Location

The Captain Bob Lewis Billfish Challenge (CBLBC) is based at the Miami Beach Marina (300 Alton Road, Miami Beach, FL). The tournament fishing areas are restricted to waters of the U.S., no more than twenty five (25) miles offshore. Registered anglers may fish as far north as the Port Everglades Sea Buoy and as far south as Carysfort Light and must be back to Miami Beach Marina no later than 5:30 pm on Saturday in their assigned boat.

Fishing Hours

Lines in at 7:30 am and lines out at 4:30 pm on Saturday. CBLBC officials must check out all boats, no earlier than 7:00 am. The check out point is the southwest corner of the Miami Beach Marina bulkhead facing Government Cut. All boats shall proceed past the check out point at idle speed and shall prominently display their boat numbers on the port side of the boat so that the number is clearly visible to the CBLBC officials on duty. You will be cleared by radio to depart. No baits or teasers are allowed in the water before lines in the water. Any registered boat with lines in the water before the official fishing time will be automatically disqualified from the entire tournament. Only fish hooked during official fishing hours will be acknowledged. Catch cards must be completed and signed by all registered anglers and captain of the boat. Catch cards are to be turned in to the CBLBC official weigh master no later than 5:30 pm on Saturday.

Rules/Participation

It is the responsibility of each angler to be familiar with the rules of the CBLBC. All registered anglers must comply with all applicable Federal and Florida laws regarding fishing licenses, size limits, bag limits, speed limits, etc. Any infraction(s) of the applicable rules may disqualify the registered angler(s) and boat from the entire tournament. Any disqualified angler(s) will not be entitled to a refund. Entry fees paid after February 15, 2011 must be in the form of cash, cashier’s check or credit card.

No Boat may aid another boat or angler in getting to the weigh in unless that boat has broken down. The disabled vessel must call the tournament committee and inform them as to the reason for an assist and obtain permission to effect the transfer and delivery of their catch cards. At least one team member must accompany the catch cards to the weigh-in and must arrive within the prescribed time frame.

Leader/Line/Hooks

The length of the double line shall not exceed 15 feet in length. The length of the leader shall not exceed 15 feet in length. The combined length of the double line and the leader shall not exceed 20 feet. The leader may be monofilament or wire, or a combination of the two. This is a maximum 20-pound manufacturer’s stated test line tournament. No wire lines or hand lines are permitted. NMFS Mandates Use of Circle Hooks in Atlantic Billfish Tournaments. Effective January 1, 2007, a new Federal regulation requires anglers fishing from HMS permitted vessels (and vessels that should be permitted) to use "only" non-offset circle hooks when deploying natural baits or natural bait/artificial lure combinations in Atlantic billfish tournaments. This regulation allows the use of "J"-hooks with artificial lures in tournaments. Double or treble hooks are prohibited.

Rods

No more than six (6) lines in the water at any time during the fishing day.

Bait

Live bait, natural and artificial are allowed. NO chumming of any kind is permitted. In addition, any vessel participating in this tournament shall not permit any other vessel to chum on their behalf. No teasers of any kind may be used. Bait Fishing will be allowed after check out before lines in with the use of ground chum only. Bait may be bought, delivered or given during fishing hours. Dead baits or changed baits are not to be discarded overboard in the water during tournament hours under any circumstance. If bait fishing during tournament hours all sailfish outfits, rigging and kites must be cleared of the water. Boats must notify the committee boat, and receive permission by radio, of their intent to bait fish during official tournament fishing times.

Anglers

Only registered anglers may fish in this tournament. Boats may change anglers on the second fishing day, but must notify the Tournament Committee before checking out that day. The angler must hook, fight and bring the fish to the boat unaided by any other person. No one other than the angler may touch the rod. Each angler must have a current Florida fishing license or fish on a vessel whose captain carries a boat license. A junior angler is a registered angler who is sixteen years of age or younger as of the date of the Captain’s meeting. Registered anglers may substitute boats with the approval of CBLBC officials.

