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2025 Walker's Cay Gantry Challenge

2025 Walker's Cay Gantry Challenge

November 1 - November 1, 2025

Tournament Rules

  1. RULES ACCEPTANCE
    Rules, including published rules in print or on the website (www.walkerscay.com), are subject to change. It is the sole responsibility of the participating anglers, captains, crews, and guests (“Participants”) to know and abide by the Tournament Rules as published. By entering the Walker’s Cay Gantry Challenge and paying entry fees, Participants agree to abide by the Tournament Rules and accept decisions made by the Rules Committee as final. The Walker’s Cay Gantry Challenge reserves the right to refuse entry or disqualify any individual or team for cheating or misconduct.
  2. NATURE OF TOURNAMENT
    The Walker’s Cay Gantry Challenge is a fishing team competition. Participants enter at their own risk and acknowledge that there may be no winners if no qualifying fish are caught. The competition is yearlong, with teams allowed to fish during the designated competition days and hours. 
    In the event no qualifying fish are caught in a given Tournament category, the entry pot for that category will roll over to the following year, and teams must re-enter to compete for that pot.
  3. IN GOOD FAITH
    In unforeseen man-made events, Acts of God, major regulatory changes, fishery closures, or similar circumstances that could affect the tournament schedule or categories, the tournament committee will act in good faith and make fair, equal decisions for all participants and sponsors.
  4. ANGLERS AND TEAM BOATS
    There is no limit to the number of anglers on a team. Team members can change; however, if the owner of a team boat opts to use a different boat than the one registered, the Tournament Committee must be notified in writing and approve the change. Only one entry per team boat is allowed—using two team boats concurrently for a single entry is prohibited, though two team boats may be used for two separate entries.
  5. CANCELLATIONS
    All entry fees must be paid in full before competing. Participants must be registered before leaving the dock on the day of their catch. All entry fees are final; no refunds will be given for cancellations.
  6. WINNERS AND PRIZES
    Official winners will be announced on November 2nd, 2025. All cash prizes will be paid to winners by check or wire transfer (USD) and will equal 100% of the Mandatory Calcutta. The prize distribution is 33% for the Heaviest Wahoo, 33% for the Heaviest Mahi, and 33% for the Heaviest Tuna.
  7. PERMITS, LICENSES & JUDGING
    Judging for the Walker’s Cay Gantry Challenge is based solely on the published tournament rules.
  8. RULES ACCEPTANCE (FISHING RISK)
    Participants fish at their own risk. Teams are urged to use marine forecasts and assess the seaworthiness of their vessel to decide when it is safe to fish.
  9. FISHING DAYS, TIMES, AND BOUNDARIES
    Fishing begins at 5:00 AM (EST) on November 1st, 2024, and ends at 5:00 PM (EST) on November 1st, 2025. All participants must be inside the marina by 5:00 PM on any day they choose to compete. 
    Fishing Boundaries: Fishing is restricted to within 50 nautical miles of Walker’s Cay Marina. Departures are allowed only from Walker’s Cay Marina or Little Grand Cay. 
    Note: If you plan to weigh a fish, you must head directly to Walker’s Cay Marina without any stops.
  10. EQUIPMENT & ANGLING RULES
    Participants are expected to display the highest level of integrity and sportsmanship, competing in the “spirit” of the IGFA. Initially, “hook and hand” is permitted with one pass; thereafter, IGFA rules apply. 
    Note: Plugged-in electric reels with power are allowed only in the Wahoo Division.
  11. WALKER'S CAY GANTRY CHALLENGE APPROVED TOURNAMENT WEIGHTS
    Official weights from other Gantry Challenge–approved tournaments are accepted, deferring to those tournaments’ tackle and angling rules to qualify fish. The event uses certified scales and spectator witnesses.
  12. ELIGIBLE SPECIES, DISQUALIFICATIONS & POINTS
    Fish caught outside the tournament rules are disqualified and cannot be transferred to another boat. Fish that do not meet the minimum weight or that are mutilated (impairing the fish’s fighting ability, such as from shark bites or propeller trauma) are ineligible. Minor issues like small cookie cutter shark bites may be accepted at the committee’s discretion. Fish internals may be inspected to ensure no foreign objects were added for extra weight.
  13. WEIGH PROCESS
    • Fish must be weighed at Walker’s Cay Marina at the Gantry.
    • Boats must be inside the marina by 5:00 PM on any day chosen for fishing.
    • Notify on Channel #74 that you have a fish to weigh for the challenge.
    • Contact the Tournament Director, Ryan Edwards, via text or email (redwards@allenexploration.com, 772-214-8623) for assistance.
    • If needed, ask any Walker’s Cay employee for help with the scales.
    • To weigh a fish at the dock:
      1. With two witnesses present, weigh the fish, record its length and girth, take a photo (and video, if possible), and submit the information or text 772-214-8623 for assistance.
      2. Use the certified weigh scale hanging from the Gantry; teams should be prepared to weigh their fish unassisted if necessary.
      3. Take a picture of the fish clearly showing the official weight.
      4. Record the time the fish was weighed.
      5. Upload the details of two witnesses (name, email, and phone number) via the submission form.
      6. 2 Options to submit your catch. Text your weigh pictures and information to redwards@allenexploration.com or 772-214-8623 within 24 hours of your trip, ensuring the subject line includes your team name and contact info.
      7. Or Log into the Walker's Cay app Gantry Tournament with your boat's account to upload your catches with photos within 24 hours of your trip.
    • Weight information and pictures will be reviewed by the Tournament Committee and, if approved, updated on the leaderboard daily.
    • Teams may keep their fish, but the Tournament reserves the right to inspect all weighed fish.
  14. WEIGHED FISH TIE-BREAKERS
    If there is a tie in official weight within a category, the team that recorded their weight first (by time and calendar day) will be declared the winner.
  15. POLYGRAPH EXAMINATION
    The Tournament reserves the right to require winners to submit to and pass a polygraph examination. Failure to comply or a failed test will result in disqualification of the entire team. Disqualified teams forfeit all entry fees and prizes, and may be barred from future Walker’s Cay events. If the winning team fails the polygraph, the second-place team will be considered the winner and must also submit to the polygraph rules.
  16. RELEASE OF ALL CLAIMS
    In exchange for participating in the Tournament, Participants release and hold harmless the Tournament, Walker’s Cay Gantry Challenge, Walker’s Cay, LLC, approved weigh docks, and their officers, directors, employees, agents, volunteers, partners, and attorneys (“Releasees”) from any claims or demands arising from negligence or any other cause during the Tournament. Participants acknowledge the dangerous nature of offshore fishing and assume full responsibility for any injury or death resulting from such risks.
  17. DISPUTES
    Any disputes, protests, claims, or controversies regarding any aspect of the Tournament or its rules must be submitted in writing to the Walker’s Cay Gantry Challenge Committee within 24 hours (by 5:00 PM Central) following the close of scales on the final disputes day. A non-refundable fee of $1000 must accompany any dispute submission. All disputes will be decided by the Rules Committee and are final and binding.
  18. PHOTO & VIDEO RELEASE
    Participants consent to the use of any photographs, videos, or audio recordings (including blog posts or interviews) in which they appear by the Tournament or its affiliates for any purpose, including resale, advertising, and promotional material, without compensation or restrictions.