CMMTC Rules for Season Awards

1.     Tournament radio channels will be chosen and communicated at each tournament Captain's Meeting.

2.     Boundaries for Club tournaments and seasonal awards shall always be 125 nautical miles from the Cape May Sea Buoy. Club boats and anglers must depart for fishing grounds from any Cape May County Inlet and return to Cape May, however, boats may fish multiple days with a landing at a port other than Cape May. At no time during an extended trip may a Club vessel exceed the fishing boundaries for points to count towards Club totals. 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 also have their fish count toward season awards.

3.     With the exception of swordfish, there will be no Club prizes for boated billfish.

4.     Billfish will be considered released when the mate grabs the leader, or the swivel touches the rod tip.

5.     All fish must be caught in accordance with IGFA rules and all local and federal regulations. Any fish caught using electric reels are ineligible for any points, prizes, or tournaments. 

6.     Any fish to be weighed must be weighed on a certified scale at one of the following approved member weigh stations: Canyon Club Marina, South Jersey Marina, Jim’s Bait and Tackle. Photos of your fish on a scale will not be accepted. 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 CMMTC fish report. A photo of the weigh slip must then be uploaded to the CMMTC Reel Time app; this is mandatory for any fish to be considered for Club awards.

7.     It is the Club member’s responsibility to upload catch reports to the CMMTC Reel Time app prior to the indicated tournament deadline. Reports that are incomplete or do not meet these requirements will be considered invalid.

8.     All ties for release points will be broken on time; the tie is broken by the boat releasing the last fish first. For boats tied for weight; the fish weighed first will be the winner.

9.     Any fish hooked prior to lines out may be fought until boated or released, However, Weigh slips must still be submitted by the deadline.

10.   The Club shall offer no cash tournament prizes. CMMTC is not a beneficiary or supporter of any gentlemen’s wagers, side bets, Calcutta’s, or similar activities.  CMMTC does not organize, collect or disperse any money related to the aforementioned activities.

11.   Protests must be presented to the Tournament Committee in writing within 24 hours of the day fished. Please submit any protests to tournaments@capemaymarlintunaclub.com. The Tournament Committee, with a majority present, shall meet and make all final decisions.

12.   To be eligible to fish the Challenge Cup, boats must have: 1) Participated in at least two (2) offshore Club tournaments during the current season, or 2) Gained eligibility through sponsorship packages

13.   Any boats using an Omni Sonar, Live Scope or similar device, may not deploy the sonar until “Lines In” or the beginning of fishing time.

14.   Additional rules may apply as determined by the Tournament Director and communicated at the Captain's Meeting. In the event of any conflict between the General Rules and the Tournament Event Rules, The Event rules shall supersede.

15.   The CMMTC Seasonal Point System is as follows: 

TOURNAMENT POINT SYSTEM 

1.     In addition to the Seasonal Point System, Tournament Points will be awarded to boats during CMMTC tournaments. 

2.     An individual boat may place in multiple categories per tournament. 

3.     Tournaments (Inshore and Offshore) will award points for 1st through 3rd Place for no more than 3 designated target species for each tournament.

Seasonal Award Descriptions

Season trophies will be awarded at the annual banquet for the following:

·         The President's Cup: Awarded to the boat accumulating the most tournament win points while fishing CMMTC tournaments.

·         The Canyon Cup: Awarded to the boat accumulating the most offshore Tournament points during the season. This includes qualifying billfish, tuna, wahoo, shark and mahi, as well as offshore tournament points. Offshore tournament points are awarded for placing in a CMMTC tournament in an Offshore category.

·         Most White Marlin Releases: An award shall be made to the boat accumulating the most white marlin releases during the course of the season.

·         Offshore Boat of the Year Under 40: An award shall be made to the boat under 40 feet in length accumulating the most offshore points during the season. This includes qualifying billfish, tuna, wahoo, shark and mahi, as well as offshore tournament points. Offshore tournament points are awarded for placing in a CMMTC tournament in an Offshore category.

·         Offshore Boat of the Year Over 40: An award shall be made to the boat over 40 feet in length accumulating the most offshore points during the season. This includes qualifying billfish, tuna, wahoo, shark and mahi, as well as offshore tournament points. Offshore tournament points are awarded for placing in a CMMTC tournament in an Offshore category.

·         Inshore Boat of the Year: An award shall be made to the boat accumulating the most inshore points during the season. This includes striper, tog, weakfish, bluefish, fluke, seabass, and drum as well as all inshore tournament points. Inshore tournament points are awarded for placing in a CMMTC tournament in an inshore category.

·         First Blue Marlin of the Year: Awarded to the Member Boat that catches the first Blue Marlin of the year.

·         First White Marlin of the Year: Awarded to the Member Boat that catches the first White Marlin of the year.

·         Female Angler of the Year: Awarded to the female angler with the most points.

·         Angler of the Year: Awarded to the angler with the most points.

·         Junior Angler of the Year: Awarded to an angler under the age of 16 with the most points.

Weight Awards: Awards will be presented to the angler(s) that catch(es) the heaviest fish of each qualifying species during the tournament season