An Official "Release"

A legal release shall be deemed to occur when:

1. The leader, not the double line, is grasped or touched by the angler or crew member, or
2. The knot between the line or double line and leader touches the rod tip, or
3. The swivel and float between the line or double line and leader touches the rod tip.

Eligible Species

Only Billfish will be counted towards the overall categories. CBLBC officials encourage all registered anglers to release their billfish. The intentional "snatching" or "jerking" of a leader to release a billfish is prohibited. Every attempt should be made to cut the leader as close to the fish as possible. Any registered angler or participant of this tournament that intentionally "jerks" or "snatches" a leader to release a billfish will be disqualified from the tournament. "Jerking" or "snatching" is defined as grabbing the leader and line, and with a motion, intentionally trying to break the leader or cause the hook to pull. A leader that is broken or hook that is pulled while trying to control or hold the fish by boat side is not considered intentional.

All billfish should be released unharmed. Any angler bringing a billfish into the weigh station shall forfeit any claim he/she and their team may have to tournament prizes.. Tagging your Billfish is encouraged for research purposes but not required. Fun fish will be awarded designated prizes.

Hooking Fish

Each eligible fish must be hooked and caught by a single registered angler only. No person may hook a fish, assist in hooking a fish in any manner or hand the rod with the hooked fish to any other angler. If multiple strikes occur on separate lines and if a single registered angler is capable of hooking and catching more than one of the fish without the help or assistance of any other person each fish is eligible for entry. The use of a rod holder to hook a fish is permitted provided that no other person other than the registered angler touches the rod or reel once the fish is hooked. For purposes of the CBLBC a fish shall be considered "hooked" at the time the fish strikes, runs or eats the bait, regardless of whether the reel is engaged or in free spool mode and regardless of whether the rod is being held or is in a rod holder. An eligible fish hooked on two or more lines is automatically disqualified.

Pro – Am Division

This division is for anglers who want to use a professional crew or charter a boat for the tournament but have never won a billfish tournament

To be eligible, angler (which includes all anglers on the boat):

1. Cannot be a professional (defined as having earned income as a Captain or a paid member of any fishing Crew or As a Commercial Fisherman in the last two (2) years).
2. Use of a professional crew or chartering a boat for this tournament is allowed in this division.
3. No angler on the boat can have previously won, or been on the winning team, in a billfish tournament.

Weekend Warrior Division

This division is for Anglers who will be fishing without any professional crew on the boat. To be eligible, angler(which includes all anglers on the boat) cannot:

1. Be a professional (defined as having earned income as a Captain or a paid member of any fishing Crew or As a Commercial Fisherman in the last two (2) years).
2. Use and/or employ a professional crew during the event. If any person on the boat (including non-registered guests) does not qualify as an "Weekend Warrior" under this definition, then the entire team is disqualified from participating in the Weekend Warrior Division.
3. Have won the Weekend Warrior Division twice previously.

Reporting

The Committee boat will monitor VHF marine channel 82 and VHF marine channel 79 shall be the alternate channel. All releases must be reported to the Committee boat. Hookups will only have to be reported during the last 15 minutes of the fishing day. Upon release of a Billfish, you must notify the Committee boat of your boat number and angler letter. The Committee boat will acknowledge the information given. No Billfish claim(s) will be accepted without radio contact. Boats that cannot make radio contact with the Committee boat for any reason should contact another boat for a relay. Any fish hooked prior to the fishing deadline may be played until boated or released provided such fish was reported hooked up prior to the deadline, and the boat with the release or the fish is at the dock at the previous mentioned deadlines. All references to "the radio" shall refer to the primary radio channel unless otherwise notified by the CBLBC radio committee.

Protests

CBLBC officials will consider all protests. The Tournament Committee will settle any controversies and their decision is final. Any protest(s) must be delivered in writing to the CBLBC weigh master on the day of the protested catch by 5:30 pm, accompanied by a $50.00 protest fee in cash. The Committee boat will keep official times, which are used for tiebreakers if necessary.

