Description

Get excited... The Garmin Trailer Boat Tournament is making a spectacular return for 2025!

If you haven’t already heard the Trailer Boat Tournament is back for 2025 !!!   6th – 8th February (Waitangi Weekend) and Entries are open!

• Capped at 150 boats
• Waitangi Weekend 2025

Any prizes not won will be drawn!

Big thanks to our sponsors:

Garmin Fuel 2 U, Whitianga Ice Supplies and WCP Whitianga Concrete Pumps.

Rules

WELCOME TO THE 2025

TRAILER BOAT TOURNAMENT

Entry $400 per boat. Limited to 150 x boats.

Cash and prizes awarded to the winning Boats.

(No individual angler prizes).

Optional Sweepstakes, winning boat takes all per category.

In the unlikely event that no fish are caught in any one of these species, the sweepstake money will be drawn from those teams entered in that species sweepstake.

Sweepstake costs.

$100.00                     Most points Billfish and Broadbill.

$50.00                       Heaviest Tuna

$50.00                       Heaviest Kingfish

$50.00                       Heaviest Snapper

$50.00                       Heaviest Kahawai

1. GENERAL

The purpose of this tournament is to make sure you all have a good time and an equal chance to win some excellent prizes.

To that purpose we have a set of rules. Please read them and make sure you understand them. If there are any matters that need clarification please note them and ask at the briefing.

Any matters not specifically covered by these rules will be covered by IGFA rules, NZSFC rules, MBGFC Fishing Rules and/or at the discretion of the Tournament Committee.

ENTRY and registration in the tournament constitutes acceptance of the rules by ALL participants, and an agreement to abide by ALL judges decisions.

The Tournament Committee reserves the right to amend the rules, should it be deemed necessary in the interest of the Tournament.

Competitors participate in the tournament at their own risk. MBGFC does not accept any liability for material damage or personal injury sustained in conjunction with or prior to, during, or after the tournament. Leaving port is at the sole discretion of the skipper and crew at all times.

2. ELIGIBILTY

All anglers must be current financial members of Mercury Bay Game Fishing Club Inc (MBGFC) or an affiliated NZSFC Club. Proof must be provided. Day membership to MBGFC will suffice.

Trailer boats must be launched from a trailer. Jetskis and Kayaks are eligible.

NOTE:  A commercial vessel (Trailer boat) must provide a particular approval form under Section 111(1)(a) of the Fisheries Act for the Tournament dates to the Club office before going fishing. Fishing in is NOT permitted.

3. REGISTRATION & BRIEFING:

Registration will be held at the MBGFC Clubrooms on Wednesday 05 Feb from 1100 and briefing at 1930 sharp.

At least one team representative MUST attend, and all team members are urged to attend to give sponsors maximum exposure.

All rules and/or clarifications as well as additional instructions given at briefing are deemed to be known and accepted by all participants whether present or not.

Teams can depart after briefing.

4. FISHING AREA

The area covered by our Sponsors Grid:

5. TACKLE

All tackle used MUST comply with IGFA and NZSFC regulations.

It is the angler’s responsibility to be conversant with these regulations.

Line classes are:  1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 15, 24, 37, 60kg.

6. ELIGIBLE SPECIES

Billfish (Striped, Blue, & Black Marlin. Spearfish)

Broadbill            

Tuna (All species)                

Kingfish             

Kahawai             

Snapper                               

7.  MINIMUM FISH WEIGHTS & SIZES:

Striped, Blue, Black Marlin     90kg

Spearfish                                             

Broadbill                              90kg

Kingfish                               75cm        

Tuna                                    5kg           

Snapper                               50cm        

Kahawai                               50cm        

Apart from these restrictions there are no minimum weights, i.e. Fish do NOT have to go line weight in this tournament.

8. RADIO

Contest Channel                   Channel 61 Gamebase

Boat to Boat                        Channel 6, 8 & 65

Coastguard                          Channel 63

Continuous Weather             Channel 20

Marina                                 Channel 61

For safety reasons it is the responsibility of all skippers to ensure that their vessels have operational VHF radios.

9. WEATHER:

The Tournament will not be cancelled due to weather. Whether or not to fish is not the responsibility of the MBGFC or organisers of the event, and must be based solely on the teams own judgement, taking into account the prevailing conditions, the seaworthiness of their vessel, the status of safety equipment on board, and the crews seamanship skills. The tournament is a 3 day event, as little as one day or part thereof constitutes a complete tournament.

10. TIDES

11. FISHING TIMES

Continuous fishing from 5.00am Thursday 6^th until stop fishing is called on channel 61 at 3.00pm Saturday 8th

12. REPORTING:

(a) Gamebase is not a search and rescue channel!

If you wish to be monitored by Coastguard for reasons of safety at sea you should log a trip report on Ch 63.

In the event of an emergency call Coastguard on Ch 63

(b) Billfish and tuna should be called in to Gamebase on hookup and when boated, tagged or lost giving the vessels name, the area from the Sponsors Gridmap. Smaller species can be notified during the sched.

(c) There will be a sched at 1400 each day when vessels with fish to weigh can contact Gamebase with their catch & ETA.

13. HOOK UP FLAGS

On hooking up, a fish which strips a significant amount of line, a signal flag should be displayed from the starboard outrigger, flagpole, aerial or other suitable position. 

