SB Tourney Stuff

[JohnR]

Time for the S-B 2004 Four Leg C&R Tourney and Year long Tourneys! - In the other thread, we came up with the dates: Sat June 5 for the first RI leg and Saturday June 19 for the first MA . The RI leg will actually be held just over the border in Stonington @ Don's KingCove Outfitters. Just a hop, skip, and a jump from Westerly. The Mass leg will be held at M&Ds (a/k/a CapeCodTackle.com ) in Wareham... Hope a lot of you can make these legs - we have a LOT of fun at these.

What is the Tourney?

The Four Leg Tourney: This is a semi formal tournament for members of the message boards. The idea is to promote Catch & Release fishing within our ranks and meet and fish with your fellow members. So we have created C&R Tourney "Legs" where we all meet up at a sponsor's location and meet and fish together. This part of the tournament, called the "Four Leg", will meet for 4 legs with 2 in late spring/early summer divided between Rhode Island and Massachusetts and with 2 in late summer/early fall, again divided between Rhody and Mass. The minimum entered fish length is 36 inches from shore.
We typically meet mid afternoon and everyone brings a little something for the grille, we then turn perfectly good food into charred carbon, consume said charred carbon, then go fish.

The Year Long Tourney: we also have a Year Long Tourney that will accept weigh-in slips from authorized Tackle Shops (prefferably from board sponsors but an official Mass/RI/CT/Maine weigh shop will qualify) OR a signed affidavit by a member of the message boards, in good standing of a caught and released fish. The minimum entered fish length is 40 inches from shore.

How we fish the Tourney?

What we usually do is that people will get together and chit-chat at the Bar-B-Q and those with similar fishing styles will head out into groups an fish together. Guys who like to chunk will fish with those that chunk, those that hop rocks can hop rocks and so on. Some of the locals of an area can point the non-locals in the right direction if need be. Remember, all fish will need to be witnessed and measured by another S-B member in good standing.

What are the Rules?

Four Leg: Primary thing to keep in mind is that this is an Honor System Tourney. For the "Four Leg", winner determined at the end of all 4 legs will be the angler with the largest fish measured by overall length with a minimum length of 36 inches.The largest overall fish of all of the "Legs" will be the Grand Prize winner of the Grand Prize (TBD) but almost definitely a custom rod from one of our sponsors and a year's bragging rights. Only one fish (the largest of the member's Four Leg entries) per person can be entered Members will meet at one location and be drawn partners or grouped to fish the general vicinity. As members will be fishing in groups, the C&R fish must be witnessed and then signed off by a member of this site in good standing (good standing throughout the course of the tournament) with a S-B
Year 4 Leg Tourney affidavits after length being measured by overall length (from jaw to tail...) It is not necessary for members to be at each leg of the tournament but your chances obviously increase with the more meets you attend. To measure length overall , measure from the tip of jaw to tip of pinched tail , just like the current legal way of measuring a keeper. Measurements are to nearest 1/8th of inch. Fish MUST be released alive. If you catch a trophy fish and you want to keep it, you can have a shop measure it and enter the fish into the Year Long Tourney. But all fish entered in the 4 Leg MUST be released alive. Tie breaker: if two fish have the exact same length at the end of the 4 Leg Tourney, winner will be fish caught, measured, and released first (ideally weight would be the tie breaker but there are no consistent weight methods to determine accurate final weight).

A total of 3 prize places for the Four Leg Tourney, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.

In the past, some additional invitational meets have become part of the 4 Leg C&R tourney and may be included again.

Year Long: Winner at the end of the Year Long Tourney will be the angler with the largest fish measured by overall length with a minimum length of 40 inches. All fish in the year Long MUST be measured by a fellow S-B member in good standing or weighed in at an authorized Tackle Shop (prefferably from board sponsors but an official Mass/RI/CT/Maine weigh shop is acceptable) on a S-B Year Year Long Tourney affidavit (will be linked soon). To measure length overall , measure from the tip of jaw to tip of pinched tail , just like the current legal way of measuring a keeper. Measurements are to nearest 1/8th of inch. Tie breaker: if two fish have the exact same length at the end of the Year Long, winner is the C&R fish, if no fish or both fish are C&R, winner will be fish caught first. Ideally weight would be the tie breaker but there are no consistent weight methods to determine accurate final weight.

One top prize places for the Year Long Tourney.

Ditch Prize is the top prize from either category from the Ditch.

Catch & Release is required for the "Four Leg". All fish must be caught from shore. Any fish taken with a guide MUST be a S-B shore guide sponsor: Bill -n- Jules, BM, or Joe Lyons - Surfcasting Rhode Island.

Catch & Release is highly encouraged for the "Year Long" tourney but not required.

Members must be in "good standing" with Striped-Bass.Com. This means members must be registered and active for one week before tournament leg begins (or one week & 10 posts before participating in year long) and have made a minimum of ten real posts (not simple posts to reach minimum). Good standing also requires member not be barred from the site.

What are the boundaries for Tourneys:

4 Leg Tourney Boundaries are ONLY Massachucetts for Mass Legs and Rhode Island for RI Tourneys. If a Leg is held at KingCoveOutfitters - like the 1st leg - Connecticut east of the eastern shore of Connecticut river is included. Only Saltwater portions (no more than Rte 1 inland) of ANY river will be included.
Ditch Fish! - For the past several years there has been a side category for the largest fish in either 4 Leg or Year Long for the biggest S-B member fish from the Ditch. There will likely be some changes in this category very soon - details to follow.
Year Long Tourney is all of New England and we will accept weigh-in slips from authorized Tackle Shops (prefferably from board sponsors but an official Mass/RI/CT/Maine weigh shop will qualify) OR a signed affidavit by a member of the message boards, in good standing of a caught and released fish. The minimum entered fish length is 40 inches from shore.
Things to remember? The Tourney is all about having fun, catching some fish, and meeting those you see online. :cheers" to a great 04 Tourney!



Any exceptions must be approved by myself and/or Saltheart and/or Specialist