Entry Fee is $6,500 per boat

$500 Discount for Early Registration

Base Entry must be paid in full by May 6th

$150 Discount for MBGFC Member Boats Entry

$1,000 Discount for Limited Criteria boats (All outboard and inboards 36′ under)

The Gulf Coast Masters is a sport fishing tournament where participants agree to fish in a fair and ethical manner. While the tournament does not strictly enforce the use of IGFA rules, it certainly expects that only minor technical differences will be employed by anglers. One noted exception is the allowance that the rod may be handed off one time during the first minute of the fight. All rules of the Mobile Big Game Fishing Club also apply.

RULES ACCEPTANCE

Rules, including published rules in print or on the website (www.gulfcoastmasters.com), are subject to change without notice. It is the sole responsibility of the participating anglers, captains, crews and guests (“Participants”) to know and abide by the Tournament Rules as published and as amended during the Captain’s Meeting. By entering the Gulf Coast Masters and paying entry fees, Participants agree to abide by the Tournament Rules and accept decisions made by the Rules Committee as final.

CAPTAINS’ MEETING

The Captains’ meeting will be held on Wednesday at 8:00 pm at MBGFC Clubhouse. The captain, owner or designated team representative must sign-in and be present at the captain’s meeting. Any changes to the rules and final instructions will be given at the captain’s meeting. You must check in and obtain wristbands for attendees to attend the kickoff party at the Clubhouse.  Additional wristbands will be available for sale.

PERMITS & LICENSES

An Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling Permit is required, and participants must be familiar with and follow HMS regulations. Anglers must obtain an Alabama Saltwater Fishing License which can be purchased locally or online.

TOURNAMENT START

Teams may depart from Perdido Pass only at or after 9:00 am on Thursday.  All boats are encouraged to attend the flare start. 

FISHING HOURS

Boats may begin fishing at 9:01 am on Thursday morning and continue fishing until the mandatory check in at 6:00pm on Saturday. Scales close at 7:00 pm on Saturday. All boats with catch & release videos and fish to be weighed, must return by water, and must be inside Perdido Pass jetties and check in by 6:00pm on Saturday.  Boats are to remain in the water from the time of departure after the captain’s meeting until returning to the weigh dock. Boats may be lifted on a boat lift, hauled out, or placed on a trailer for repair work, weather or other reasons but are not permitted to be moved with a trailer during the tournament.  The vessel must return to the water at the same location from which it left before proceeding to fish.

WEIGH STATION HOURS

Scales will be open 7:00-8:00pm on Friday (must contact us if needed) and Saturday 4:00 till the last fish is weighed. All billfish catch verification forms for boated and/or released fish must be turned into officials before the scales close.

QUALIFYING FISH

The following species are eligible for competition when caught by registered anglers in accordance with tournament rules:

Eligible for Catch & Release: Blue Marlin, White Marlin, Sailfish, and Spearfish

Eligible for Weigh-in at Scales

Blue Marlin – 110″ minimum (LJFL)

Tuna – 20 lbs. minimum weight

Wahoo – 15 lbs. minimum weight

Dolphin – 15 lbs. minimum weight

Boated Blue Marlin must measure at least 110 inches in length from the tip of the lower jaw to the fork of the tail (LJFL). Deck checking of billfish is strictly prohibited: A boated billfish is one that has been partially or totally pulled onto the boat. Boated billfish cannot be released for points. Culling or discarding a previously boated marlin is prohibited. Violation of this rule will result in team disqualification from the tournament, inducing all categories entered, and forfeiture of all entry fees and may lead to disqualification from future participation in The Gulf Coast Masters and Mobile Big Game Fishing Club Tournaments.  No angler or boat may be in possession of more than one blue marlin at any given time.  The tournament committee reserves the right to reject any fish entry because of poor condition or one that does not meet the eligible requirements set by this tournament. The condition of the fish will be left to the scrutiny of the tournament committee. THEIR DECISION IS FINAL.

REPORTING OF BILLFISH

Each boat is required to record all billfish that are boated or released.  Report all boated and released billfish to the MBGFC representative.

Call or Text the below representatives:

Billy Pardue – 205-296-8211

Brantley Devalk – 251-270-9208

If necessary, committee boats may be hailed. 

