BGFA News & Events

Mega Bites Chews Up The Competition

Mega Bites Chews Up The Competition
On a day characterized by rough seas and poor fishing (for most), Mega Bites literally chewed up the competition by hooking twice as much as it’s nearest rival and securing maximum points on the day. They added insult to injury by bringing young Jessica Dash along to hook 3 of their 7 fish on a day when many boats caught nothing, and many a seasoned veteran were seen hanging over the side of the boat emptying their bowels. The “Men In Black” as the crew of Mega Bites are called due to their resplendent black uniforms, picked up where they left off last year, and now have a great launching pad to repeat again this season.
Notable catches include the heaviest kingfish being caught by rookie Alex Cole on ‘Knotty Buoy’, and Free Willy who came ashore with a Flying Batfish that lagged into the Careenage and struggled briefly on the swim platform of Challenge II before being boated by the Captain of Lone Shark, who embraced his prized catch for a moment before realizing that it was not an ‘eligible species’ and then sent it back to Free Willy duly recorded their ‘drunk and release’ which we are sure will present some classification challenges for the IGFA. 

The results of the tournament are as follows: 
Kingfish Tournament on 17th November 2007: 
Pos.Boat  Poundage Points
1st  Mega Bites 195 lbs 7 oz5
2nd Challenge II101 lbs 7 oz4
3rd  Knotty Buoy100 lbs 3 oz3
4th   High Seas41 lbs 6 oz2
5thHigh Spirits37 lbs 3 oz1
 Please note that the positions in Kingfish tournaments are based on cumulative poundage of eligible kingfish (e.g. over the 10 lb minimum weight, not mutilated, on time etc.)                

Individual Prizes
 
Most Poundage Kingfish: Mega Bites - 195 lbs 7 oz
2nd Most Poundage Kingfish:Challenge II- 101 lbs 7 oz
Most Heads Kingfish: Mega Bites - 7
Heaviest Kingfish:   Knotty Buoy- 37 lbs 5 oz 
2nd Heaviest Kingfish:High Spirits- 37 lbs 3 oz
Heaviest AOV:         High Seas- 51 lbs 8 oz Sailfish
Junior With Heaviest Kingfish:  Jessica Dash- 31 lb 7 oz
 

Ready-Mix/Ready-Block Offshore Championship Series (Best 2 tournaments of each series) Results

 
Pos.BoatOverall Points     Heaviest Fish
1st  Mega Bites5               32 lb 7 oz Kingfish
2nd Challenge II431 lb 4 oz Kingfish
3rd  Knotty Buoy337 lb 5 oz Kingfish
4th   High Seas251 lb 8 oz Sailfish
5thHigh Spirits137 lb 3 oz Kingfish
 The following are the confirmed entries for the Kingfish Calcutta for single largest Kingfish (Wahoo) overall, noting that entry is now only open to boats that did NOT fish in the last tournament, and only if they enter PRIOR to fishing in their first tournament. Hence, if you fished last tournament and did not choose to enter, then you cannot join later. The only boats that can enter from here on in are those who have not yet fished and they must do so prior to fishing: 

Calcutta: 
Challenge II$100.00
Storm Hunter$100.00
P-Dawg$100.00
Knotty Buoy$100.00
Mega Bites$100.00
Legacy$100.00
High Seas$100.00
Free Willy$100.00
Bella Mia$100.00
High Spirits$100.00
Lone Shark$100.00
Current Prize Total$1,100.00
 

Current Calcutta Leader                     Knotty Buoy – 37.5 lb Kingfish 

2007 Tournament Dates

 
Barracuda:King Fish:
Sunday November 25thSaturday December 1st  
 Sunday December 16th  
                                                                 

Kingfish Tournament Prize List

 
CategoryPrize (cash or cash equivalent)
     
Winner - Most Poundage Kingfish:$200.00   
2nd Most Poundage Kingfish:$150.00   
Heaviest Kingfish:$200.00   
2nd Heaviest Kingfish:$150.00   
Most Heads Kingfish:$150.00   
Heaviest AOV (min. weight 5lb):$100.00   
Junior Angler Heaviest Kingfish:$150.00   

 Minimum weight for Kingfish (Wahoo) is 10 lbs. Nb. Positions in each Kingfish tournament will be based on total poundage of Wahoo caught subject to the minimum weight. The above prizes will be the same for all three Kingfish Tournaments, with the following overall prizes being given for the collective results of all three tournaments:

Most Poundage Kingfish overall:           TBA

Largest Kingfish overall:                        TBA

CALCUTTA – There will be an optional Calcutta of $100.00 per boat for the boat landing the heaviest Kingfish (Wahoo) overall for the Kingfish tournament series.  It will be winner-take-all, and entry will only be allowed prior to fishing your first tournament of the series. No retroactive entry will be allowed.

Attached is a tournament entry form that we would like for you to complete PRIOR to each tournament so that we have a record of who fished with you and thereby help reconcile your account accordingly. This is especially important for the Calcuttas since entry after the tournament has started is NOT POSSIBLE !

