$18,500 in cash PLUS HEAPS of PRIZES UP FOR GRABS

Register online at www.tgfc.org

• T O W N S V I L L E •

Townsville

Service Group

CHALLENGE2021 BILLFISH

10th - 14th AUG. 2021TOWNSVILLE YACHT CLUB . TOWNSVILLE . AUSTRALIA

WELCOME The 39th ‘TGFC Billfish Challenge’ will be held from Tuesday 10th August until Saturday 14th August 2020 with all social events being held at the

Townsville Yacht Club.It is a major event on the 2021 National fishing calendar with great prizes and prize money up for grabs. TGFC Billfish Challenge is a terrific social event fishing the world famous Bowling Green Bay fishing grounds. The tournament is a premium social event

for the whole of North Queensland as well as keen game fishermen from all around Australia and across the world.This event contributes greatly to promoting Townsville as a major tourism destination, and serves as a great stop over point for the professional game fishing fleet on their

way North for the 2021 heavy tackle season. Many local, state and national companies and their owners have sponsored and participated in this tournament for several years now and have found it to be a great opportunity to invite valued customers, suppliers and friends along for a memorable few days of fishing and socialising.

TOURNAMENT ENTRY FEE$350 (Anglers, Skippers, Deckhands) $200 (Junior Anglers):Includes competing angler fees, RED levy, food drinks package for Tuesday and Thursday night and 2 course dinner and drinks package during the presentation Saturday night. Guest tickets$50 per person Tuesday night* $50 per person Thursday night* $100 per person Saturday night* *includes food and drinks package

All competing teams are required to be pre-nominated and have payments made by 5pm Monday 9th August.

ACTIVITIES PROGRAMNIGHTLY CASH AND PRIZE GIvEAwAYS

TUESdAY 10TH AUG.From 5pm MEET AND GREET Townsville Yacht Club7pm SkIPPERS BRIEFING All competing vessels must be moored in their designated pens at the Townsville Yacht Club on Tuesday night.

WEdNESdAY 11TH AUG.FISHING DAY 1BLESSING OF THE FLEET7:30am vESSELS DEPART TOwNSvILLE YACHT CLUB MARINA7:45am SHOT GUN START 11:10am RADIO SCHEDULE 12:10pm RADIO SCHEDULE 24:15pm RADIO SCHEDULE 35:30pm CEASE FISHING

THURSdAY 12TH AUG.FISHING DAY 27am START FISHING 10:10am RADIO SCHEDULE 11:10pm RADIO SCHEDULE 23:15pm RADIO SCHEDULE 34:30pm CEASE FISHING Compulsory return to Townsville Yacht Club Marina weigh in/score sheet lodgement 5-8pm. Middle night social - Townsville Yacht Club (compulsory). Boats to be moored in their designated pens.

FRIdAY 13TH AUG.FISHING DAY 38am START FISHING 11:10am RADIO SCHEDULE 12:10pm RADIO SCHEDULE 24:15pm RADIO SCHEDULE 35:30pm CEASE FISHING

SATURdAY 14TH AUG.FISHING DAY 47am START FISHING 11:10am RADIO SCHEDULE 11:15pm RADIO SCHEDULE 23pm CEASE FISHING4pm - 6pm wEIGH IN/SCORE SHEET LODGEMENT Townsville Yacht ClubFrom 7pm PRESENTATION DINNER Townsville Yacht Club

SPONSORSENTERTAINMENT

ABN: 58 152 847 026

NSS

orthern

witchboard

olutions

GENERALThis tournament is a BILLFISH TAG & RELEASE EVENT. The tournament will be conducted from Tuesday 10th to Saturday 14th August 2021.

TEAM SIZETeams shall consist of not fewer than two, or more than four anglers. Mixed teams using substitute anglers are eligible for all prizes. When using a substitute angler the weigh master must be advised before start fishing with club membership and the angler fees paid in advance. A $55 fee will be required to be paid for each day fished by a substitute. Substitute Anglers will be required to pay as guests to be able to attend the nights functions if wishing to do so.

