TOURNAMENT SCORING SYSTEM
Tournament rules allow for a maximum of six fish per points category. All Fish will be measured on an OFFICIAL “LBI Cup Measuring Ruler”. To receive points, all released fish must be video verified. Teams will be provided an official ruler at registration which is to be used to measure their catch. Please measure carefully and show the measurement in your video. Any question as to the measurement of the fish will result in the catch being downgraded to the lower points category.
Boats are only eligible for one Tournament Prize per boat. (Calcutta monies and angler awards are unrestricted) All tie breakers will be the team with the longest fish followed by time of release if needed.
Category 1 ≥ 28”- ≤ 31” (2 points per harvested or released fish)
All harvested fish must be brought to the weigh master and have their measurements confirmed (six fish max up to 12 points). Any harvested fish under or over the legal limit will be disqualified.
Additional Bonus Points for heaviest two (2) fish stringer.
1st heaviest stringer 8 points
2nd heaviest stringer 6 points
3rd heaviest stringer 4 points
Category 2: >31” - ≤ 38” (4 points per release up to 24 points)
Category 3: >38” - ≤ 45” (7 points per release up to 42 points)
Category 4: >45” (10 points per release up to 60 points)
Guaranteed Tournament Prizes are as follows:
Heaviest 2 Fish Stringer (2 fish @ ≥ 28”- ≤ 31”)
1st place $1,000
Combined Points
1st place $1,500
2nd place $750
3rd place $500
Grand Champion
Team who accumulated the most points.
Top Lady Angler
Lady angler who accumulated the most points.
Top Junior Angler
Junior angler (16 and under) who accumulated the most points.
Optional Overall Calcutta
Pool A $400
Pool B $200
Heaviest 2 Fish Stringer ( ≥ 28”- ≤ 31”) 20%
Longest Fish 20%
2nd Longest Fish 15%
Most Points 20%
2nd Most Points 15%
Heaviest Bluefish (2 pound minimum) 10%
NJ Regs allows for 1 striped bass per angler at ≥ 28”-≤ 31”
IT’S THE LAW: When fishing with natural or live bait, non-offset circle hooks are mandatory. Snag and drop with a weighted treble hook is prohibited.
Reminder: Striped bass must be measured to overall length in New Jersey. Pinch the tail together and measure from the closed mouth to the end of the pinched tail. Make sure the tail is stretched out as far as possible when you pinch it together. This is a straight-line measure, so it is recommended to lay the tape on a flat surface with the fish on top.
Do not measure over the top of the body of the fish, the curve will skew the actual length.
Please release striped bass in good condition by either removing the hook-set or cutting as close to the hook as possible. Do not place your hands in the gills of the fish or touch the eyes.
When unhooking a striped bass, handle it using wet hands or wet cotton gloves to minimize removal of the fish’s protective mucous.
If you need to lift a striped bass, hold it horizontally by gripping the lower jaw and supporting its weight under the belly.
When using a landing net, use a net with small mesh made of rubber, knotless nylon, or other soft, non-abrasive material.
Schedule of Events
Friday, November 10, 2023 Captain’s Meeting Dinner
5:00pm-8:00pm Team Registration w/ Video Training
5:00pm Reception Dinner
7:30pm Captain’s Meeting (MANDATORY)
LINES IN ANYTIME AFTER THE CAPTAIN’S MEETING
Saturday, November 11, 2023 Weigh-In Party
4:00pm LINES OUT
4:00pm-8:00pm Scale Hours and Catch Reports Due
5:00pm Barbecue at BHMTC
Sunday, November 12, 2023 Awards Party
12:00-4:00pm Awards Presentation / Football Watch Party
Administration
1) Hold Harmless Agreement - All registered anglers and non-registered occupants of their boats enter and participate in this tournament voluntarily at their own risk. In consideration for the tournament’s acceptance of his or her entry, each angler, for his or her heirs, executors, and administrators, agrees to release, hold harmless and indemnify Beach Haven Marlin and Tuna Club, its officers, managers, directors, agents, sponsors, donors, the city, county or country 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 nonregistered occupants of their boat may have, arising out of or in any way connected with his or her participation in this tournament, including any injury or death suffered by any registered angler, boat captains, crew members, family members, companions or other occupants of any boat, and including any damage to vessels and equipment, which occurs during or in conjunction with the event. Each Angler understands and agrees that this release specifically includes and waives any claims based on libel, slander, negligence, action, or inaction of any above-named party.
2) Signing of the Entry Sheet - All Boat owners/team representatives are required to sign the entry form as certification that they have read and agreed to abide by all guidelines and the above liability release. By registering a team and signing the entry form, the boat owner/team representative agrees to follow the LBI Cup rules, including all regulations set by the federal government and the State of NJ. The BHM&TC will not be responsible for any fine or penalty incurred by any angler who boats a fish which violates state or federal fishing regulations. Members of the tournament committee (hereinafter, the committee) are tournament officials. The weigh master is also a tournament official.