Good Sportsmanship and Integrity

GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP is of the utmost importance to the CBLBC and any complaints of unsportsmanlike conduct of behavior shall be seriously reviewed by the CBLBC and can be grounds for disqualification. The CBLBC believes that honor and integrity should be an integral part of any sporting competition, and especially a fishing tournament, whose roots were founded in sportsmanship and honor. In an effort to remove the temptation to cheat and push the fact that we are raising funds for charity and conservation we have removed cash payouts. Any individual caught cheating in our tournament will be disqualified and banned permanently from future tournaments.

Weather

All boats, anglers, crews and guests will fish at their own discretion and at their own risk. If bad weather results in canceling one of the two days of fishing the tournament becomes a one (1) day tournament. Notice of cancellation and/or resumption of fishing, will be broadcast over the radio at 7:30 am that day. If bad weather results in canceling both fishing days, the non-refundable entry fee will be applied to next year’s tournament. Registered anglers must make their own judgments whether to fish under prevailing weather conditions based on the seaworthiness of their boat, their seamanship skills and any other relevant factors.

Illegal Substances

The use of non-prescription, illegal drugs, during tournament hours, or, at tournament functions is strictly prohibited. Any tournament participants using any non-prescription, illegal drugs, will be disqualified from the tournament and banned to participate in future CBLBC tournaments.

Polygraphs

In consideration of the tournament’s acceptance of any angler entry, registered angler specifically agrees and consents to voluntarily submit to a polygraph examination(s) to be conducted by a polygraph examiner selected by the CBLBC at any time until all prizewinners and awards are determined and announced. Each angler agrees to obtain the agreement and consent of each and every occupant of the boat from which the angler fishes, including but not limited to the captain and crew, to submit to a polygraph examination(s) as described above. The method and conduct of all polygraph examinations, and the interpretation of the results thereof, shall be in the sole judgment of the polygraph examiner appointed by the CBLBC whose opinion shall be final. If any registered angler or occupant of a vessel refuses to submit to a polygraph examination or if any registered angler or occupant gives a response which, in the sole opinion of the polygraph examiner is not accurate or truthful, all registered anglers on the boat shall be disqualified without further notice from the CBLBC. Any registered angler so disqualified shall not be entitled to any prize, award, or entry fee refund.

Refusals

Every prospective angler must submit a fully completed entry form together with all required fees to be considered for acceptance and registration in the tournament. The CBLBC reserves the right to refuse tournament application or entry from any prospective entrant with or without cause in its sole discretion. The CBLBC shall return all entry fees tendered by any prospective angler whose entry is refused.

Captain's Meeting

All captains or their designated representatives are to meet Thursday, at 6:00 pm prior to the Kick-Off Cocktail Party.

Hold Harmless

All registered anglers and non-registered participants of their boats enter and participate in this CBLBC voluntarily and at their own risk. In consideration for the CBLBC’s acceptance of his or her entry each registered angler for his or her heirs, executors, and administrators, agrees to release, hold harmless and indemnify the CBLBC, its officers, managers, directors, agents, polygraph examiner, sponsors, the city and county where the event is held and all other persons connected directly or indirectly with the operation of the tournament, from and against any and all liabilities, claims, actions, damages, costs, fees or expenses which he or she may have against any above-described party, or which his or her captains, crew members, family members, companions or non-registered participants of their boat may have, arising out of or in any way connected with his or her participation in this CBLBC, including any injury or death suffered by any registered angler participant. Each registered angler understands and agrees that this release specifically includes and waives any claims based on liable, slander, negligence, action or inaction of any above-named party. Each registered angler further understands and agrees that this release specifically includes and waives any claims arising from the CBLBC’s use of any photographs, and from the CBLBC’s administration of or interpretation of any polygraph as previously mentioned.