72nd International Billfish Tournament – Official Rules
General Meetings
A Captain’s Meeting will be held at 12:00 PM on Thursday, November 6, and an Angler’s Meeting at 4:30 PM on the same day. Both meetings are mandatory. If someone is unable to attend for a valid reason, they must notify the Tournament Committee in advance. The Tournament Control Room will be located at Club Náutico de San Juan. Official tournament notices will be posted on the bulletin board in the breakfast area by 6:30 A.M. each fishing day. Anglers are responsible for checking daily updates.
Fishing Area and Hours
Fishing area boundaries: - East Limit: 65°35′W (near Cabo San Juan) - West Limit: 66°25′W (near Vega Baja) - No Northern Limit
Lines in: 8:00 AM daily
Lines out: Days 1–2: 5:00 PM, Day 3: 4:00 PM
No teasers, baits, or sonar may be deployed before lines-in time. Boats may leave the marina at 7:00 AM. Any boat that departs before 7:00 AM will be disqualified for that day.
Permits and Substitutions
All substitutes must be registered no later than 7:45 AM on each fishing day.
Every boat must have a valid HMS Permit.
General Equipment Rules
Only conventional rod and reel may be used.
Electric reels (e.g., Kristal, Lindgren-Pitman) are permitted for teasers only.
Maximum line class: IGFA 30 lb
Leader: Max 30 ft; Leader + double line: Max 40 ft
No live bait is allowed.
Definition of Sonar: In the context of this tournament, “sonar” refers to a device with a transducer mounted on a shaft extending from the hull. This type is used to detect fish and structure around the vessel. Deployment is prohibited before lines-in time.
Anglers, Eligibility, General Fishing Rules
I.G.F.A. Rules: The International Angling Rules and Release Rules formulated by the International Game Fish Association will apply, as long as they are not in conflict with other Tournament Rules.
Minimum of 2 anglers, maximum of 4 per boat
One line per registered angler in the water at any time
Minimum angler age: 13 years old
Junior Anglers: Ages 13–17
Bait and Switch: The use of the Bait & Switch system will be permitted only under the following rules and regulations:
The system will be used only in the short (flat) lines. The long lines (outrigger lines) will have baits or lures with hooks in them.
Boats using the bait & switch system can use as many teasers as wanted, placed anywhere, as long as they are in front of the long riggers.
In boats with only three anglers on board—or four anglers fishing three riggers with hooks and one pitch bait—the angler at the pitch bait position will have control of all teasers. Any fish attracted by those teasers can only be hooked by that angler using the bait & switch method.
In boats with four anglers using two pitch baits, each angler must be assigned one side of the boat and can pitch only on their assigned side. Captains who maneuver the boat to move a fish from one side of the spread to the other will be expelled from the tournament.
Teasers must not be placed behind the long riggers. No angler using the bait & switch system may drop a bait farther back than where the farthest teaser was located when the fish was first raised.
LINES & REELS: Only line complying with I.G.F.A. (IGFA Tournament Line) 30 pounds (15 Kg.) requirements may be used. The committee reserves the right to test any line. Fish released on any line exceeding IGFA 30-pound standards will be disqualified. Reels with line heavier than 30 lb are not permitted aboard any participating boat. Lighter lines will not earn extra points.
No ratchet-handle reels (e.g., Duel), two-hand crank reels, or power-driven reels are allowed. Reels must comply with accepted sporting ethics and customs.
Braided lines are allowed only if used as backing, in compliance with IGFA rules. If backing is used, at least the first 5 meters (16.5 feet) directly preceding the double line, leader, or hook must consist of a single, homogenous piece of IGFA-compliant 30 lb line.
Reporting
All hooked fish must be reported immediately to Control, including angler name, boat name, and coordinates (latitude and longitude to the nearest minute).
Reports may be made by VHF radio, cell phone (787-922-7686), satellite phone, or via relay through another vessel. Each team member will receive a tournament issued bracelet. When an angler hooks a fish, all other anglers must immediately retrieve and remove their baits from the water. In case of a double hookup (two fish on separate lines), the first angler hooked up has sole control of the boat until their fish is released, tagged, or lost. Boat control then passes to the second angler.
