Channel Islands
Billfish Tournament

1. Tournament Format

The tournament is both a catch-and-release marlin tournament and a swordfish tournament. All catches must comply with CIBT Rules and Regulations and the tournament rules specified herein.

The tournament will consist of two divisions:

• 5-Day Division
• 3-Day Division

Each boat may enter one division only.

Registered anglers may compete for one boat team in one division only. Anglers may not earn tournament points, releases, catches, awards, standings, or prizes for more than one boat or division during the tournament.

Awards, standings, and recognition will be determined separately within each division.

2. Tournament Schedule and Fishing Hours

The tournament will start Saturday at 7:00 AM with a radio start on Channel 68 inside the Channel Islands breakwater. Boats participating in the radio start must check in with Dawn Patrol before beginning fishing. Boats leaving before 7:00 AM on Saturday or after the radio start must check in with a committee boat by 10:00 AM and will not be allowed to start fishing until 11:00 AM on the same day.

3. Awards

First, second, and third place awards will be given for both Marlin and Swordfish in each division. Only one award per boat per category will be issued. Side bets and jackpots are excluded.

4. Tackle and Fishing Methods

• All fish must be caught using rod and reel.
• Leaders may be up to 30 feet long. Double line is permitted, but the combined length of the double line and leader may not exceed 40 feet. There is no restriction on leader strength.
• Tournament participants are expected to use tackle, lures, leaders, hooks, and terminal gear that generally comply with current IGFA guidelines.
• Artificial lures with skirts or trailing material may have no more than two hooks attached to the line or leader. Natural baits may have no more than two hooks attached to the bait. Hooks should be rigged in a manner consistent with accepted IGFA standards.
• The use of firearms, harpoons, entangling devices, or other prohibited methods of taking fish is prohibited.

5. Tournament Boundaries

Tournament boundaries extend from Santa Rosa Island to the Mexican border.

6. Hook-Up and Release Reporting

• All hook-ups must be reported to a committee boat as soon as possible.
• All releases must be reported within 15 minutes. Grid coordinates must be reported during or immediately after the release of the fish. Failure to do so may result in disqualification of the catch.
• It is the responsibility of every captain to have all necessary information readily available, including tournament channels, alternate channels, committee boat contact information, and the names and contact information of participating boats.

7. Hook-Ups at Stop Fishing Time

If a hook-up occurs before the designated stop-fishing time, it must be reported immediately to a committee boat prior to stop fishing.

The fish may continue to be fought after stop-fishing time provided the hook-up was reported before lines-out. The committee boat must be informed immediately of the outcome, whether the fish is released, boated, or lost.

8. Team Angling (“Jungle Rules”)

CIBT is intended to be a fun team tournament, and “Jungle Rules” apply during the fight of a fish.

The following are permitted:

• Handing the rod from one registered angler to another.
• Multiple registered anglers assisting in fighting the same fish.
• Fighting a fish from the rod holder.
• Resting the rod on the rail, covering board, or gunnel.
• Assistance from crew members during the fight, leadering, landing, tagging, or release process.
• Team participation during the catching, fighting, and release of a fish.

While “Jungle Rules” apply to the angling process, tournament participants are expected to generally use tackle and fishing methods that comply with current IGFA guidelines regarding equipment, rigging, and terminal gear.

Each released marlin will qualify for one release pin.

9. Disabled Boats

If a boat in the tournament becomes disabled, the anglers on that boat may transfer only to another boat entered in the tournament. This change must be reported to and approved by a committee boat before the transfer occurs.

Any approved transfer shall remain within the division in which the angler was originally registered.

10. Tournament Entry Requirements

All passengers on every boat must pay tournament entry fees.

Non-angler spouses, non-angler children under 15 years of age, and other special circumstances may qualify for approved non-paid entries. Such entries must be listed on the tournament entry form and approved by the Tournament Directors before the conclusion of the Kick-Off Dinner on Friday.

11. Power-Assisted Reels

Power-driven reels are acceptable under the following situations and configurations:

1. Reels with removable power accessories may only be used to retrieve deployed baits or lures from depth back to the boat.
2. Power accessories may only be used to retrieve a bait or lure completely to the boat and may not be used to fish or reposition a bait or lure in the water column.
3. Power accessories must be physically removed from the reel before hooking or fighting a fish.
4. Electric reels without removable electronic components that allow manual operation are prohibited.

12. Marlin Release Documentation

Released marlin must be photographed or recorded on video showing the fish at leader to qualify for awards.

Following the release, the captain must take a photograph of the vessel GPS displaying the date, time, and location of the release. Tournament officials may request supporting documentation at any time.

13. Swordfish Documentation and Weigh-In

Boated swordfish must be photographed or recorded on video and weighed at one of the following official weigh stations:

• Cisco’s
• PCYC
• Avalon Pier

Fish must be brought to the weigh station by the boat that landed the fish.

14. Submission of Release Photos

Captains are required to text release photographs to (805) 300-0453 at the earliest practical opportunity and no later than 5:00 PM on Thursday following the tournament.

15. Disqualifications

The following may result in disqualification of a catch and/or disqualification of a boat from the tournament:

• Failure to follow tournament rules.
• Failure to possess a valid California fishing license.
• Possessing onboard equipment used for harpooning, netting, or similar commercial fishing activities.
• Fishing outside tournament boundaries or tournament hours.
• Fishing with the aid of an airplane or drone.
• Falsifying catch, release, weigh-in, or reporting information.

The Tournament Committee shall have final authority regarding interpretation of tournament rules, scoring decisions, eligibility determinations, and resolution of disputes.