2024 Rules

DATE & LOCATION OF TOURNAMENT – June 8th 2024 Homestead Bayfront Park 9698 SW 328th Street Homestead, FL 33033

REGISTRATION & FEES – Entry fee is $100 per angler or $350 per boat (includes 4 anglers – additional angler registrations subject to additional fee) if paid prior to June 1, 2024. Entries received after June 1, 2024 will be $125 per angler or $450 per boat (includes 4 anglers – additional angler registrations subject to additional fee). There must be a minimum of 2 paid anglers per boat (military are considered paid anglers) and a maximum of four Junior/Pee Wee anglers per boat. In order for a Junior or Pee Wee to be eligible for cash prizes, they MUST be a paid angler. Active/reserve military fish free and are eligible for prizes. The “Bucket of Bucks” Boat Tournament is an additional $100 per boat with 15% of the entry fee going to Kiwanis Charities. The prize money for the “Bucket of Bucks” will be paid on a 50/30/20 basis. Only anglers/boats registered in the angler tournament are eligible to enter the “Bucket of Bucks” Boat Tournament. Deadline for registration is 8:00 PM June 6th, 2024. Entry fees are non-refundable.

PAYMENT – Checks are to be made out to: Homestead-South Dade Kiwanis Foundation, Inc. Payment can also be made online via credit card. FLDACS# CH34337.

CAPTAIN’S MEETING – There will be a Captain’s meeting on Thursday, June 6th, 2024 at 8:00 PM at Homestead-Miami Speedway Champion’s Club One Ralph Sanchez, Speedway Blvd, Homestead, FL 33035. The Kickoff party will be from 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM. The rules of this tournament may be amended verbally or in writing up until the conclusion of the Captain’s Meeting. Anglers are responsible for being well informed of all rules.

RULES – IGFA rules and regulations will apply throughout the Tournament. IGFA rules and regulations can be found at http://www.igfa.org/Fish/INTERNATIONAL-ANGLING-RULES.aspx. All team members must fish from the same boat. No hand lines or electric reels may be used. Fish must be hooked and landed on a single rod and reel. If hooked on 2 rods, you must cut 1 line. Only registered anglers may touch a rod once a fish is hooked or engaged. Any protest concerning conduct or rules violations must be filed in writing with a $200 deposit to the Tournament Committee prior to close of weigh in. If the alleged violation is found to have occurred, the deposit of the $200 will be refunded. If no violation is found, the $200 will not be refunded. All decisions made by the Tournament Committee on rules questions are final.

A Junior Angler is defined as someone who has not reached their 16th birthday at the end of tournament registration. A Pee Wee angler is defined as someone who has not reached their 10th birthday at the end of tournament registration. Junior or Pee Wee Anglers are not eligible for cash prizes unless registered as a paid angler. Cash prizes awarded to minors shall be payable to their parent or legal guardian.

ELIGIBLE FISH – Prizes will be awarded for dolphin (Coryphaena Hippurus) unless otherwise indicated.

SCORING – Only fish weighed in the presence of the registered angler who caught it will be eligible for prizes. Scoring will be derived from each angler’s heaviest one dolphin for angler prizes and three dolphin for “Bucket of Bucks”. For angler prizes, the heaviest single dolphin shall determine the winner. For the “Bucket of Bucks” Boat Tournament the aggregate of three dolphin per boat will determine the winner. In the case of a tie in any prize category the earliest weigh in time shall determine the winner. All fish to be weighed must be weighed at Homestead Bayfront Park. One fish may hold a single place in multiple categories. Tampering: Fish must be intact with no evidence of spearing, bang-sticks, weight tampering, or other rules violations. It is the responsibility of the Angler to ensure that all foreign objects are removed from the fish. Such objects shall include, but are not limited to: hooks, leaders, ice, and weights. Hooks or bait that has passed through the mouth and into the gullet may be left in place. Any fish weighed by the tournament may be subject to a gut check after weighing at the discretion of the Tournament Officials.

TOURNAMENT HOURS – Lines in the water at 7:00 AM on Saturday June 8, 2024. Weigh-in will begin at 3:00 PM and close at 5:00 PM on Saturday June 8, 2024.

