1. REGISTRATION - All boats must be registered with the Tournament Committee and entry fee paid to qualify for prizes and trophies. Any boat may be substituted but must be registered with the Tournament Committee prior to fishing. Registration forms will be accepted until 8:00pm at the Captain’s Meeting. The tournament reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to deny entry to anyone for any reason. No entries or upgrades will be accepted after 7:00am before lines in on Saturday May 5 , 2023.
2. RULES MEETING - At least one person from each vessel should attend the Captain’s Meeting for the Tournament, which will be held on Thursday April 27, 2023. Regardless, all participants in the Tournament are responsible for knowing all Tournament Rules, including any changes to the Rules that may take place at the Captain’s Meeting.
3. ROD & REEL RULES - This is a rod and reel, hook and line tournament. The following practices are illegal in this tournament: a) use of handline or rope attached to the line or leader; b) shooting, harpooning, or lancing; and c) the transfer of any participant from one boat to another to aid in the landing of the fish. Drones are not allowed in this tournament. All State & Federal regulations apply.
4. BOUNDARIES - All boats fishing in the Tournament must fish within SC waters. Fish must be captured in SC water’s – South - The Little River and North - the Savannah River. You must leave and return from South Carolina water’s without entering another state.
5.DISQUALIFICATION-Boat will be disqualified from the tournament if: 1. The boat, captain and/or crew violates any rules of the tournament unless otherwise specified in these rules. 2.. If recaptured by any method other than as outlined in the angling rules. No free gaffing allowed.
6. WEIGHT ALTERATION - Attempted weight alteration of any gamefish will be subject to disqualification and automatically disqualify the boat from the tournament. IGFA rules apply regarding mutilated fish. The Rules Committee reserves the right to cut open any fish for inspection of suspected weight altering. Efforts such as inserting weights, water, ice, ect.
7. VIOLATION OF RULES - Any boat violating any of these Tournament Rules or any boat containing a participant violating any of these Tournament Rules is subject to disqualification from the Tournament (unless another sanction for a particular violation is expressly set forth herein). By participating in the Tournament, all participants acknowledge that all Tournament Rules are material and that disqualification is a permitted and appropriate sanction for any violation of any Tournament Rules. Decisions regarding the interpretation of Rules, violation of Rules, penalties, and the suspension of any Rules or penalties will be made by the Rules Committee and/or Board of Directors in their sole and absolute discretion. All decisions by the Rules Committee and/or Board of Directors are final and are not subject to further challenge by participants.
8. FEDERAL AND STATE REGULATIONS - All vessels and participants shall comply with South Carolina and Federal Fisheries laws and regulations regarding fishing licenses, vessel permits, fishing gear, season size limits and bag limits. Participants shall also adhere to all Redd Roof Inn Dolphin Tournament rules as contained herein.
9. GAMEFISH-Winning gamefish will be determined by weight. In the event of a tie, the winner will be determined by the first fish weighed-in. Fish must be in fresh edible condition and fit for human consumption. All game fish must be weighed-in the day they are caught within weigh-in hours. Only one (1) fish per species per boat can be weighed with the exception of TWT Mixed Bag. Dolphin, Wahoo, Blackfin Tuna, and Mixed Bag (Limit 2 of any TWT fish)Creel limits for dolphin are 10 per angler per day with a limit of 54 per boat per day, with a minimum legal-size limit of 20 inches fork length. Creel limit for wahoo is 2 per person per day
10. WEIGH-IN - All gamefish eligible for prizes must be unloaded and weighed at 1 of the 4 official Tournament weigh stations from the boat landing the fish unless authorized by the Weighmaster at the weigh station. The fish must be entered on the official entry form by the Tournament Weigh Master. The scales will close at 7:00 p.m. You must be “checked-in” in PERSON with the weigh master at your chosen station by 7:00pm to weigh your fish. The weigh stations are Toler’s Cove Marina, Edisto Marina, Georgetown Landing Marina, Adam’s Creek on Wadmalaw Island, SC. The Weighmaster has the right to refuse any fish at his sole discretion.
11.PRIZE PAYOUT SCHEDULE - Prize money checks will be made payable to the person or entity so indicated on the registration form of the winning boat. Social Security number or Taxpayer I.D. number of the recipient must be provided on the entry form. All undisputed funds will be distributed 3 days after the tournament. Winners – 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place heaviest Dolphin (60/30/10). 1st & 2nd (70/30) in TWT’s. 1st,2nd,3rd place prizes for both youth and lady angler’s.
12. PROTEST - Any protest by any participant against the catch of another participant must be submitted in writing to the Tournament Rules Committee. No protests are allowed against the tournament. Any protest must be received by 9:00pm on 4/29/23. Any member of the Rules Committee or the Weighmaster (in their sole discretion), retains the right to hold and keep any fish deemed questionable by him with respect to being qualified for any prize or cash award. If retention of the fish is refused, the fish is automatically disqualified.
13. WEATHER- This is a small boat tournament. Weather will be considered. The tournament will be automatically canceled/postponed if there is a small craft advisory for April 29, 2023. If there is a small craft advisory on April 29, 2023, it will be called at 5:00am.In the event the tournament is postponed the makeup days are –1st make up day is Sunday, April 30th, 2023 and 2nd make up day is Saturday, May 6, 2023, 3rd make up day is Saturday May 13, 2023.
14. WITHDRAWAL - If registered boats do not fish, $400 is refundable and 100% of TWT money paid. The $200 SC State Record entry is NON-REFUNDABLE. To receive a refund, you must contact Tommy Bussey 843-452-8255 or Jeffrey Mitchell 843-478-6599 no later than 9:00pm the evening before a fish day via voice call or text message. You must also email fishreddroof@gmail.com to receive a refund.
15. POLYGRAPH- Polygraph tests will be administered at the sole discretion of the tournament committee. Captains and any occupant of the winning boats must be available for a polygraph test on Saturday May 6, 2023. Refusal by any participant or occupant of a registered boat will result in disqualification. All decisions of the polygraph examiner are final.
16. SC STATE RECORD DOLPHIN- These requirements are listed at www.dnr.sc.gov
17. PASSING FISH- The tournament committee will allow a fish to be passed to another boat in the event of a mechanical failure, injury, or your boat size limits you to dock for the weigh in ONLY if your catch is reported and approved by a committee boat or tournament official.
18. PRE-REGISTRATION - Ends on April 20, 2023 at 5:00pm in order to be considered in the free entry drawing. To be eligible and awarded the free entry, you MUST be present at the captains meeting. It is not permitted to withdraw or be refunded from the tournament until the pre-registration drawing has occurred.
19. INSURANCE - It is the vessel’s owners’ responsibility to have in place or obtain adequate liability insurance to cover each crew member, participant, and guest, as well as others if an incident occurs involving others not on the vessel.