Control will assign a number for each hookup. That number must appear on the video, verbally.
Once the fish is tipped, tagged, or lost, the report must be completed with Control.
A fish is considered released when the swivel or leader touches the rod tip or a mate touches the leader. The knot between the main line and double line is not considered a tip.
There is no time limit during the fight, but the fish must be released within two hours after lines-out.
The radio should not be used for unnecessary conversation. Be brief and specific. Radios may not be used during the final 10 minutes of fishing unless to report a hooked fish.
If a fish is fought after lines-out and released within the allowed time window, teams must contact Control to arrange a late video submission to the Judging Committee.
Video Requirements
All billfish releases must be verified by video clearly showing the corresponding bracelet and verbal hookup number.
Each video must include the following:
The angler
The bracelet
The species of the fish
The moment of release (tip, tag, or leader touch)
The assigned hookup number (verbal or visual)
A timestamp, if available
If the billfish species cannot be clearly identified but can be confirmed as a billfish, the lowest scoring billfish points will be awarded.
In the event a fish is fought after lines-out and released within the designated time window, teams must contact Control to coordinate the submission of the video to the Tournament Committee.
All video submissions must be promptly sent via WhatsApp to 787-922-7686 for review by the Tournament Committee. Submissions must include angler name, boat name, number given by radio Control and release time.
Catch & Release Division and Scoring
Billfish Release Policy: The CNSJ IBT is an all-billfish-release tournament.
Any vessel that boats a billfish will be immediately disqualified.
Eligible species:
Blue Marlin – 300 pts
White Marlin – 150 pts
Sailfish/Spearfish – 100 pts
The billfish division is split into:
Sonar Boats
Non-Sonar Boats
Awards
For both Sonar and Non-Sonar Divisions:
Top Boat
Second Place Boat
Third Place Boat
For overall standings (combined Sonar and Non-Sonar):
First Place Angler
Second Place Angler
Third Place Angler
Top Lady Angler
Top Junior Angler (13–17)
Best Captain
Best Crew
Meat fish category for Wahoo, Yellowfin Tuna, Dorado
All registered anglers, regardless of category (Junior, Lady, etc.), are eligible to compete for the Top Angler – 1st Place award.
Team Competition:
An optional Team Competition must be declared at registration.
Each team must consist of three individual anglers, each from a different boat.
Only one team member may fish from a sonar-equipped boat; the others must fish from non-sonar boats.
Scoring is based on the total release points accumulated by the three anglers.
Team Awards:
1st Place Team
2nd Place Team
3rd Place Team
In the event of a tie, the team whose final contributing release occurred earliest will be the winning team.
Gamefish Division
Eligible Species: Wahoo, Yellowfin Tuna, Dorado Weigh-in Times at the Service Dock: - Days 1 & 2: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM - Day 3: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM Awards (1st Place Only): - Heaviest Wahoo - Heaviest Yellowfin Tuna - Heaviest Dorado
NOAA Regulations have the following minimum requirements:
Dorado – 24” fork length (5 per person/per day, 15 per boat)
Wahoo – 32” fork length (5 per person/per day, 10 per boat)
Yellowfin (3 per person/per day)
Protests and Liability
Protests must be radioed in immediately and followed by a written complaint within 1 hour of docking. All decisions by the Judging Committee are final.
All participants enter at their own risk. The tournament, Club Náutico de San Juan, its officers, and sponsors assume no responsibility for injury, loss, or claims. Side betting is at the participant’s own risk.
A 5 MPH speed limit applies within San Juan Bay.
The tournament committee’s decisions shall be final and not subject to appeal once made.
Weather Contingency
The Tournament Committee reserves the right to cancel or postpone fishing days due to weather. If at least one full day of fishing is completed, the tournament is considered official, and awards will be based on those results. Safety remains the captain’s responsibility.