Dolphin intended to be scored MUST be weighed the day they were caught and shall be considered eligible only if they are located within the weigh-in line and checked in by a Tournament Official before the weigh-in closes (5:00 PM). No waivers of this rule will be granted because of hardship or other eventualities. In the event of a mechanical failure, a tournament boat being towed in does not result in disqualification as long as they are in the weigh-in line and checked in by a Tournament Official before 5:00PM.

COMMUNICATIONS & BOUNDARIES – No checkout is required. Boats may depart from any inlet. Fishing is permitted ONLY in United States waters.

LICENSE & LIMITS – All registered anglers must, if applicable, posses a valid Florida Saltwater Fishing License. Please refer to Florida Wildlife Regulations for size & bag limits for all fish. You may find the Florida Wildlife Regulations online at http://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/ Releases are encouraged by the tournament.

INSPECTION & MARKING – The Weigh-in Committee has the right to inspect and mark all fish presented for weigh-in. Inspection may be done by any means necessary. All decisions made by the Weigh-in Committee as to the eligibility of a fish for weigh-in are final.

POLYGRAPH – Each registered angler specifically agrees and consents to voluntarily submit to a polygraph examination or examinations at any time until all prize winners and awards are determined and announced. Further, each registered angler agrees to obtain the agreement and consent of each and every occupant of the boat from which he/she fishes during the tournament (including but not limited to the captain and crew) to submit to a polygraph examination or examinations as described above. The method and conduct of all polygraph examinations, and the interpretation of the results thereof, shall be in the sole judgment of the polygraph examiner appointed by the Tournament, whose opinion shall be final. If any registered angler refuses to submit to a polygraph examination, or if any registered angler gives a response, which, in the sole opinion of the polygraph examiner, is untruthful, then anglers shall be immediately disqualified without further notice from the Tournament. Any registered angler so disqualified shall not be entitled to any prize, award, or entry fee refund.

VIOLATIONS – The eligibility of entrants or entered fish, disqualifications, and any other matters not specifically covered by these rules will be decided by the Tournament Officials. The Tournament Officials may disqualify any person who commits any violation of Tournament rules, knowingly or not. The Tournament Officials may disqualify entrants from this Tournament and from future Tournaments and events. During the Tournament, any violations of Local, State, or Federal laws will be reported to the proper authorities, and violators will be subject to any fines, or arrest, as specified by the law.

WEATHER – All boats, anglers, crews and guests will fish at their own discretion and at their own risk. If bad weather results in canceling the Tournament, the non-refundable entry fee will be applied to next year’s tournament or when the tournament is rescheduled.

RELEASE OF LIABILITY – It is expressly understood that all participants in the Dolphin Days Fishing Tournament or any of its events including the Captain’s Party and Weigh-In Party, enter at their own risk and that the Kiwanis Dolphin Days Fishing Tournament, the Homestead-South Dade Kiwanis Foundation, Inc, the Military Affairs Council, their officers and directors and all persons connected directly or indirectly with the operations of the tournament, or any sponsor of the tournament shall be exempt from any liability for slander, loss, damage, negligence, harm, injury, or death suffered by any participant, entrant, sport-fisherman or their companions, boat captains, mates, crew members, guests, vessels and equipment which may occur during the tournament.

AWARDS CEREMONY – All prizes and trophies will be awarded at Homestead Bayfront Park, June 8th, 2024 at approximately 6:00 PM.

SUBMISSION OF ENTRY FORM – By submitting the entry form, the angler agrees to follow the above tournament rules and that the tournament, and/or its sponsors may use without payment or restriction any photographs or video in which he/she appears for any purpose whatsoever but not limited to resale, advertising, commercial, or promotional material. The Tournament reserves the right to refuse Tournament entry from prospective entrant or entrants, with or without cause at its sole discretion. Entrants and other applicants proposing to fish on boats that have been barred from other fishing Tournaments can expect to have their entry rejected. Any applicant refused entry shall be entitled to a refund of all entry fees.