Tournament Rules

Please read all rules BEFORE submitting registration and/or fee payments.

Rules will also be read at Captain's meeting on Wednesday, May 6, 2026 @ 6pm

FISHING DAYS
May 7, 2026 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
May 8, 2026 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
May 9, 2026 8:00 am to 2:00 pm

Gamefish Scales are open:
May 7, 2026 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm
May 8, 2026 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm
May 9, 2026 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Scales will be open during fishing times and will not close for Blue Marlin weigh in.

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You must enter Level 1 PRIOR TO entering Level 2-5
Level 1 - Total Release Points $2,000.00 (mandatory)
Optional Levels:
Level 2 - Gamefish $800.00
Level 3 - Heaviest Blue Marlin $3,500.00
Level 4 - Outboard Total Release Points $500.00
Level 5 - Billfish Lottery $500.00
* Each billfish release will be assigned a number. At the awards ceremony, 2 numbers will be drawn to determine the 2 winners. Payout will be split 50/50.

REGISTRATION: All boats must be registered and paid the entry to fee to qualify for prizes and trophies. Any boat may be substituted during the tournament but must be registered with the Tournament Committee prior to fishing. Registration forms will be accepted at the Captain’s meeting or via the tournament website. No entries will be accepted after 9:00 am on the second day of fishing. The tournament will retain 15% of all entry fees.

WITHDRAWAL: Any request to withdraw a boat and receive a refund of entry must be received in writing by 9:00 am on the first day of fishing. 20% of entry fees will be retained by the tournament.

CAPTAIN/RULES MEETING: At least one person from each boat should attend the Captain’s Meeting. Regardless, all participants are responsible for knowing all the Tournament rules, including any changes that are announced at the Captain’s Meeting.

ROD AND REEL RULES: This is a rod, reel, hook and line tournament. Double line and leader combined may not exceed 40 feet; neither of which may exceed 30 feet. The following practices are illegal in this tournament: a) use of handline or rope attached to the line or leader; b) shooting, harpooning, or lancing; c) the transfer of any participant from one boat to another to assist in the landing of the fish.

BOUNDARIES: All fishing will be done between LORAN coordinates North 40275 and South 39200. Any fish hooked outside of the bound- aries will be disqualified.

FISHING TIMES: Fishing days shall be any 2 of the 3 days, captain’s choice. No lines, teasers, cameras, or omnidirectional sonar technology are permitted in the water before official fishing hours each day. Official time will be GPS time.

LAYDAY FORMS: Forms must be submitted prior to fishing hours for the day to be declared a non-fishing day. Submit LAYDAY Forms online.

REPORTING: All billfish must be reported to tournament headquarters when hooked, lost, released, or boated. Fish hooked prior to or after fishing times are not eligible. Radio frequency shall be VHF CHANNEL 71.

TOTAL RELEASE POINTS (LEVEL 1): Release points will only be given for blue marlin, white marlin, & sailfish when the mate touches the leader or the leader touches the rod tip before the fish is released. No release points will be awarded if the gaff breaks the outside vertical plane of the boat. In order to qualify as a release, the billfish must remain in the water. In the event of ties, the first boat to achieve the most points shall be the winning boat.

Blue Marlin – 400 points
White Marlin – 150 points
Sailfish – 150 points

RELEASE FORMS: must be submitted to the tournament committee no later than close of scales on the day of fishing. Forms can emailed to cpmbillfish@gmail.com or submitted online.

GAMEFISH (LEVEL 2): All gamefish will be brought to Big Rock Landing to be weighed. Prizes for gamefish will be determined by the heaviest weighed fish for each category. Gamefish categories are: Yellowfin Tuna, Dolphin, Wahoo.

HEAVIEST BLUE MARLIN (LEVEL 3): To be eligible for prize money, a blue marlin must weigh at least 400 pounds or measure at least 110 inches. Length shall be measured from the V-notch in the tail to the tip of the lower jaw. In the event of a tie by weight, the largest total measurement of girth plus length shall be declared the winner. NC State Law states that you may only boat 1 blue marlin per day.

400 POUND PENALTY: Boat will be penalized 400 pounds from the weight of the of the largest blue marlin weighed in by the boat if:

a) Blue Marlin does not meet the tournament minimum length and/or minimum weight.
b) Fish does not adhere to State and Federal Fisheries regulations.
c) If the gaff breaks the outside vertical plane of the boat, the fish can no longer be counted as a release and no points will be awarded. If the fish is lost, the team will not be penalized 400 points. If the fish is boated, it must meet the minimum requirements or a 400-pound penalty will be enforced.

OUTBOARD TOTAL RELEASE POINTS (LEVEL 4): Must also enter Level 1 Release Points and may enter any additional levels as desired. Entry in this level is restricted to outboard boats only. No inboards, inboard- outboards, jet powered, air- boats or sailboats permitted. This also includes any hybrid or combination of any of the above. OUTBOARDS MUST ALSO REGISTER IN LEVEL 3 TO BOAT A BLUE MARLIN.

BILLFISH LOTTERY (LEVEL 5): Each billfish release will be assigned a number. At the awards ceremony, 2 numbers will be drawn to determine the 2 winners. Payout will be split 50/50.

MANDATORY HOOK REQUIREMENTS: Non-offset circle hooks are mandatory when deploying natural bait or natural bait/artificial lure. "J" hooks are allowed on artificial lures only.

FEDERAL AND STATE REGULATIONS: All vessels and participants shall comply with North Carolina and Federal Fisheries laws and regulations regarding fishing licenses, vessel permits, fishing gear, season size, & bag limits.

DISQUALIFICATION: Boat will be disqualified with no refund or dispute if:

a) Any of the rules above are broken.
b) If a billfish is boated and not presented to the weigh master. A fish is considered boated when any portion of the fish intentionally breaks the outside vertical plane of the boat.
c) If a fish escapes before gaffing and is recapt- ured by any method other than as outlined in the angling rules. No free gaffing allowed.
d) Under no circumstances can you gaff the fish in order to measure the fish and then release the fish.
e) Attempted weight alteration is automatic disqualification.
f) MUTILATION - IGFA rules apply.

ROLLOVER: If no qualifying fish is weighed in:
- Level 2 category - the total amount of prize money for that category will roll over to next year's tournament for that level 2 category.
- Level 3 - the total amount of prize money for level 3 will be rolled over to the next year's tournament for level 3.

For questions not covered by rules, the tournament rules committee will determine the solution to questions/situation and its judgment shall be final.