3) Registration is to be made by vessel and angler. All anglers on the vessel must be registered. Junior anglers (16 and under) and ladies are eligible for an angler award.
4) The Beach Haven Marlin & Tuna Club reserves the right to cancel or modify any aspect of the tournament at any time, for any reason including if in its best judgment, unsafe conditions exist at sea for the average boat entered. In the event of such a case, the BHM&TC reserves the right to extend the tournament. No refunds of any sort will be made for any cause in the event of such cancellation or modifications.
5) No refunds for entry fees will be given for any reason after November 5th, 2023, including but not limited to acts of nature, weather, war, national security, covid-19, vessel malfunctions, sickness, crew availability, or travel restrictions. Calcutta entries may be refunded until the close of registration on November 10th at 7:00pm (minus the % for service fee) if a team is unable to compete in the tournament.
6) For prize money to be awarded, a W9 must be completed by the winning team and submitted to the BHMTC Treasurer at treasurer@bhmtc.com with a copy to wmit@bhmtc.com. Prize money will be awarded to the boat in one lump sum payment in the form of a check.
7) Calcutta rules: Any unwon prize money rolls to Most Points. Each calcutta pool is a separate contest. Money does not roll between pools. 10% is retained from calcuttas to offset tournament expenses.
8) A determination permitting fishing by tournament officials should not be interpreted to mean that the tournament ensures the safety of any registered angler or occupant of any boat. Anglers must make their own judgments whether to fish under the prevailing weather conditions based on the size and seaworthiness of their boat, their seamanship skills, and any other relevant factors.
9) Each $200 registration fee includes up to four (4) anglers per boat. Additional anglers are $50 per person. Maximum 6 anglers per boat. Any additional person(s) onboard (Captain, Observers, etc.) must register at $50 per person. All persons on fishing vessel must be registered. No free riding.
10) An angler or boat will be disqualified for such cause, as misconduct, unsportsmanlike behavior, or any other incident deemed inappropriate by the tournament committee. In such cases, no refunds will be issued and the individual or boat may lose future participation privileges.
11) The captain and crew of a boat with mechanical problems may be allowed to switch boats prior to “lines in” on Friday, November 10th. In this event, they will fish under the same name and same tournament boat number. Any such transfers must include all anglers/contestants from the vessel. No splitting of crews in the event a transfer is necessary due to mechanical issues. The tournament committee must approve such transfers.
12) If a boat breaks down and needs assistance, any other vessel can help a stranded vessel, such as by offering tools, mechanical help, or towing. No fish can be transferred between vessels. Any such transfers would disqualify both vessels.
13) Any rule changes will be addressed at the captain’s meeting on Friday, November 10th, 2024. It is MANDATORY that at least one crew member of a registered boat attends the captain’s meeting. It is the responsibility of all participants to familiarize themselves and abide by all rules and regulations of this tournament. Do not expect the Tournament Directors to contact you and advise of any changes.
Fishing Days, Fishing Times, Boundaries
14) Fishing hours: Lines in any time after the Captain’s Meeting on Friday November 10th. Lines out at 4:00pm (AT&T Time) on Saturday, November 11th.
15) Any fish hooked prior to 4:00pm on Saturday, November 11th may be played until boated or released. It is advised that if any vessel is fighting a fish approaching 4:00pm try to raise another other boat in the tournament.
16) Northern Boundary is Asbury Park Convention Hall & the Southern Boundary is Absecon Inlet. The Western boundary is the GS Parkway. Additionally, Boats are not permitted over the 3-mile line as displayed by GPS. Going over the 3-mile line or outside of boundaries is not permitted and will result in disqualification.
General Angling Rules
17) All IGFA rules for fishing and tackle will apply unless noted otherwise within the LBI Cup rules (See Rules 18 & 19). All federal and State of NJ fishing regulations apply. Please refer to New Jersey Statute Annotated (NJSA) 23:5-54.1 for all NJ Striped Bass Regs.
18) “Hook and Hand” is permitted. Hook and Hand is defined as: a fish may be hooked by anyone other than the angler, (Captain, mate, or other registered angler) however, after the hook is set, the fishing rod must be transferred immediately to the angler. One pass only after the initial hook up. The angler, from that time on, shall fight the fish alone until boated or released.
19) Wire line, lead core line, umbrella rigs and tandem rigs are all permitted.
20) Holding or touching an angler in a manner that assists them in fighting the fish or takes pressure off the angler is prohibited. Touching or briefly holding the angler to prevent them from falling is permitted.
21) There is no limit on the number of lines with hooks or teasers that may be fished.
22) All Fish must be caught and landed by a boat registered in the contest.
23) The act of culling, defined as “being in possession of a fish (dead or alive in a live well), to discard or exchange that fish to possess another fish for a tournament prize” is strictly prohibited and will result in disqualification.
Weigh-in
24) The scale hours are Saturday, November 11th from 4:00pm - 8:00pm. You must be on the BHMTC property by 8:00pm or your catch will be disqualified. NO ALIBIS OR EXCUSES.