QUALIFICATIONSTo participate in the tournament, each angler, skipper and deckhand must be current financial members of a Game Fishing club affiliated with QGFA or GFAA. International Anglers need to be a current member of a affiliated IGFA Club and all anglers must produce proof of membership at the sign-on. Those participants not affiliated with any of the above will be levied $150.00 per angler for membership to the Townsville Game Fishing Club Inc.

DISQUALIFICATIONAnyone discovered or reported and proven to have broken these rules will be disqualified from this tournament without refund of nomination fees.

CALCUTTAA compulsory minimum buy in Calcutta is automatically entered into by competing teams. ($200 for Teams of boats 7.5m and over, $100 for Teams of boats under 7.5m,). The Calcutta will be held after the Skippers Briefing where the auction will take place, competing teams will ‘own’ their boat for the minimum price if there are no higher bids. This is a cash only calcutta.

REGISTRATION & BRIEFINGAll teams must be nominated with all entry fees paid online by 5pm Monday 9th August.It is MANDATORY that all skippers and crew attend the 7pm briefing at Townsville Yacht Club. All competing vessels are to be moored in their designated pens at the Townsville Yacht Club on the night of August 10th, for the Thursday night social and the Saturday night presentation.

FISHING GROUNDSClosed - as per grid map.

TOURNAMENT START TIME7:30am Wednesday 11th August. All competing vessels will be instructed to depart

the Townsville Yacht Club, in a safe and orderly fashion, led out by the Townsville Coast Guard, no earlier than 7:30am on Wednesday to commence fishing thereafter.

TAGGINGTagging for points applies for billfish only. Tag poles are limited to a maximum of 15 feet. Fish should be released as quickly and as humanely as possible.

FIRST BILLFISH TAGGEDThe first marlin and sailfish tagged daily are eligible for sponsored prizes. This award is made to the angler whose vessel makes the first acknowledged radio call advising of a successful tag and release for each species in accordance with G.F.A.A. rules - A fish is considered tagged and released when the tag is secured to the fish and released alive. Guidelines for tag & release as per G.F.A.A http://gfaa.asn.au/release-fishing/ Acknowledgement must be made by game base whether from a direct or relayed call. Tag times must be presented to the weigh master on the score sheet.

SCORING SYSTEMThe method adopted to identify award winners is 1,000 points per billfish system. There are no points awarded for other gamefish. In the event of a tied score, the angler or team tagging the most billfish first will be declared the winner.NOTE: It is important for anglers to record the time of completion of a successful tag and release (as per G.F.A.A. guidelines for tag & release as mentioned above), as this information is used to identify the winner in the case of a tied score - a count back.

SCORE SHEETSNOTE: It is MOST IMPORTANT that the score sheets are clearly & correctly compiled and returned by a member of the team, to the tournament weigh master during the designated weigh in times (Thursday 5:00pm - 8:00pm for days 1 & 2, Saturday 4:00pm - 6:00pm for days 3 & 4). A returned score sheet must show the results for each team member. No score sheet will be accepted by the weigh master after the close of weigh in, except in the case of fish notified as being played before cease fishing was called, and then it is tagged and where the return journey prevents the angler making the advertised weigh in time. In the event of an angler still playing the fish after cease fishing on the last day, a 3½ hour time limit will apply from the time cease fishing is called to the presentation of the score card to the weigh master.

TOURNAMENT FLAGSBoats are to fly issued tournament flags and any sponsors flags whilst moored at the Townsville Yacht both before and after the 4 days fishing.

All flags must be returned to the organising committee at the conclusion of the tournament..

CODE OF ETHICSThe 2021 TGFC Billfish Challenge is a fishing tournament based on rules providing all competitors with a fair and equal chance of scoring tournament points. It is important that all competitors retain a high degree of sportsmanship during their fishing activities. Even more important is that all competitors adopt an attitude of safety first at all times. The TGFC Inc. has adopted the following rules to be incorporated in this tournament:a. Rules of the sea will prevail whilst trolling, and

vessels must give right of way.b. At all times a safe distance between boats

must be maintained.c. It is expected that each angler in a team

have an equal amount of fishing time.d. No fish shall be gaffed then tagged and

released.

