Rules
2024 Rules
2024 Rules
"Play by the rules, but be ferocious" -Phil Knight
"Play by the rules, but be ferocious" -Phil Knight
Captain Goody Bag
Captain Goody Bag
2024 Captain Bag Gift - a goody bag will be given to the captain of the first 400 boats entered into the 2024 tournament. The Goody Bag will include a bucket and tool bag. Goody bags not picked up during Registration/Packet Pickup on Thursday, October 3rd from 10am-9pm at Dutchman Creek Park will be forfeited.
By the Numbers
Approximate GPS addresses for important locations:
- Tournament Headquarters & Weigh-In Tent - Dutchman Creek Park -4750 Fish Factory Road - 33.55.450N 78.03.633W
- Check In Locations:
- Malcolm Register Park- 334 NE 52nd Street, Oak Island 33.55.319N 78.06.546W
-Southport Yoga Dock - 317 W. Bay Street, Southport 33.91.636N 78.02.238W
- Angler Pickup Dock @ Safe Harbor South Harbour Village Marina- 4909 Fish Factory Road, Southport 33.55.304N 78.03.730W
Thank you to Brunswick County Parks & Recreation Department, American Marine Construction and Duke Energy for their support.
Eligibility
1. Each boat in the tournament competition will receive an entry number and shall display that number in a manner which will make it easily identifiable during competition hours.
2. Tournament officials will monitor VHF 68 during competition hours. VHF 16 is to be kept open for emergency calls and Coast Guard assistance. Tournament boats wishing to contact other boats will call on VHF 68 then switch to an open working ship to ship channel (6-69-70-71-72).
3. The eligible species for competition purposes is king mackerel (Scomberomorus cavalla).
4. Tournament competition limited to motorized boats only.
5. This is a sporting event. There shall be no more than six lines fished from any boat. All fish must be taken on a rod and reel. No boat lines or electric reels will be allowed. Downriggers, outriggers, and kites will be permitted as fishing line carriers only.
6. There is no tournament restriction as to the number of people allowed aboard each boat during competition hours.
7. The tournament committee reserves the right to inspect any boat entered in competition, including an on-board inspection.
8. The tournament committee reserves the right to refuse entry into the tournament.
9. The tournament committee reserves the right to place a tournament representative on any entrant's boat during competition for the purpose of observation.
10. A captain may enter one boat only in the U.S. Open King Mackerel Tournament. The boat entered must be the boat fished throughout the tournament. Replacement boats may not be entered for any reason after 7:00 a.m. on the first day of the tournament competition.
11. A registered captain must be on the boat each day of the Tournament. If/when a change in captain occurs, the replacement captain must be cleared in writing at the Tournament Headquarters in advance of Check-Out the day of the change.
12. Information entered on the registration form is official and any changes must be initialed by the participant.
13. Must provide tournament a Social Security or EIN to receive winnings from the U.S. Open King Mackerel Tournament.
Competition
1. This is a Captain’s Choice Tournament. It is up to the captain of each boat to determine if he/she and crew will compete on one or two of the tournament days – October 4th and October 5th. On tournament fishing days, competition hours are 7:00am until 5pm on Friday and 7:00am until 4:00pm on Saturday.
2. Boundaries. All boats must remain within boundaries during fishing hours. All boats also must remain within the boundaries while catching bait. Boundaries are bordered on the north by a straight line through the New River sea buoy and extending through the intersection of 34o00'00" N and 76o00'00" W (Magnetic 125o ). These waters will be bordered on the south by a straight line through the Murrell's inlet sea buoy and extending through 32o30'00" N and 78o00'00" W (Magnetic 148o ). Note: Boats will be allowed to use any navigable inlet from New River Inlet south to and including Murrell's inlet.
3. Fish entered into the competition must be hooked and caught during tournament hours. This is a NO CHECKOUT event.
No lines in the water before 7:00a.m. GPS time. This includes no hook/line of any kind but does not include cast netting bait. There will be two official check-ins for those wishing to weigh fish one hour prior to closing of scales. See Check-in and Verification for details.
4. Two or more boats congregating during competition hours shall be disqualified from
competition that day. Emergency exceptions to this rule must be approved by radio contact with the tournament committee in advance. No prior approval required for catastrophic emergencies such as sinking or where death may occur. Congregation is defined as two or more boats touching and/or passing objects to another boat.
competition that day. Emergency exceptions to this rule must be approved by radio contact with the tournament committee in advance. No prior approval required for catastrophic emergencies such as sinking or where death may occur. Congregation is defined as two or more boats touching and/or passing objects to another boat.
5. All boats must observe no-wake zones or be disqualified from competition that day.
6. Use of spotting aircraft and/or drones is prohibited.
Check-In and Verification
1.
