SpearMax
06-05-2012, 06:40 AM
Here attached are the official rules for the 2012 Big Bang Open in draft form. This is a PDF version attached to make it easy if you wish to print them out. Keep in mind though that these are not the final rules yet.
Once again a few species are closed on the west coast of Florida at the time of the tournament - namely Amberjack and Triggerfish.
As worked well last year, our weighmaster Randy and I made adjustments for the Amberjack with the allowance of one barracuda (in addition to the wild card) for west coast shooters. Any of the barracuda brought in can be donated to the shark scientists and is greatly appreciated by them.
I stated these rules are in draft form because I would like some feedback on the triggerfish closure. Randy and I thought it would not make any sense to allow a barracuda in that category due to the typical significant weight difference between those two species. Keep in mind our 20 points (pounds) maximum points for aggregate scoring.
What we are proposing to do for this year is eliminate Triggerfish from the fish list below for both coasts and in its place add Porgy. Therefore, you could weigh in two sheepsheads, two porgies or one sheepshead and one porgy.
The tournament has strived from its inception to provide as much of a level playing field as possible for all regions in which contestants are shooting.
http://www.spearboard.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=173160&stc=1&d=1338896379
Please review the attached PDF file of the entire set of rules. Here are the fish list special notes:
SPECIAL NOTES:
ADVANCE EAST OR WEST COAST SHOOTING DECLARATION - Each participant MUST declare where they will be hunting for BOTH days at the time of registration because of the disparity of species closures around the region. You may change your choice of East or West Coast Declaration up until 11 pm on the date of the optional Captain's meeting which is Thursday, July 19, 2012 via e-mail notification to enter@bellsouth.net and with the receipt of a response via e-mail.
You must print out the e-mail response and bring it to the weigh-in for presentation to the weigh master in order for your shooting declaration change to be accepted. See Geographical Issues below which states you may not hunt in the Bahamas or any other foreign country.
GROUPER CATEGORY - Species of legal Grouper eligible for this category might include Black Grouper, Gag Grouper, Yellowfin Grouper, Yellowmouth Grouper, Warsaw Grouper, etc. as long as they are legal to harvest in federal or state waters where you are hunting. The Florida single-day possession rules at the weigh-in location at Riviera Beach apply. For example, you may weigh in only one black or gag grouper.
SNAPPER CATEGORY - Species of legal snappers eligible for this category might include Cubera Snapper, Dog Snapper, Mutton Snapper, etc.
COBIA OR JACK CATEGORY - Only one cobia or jack is allowed. Species of legal jacks eligible for this category might include Amberjack, Yellow Jack, Almaco Jack, etc. that are legal to harvest in federal or state waters where you are hunting. Because Amberjack is closed in the Gulf at the time of the tournament, we will allow (for this year only) the optional weigh-in of a barracuda in this category for West Coast registered shooters only.
WILD CARD CATEGORY – This category is designed to level the playing field due to grouper and snapper closures in various regions. Your wild card fish can be a barracuda or any fish now eligible in the above categories except you may weigh in only one gag grouper or black grouper total in order to comply with the East Coast possession limit where the weigh-in is located.
West Coast Registered Shooters have a maximum number of two barracuda that can be weighed in for all categories and East Coast Registered Shooters have a maximum number of one barracuda as the Wild Card Fish. Contestants who weigh in barracuda have the option of donating these fish to scientists who will use them for fisheries research.
Therefore, you may still bring in nine fish as in the past and the maximum potential points will remain the same (9 x 20 = 180 points).
Note: fish measurement is based on the current measurement to fork or overall as required by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission no matter where the fish was harvested. Cobia, Jacks and Hogfish are measured to the fork. The weighmaster has the final say on all fish being weighed.
Some good resources for current recreational regulations are the following websites:
http://myfwc.com/media/2075522/saltwater_regulations_chart.pdf
http://www.gulfcouncil.org/fishing_regulations/regulations_matrix/Site/Regulations_Matrix.html
http://www.safmc.net/FishIDandRegs/RegulationsbySpecies/tabid/248/Default.aspx
Once again a few species are closed on the west coast of Florida at the time of the tournament - namely Amberjack and Triggerfish.
