2024 ARMED FORCES SHOOTOUT
OFFICIAL TOURNAMENT RULES
When & Where: The Captain's Meeting for all registered teams will be held at Abaco Beach Resort, in the Tournament tent — Thursday, May 9, at 6:00 PM prior to the Kick-off cocktail party.
A team representative must be in attendance. If possible, all crew to attend to review guidelines and nature of the tournament, while veterans/active-duty members are onboard.
PERMITS/LICENSES
• All teams must possess a Bahamas Fishing License
• All teams must comply with all Bahamian rules and regulations
• Any fish that is harvested, must be brought in with the team/angler which the fish was caught.
FISHING DAYS/HOURS
• Tournament fishing days are May 10 and May 11, 2024
• Lines in: 8:30 AM / Lines Out: 2:30 PM. Fishing may begin at the call of “lines in” and conclude at
the call of “lines out” by the committee, at the respective times.
• An angler may fight a fish until it is lost, released or boated ONLY if it was hooked and reported
to the committee, prior to lines out of the water at 2:30 PM.
• We ask that boats return to Boat Harbor Marina at the conclusion of lines-out for weigh-in and
camaraderie with the military anglers
• Any meatfish requiring weigh-in must be at the scales prior to closing at 5:00 PM.
• Boats must return their “Release Log” to the tournament committee by 5:00 PM of each
tournament fishing day.
• There are no lay days or weather days, unless determined by the Committee. Fish at your own risk.
BOUNDARIES
• There is a 50-mile boundary rule - radius from the marina. ANGLING & EQUIPMENT
• International Billfish Tournament Regulations apply
• Six angler per team, per day are permitted, with no restrictions.
• The AFS is a Hook and Hand tournament. After successfully hooked up, we ask that all fish are
fought and released by the U.S. veterans and active-duty onboard your vessel – as possible.
Angler awards will only be awarded to U.S. veterans and active-duty members.
• Teams are permitted to hook and hand, upon the hook up as soon as possible.
• There is a female angler trophy
• A maximum of six lines (with hooks) are permitted at any one time. An unlimited amount of
hookless baits or teasers are allowed. "J" hooks may be used on lures only. Natural baits must be deployed with non-offset circle hooks. Live bait is not permitted.
TOURNAMENT SPECIES
• Catch and Release: Blue Marlin, White Marlin, Sailfish and Spearfish are eligible for catch and release ONLY.
• Meatfish: Tuna (yellowfin, blackfin, and big eye only), Wahoo and Dolphin (Mahi-Mahi), are eligible for weigh-in with a 15 lb. minimum weight requirement.
REPORTING OF BILLFISH
• A billfish release must be called into the committee via as soon as possible via VHF or text/WhatsApp to cell number (407) 721-3998 (Allison Reis). A billfish release must be called in with the following information: boat name, angler name, species released. The committee will validate your release by announcement on tournament VHF channel and reply via text/WhatsApp (if necessary) with an official release time – which you must record on your provided tournament “Release Log”, to be turned in at the conclusion of each tournament fishing day. It is unnecessary to call in hook-ups (only releases) – unless hooked, up to 10 minutes before lines out, nor is it necessary to call in any other species besides billfish. Any unidentified billfish will be awarded 100 points per release. If billfish is unidentified, please call in the release as unidentified billfish release. ALL BILLFISH MUST BE RELEASED WITHOUT HARM – THE AFS IS A NO KILL NO HARM TOURNAMENT.
MEATFISH DIVISION WEIGH-IN
• Weigh station is located at Abaco Beach Resort & Boat Harbor Marina. Weigh station is open from 2:30 PM – 5:00 PM each day of tournament fishing.
• No mutilated or frozen fish will be weighed
• The meatfish division is angler-oriented for awards (one trophy: Top Meatfish Angler)
• Each angler may weigh-in a maximum of three meatfish species per day, which must be caught
the same day they are weighed.
