Cape May Marlin & Tuna Club
2010 Season Rules
updated July 16, 2010

1. The fishing season for annual awards starts October 16th and ends on October 15th.  This applies to all species.

2. The decision to fish is left solely to participants who do so at their own risk.

3. Only club members’ boats are eligible for boat awards.  Fish caught on a non-member boat are eligible for angler awards only.  The OWNER of the boat must be a member of the CMMTC to be an “Official Club Boat” to be eligible for club seasonal awards, to be listed on the club status board, and to be eligible to fish the Challenge Cup.

4. An angler must be a club member, spouse of a club member or child of a member (under age 21), to be eligible for seasonal awards.

5. All fish, whether boated or released, MUST be reported to the club on a CMMTC fish report within 10 days of the catch to be eligible for awards.  The club member must confirm and sign the CMMTC fish report.

6. Any fish to be weighed for club awards must be weighed on a currently certified scale. The weigh slip, or CMMTC fish report, must be signed by the weighmaster. If a separate weigh slip is used, it must be attached to a completed CMMTC fish report.

7. It is the member’s responsibility to verify that all fish reports are signed and dated by a proprietary club member or a club bar tender, and that reports are filled out correctly and completely.  Reports that do not meet these requirements will be considered invalid.

8. Fish caught or released while a boat is under “Charter” are not counted for seasonal awards and should not be submitted on a CMMTC fish report unless the charter was booked and paid for by a club member, or the charter was entered in a club tournament at the time of the catch.

9. In order to be eligible, Official Club Boats and anglers must sail from and return to the same Cape May County Inlet with stops at no other ports. Boundaries for club tournaments and seasonal awards shall be 125 nautical miles from the Cape May Sea Buoy.  Boats fishing the Ocean City / Cape May Challenge Cup Tournament and the Ocean City White Marlin Open, while fishing out of Ocean City, MD, will count their fish for seasonal awards. 

10. The President’s Cup is awarded to the boat accumulating the most Tournament Win points while fishing CMMTC tournaments

11. The Canyon Cup is awarded to the boat accumulating the most Off-Shore points during the season. This includes qualifying Billfish, Tuna, Wahoo, Shark & Mahi as well as Off-Shore "Tournament points". Off-Shore Tournament points are awarded for placing in a CMMTC tournament in an Off-Shore category.
12. An award shall be made to the boat accumulating the most in-shore points during the season.  This includes Striper, "other big fish" and all In-Shore Tournament points. In-Shore Tournament points are awarded for placing in a CMMTC tournament in an In-Shore category.
13. Boated Billfish, with the exception of swordfish, shall be ineligible for points unless taken by an official participant in a tournament and meeting all requirements, including weight and length, to qualify for the tournament.
14. Billfish will be considered released when the mate grabs the leader or the swivel touches the rod tip.
15. First White Marlin and first Blue Marlin are based on calendar year, must be caught trolling and must be released.
16. A club member must have paid current dues prior to catching any fish eligible for club seasonal awards.
17. Seasonal trophies will be awarded at the annual banquet.
18. Junior anglers must be 16 or under at the end of the season.  Junior angler trophies are awarded to children of club members.
19. The Tournament Committee reserves the right, but is under no obligation, to add, remove and rescheduled tournaments and to make additional awards, at their discretion.
20. All fish must be caught by IGFA rules and in accordance with local and federal regulations.
21. Protests must be presented to the Tournament Committee in writing within 24 hours.  The Tournament Committee, with a majority present, shall meet and make all final decisions.
22. To be eligible to fish the Challenge Cup, boats must have participated in at least 1 club tournament in the current season. New members, joining after July 1, are exempt from this requirement.

Seasonal Point System
Points will be awarded as follows:

Off-Shore Species	Points		In-Shore Species	Points
Blue Marlin Release	3		Drum > 75 lbs.	1
White Marlin Release	1		Flounder > 7 lbs.	1
Swordfish	1		Weakfish > 10 lbs.	1
Sail / Spearfish Release	1		Bluefish > 15 lbs.	1
Mahi > 25 lbs.	1		Sea Bass > 6 lbs.	1
Tuna > 75 lbs.	1		Tog > 12 lbs.	1
Wahoo > 50lbs.	1		Striper > 35 lbs.	1
Tile Fish > 45 lbs.	1
Mako Rel. (1pt daily)	1
Shark > 150 lbs.	1

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Tournament Point System

In addition to the Seasonal Point system, Tournament Points will be awarded to boats and anglers during the following tournaments:

Offshore tournaments will award points for:

• Marlin Points
• Heaviest Tuna
• Heaviest Swordfish

Inshore tournaments will award points to the primary target species for the tournament.

• Only one species will be awarded tournament points on Inshore tournaments.

Place	Points
1st	3 pts
2nd	2 pts
3rd	1 pt

 

 

TOURNAMENT SPECIFIC RULES

1. All club rules apply to tournaments.  In addition, the following rules apply to tournaments and supersede club rules if they are in conflict.
2. Non-member boats may fish club tournaments if sponsored by a club member who is on board.
3. With the exception of Swordfish, there will be no club prizes for boated Billfish.
4. The club shall offer no cash tournament prizes.
5. Tournament radio channels will be chosen at each tournament Captain’s Meeting.
6. Additional rules may apply as determined by the Tournament Director and communicated at the Captain’s Meeting.