The weigh-in station will be located in Dutchman Creek Park. Entrants wishing to weigh fish for competition must proceed to the weigh-in station immediately after off-loading at the designated off-loading dock.
2. Scales open at 11:00am.
Proceed directly to offloading dock at Dutchman Creek Park if you wish to weigh-in fish between:
2. Scales open at 11:00am.
Proceed directly to offloading dock at Dutchman Creek Park if you wish to weigh-in fish between:
- 11am-4pm on Friday, October 4th &
- 11am-3pm on Saturday, October 5th.
- Southport Yoga Dock- 317 W. Bay Street, Southport 33.91.636N 78.02.238W
- Malcolm Register Park- 334 NE 52nd Street, Oak Island 33.55.319N 78.06.546W
Entrants with fish to weigh must be in the check-in line by 5pm on Friday and 4pm on Saturday. The check-in points will close once all the boats have passed that were in the line by 5pm on Friday and 4pm on Saturday. Only those boats wishing to weigh-in fish need to check-in.
3. It is the sole responsibility of the crew aboard each boat to off-load and present its catch for weighing. Crews should have their fish ready for off-loading; there is a 60 second limit on the time a boat can spend at the off-loading dock. A crew member must accompany fish to the weigh station and through the weigh-in process. Only crew members are allowed under the weigh-in tent during this process, and no more than two crew members may accompany the fish. A golf cart will take crew members from the Weigh-in Tent to Safe Harbor South Harbour Village Marina
to re-board their boat.
4. All fish must be brought to the tournament headquarters by boat catching same under its own power. Fish cannot be transported over land.
5. A signed, affidavit will be required of each individual who places a fish in competition for tournament prizes.
6. A marine biologist will be present during the tournament for the purpose of advising the Weight and Fish Certification Committee. Each fish presented for prize competition will undergo scrutiny by the marine biologist.
7. All king mackerel submitted for weigh-in must be in fresh, edible condition and caught during the fishing hours that tournament day. No mutilated fish will be accepted for weigh-in. Mutilation is defined as any damage which may impair the fish's fighting ability. No frozen fish will be accepted for weigh-in under any circumstances. Attempted weight alteration of any fish automatically disqualifies the boat from the tournament (alterations such as inserted weights, ice, water, bait fish, etc.).
8. The Weight and Fish Certification Committee shall immediately notify an angler of any questionable fish submitted for weigh-in. This Committee shall immediately determine eligibility. The angler may then petition the Protest Committee for a final ruling (see #9 Protest Procedures). If a fish is determined ineligible after being weighed, all fish weighed by that entrant will be disqualified and the entrant will not be eligible to continue competing in that year's tournament.
9. All protests concerning the weight and fish certification Committee rulings and/or determination of tournament prize winners shall be made to the tournament Protest Committee and shall be accompanied by $1,000 cash. All protest shall be made no later than one hour after the last fish has been weighed. All protests must cite the rule that is allegedly broken and be accompanied by indisputable evidence. The accuser and accused are subject to a polygraph. In the event that a protest is upheld by the Protest Committee, the $1,000 cash will be returned. In the event that the protest is not upheld, the $1,000 cash will become the property of the U.S. Open King Mackerel Tournament. All decisions made by the Protest Committee shall be final.
10. A boat entry can only win one Primary Prize. The entrant does remain eligible to win Secondary Prizes with the same fish or additional fish. Fish weights will be entered in an on-site computer. Each fish will be entered in the appropriate category of competition so as to assure the angler of the greatest prize earnings.
11. If two or more king mackerel are the same weight, the winner shall be determined by the earliest weigh-in time.
12. The boat captains from the projected 1st place overall and the 1st Place Super High Roller TWT shall be subject to a polygraph screening. It is the responsibility of the captain and crew of these boats to make themselves available at the Tournament Headquarters located at Dutchman Creek Park by 6:00p.m. on the final day of competition.
All other prize winners may be subject to a polygraph screening. These other prize winners will be contacted by 6pm on the final day of the competition. If called upon for the polygraph screening it would be the responsibility of the captain and crew to make themselves available at the Tournament Headquarters located at Dutchman Creek Park no later than 6:30pm.
Any failed polygraph screening shall result in disqualification.
13. The winning fish and all fish entered become the exclusive property of the tournament committee.
14. Any breach of the rules shall result in disqualification of the Captain and Crew at the discretion of the Tournament Protest Committee.
4. All fish must be brought to the tournament headquarters by boat catching same under its own power. Fish cannot be transported over land.
5. A signed, affidavit will be required of each individual who places a fish in competition for tournament prizes.
6. A marine biologist will be present during the tournament for the purpose of advising the Weight and Fish Certification Committee. Each fish presented for prize competition will undergo scrutiny by the marine biologist.
