2017 JERSEY COAST FLUKE TOURNAMENT

Tentative Rules & Regulations

(As of April 25, 2017)

GENERAL INFORMATION

Tournament Date: Saturday, August 5th, 2017

Fishing Hours: Dawn until 5 P.M. To be eligible all fluke must be weighed in at one of the 9 official weigh stations (that you previously selected) starting from 1 P.M. but not later than 5 P.M. and must be accompanied by your official weigh slip affidavit with entry number.

Fishing Location: Fish all waters within 20 miles of the New Jersey coast open to the public, including the ocean, bays, inlets and rivers stretching from the Raritan Bay & Hudson River in the north to Delaware Bay in the south.

Awards Presentation & Celebration: Thursday, August 10th, 2017 at the Clarion Hotel, Rt. 37E, Toms River, Registrations beginning at 3:00PM and Awards Presentations beginning at 7:00PM.

Weigh Slip (Affidavit): Official weigh slip affidavit (fuchsia in color) is mailed to each entrant upon sign-up and for late sign-ups they will be handed out at the weigh stations upon sign-up the day before the tournament. If you have lost your affidavit tell the weighmaster your name. You will be on the port log, but you may encounter a delay in processing.

GENERAL RULES AND PROVISIONS

• The tournament will be held rain or shine on August 5th. It is the sole responsibility of the entrant/captain of all entered boats to determine if weather and sea conditions are safe to fish. The Jersey Coast Anglers Association, its administrators, officers, directors, agents, committee members, sponsors and/or any and all other persons assume no responsibility or liability for any boats entered or individuals participating in the tournament. There will be a $20.00 processing fee for just cause cancellations.
• If weather conditions prohibit any or all boats from fishing and, as a result, an insufficient number of fish are weighed in to account for any or all of the “Port” prizes, any prizes unaccounted for will be retained by JCAA.
• It is the responsibility of all entrants and contestants to comply with all state, federal, and International Game Fish Association (“IGFA”) international angling rules, including any applicable state registry requirements.
• Each boat may have up to 6 anglers and no more than six lines may be in the water at one time. The only exceptions are for those who have entered as an individual and are fishing on a charter boat with more than 6 anglers, a party boat or from shore, in which case they may only fish one line at a time.
• Each entrant may only win one port prize and one early entrant prize. Prizes are no longer restricted to one prize per boat; rather, it is one prize per entrant as multiple entrants are allowed to fish on the same boat.
• All participants will have requested and will be assigned a specific port from which to compete. Therefore, all participants must present their fish for weigh-in at the port designated on their official weigh-in slip. Weigh masters will not weigh fish from participants who do not appear on that port’s official entry list.
• Participants must present their official weigh slip affidavit with registration number to the weigh master along with fish to be weighed between the hours of 1 PM and 5 PM to be eligible to win any prizes. The scales close promptly at 5 PM.
• After weighing your fish (you may ask to weigh an additional fish if you have two fish of similar weight to determine the heaviest), the weigh master should mark the heaviest by cutting a V-notch in the tail fin. Fluke presented for weigh-in with a freshly cut V-notch in the tail will be denied entry. Once a fish is weighed you cannot weigh another fish in at a later time. All fish must be caught during the hours of the tournament by means of hook and line and be presented as fresh, not frozen in appearance.
• All fluke presented to the weigh master will be recorded in pounds and hundredths of pounds and measured for length to the nearest 1/8 of an inch. The time the fish are presented for weigh-in will be recorded in hours and minutes. The weigh master will also record the name and hometown of the individual from your team who caught the fish weighed in on the port log for press release. Your affidavit will also be annotated and signed by the weigh master and will be the document used to resolve any disputes. Keep the affidavit as it is required for your registration and entry at the award ceremony.
• If two fish tie by weight, the longer fish will be declared the winner. If the two fish are the same weight and length, the fish presented for weigh-in at the earliest time will be declared the winner.
• JCAA reserves the right to require a polygraph examination within 60 days, at JCAA's expense, of any captain/entrant or crew member to preserve the integrity of the tournament. Failing the test or refusing to take the test will result in disqualification.
• $50,000 Doormat Fluke Prize: $50,000 will be paid to the angler who catches and weighs in the largest fluke exceeding 12lbs. by at least 1/100 of a pound. A picture of the angler and the fish is required, along with proper identification of the angler. In addition to the JCAA official weigh master, one other independent witness must be present and attest to the weight of the fish and must also sign the affidavit attesting to the accuracy of the weight. That witness must also provide identification for future verification. The registered entrant/captain and angler who caught the fish must also sign the affidavit.
• In addition, the angler who catches the fish will be required to take and pass, in a conclusive manner, a polygraph examination, and the registered entrant/captain, any crew members and witnesses may also be required to take the examination by a licensed polygraphist provided by JCAA, at the expense of JCAA. Failing the test or refusing to take the test within 60 days will result in the fish being disqualified from the tournament. All rules that apply to any of the “Port prizes” also apply to the Doormat Fluke Category Prize. In the event of a tie, all of the above rules apply.
• The Tournament Director, as well as family and household members of same, shall be ineligible to participate in the Doormat Fluke Category.
• Names and likenesses of all prize winners, including Doormat Fluke Category Prize winner, may be used by JCAA and JCAA’s designee(s) for promotional purposes without further compensation to JCAA or the individual prize winners or Doormat Fluke Category Prize winner.
• Any and all appeals must be made in writing and submitted to JCAA within two days of the conclusion of the tournament. Appeals must be accompanied by a $25 processing fee. If the appeal is granted, the money will be refunded. All decisions made by JCAA will be deemed final.
• Calcuttas: For the Port Calcuttas you are only competing against others who fish out of the same port. For the Overall Calcuttas you are competing against everyone in the tournament. JCAA will pay out 7/8 of the money collected to the winner of each Calcutta. Entrants who join the Calcuttas and weigh in the heaviest fluke will receive all the cash paid out for that particular Calcutta. All rules that apply to the “Port prizes” also apply to the Calcuttas.

