The Marina Casa De Campo Open is a Catch & Release format tournament in which, Blue Marlin, White Marlin and Sailfish are valid. The tournament is a part of the calendar of events that forms a part of the Blue Marlin fishing season, which starts on February 1st and ends May 30th, counts with Robert “Fly” Navarro as tournament director and Marina Casa de Campo’s organizing team.
The tournament is scheduled for March 16 to 18, 2023. The activities program will start with a captains meeting and welcoming party on March 16th, followed by two fishing days, finishing the event this last day with the awards ceremony.
Awards will be given to the first three places of each category: Blue Marlin, White Marlin and Sailfish, also awards will be given to youth and lady anglers in the aforementioned categories.
Marina Casa de Campo Open 2023 – TOURNAMENT RULES
Marina Casa de Campo Open 2023 – PAYMENT DETAILS
Marina Casa de Campo Open 2023 – SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Tournament Rules
The Captain’s Meeting will be held March 16, 2023 at 6:30pm in the Casa de Campo Yacht Club, for all registered teams. A team representative must be in attendance, as rules are subject to change.FISHING HOURS: The Tournament will begin with the call of “lines in” at 8:00am both days and continue until 5:00pm on the first day of fishing and until 4:00pm the second day. All boats must be inside the marina before 7:00 p.m. on the first day and 6:00 p.m. on the second day, as the committee must have your catch affidavits and video by then. There are no lay days or weather days, unless determined by the committee. Fish at your own risk.
1. BOUNDARIES: There are no boundaries.
2. ANGLING & EQUIPMENT: International Billfish Tournament Regulations apply. There is no limit to the number of anglers in the tournament. Professional crew members are permitted to be registered anglers. A maximum of six lines (with hooks) are permitted at any one time. An unlimited amount of hookless baits or teasers are allowed. “J” hooks may be used on lures only. Natural baits must be deployed with non-offset circle hooks.
3. TOURNAMENT SPECIES: Blue marlin, white marlin, sailfish and spearfish are eligible for catch and release.
4. REPORTING OF BILLFISH: A billfish hook-up must be called in to the “Committee Boat” within the first minute on VHF channel 71. The “Committee Boat” will validate your hook-up by announcement. A billfish release must be called in to the “Committee Boat” with the following information: species released, and boat name, . The “Committee Boat” will then verify your information by announcement and give you a release time, which must be recorded on your daily catch affidavit and turned in at the end of the fishing day, with your video evidence. If you lose your fish prior to release (i.e. jump-off, pulled hook, etc.) please inform the “Committee Boat” as soon as possible.
5. CATCH & RELEASE RULES: All billfish must be released to qualify. A billfish is considered released when: a) the swivel between the mainline or double line and leader hits the rod tip, b) the mate grabs the leader, or c) the wind-on leader comes through the rod tip. Please release the fish in good condition by either removing the hook-set or cutting the leader as close to the hook-set as possible. “Popping” the leader is not a good method of healthy release, and we ask that you refrain from doing so.
6. CATCH & RELEASE POINTS: Blue Marlin: 400 points White Marlin: 100 points Spearfish: 100 points Sailfish: 50 points Unidentifiable Billfish: 50 points A “hatchet marlin” will be considered a white marlin in this tournament and therefore is categorized as such. All ties will be broken on time.
7. CATCH & RELEASE VERIFICATION: Identification Markers – Each team will obtain a marker prior to the day’s fishing. This marker must be displayed during the fight and recorded. Failure to show the marker in your video proof will disqualify your catch, even if it is time-stamped.
Release Verification Recordings – Each team is required to show video evidence of billfish catch and release. This recording shall be time and date stamped in accordance with the “official time” as stated by the “Committee Boat” prior to each day’s fishing. Your video proof shall include: 1) registered angler fighting the fish, 2) proper identification marker, 3) sufficient footage of the fish in order to accurately determine the species, and 4) proper release evidence . All recordings submitted must be easily viewed by the committee. It is the team’s responsibility to have these items and the video cued up for immediate viewing. Failure to do so will delay the verification process. We highly recommend you have at least two recordings on different cameras, and underwater shots are the best way to accurately identify the species.
Release Affidavit – Each billfish release is required to be noted on the day’s affidavit and submitted with your video to the committee each fishing day. Failure to turn in your affidavit will disqualify that day’s catch(es). Affidavits are supplied with your registration package. If you do not have one for each day, please see the committee for a replacement.
Submission of Recordings – Verification recordings must be submitted to the Committee between 4:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. each day of fishing. All recordings, images, sounds, etc. may become property of Casa de Campo and/or Fly Zone Fishing and may be used at any time. Recordings and/or images will be downloaded from the team’s device(s), if needed Dispute & Polygraph – In the unlikely event a dispute or protest is filed with the committee, it is possible a polygraph test may be required should the dispute not be resolved. Members must be available within 24 hours of the dispute and must not consume alcohol or any controlled substance eight hours prior to testing. Failure to report for a polygraph test or refusal to answer any questions satisfactory to the committee may result in disqualification. All disputes or protests must be submitted to the committee in writing prior to 5:00 p.m. on the last day of the tournament.