25) All fish to be weighed must be brought to the official LBI Cup scale at the BHM&TC. All fish must be weighed-in by the boat on which the fish was caught or by car.
26) A maximum of 3 striped bass and 2 bluefish will be weighed per vessel – captain’s choice. Fish will be weighed to the .01 / pound. Due to the small increments and sensitivity of the scale, no live fish will be weighed.
27) All fish whether harvested or released are required to be recorded on the day's daily catch report. Catch reports are supplied with your registration package and must be filled out prior to weighing in your catch. If you do not have one, please see the committee for a replacement.
28) The angler or boat representative must remain with the fish throughout the weigh-in process and must sign the catch report before leaving the scale area. Only one team member is allowed in the scale area at a time.
29) Catch reports must be submitted by either texting a photo of the front and back of the report to Dave Wittenborn at (609) 577-2797 or if you have fish to weigh, delivering by hand to the weigh master at the BHM&TC. If you do not submit a catch report by the time the scale closes, your catch will be disqualified. NO REPORT = NO FISH
30) In the event of a malfunction in the primary weighing system, the Tournament shall switch to a back-up scale certified by the New Jersey Office of Weights and Measures or an approved vendor certifying the BHMTC scales to the requirements of the New Jersey Office of Weights and Measures and or the IGFA.
31) All fish eligible for cash prizes will be subject to examination by tournament officials, fish I.D. experts, consulting biologists and/or the tournament weigh master.
32) It shall be the responsibility of the participant to keep all eligible catches in suitable and proper condition until weigh-in. In the event of any disputes arising from such examinations, the decision of the tournament officials shall be final.
33) Any concerns as to the weight of the fish, the way it is being weighed or the condition of the fish must be made to the weigh master while the fish is on the scale. Once the weight has been called and the fish has been removed from the scale, the weight is considered official and shall stand.
34) Any fish under protest will be kept in the possession of the Beach Haven Marlin & Tuna Club until the tournament officials release an official decision.
Official Time & Video Verification Recordings
35) Each team is required to provide video evidence of each released striped bass catch. The video must be recorded with either an iPhone or an Android phone as the time stamp is automatically created within the video file.
36) The video must be continuous from the time the fish is being measured on the ruler until the time the fish is clearly released. The video must contain the full measuring process showing a clear image of the head and tail on the official LBI Cup ruler. For verification purposes, no other ruler is permitted. The measurement must be clearly legible. Any question as to the measurement of the fish will result in the catch being downgraded to the lower points category.
Your video proof must include the following:
1) Time / date stamp (from iPhone or Android)
2) Fish measurement (must be clearly visible)
3) Fish being released
37) Release videos are required to be uploaded to the LBI Cup Reel Time App no later than 8:00pm on Saturday, November 11th. NO VIDEO = NO FISH. The Reel Time App is designed to automatically pull the time stamp from the meta data of the video file. Scoring officials will be able to view the time stamp as part of the scoring and verification process. The video date / time stamp must match the correlating catch report for the day (AT&T time). Please note, the live scoring feature on the App is for entertainment purposes only. The official winners will be announced at the Awards Presentation on Sunday once all videos and scoring have been verified and confirmed.
Protest / Breach of Rules
38) Any allegations of violations of any of the above rules may only be submitted only by an official tournament registrant and must be submitted in writing. In the event of such an allegation, the tournament officials will have the sole and exclusive responsibility to investigate the alleged incident and to rule as to whether any violation materially aided the angler, crew, or vessel, or otherwise affected the outcome of the tournament.
39) Any subsequent penalty will be solely determined at the discretion of the tournament officials and shall be final. In all cases, registrant and their crews agree to be bound by the ruling of the tournament officials.
40) The written protest must contain a detailed description of the protested matter and include any supporting evidence available. The written protest must be signed, dated, and include time of written protest and must be delivered by a tournament registrant to Chris Potts, Tournament Chairman, phone (609) 207-8282. No protests will be accepted after 8:00pm on November 11th, 2023.
41) A protest fee of $500 cash must accompany the written protest. If the tournament officials rule in favor of the tournament registrant making the allegations, the protest fee will be returned. If the tournament officials rule against the tournament registrant making the allegation, the protest fee will be forfeited and donated to a local charity.
42) Participants are assumed to have all necessary permits, licenses and/or registrations required by law. However, it is not the responsibility of the tournament officials or directors to verify that all required permits, licenses and/or registrations are acquired by anglers participating in the tournament. Failure of a winning angler to have obtained any or all required permits, licenses and or registrations shall not be the basis for a protest to be filed under the General Tournament Rules, or for a fish to be disqualified.
43) Tournament officials reserve the right to require a polygraph examination if they feel it necessary to resolve any disputes or allegations. Anyone refusing to take the polygraph will result his team/boat being disqualified.
44) Tournament officials shall serve as judge on all protest and their decision is final.
END OF RULES