• Meatfish eligible for weigh-in must be brought to the scale on the boat that they are caught on
and may be transported to the scale on land. The tournament will have carts provided, stationed at the weigh-in. Teams must retrieve a cart; carts will not be brought to the boat by a committee member.
• Eligible fish must be brought to the scale by a team member. We encourage the team and angler to be present, for photo opportunities.
• The meatfish division is a tournament-wide angler award, regardless of species. (Day 1’s 20 lb. Mahi is knocked out by Day 2’s 30 Lb. Wahoo). An angler’s largest single meatfish of the three maximum fish weighed, will be the ranked meatfish for that day. (I.E.: if an angler weighs a
15 lb. Mahi, a 17 lb. tuna and a 20 Lb. Wahoo — the 20 Lb. wahoo will be the tournament fish for meatfish division ranking. But you may weigh all three).
CATCH AND RELEASE RULES
• A billfish must be released to qualify for top release angler and top release boat
• A billfish is considered released when:
o Theswivelbetweenthemainlineordoublelineandleaderhitstherodtip o Themategrabstheleader
o Thewind-onleadercomesthroughtherodtip
• Please release all billfish in good condition, by either removing the hook-set or cutting the leader as close to the hook-set as possible. “Popping” the leader is not a good method for a healthy release, and we ask that you refrain from doing so.
CATCH AND RELEASE POINTS:
• Blue Marlin: 400
• White Marlin: 150
• Sailfish: 100
• Unidentified billfish: 100
• A "Hatchet Marlin" and "Round Scaled Spearfish" will be considered White Marlin in this
tournament and therefore categorized as such
• All ties will be broken on time.
CATCH AND RELEASE VERIFICATION
• The Armed Forces Shootout is meant to be a fun tournament for our U.S. veteran and active- duty members. The AFS committee upholds trust that our teams will act with honor. Video verification and card verification is not necessary and will not be required by the tournament. The only requirement is to call in billfish release only as soon as possible after the billfish is released and record your release time and angler, on your tournament “Release Log”.
• For logistical purposes only, teams will be required to record their official tournament release time and angler, as verified by the committee via VHF and/or text/WhatsApp, on each respective day’s Tournament official “Release Log.” “Release Logs” must be submitted to the committee by 5:00 PM of each tournament fishing day.
• Disputes or protests: The AFS is strictly a fun-tournament. There will be no exchange or awarded prize money – officially by the Tournament. Non-monetary trophies will be awarded as: Top Overall Release Angler, Top Overall Release Female Angler, Heaviest Meatfish Angler, and Top Release Boat Overall. If for any reason, you have a dispute, issue, or question about points awarded or fish-weighed please speak directly with Cory Gillespie or Allison Reis as soon as possible.
AWARD CATEGORIES
• Top Angler – Billfish Release (U.S. veteran/active-duty eligible only)
• Top Female Angler – Billfish Release (U.S. veteran/active-duty eligible only)
• Top Meatfish Angler (“Angler” U.S. veteran/active-duty eligible only)
• Top Overall Team – Billfish Release
• Awards for the AFS are strictly non-monetary. There will be no tournament cash awarded, no
exceptions.
WEATHER
Tournament officials may cancel the tournament day if in their best judgment unsafe conditions exist at sea for the average boat entered. No refunds of any sort will be made for any cause in the event of such cancellation. If the day (or any portion thereof) is “weathered out”, the tournament results will be final based on the results of the official fishing time that can be completed. Notice of cancellation and/or resumption of fishing will be provided via Committee Phone. 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.
HOLD HARMLESS
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 the Tournament (Armed Forces Shootout), 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 (including, but not limited to Cory Gillespie and Allison Reis “Rising Tide Communications”, and Black Flag Yacht Sales), 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.
Signing of the Entry Sheet
By registering a team and signing the entry form, the Boat Owner/Team Representative agrees to follow the above tournament rules, including all regulations set by the Bahamian Government. 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.