As worked well last year, our weighmaster Randy and I made adjustments for the Amberjack with the allowance of one barracuda (in addition to the wild card) for west coast shooters. Any of the barracuda brought in can be donated to the shark scientists and is greatly appreciated by them.
I stated these rules are in draft form because I would like some feedback on the triggerfish closure. Randy and I thought it would not make any sense to allow a barracuda in that category due to the typical significant weight difference between those two species. Keep in mind our 20 points (pounds) maximum points for aggregate scoring.
What we are proposing to do for this year is eliminate Triggerfish from the fish list below for both coasts and in its place add Porgy. Therefore, you could weigh in two sheepsheads, two porgies or one sheepshead and one porgy.
The tournament has strived from its inception to provide as much of a level playing field as possible for all regions in which contestants are shooting.
http://www.spearboard.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=173160&stc=1&d=1338896379
Please review the attached PDF file of the entire set of rules. Here are the fish list special notes:
SPECIAL NOTES:
ADVANCE EAST OR WEST COAST SHOOTING DECLARATION - Each participant MUST declare where they will be hunting for BOTH days at the time of registration because of the disparity of species closures around the region. You may change your choice of East or West Coast Declaration up until 11 pm on the date of the optional Captain's meeting which is Thursday, July 19, 2012 via e-mail notification to enter@bellsouth.net and with the receipt of a response via e-mail.
You must print out the e-mail response and bring it to the weigh-in for presentation to the weigh master in order for your shooting declaration change to be accepted. See Geographical Issues below which states you may not hunt in the Bahamas or any other foreign country.
GROUPER CATEGORY - Species of legal Grouper eligible for this category might include Black Grouper, Gag Grouper, Yellowfin Grouper, Yellowmouth Grouper, Warsaw Grouper, etc. as long as they are legal to harvest in federal or state waters where you are hunting. The Florida single-day possession rules at the weigh-in location at Riviera Beach apply. For example, you may weigh in only one black or gag grouper.
SNAPPER CATEGORY - Species of legal snappers eligible for this category might include Cubera Snapper, Dog Snapper, Mutton Snapper, etc.
COBIA OR JACK CATEGORY - Only one cobia or jack is allowed. Species of legal jacks eligible for this category might include Amberjack, Yellow Jack, Almaco Jack, etc. that are legal to harvest in federal or state waters where you are hunting. Because Amberjack is closed in the Gulf at the time of the tournament, we will allow (for this year only) the optional weigh-in of a barracuda in this category for West Coast registered shooters only.
WILD CARD CATEGORY – This category is designed to level the playing field due to grouper and snapper closures in various regions. Your wild card fish can be a barracuda or any fish now eligible in the above categories except you may weigh in only one gag grouper or black grouper total in order to comply with the East Coast possession limit where the weigh-in is located.
West Coast Registered Shooters have a maximum number of two barracuda that can be weighed in for all categories and East Coast Registered Shooters have a maximum number of one barracuda as the Wild Card Fish. Contestants who weigh in barracuda have the option of donating these fish to scientists who will use them for fisheries research.
Therefore, you may still bring in nine fish as in the past and the maximum potential points will remain the same (9 x 20 = 180 points).
Note: fish measurement is based on the current measurement to fork or overall as required by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission no matter where the fish was harvested. Cobia, Jacks and Hogfish are measured to the fork. The weighmaster has the final say on all fish being weighed.
Some good resources for current recreational regulations are the following websites:
http://myfwc.com/media/2075522/saltwater_regulations_chart.pdf
http://www.gulfcouncil.org/fishing_regulations/regulations_matrix/Site/Regulations_Matrix.html
http://www.safmc.net/FishIDandRegs/RegulationsbySpecies/tabid/248/Default.aspx