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Scrub Island Invitational

September 1 - September 4, 2017

Tournament Rules

  1. The Captain's Meeting will be held Saturday, September 2, 2017 at 7pm at the Tournament Headquarters at the Scrub Island Resort, BVI for all registered teams. A team representative must be in attendance, as rules are subject to change.

  2. All boats must stay at Boat Harbour Marina or enter & depart each day, with permission from the committee.

  3. Any fish that is harvested, must be brought in on the boat on which the fish was caught.

  4. PERMITS & LICENSES: All teams must possess a BVI Fishing Permit
  5. FISHING HOURS: The Tournament will begin with the call of "lines in" at 8:00am and continue until 5:30pm on September 3rd, 4th, and 5th, 2017. All boats must be inside the marina before 7:30 pm each evening, as the Committee must have your catch affidavits and video by then. There are trophies for the gamefish, so you will need to weigh those in before 7:30. There are no lay days or weather days, unless determined by the Committee. Fish at your own risk.
  6. ANGLING & EQUIPMENT:
    • International Billfish Tournament Regulations apply.
    • 60 lb. manufacturer stated line. Backing may be used but the mono top shot must be 60 lb.
    • Four anglers per team per day are permitted, with no restrictions. Teams are permitted to hook and hand.
    • A maximum of six lines (with hooks) are permitted at any one time. An unlimited amount of hookless baits or teasers are allowed. "J" hooks may be used on lures only. Natural baits must be deployed with non-offset circle hooks.
  7. TOURNAMENT SPECIES: Only Blue Marlin are eligible for catch and release, Tuna (Yellowfin,Bigeye and Blackfin only), Wahoo, and Dolphin (Mahi-Mahi) are eligible for weigh-in, with a 15 lb. minimum weight requirement for trophies only.
  8. REPORTING OF BILLFISH: A billfish hook-up must be called in to the "Committee Boat" within the first minute on VHF channel 71. The "Committee Boat" will validate your hook-up by announcement. A billfish release must be called in to the "Committee Boat" with the following information: species released, boat name, angler name, and type of tag, if applicable. The "Committee Boat" will then verify your information by announcement and give you a release time, which must be recorded on your daily catch affidavit and turned in at the end of the fishing day, with your video evidence. It is unnecessary to call in any other species besides billfish. If you lose your fish prior to release (i.e. jump-off, pulled hook, etc.) please inform the "Committee Boat" as soon as possible.
  9. CATCH & RELEASE RULES: All Blue Marlin must be released to qualify. A Blue Marlin is considered released when: a) the swivel between the mainline or double line and leader hits the rod tip b) the mate grabs the leader or c) the wind-on leader comes through the rod tip. Please release the fish in good condition by either removing the hook-set or cutting the leader as close to the hook-set as possible. "Popping" the leader is not a good method of healthy release, and we ask that you refrain from doing so.
  10. CATCH & RELEASE POINTS, BOATS:
    • Blue Marlin: 500 points
    • All ties will be broken on time.
  11. ANGLER POINTS:
    • 500, pitch bait
    • 450, on bait (circle hook, naked or with a lure or skirt over the head of the bait)
    • 450, pitch "lure"
    • 400, lure
  12. CATCH & RELEASE VERIFICATION:

    Release Verification Recordings - each team is required to submit video or photographic evidence of billfish catch and release. This photo or recording shall be time and date stamped in accordance with the "official time" as stated by the "Committee Boat" prior to each day's fishing. Your video proof shall include: 1) registered angler fighting the fish 2) proper identification marker 3) sufficient footage of the fish in order to accurately determine the species 4) proper release evidence. All recordings submitted must be easily viewed either on a SD card or downloaded via USB. It is the team's responsibility to have these items and have the video cued up and readily available for the Committee to view when turning it in. Failure to do so will delay the verification process. We highly recommend you have at least two recordings on different cameras, and underwater shots are the best way to accurately identify the species.

    Billfish Release Affidavit - each Blue Marlin release is required to be noted on the day's Affidavit and submitted with your video to the Committee each fishing day. Failure to turn in your Affidavit will disqualify that day's catch(es). Affidavits are supplied with your registration package. If you do not have one for each day, please see the Committee for a replacement.


    • Submission of Recordings -Verification recordings must be submitted to the Committee between 4:00pm and 7:00pm each day of fishing. All recordings, images, sounds, etc. become property of the Tournament and may be used at any time. All recordings and images will be viewed or downloaded from the team devices. If the Committee is unable to view or download the verification recording, then the catch will not qualify.
    • Dispute & Polygraph - In the unlikely event a dispute or protest is filed with the Committee, it is possible a polygraph test may be required should the dispute not resolve. Members must be available within 24 hours of the dispute and must not consume alcohol or any controlled substance eight hours prior to testing. Failure to report for a polygraph test or refusal to answer any questions satisfactory to the Committee may result in disqualification. All disputes or protests must be submitted to the Committee in writing prior to 7pm on the last day of the tournament.