Be prepared to give the following information:

Name of Boat

Name of Angler

Species of Fish (Blue Marlin, White Marlin, Spearfish, Sailfish)

Time released or boated

Length of blue marlin if boated

WEIGH-IN-PROCEDURES

Tournament scales will be located at the Mobile Big Game Clubhouse. Boats having fish to weigh must be checked in by official closing of scales. Anglers must remain with their fish until completion of the weigh-in procedure. The angler must sign the weigh-in and/or release sheet to verify the weight, at which time this will make the weight official. All fish weighed at the scales will be returned to the boat.  Failure to sign the weigh-in or release verification can lead to disqualification of the fish.

TOURNAMENT AWARDS

All Tournament Awards are based on 75 registered tournament boats. Payouts are subject to change depending on the number of entries. Awards for Heaviest Fish will be presented to the angler/boat for fish caught in the following categories:

If no qualifying blue marlin are weighed, the cash award for blue marlin will roll down and be divided between the top 3 team’s accumulated catch & release points, 50/30/20.

Top boat, Top Jr. Angler (18yrs or younger), Top Lady Angler, and Top Club Member awards will be determined by MBGFC point system below.  It is the responsibility of the team to make sure that anglers eligible for junior, lady, or member status are listed as such in catch stat at registration.  Ties will be broken using GPS time of release.

MBGFC Points system

1 point per pound for weighed blue marlin

500 points per blue marlin release

200 points per white marlin, sailfish, spearfish, unidentified release

1 point per pound for largest 2 tuna (accrued points for up to 2 tuna)

2 point per pound for largest 2 wahoo (accrued points for up to 2 wahoo)

3 point per pound for largest 2 dolphin (accrued points for up to 2 dolphin)

CATCH & RELEASE

Billfish Catch: A billfish is considered caught when the leader connection is shown reeled to the tip of the rod, or a team member is shown touching the leader.

Billfish Release: The billfish is considered released when, after being caught by the above definition, the rod and angler are shown with the fish no longer connected to the line or the billfish is shown in the water, no longer connected to the line in a healthy state per the video review official, with their ruling final.

OPTIONAL ENTRY AWARDS

Optional Entry will be available online via Catchstat until 10am prior to the tournament start. These are optional awards separate from tournament awards.  90% of all optional entries are paid out as optional awards. The Optional Entry is not required to compete for the Tournament Awards. Participants may pay an Optional Entry fee in one or more of the following:

Blue Marlin, C&R Overall, Tuna, Wahoo, Dolphin will pay 1st, 2nd, and 3rd with a 50%, 30%, 20% split. C&R Daily. In the event of limited participation in any category listed above, the payouts will be modified as follows: One team entered will be refunded in full, 2-5 teams will be winner-take-all, 6-9 will be 60/40 split and 10 or more teams will be the standard 50/30/20 split. Optional Awards for Catch & Release divisions are determined by points according to Tournament Rules.  Optional Awards for boated Blue Marlin, Tuna, Wahoo, and Dolphin are determined by weight according to Tournament Rules.  If no qualifying fish are weighed by an Optional Entry participant in each Division eligible for an Optional Award, 90% percent of the Optional Entry Fees collected for that division are returned to the participant(s) who paid Optional Entry Fees for that division.

C&R Daily

• Entry cost for the category is $6,000.
• $6000 is then divided into 3 days, $1800 per day. 
• Each day is winner-take-all.
• Winner is determined by the most accumulated points on each of the 3 of fishing days.
• If no fish are caught on Day 1, money will roll over to Day 2. If no fish are caught on Day 2, money will roll over to Day 3. If no fish are caught on Day 3, money will be split evenly between Day 1 and Day 2.
• Day 1 Competition Hours:  9:01am – 11:59pm
• Day 2 Competition Hours:  12am – 11:59pm
• Day 3 Competition Hours:  12am – 6pm

No Sonar

The No Sonar is a winner take-all for the largest fish on dock caught by a boat not equipped with an omnidirectional or similar sonar.

Crew Jackpot

Crew Jackpot is winner take all using MBGFC points system.

TOURNAMENT DESIGNATIOR/IDENTIFICATION MARKER

Designators will be assigned at the mandatory Captain’s Meeting. These markers must appear in all video submissions.

Video Verification and Points Award for Catch and Release

Points for catch and release are awarded when, in the process of the catch and release as defined above, all technical elements are shown on video. Tagging is not required for points and billfish removed from the water or boated will be disqualified

Video submitted for consideration for points must include the following technical elements in a continuous video:

Angler fighting fish, including video of rod and reel

Tournament Designator

The Catch (swivel at rod tip or team member touching the leader)

Video of Billfish for species identification. (Judges use dorsal, anal and pectoral fins for fish identification)

The Release (the Billfish being released on video of the rod and angler with the fish no longer connected to the line)

A clear video of the GPS date & time; to be used for official release time. Hold camera steady for several seconds to allow clear focus of GPS Date & Time (This is critical.) GPS must display in CDT.

