1. The fishing season for annual awards starts November 1st and ends October 31st. This applies to all species.

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

3. Only 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. Angler must be a Club member, spouse of a Club member or child of a Club 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 report.

6. Any fish to be weighed for Club awards must be weighed at a location owned Or operated by a member of the CMMTC and must be a certified scale. The weigh slip, or CMMTC fish report must be signed by the weigh—master. if a separate weigh slip is used, it must be attached to a CMMTC fish report.

7. It is the Club member’s responsibility to verify that all fish reports are signed and dated by a proprietary Club member, Club bartender or member of the Tournament Committee, 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” with more than six (6) anglers are not counted for seasonal awards and should not be submitted on a CMMTC fish report.

9. To be eligible, 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. Boundaries for Club tournaments and seasonal awards shall always 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 also have their fish count toward season 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 and 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' as well as 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 a calendar year and must be caught trolling and released.

16. A Club member must have paid current dues prior to catching any fish eligible for Club season awards.

17. Season trophies will be awarded at the annual banquet.

18. Junior anglers must be 16 years of age or younger at the end of the season. Junior Angler trophies are awarded to Club member's children only.

19. The Tournament Committee reserves the right, but is under no obligation, to add, remove and reschedule tournaments and to make additional awards, at their discretion.

20. All fish must be caught by IGFA rules and in accordance with all local and federal regulations.

21. Protests must be presented to the Tournament Committee in writing within 24 hours of the day fished. 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 2 Club tournaments during the current season.

23. The Tournament Committee may designate up to 3 tournaments a season as "Open Tournaments". Non-Member boats fishing an "Open Tournament" shall not be eligible for annual awards. An exception will be granted if a non-member boat applies for membership immediately following completion of the tournament fished.

24. In the event of a tie for Seasonal and tournament awards. The winner shall be the boat reaching the total in the respective category first.

TOURNAMENT POINT SYSTEM

In addition to the Season Point System, Tournament Points will be awarded to boats during CMMTC tournaments. An individual boat may place in multiple categories per tournament.

Tournaments (Inshore and Offshore) will award points for 1st through 3rd Place for listed target species for each tournament.

TOURNAMENT SPECIFIC RULES

All Club rules apply to tournaments. The following rules apply to tournaments and supersede Club rules if they are in conflict.

1. Non-Member boats may fish Club tournaments if sponsored by a Club member who is onboard the vessel.

2. With the exception of Swordfish, there will be no Club prizes for boated Billfish.

3. The Club shall offer no cash tournament prizes.

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

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.

7. NEW: Omnis may not be deployed until the indicated 'lines in' time for each tournament. 

8. If a member's boat is non-operational, the member may transfer the boat's flag for the purpose of fishing a tournament and is eligible for any points earned for the boat.

9. Weigh slips must be delivered to the Club by a crew member of the boat fishing the tournament.