail to the tip of the lower jaw). All billfish not meeting these required lengths must be tagged and released to be eligible for STBGFC points. Each boat must make every possible attempt to contact at least one other STBGFC boat after boating or releasing a qualifying points fish. The STBGFC Board of Directors will make a determination on the points to be awarded for any departure from this rule. These will be handled on a case-by-case basis. A digital picture (screenshot) or printed color picture must be turned into the weighmaster for all tagged fish. The fish in the picture must be identifiable. You can show the weighmaster your digital picture directly from the device the picture was taken. Once your digital picture is registered by the weighmaster, your fish will be counted on time. You will then need to text or email your digital picture to the contacts listed below to receive points for your fish (no need to do this for printed pictures). This must be done before midnight same day picture was submitted. Be sure to include the boat name, angler name and date of catch in the text or email. The billfish in the photo must be in the water. Any photo of a boated billfish will not count. You are welcome to turn in multiple photos of a particular fish for identification purposes. A tag card must be completely filled out and turned into the weighmaster. Remember that all tag cards and the photos must make docktime on the final day of each tournament.
Text or email photos to:
Text – 956-678-9978 (Matt Klosterman)
Email – matt@riofarmsinc.com
Points for tagged and released fish are as follows:
Blue Marlin – 400 points
Swordfish – 400 points
Spearfish – 150 points
White Marlin – 100 points
Sailfish – 50 points
Yellowfin Tuna – 50 points (limited to 2 per day per boat)
TIFT
During TIFT all TIFT rules will prevail including no tagged yellowfin points. Club points will be determined using TIFT data.
Cheating
Cheating will not be tolerated. The STBGFC Board of Directors is the enforcer of the rules. The Board will review any allegations of cheating and will have the final say on whether a rules violation has occurred and what penalties, if any, should be handed down. Anyone caught cheating could be subject to lifetime banishment from the STBGFG.