Verification video recordings must be submitted no later than the closing of the scales on final day of fishing immediately upon return to the marina to the video judges at the designated judging location near the weigh station or in the clubhouse.   All recorded images and sounds become the property of the tournament and may be used by the tournament for display purposes during the weigh-in and future marketing campaigns. All Images may be copied from digital hard drive cameras, tapes, CD’s, and DVD’s, etc. The team is responsible for the quality, viewability, and clarity of the video. If separate camera angles are to be used, the video requirements must be met on each.

POLYGRAPH POLICY

A Polygraph Test may be administered at the discretion of the Tournament Committee.  By registering, each angler agrees and consents to submit to a polygraph examination(s).  Polygraph testing will be conducted by a polygraph examiner selected by the GCM.  No prizes or awards are official until polygraph and audits are completed. All team members agree to accept polygraph results of any team member as including the entire team and by registering forfeit rights to protest or challenge polygraph results and the resultant decisions by the tournament committee. If any registered angler or occupant of a vessel refuses to submit a to a polygraph examination, or if any registered anger or occupant gives a response which, in the sole opinion of the polygraph examiner, is untruthful, then the offending angler(s) and the boat shall be immediately disqualified without further notice from the tournament in question and enforced by the committee.  Any registered angler(s) or team that is disqualified shall not be entitled to any prizes, awards, or refund of the entry fees or cash award fees and may be refused entry to future GCM tournaments.

BILLFISH SCORECARD

All billfish release or boated must be logged on the Billfish Scorecard in the sequence in which they were caught. Scorecards must be signed by a team representative indicating they agree to the information as recorded. The scorecard must include boat name, angler’s name, species, date and tie of the release. Detailed instructions are printed on the billfish scorecard which is included in the team packet handed out at registration. 

POLYGRAPH POLICY

Payment for Cash Awards

During registration, each tournament boat must designate a representative payee who provides tax id to receive payment for all cash awards. Payment of cash awards is by check and mailed after audit. MBGFC and Gulf Coast Master’s accept no responsibility for the division of any cash awards between team members.

WEATHER: TOURNAMENT DELAY OR CANCELLATION

In the event the tournament committee feels that fishing is unsafe, most notably a Small Craft Advisory, the tournament may be canceled or delayed. If delayed, a new start time or date will be announced should weather conditions improve. If canceled, entry fees will be refunded less a prorated share of tournament expenses. One day or part thereof of offshore fishing constitutes a complete tournament. Entrants shall have no claim against the Gulf Coast Masters for return of paid entry fees. All teams and participants should make their decision to fish based solely on their own judgment. Fish at your own risk.

Tie Breakers

For ties of weighed fish, placement is determined by the order of weigh-in at scales. For ties in catch and release, placement is determined by the first angler to reach the higher point total as verified by the boat’s GPS time.

Protest

Any protests relating to the tournament must be submitted in writing along with a $1,000 protest fee to the tournament committee no later than 30 minutes after the last fish is weighed on the final day of the tournament.  All disputes are decided by the Tournament Director and Committee and their decision is final. Poor sportsmanship will be grounds for disqualification from the tournament and possibly going forward. Any violation of these rules resulting in disqualification will result in forfeiture of entry fee and prize money.

Waiver/Disclaimer

It is understood that all participants in the Gulf Coast Masters enter at their own risk, and that the officers, committee members, sponsors, directors, tournament venue and all persons connected directly or indirectly with the operation of said tournament, shall be exempt from any liability for libel, slander, loss, damage, negligence, harm, injury or death suffered by any participant, entrant, anglers, his/her companions, boat captains, mates, crew members, vessels and equipment with may occur during or in conjunction with the tournament. By tournament entry, the team consents that the Gulf Coast Masters may without payment or restriction, use any photographs in which any of their crew may appear for any purpose whatsoever; including, but not limited to resale, advertising, commercial or promotional material. The captain and his crew further release the Gulf Coast Masters, officers and directors, and all persons from injury, loss or damage which may result.

ALL DECISIONS OF THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR AND COMMITTEE ARE FINAL AND KNOWN TO HAVE SUBJECTIVE COMPONENT1