14. STRIKES (SINGLE AND MULTIPLE):

(i) When a strike occurs, the angler(s) must immediately remove the rod(s) from the rod holder(s), while the crew clear the rest of the gear.

(ii) If the number of fish in a multiple strike equals or exceeds the number of people on the boat, gear may be cleared prior to fighting the fish.

(iii) Once an angler has fought one fish from a multiple strike, whether that fish is caught or lost, they must not present a subsequent fish from the same multiple strike.

Fish left on rod holders while others are fought must be self-disqualified

15. BILLFISH TAGGED AND RELEASED:

Billfish must NOT be removed from the water during the tagging and releasing process.    Digital videos clearly showing the tag in place must be shown to the weighmasters when tag cards are presented.

16. WEIGH IN. AT the Caravan on the wharf.

a)    Catch Cards & Tag Cards:

       ALL sections MUST be filled in BEFORE fish are brought to the weighstation. First and last name must be written in full, not initials.

       Latitude and longitude must be entered on tag cards.

       Team number and angler name must be clear.

PROVIDING FALSE INFORMATION ON CATCH CARDS WILL RESULT IN  DISQUALIFICATION FROM THE TOURNAMENT.

b)    Along with the FULLY COMPLETED catch card and/or tag card each angler must present the rod, reel, lure and or terminal tackle which the fish was caught on, and anything else required by the weighmasters such as gaffs, tailropes, any securing ropes used to transport the fish to the weighstation.

       A FISH IS NOT DEEMED TO BE CAUGHT UNTIL IT HAS BEEN WEIGHED (or tagged).    

c)    Digital video clearly showing the tag in place must be shown to the weighmasters when tag cards are presented.

d)    Lines may be tested at the weigh station.  Lines that over test will be moved up to the appropriate line class.  Under testing lines will NOT be moved down.      

e)    Weighmasters Indemnity

       It is the anglers responsibility to present all cards and equipment when weighing in, NOT the weighmasters. If any of the required equipment is not in the hands of the weighmasters along with the completed catch card and fish by the close off time, the fish will not be accepted as being on time.

       No responsibility will be accepted by MBGFC or its weighmasters for any failure to do so.

f)    The weigh station is open from 1600 to 1800 on days one and two. Weighing fish after 1800 is at the discretion of the weighmasters and fish will be included in the following days catch.

g)    The weigh station is open from 1430 to 1700 on day three.

On Saturday Feb 8th, unless a fish is being played at stop fishing all anglers must have their fish, catch cards and tackle in the weighmasters hands by 1700.  The location of a boat at stop fishing must take into consideration it’s steaming and/or towing time to the weigh station. At 1700 an official will collect catch cards from any anglers waiting in a queue at the weigh station. No further catches will be accepted.

In the case of a fish being played at stop fishing radio notification must be given prior to stop fishing. For such a fish to be eligible for prizes in this tournament it must be at the weigh station by 1730.

17. DISPUTES

The MBGFC will appoint a disputes committee to investigate any disputes. Any disputes must be received in writing within 30 minutes of weigh in on the day in question. The disputes committee decision shall be final and binding.

18. PRIZE GIVING:  

Held in the Blue Lagoon on Saturday 8^th Feb, 1930 sharp.

19. PRIZE ALLOCATION: Billfish and Broadbill

Heaviest weighed fish, in the event of a tie, the first fish boated (as per the catch card) wins.

Points, in the situation where multiple teams have the same points, there will be a draw for the prize.           

Tuna, Kingfish, Snapper and Kahawai

Each team can weigh 2 x fish per species per day. Only the team’s overall top 2 heaviest fish per species will count for prizes.

Prizegiving

Prizegiving will be held rewarding the best catches as follows:

Billfish        Heaviest weighed        1st

Broadbill     Heaviest weighed        1st

Billfish & Broadbill     Most points   1st

Tuna (All species by weight)          1^st_, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th,5^th   

Kingfish                                      1^st_, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th,5^th   

Snapper                                      1^st_, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th,5^th   

Kahawai                                      1^st_, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th,5^th   

Any prizes not won will be drawn.

POINTS

Billfish or Broadbill T&R                          450pts

Spearfish T&R                                        100pts

Weighed Billfish and Broadbill calculation.   

    Fish weight X 100

    Line weight

N.B. Prizes presented in error at Prizegiving remain the property of the Club and must be returned for correct  allocation upon notification within seven days.

20. WHARF:

Mercury Bay Game Fishing Club Inc will not be responsible for any harbour, wharf or berthage charges.

21. TERM DEFINITIONS

“TAIL ROPES” - A tail rope is any rope used in either or both the capture of the fish and securing the fish for transport to the weighstation. NO “Tail rope” may exceed 9.14m in length.

“RULES” - Includes all rules written herein, IGFA Rules, NZSFC Rules, MBGFC Fishing Rules and/or any changes and additions made by MBGFC during the Tournament.

“WEIGHT” - The weight of a fish as deemed correct by both the weighmasters and the angler signed off on the catch card.

“CAUGHT” - A fish is not deemed to be caught until it is weighed or tagged.

These rules and prize information will be updated as required.

GOOD LUCK AND GOOD FISHING