7. All king mackerel submitted for weigh-in must be in fresh, edible condition and caught during the fishing hours that tournament day. No mutilated fish will be accepted for weigh-in. Mutilation is defined as any damage which may impair the fish's fighting ability. No frozen fish will be accepted for weigh-in under any circumstances. Attempted weight alteration of any fish automatically disqualifies the boat from the tournament (alterations such as inserted weights, ice, water, bait fish, etc.).
8. The Weight and Fish Certification Committee shall immediately notify an angler of any questionable fish submitted for weigh-in. This Committee shall immediately determine eligibility. The angler may then petition the Protest Committee for a final ruling (see #9 Protest Procedures). If a fish is determined ineligible after being weighed, all fish weighed by that entrant will be disqualified and the entrant will not be eligible to continue competing in that year's tournament.
9. All protests concerning the weight and fish certification Committee rulings and/or determination of tournament prize winners shall be made to the tournament Protest Committee and shall be accompanied by $1,000 cash. All protest shall be made no later than one hour after the last fish has been weighed. All protests must cite the rule that is allegedly broken and be accompanied by indisputable evidence. The accuser and accused are subject to a polygraph. In the event that a protest is upheld by the Protest Committee, the $1,000 cash will be returned. In the event that the protest is not upheld, the $1,000 cash will become the property of the U.S. Open King Mackerel Tournament. All decisions made by the Protest Committee shall be final.
10. A boat entry can only win one Primary Prize. The entrant does remain eligible to win Secondary Prizes with the same fish or additional fish. Fish weights will be entered in an on-site computer. Each fish will be entered in the appropriate category of competition so as to assure the angler of the greatest prize earnings.
11. If two or more king mackerel are the same weight, the winner shall be determined by the earliest weigh-in time.
12. The boat captains from the projected 1st place overall and the 1st Place Super High Roller TWT shall be subject to a polygraph screening. It is the responsibility of the captain and crew of these boats to make themselves available at the Tournament Headquarters located at Dutchman Creek Park by 6:00p.m. on the final day of competition.
All other prize winners may be subject to a polygraph screening. These other prize winners will be contacted by 6pm on the final day of the competition. If called upon for the polygraph screening it would be the responsibility of the captain and crew to make themselves available at the Tournament Headquarters located at Dutchman Creek Park no later than 6:30pm.
Any failed polygraph screening shall result in disqualification.
13. The winning fish and all fish entered become the exclusive property of the tournament committee.
14. Any breach of the rules shall result in disqualification of the Captain and Crew at the discretion of the Tournament Protest Committee.
Cancellation and Refunds
Competition days will be October 4th and October 5th, with captain’s choice both days. There will be NO REFUNDS except for the following two situations: 1) if a pre-registered captain, due to unavoidable circumstances, finds it impossible to participate in the U.S. Open King Mackerel Tournament and notifies the tournament committee at least 24 hours prior to the beginning of competition, the captain may be issued a rain check good for the amount of the tournament entry fee that year. The angler will then have a choice to transfer 100% of their TWT fees to the next year’s tournament or have them refunded minus a 15% non-refundable administration fee. 2) in the event the U.S. Open King Mackerel Tournament is canceled or rescheduled by its governing board prior to the beginning of competition the angler will have a choice to apply 100% of the entry & TWT fees to the next year’s tournament or receive a refund of 90% of the entry & TWT fees paid. In the event that questions or situations arise the directors shall determine all solutions, and their decisions shall be final. No participant aggrieved by any ruling of the Rules Committee, or any tournament official shall recover from U.S. Open King Mackerel Tournament, its officers, directors, sponsors, owners and employees in any forum a sum exceeding his registration fee.
Tournament Conservation Policy
It is the policy of the U.S. Open King Mackerel Tournament to promote conservation of the species in every way possible. To that end, contestants in the U.S. Open King Mackerel Tournament are required to abide by the three-fish-per-angler bag limit imposed by the South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council. The U.S. Open King Mackerel Tournament strongly encourages the release of those fish that are not to be entered in competition. The release of fish should be in keeping with the best conservation methods to ensure continued life.
At the request of the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, the U.S. Open King Mackerel Tournament will accept no king mackerel less than 30 inches in length. The tournament will accept no more than THREE fish from any boat on any tournament day.
At the request of the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, the U.S. Open King Mackerel Tournament will accept no king mackerel less than 30 inches in length. The tournament will accept no more than THREE fish from any boat on any tournament day.
Tournament Safety and Regulatory Policy
The responsibility of adhering to all US Coast Guard, NC Wildlife Resource Commission
and NC Marine Fisheries
regulations and requirements is the obligation of the Captain and crew. The Captain and crews are also responsible for carrying appropriate general liability insurance. www.ncfisheries.net www.ncwildlife.org www.uscgboating.org
