Rules for the Deale Pro Am Fishing Tournament

Deale, Maryland

September 6 – 7, 2008

1. Entrants must register online at www.DealeProAm.com or at Deale Marina, 485 Deale Rd., Deale, Maryland or they can mail the entry form to the Deale Captains Association, P.O. Box 13, Deale, MD. 20751. Registration forms can also be faxed to 410-798-8235. 

2. Entry Fee will be $150.00 for both days. (Private or Charter Boat)  

3. No refunds will be made after August 1,2008. 

4. Calcutta – Cash Prizes: Calcutta, 1 time payout at the end of the tournament Sunday.  The cost to participate is $100.00 per boat. Calcutta amount will be determined by the number of participating boats. Cash Prizes based on the four largest rockfish weighed during the tournament 1^st Place  $3,000   2^nd Place $2,000   3rd place $1000 4th Place $500 Largest Blue $250 Largest Mack $250. 

5. Largest Fish will be determined by weight.  In the event of a  tie, the first fish entered will be considered the winner and the second one will move into second place. 

6.  Anyone wishing to protest any fish that is weighed in will have to Deposit a Protest Fee of $100.00 with the Tournament Committee.  If the protest is validated, the fee will be returned to the individual making the protest.  If, however, the protest is deemed to be invalid, the individual will forfeit the fee.  Also any protest must be done at the time of weighing – before the fish in question is taken off the scale and judges have recorded the weight of the fish.  If you are protesting anything other than the weight of the fish you must do so by 3:30 pm Deadline. 

7. Tournament boundaries:  The Chesapeake Bay Maryland. All boats must fly the tournament flag. 

8. No lines in the water before 6:00 A.M. Check in time for both days is 1 pm to  3:30p.m. - No exceptions.  All contestants must be in line or signed in by 3:30p.m. at Deale Marina.  Try to check in early to avoid long lines at the dock. 

9. Tournament will be held rain or shine.  No rain dates or cancellation. 

    10.    All fish must be caught by hook and line, following Maryland State Regulations, in the designated tournament area and brought to Deale Marina on Rockhold Creek, 485 Deale Rd., Deale, Md. to be checked in by the boat on which they were caught.  Fish must be checked in on same  day they were caught.  Holding Striped Bass in a live will is prohibited under Tournament Rules.         

    11.    Each Captain and his Crew are considered a “team”.  A Designated Crew member will be the only one allowed to check in the fish.  Limited one fish per category per day can be weighed for team.  If you are having 2 fish weighed in the same category tell judges before they weigh fish, as the first fish weighed is entered into completion.   

    12. All Captains, by submission of their entry accept responsibility for their crew, and release the Deale  Captains Association from any liability.

13. All winning Captains are required to take a polygraph at the judges’ request, and agree that examination results are binding.  Fish are subject to internal and external examination by the judges and the DNR biologist.  The judges reserve the right to disqualify any boat at any time, for any suspicious or unsportsmanlike activity for the remainder of the tournament. 

14. Youth Division:  Children under the age of 14, fishing with a Registered Captain, will be eligible to check in one fish per day. First, Second and Third place trophies will be awarded for each day of the tournament.  This will allow 6 young people to receive trophies. To encourage more of our young people to fish, all entrants in the youth division will receive a certificate for fishing the tournament. 

15. If additional rules are added during the registration process all entrants will be notified by mail. 

16. Any event not covered within these rules will be brought before the Judges committee, and all decisions will be final and binding. 

17. Channel 67 VHF will be monitored during the tournament hours. 

18. Winners will be issued a 1099 and are responsible for said taxes. 

19. Awards ceremony will be held following the close of the Tournament on Sunday, September 7, 2008 at the Deale Elk’s Lodge in Deale, Maryland. 

20. Prize money will be awarded within 30 days of the event unless the tournament winners are contested.  If there is a dispute the awarding of the prize money will be delayed a sufficient time to allow for an audit and polygraph tests, if deemed necessary by the Tournament Committee.