COMMUNICATIONS – SCHEDULES (SKEDS)Radio schedules reporting activities are compulsory and must be observed by all competing boats. Sked radio times on vhf working channel 22 are: Wednesday; 11.10am, 2.10pm, 4.15pm Thursday; 10.10am, 1.10pm, 3.15pm Friday; 11.10am, 2.10pm, 4.15pm Saturday 11.10am and 1.15pm. There is a silence period from the end of the last sked of each day until the call of cease fishing. All hook ups during this period must be called immediately to qualify for playing out after cease fishing.Vessels fishing in radio black spots or having a communications equipment failure must make all efforts to contact tournament base with sked results via either ship to ship relay or mobile/satellite phone communicationsFailure to report activity for two consecutive skeds in a row (a 30 minutes grace period is given after the second sked commencement) WILL result in the disqualification of that days points.

REPORTING FISHING ACTIVITYThe first digit refers to the strikes, the second to hook ups and the third to tagged billfish in reference to activity since the last sked only.Vessels will be called in alphabetical order of boat name. The report is to be in the order of: Boat name, map reference, activity and species. For example: Reef Raine - Seabourne Electronics 4 - Three, Two, One. All boats must sign off on reaching safe waters at the end of each day.

WEATHERBad weather - The decision to put to sea is entirely the responsibility of the skipper of the boat. The Townsville Game Fish Club Inc.

(TGFC) committee takes no responsibility for decisions made by individual boat crews who decide whether to put to sea or not. No allowance will be made for fishing time lost as a result of bad weather. The Committee reserves the right to cancel or postpone any day/s due to bad weather.

BREAKDOWNSIn the event of a breakdown, where the vessel will be unable to effect repairs that would allow it to return to port within the prescribed weigh in times, the team captain or crew member will be permitted to transfer to another competing vessel to enable the presentation of the score cards and or fish to the weigh master.

FISHING RULES / LINE CLASSThis tournament will be fished under the “Fishing Rules and Tackle Regulations” of the G.F.A.A. as in effect at the time. Line class shall be up to 8kg. Only non-offset circle hooks shall be used for live baiting.

Reminder: Total leader lengths not to exceed 20ft (6.10mtr) Leader not to exceed 15ft (4.57mtr) and doubles/lure bait not to exceed 5ft (1.53mtr) Tournament judges will be checking.

TROPHIES & PRIZESTo be eligible for any of the trophies/prizes all anglers and the skipper of the vessel must sign a Statutory Declaration at the time of registering, stating that all fishing during the tournament will be in accordance with all rules of G.F.A.A.

JUDGESTwo judges and one reserve judge appointed by the committee will be announced at the time of briefing and shall be the sole adjudicators of the tournament, and their ruling shall be final. Lines and other equipment may be tested or inspected at the discretion of the weigh master or the judges.

PROTESTSAny protests must be submitted in writing to the judges no later than close of weigh in on the last day. The judge’s decision shall be final and no correspondence will be entered into. No other form of protest shall be accepted.

RULESThe Tournament Committee reserves the right to alter or change any rules or any part of the program without notice. Tournament participants will be notified of all changes ASAP. The tournament official rules are held by the tournament committee and organiser.

RULES & PRIZES

TOURNAMENT RULES

• ChampionTEamDaYEaChDaY• ChampionRUnnERUpTEam• ChampionanglER-malE• ChampionanglER-FEmalE• ChampionanglER-JUnioR

UP TO 8kg LINE CLASS TOURNAMENT

$18,500 in cash PLUS HEAPS of PRIZES UP FOR GRABS

CHAMPION TEAM

CHAMPION RUNNER UP TEAM

CHAMPION TEAM(UnDER7.5m)

CHALLENGE• T O W N S V I L L E •

2021 BILLFISHTownsville

Service Group

• FiRSTmaRlinTaggED EaChDaY• FiRSTSailFiShTaggED EaChDaY• hEaviESToThERgamEFiSh

PROUdLY SUPPORTEd BYPLEASE SUPPORT

THESE COMPANIES wHO SUPPORT YOUR SPORT

www.tgfc.org

ABN: 58 152 847 026

NSS

orthern

witchboard

olutions