GENERAL RELEASE

PRIZES

There are six prize categories in this tournament:

1:  Early Entrant Prizes – Special cash prizes for those who enter prior to the early entry deadline. $1000 cash will be awarded to the early entrant who catches the largest fluke, $500 cash will be awarded to the early entrant who catches the second largest fluke and $250 cash will be awarded to the early entrant who catches the third largest fluke.

2:  Doormat Fluke Category - $50,000 cash will be awarded to the entrant who signs up for this category and catches the largest fluke over 12 lbs.! It cost only $25 more to enter this category.

3:  Fluke “Port” Prizes*

Nine Ports - Ten Prize Packages

* Port Prizes to be determined and listed at a later date.

You compete for over $2,500 in prizes for your port. The port prizes are: 1st place $1,200, plus 9 additional prizes include rods, reels, premium sunglasses, quality marine products and other items which will be included in the port prizes from these sponsors: Starcraft Boats, Yamaha, Canyon Reels and others that will be soon confirmed. Remember that you only compete against those boats registered in your port for these port prizes. You do not have to be present at the awards ceremony to win the port prizes..

This event is actually nine mini-tournaments in one. “Port” prizes will be presented to the entrants based on the ten heaviest fluke weighed from each port. Each entrant may weigh only one fluke for “Port” prize contention. That entrant may then win only one port prize in this category. Only entrants registered for a port are eligible to win the prizes designated for that port.

• “Port” prizes will be presented to the registered angler on the weigh-in affidavit. Port prize distribution to the anglers (up to six anglers per registration) fishing on board any boat is the responsibility of the registered angler on the affidavit. JCAA, its officers, and tournament sponsors assume no liability for “Port” prize distribution to individual anglers. Arrangements to pick up port prizes not awarded on August 10th can be made by calling the JCAA office. Port prizes will be held until September 10th, 2017 for pick up in at our office in Toms River after such time they will be considered donated to JCAA.
• Only the registered angler or his/her representative is eligible to participate for the Grand Prize and door prize drawings at the Clarion Hotel in Toms Rivers, NJ on August 10th. However, the Grand Prize will go to the registered angler.

4:  Calcuttas – All prize money from the various Calcuttas will be awarded at the awards ceremony on August 10th. You do not need to be present to win but winners who are not present should call our office to make arrangements to receive their prizes.

5:  Door Prizes - Door Prizes include rods, reels, assorted tackle packages and much more! They will be awarded at the Clarion Hotel, Rte. 37 East, Toms River, NJ on August 10th, 2017.

6:  Grand Prize - 14’ Starcraft Boat and a Yamaha motor

The Grand Prize and all door prizes will be drawn at the Awards Presentation and Celebration at the Clarion Hotel in Toms River, NJ. Remember, you do not have to catch a fish to be eligible for the Grand Prize or any door prizes. You only have to be registered and present at the awards ceremony.

AWARDS CEREMONY

The Awards Presentation will take place in the ballroom beginning promptly at 7 p.m. August 10th. The registration booths will be outside the ballroom and they will be open from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on August 10th. All entrants must register prior to the presentation. At least one member of your crew must be present for you to win the Grand Prize and door prizes. Only one person per entry will receive the special three-part ticket for the Grand Prize & door prize drawings. Your official weigh-in affidavit must be presented to register and receive your tickets to the drawings.

Free cheeseburgers, hot dogs, mozzarella sticks, soda coffee and tea will be served from 5 – 7 p.m. Cash bars will be available.

“Port” prizes will be awarded during this ceremony. You do not have to be present to win your “port” prize, although a photo session will be scheduled with the winners for publication in area newspapers and our web site. We urge all port winners to attend. Prizes not picked up will be held in Toms River for 30 days.

To book discounted rooms at the Clarion Hotel in Toms River, call for reservations: 1-732-341-2400 or visit their website.