OVERALL OFFSHORE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

The overall Offshore Champion will be the team accumulating the most points in their best two (2) Kingfish and best two (2) Offshore Tournaments, calculated as follows: 

PositionPoints
1st 5
2nd 4
3rd 3
4th 2
5th 1

 Teams will compete for a big overall prize overall cash prize ($$$) which is being negotiated with some of our loyal sponsors and which will be advised shortly. 

The positions in the Offshore Tournaments will be determined by the respective points scored (i.e. 1st - boat with most points, 2nd – boat with second most points etc.), while the positions in the Kingfish Tournaments will be based on the aggregate poundage weighed (i.e. 1st - boat with most pounds, 2nd – boat with second most pounds etc.)

In the event of a tie, the winner will be the team who is tied on the most points that hooked the largest eligible fish overall during the series. Members are reminded of the rules 5, 6 and 7 that are especially important to remember when competing for the overall Championship prize. 

KINGFISH TOURNAMENT RULES 

1)     Only fish caught by hook and line will be permitted, and where a fish actively bites or strikes a bait or lure. Intentionally foul-hooking, free-gaffing, spearing or harpooning a fish will disqualify such a fish.  

2)     Wire lines and hand lines are permitted once fished from a boat (i.e. not secured to a buoy or other such remote device) at all stages of the fight.  

3)     Boats must have a minimum of two (2) persons on board at all times, and no more than six lines may be used at one time. 

4)     All persons actively participating in the tournament must be paid-up members of the Barbados Game Fishing Association, and tournament fees will be advised by the Committee Of Management prior to the start of each tournament or tournament series. 

5)     Any fish injured or mutilated for any reason prior to landing or boating will be disqualified. Injuries sustained through gaffing, hook, line or leader, old healed scars, scratches or regeneration deformities will not be considered as disqualifying injuries.  The IGFA “Rules For Fishing In Fresh And Salt Water” are to be observed at all times except as stated herein to the contrary. 

6)     Prizes will be awarded on the basis of the team entered and also for individual catches. Teams will bear the name of the primary vessel being entered, and each team will have a Captain who shall be responsible to see that all tournament rules are adhered to. 

7)     A team Captain may apply to switch vessels during a series or for an individual tournament, but this will be at the discretion of the Committee, and such request will only be granted based on the relative necessity of such, and where the Committee is satisfied that the change is necessary due to extenuating circumstances and that no competitive advantage is to be gained. 

8)     Anglers, other than a team Captain, may switch vessels during a tournament series, but any points gained for team prizes will remain with the team with which they fished when earned. Individual prizes and/or points for overall angler awards will then be accumulated by the angler themselves.    

9)     Start and finish times will be set by the Committee of Management and notified to anglers no less that forty-eight (48) hours prior to the start of any tournament. 

10) For fish to be eligible the boat must reach the weighing station, or such other point as advised by the Committee prior to the start of the tournament, by the official closing time, and the Weigh Master informed of their arrival. A member of the team’s crew must accompany the catch to the weighing station. 

11) All fish must be weighed at the weighing station by the Weigh Master.  It will be the responsibility of the Weigh Master and/or the Committee to interpret all written rules and to make necessary decisions where the situation has not been anticipated by the written rules.  

12) All Captains must report to the tournament weighing station not later than 1 hour after the official closing time, whether they have fish for entry or not.  Failure to report to the weighing station may cause a boat to be disqualified from that or other tournaments at the discretion of the Committee. (This rule must be strictly adhered to, the object being to ensure that all boats have safely returned). 

13) Boats may not depart their Barbados mooring before 12.00 midnight and anglers may not start fishing before the start time of the tournament. 

14) Unacceptable conduct as determined by the Committee of Management ashore or on the ocean during the tournament or ashore in connection therewith will render the guilty party liable to sanction by the Committee and possible expulsion from the tournament in question and others in the future as the Committee sees fit. 

15) The Committee of Management reserves the right to adjudicate on all protests and complaints in respect of the tournament, and all protests must be made in writing and received by the Committee no later than the end of the first working day following the conclusion of any particular tournament.  

16) The Committee Of Management is not under any obligation to act only where a written protest is received, and reserves the right to enforce the rules whenever and wherever evidence is received of an infraction. In addition, the Committee may investigate as they see fit all areas of competition to ensure that compliance with the rules is being observed.

17) The decision of the Weighmaster shall be final, and only subject to review by the Committee of Management. Any dispute in weight must be notified to the Weighmaster at the time of weighing, and then fish must be advised as being “weighed under protest”, with the protest heard by the Committee at it’s earliest convenience, or at a later date following compliance with rule 14 herein, and without prejudice to the original position taken by the Weighmaster in the first instance.

18) The Weigh Master must enter the weight, type of all eligible fish, angler’s name and boat on a suitable sheet.

19) The minimum weights for all species shall be advised by the Committee of Management prior to the start of any tournament or series, and where notification is absent the minimum weights for the previous such tournament or series will apply.

20) In the event of any tie the prize shall be divided equally.  Until next time……..tight lines !

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