1. Eligibility:
The Outdoor Channel invites all anglers in all age groups to participate in the Offshore Classic.
A team shall consist of a minimum of two (2) anglers, and a maximum of 6 anglers. Non-anglers may ride along on the boat for the day as long as there is enough room on board to accommodate them. Guests or spectators shall not be permitted to catch any fish. All anglers must be registered with Tournament officials prior to lines in on first day.

2. Entry Fee:
The team registration fee is $500. (U.S.) for a team of 4 anglers. Additional anglers can register on a team at a fee of $250. each. Registration fee includes entry to all social events. All fees must be paid in full before a team competes in the Offshore Classic. Non fishing spouses and guests must be pre registered to attend any functions. Guest fees is $125. which includes entry to all social events. Entry fees are non transferable and non refundable, unless approved by the tournament committee. The tournament Director reserves the right to refuse tournament application or entry to any prospective entrant with or without cause at its sole discretion.

3. Registration:
At least one member, preferably the team captain from each team, must register at the tournament registration desk at the hotel prior to the tournament, registration location will be at the Islander Resort Pool side from 4:00pm until 6:00pm on Monday, January 14, 2008. Any team failing to register at that time must inform tournament headquarters ahead of time to pre-register prior to the registration date. No anglers can be added or removed after the start of fishing on the first day.

4. Briefing:
The tournament briefing will be held from 6:30 pm - 7:00 pm at the Islander Resort. Immediately following is the Outdoor Channel Offshore Classic reception. At least one member of the fishing team must be present at the briefing.
Charter captains are encouraged to attend all functions, however it is not mandatory. Captain and one guest will be admitted to each of the Social functions, as along as they have been registered on the entry forms. Additional guests will pay $125.00 to attend all functions. Awards Banquet tickets will be sold at a price of $60.00 for non registered guests. All anglers and Captains must wear their badges at functions to attend.

5. Fishing Days & Time:
The fishing hours are: Tuesday 8:00 am Lines In - 4:00 pm Lines Out, Wednesday 8:00 am Lines In - 3:00 pm Lines Out.. The lines in and lines out signal will be announced on the radio. Do not start fishing until you are told to do so on the radio. All fish must be hooked by the time of lines out announced each day. If in the event a fish is still hooked up at the call of lines out, the angler may keep fighting the fish until fish is released, boated, or lost. Tournament radio control must acknowledge that the team is hooked up prior to lines out signal being called or fish will be disqualified. The fishing days are Tuesday January 15, and Wednesday January 16, 2008.

6. Scoring:
TAG AND RELEASE
Any Sailfish regardless of weight, released in accordance with the Tournament rules shall be awarded 100 points:
To be counted as a released fish, the leader must be wound to the rod tip or the leader touched by the mate. The hook or hooks must be disengaged from the fish or the leader cut as close to the hook as possible. The leader and line sample, must be retained for each fish released for the judges and fish release form completed and delivered to the judges on the dock at the Whale Harbor Charter Office at the end of each fishing day. Tagging is optional. All permits must be obtained by the charter boats for catching sailfish prior to the start of fishing. Team Captains will provide a sample of one circle hook which is to be used on the boat during the tournament for verification purposes.
BONUS POINTS
100 Bonus points will be awarded for the team releasing the most billfish. In the event of a tie, the team releasing the most fish first will receive the extra bonus points.

7. IGFA rules will apply to all catches.
Teams are responsible for verifying that IGFA rules are followed. Teams should check tackle, leaders, hook arrangements, and line prior to start fishing. Exception: The double line shall be limited to fifteen feet and the leader shall be limited to fifteen feet. However, the combined length of the double line and leader shall not exceed twenty feet.

8. Fishing Line:
Tested fishing line not to exceed 20 pound test. There shall be no more than 4 lines from any boat at any time. No lines in the water 10 minutes prior to the start of fishing. Live Bait chumming is prohibited throughout the course of the tournament.

9. Vessels
Teams must hire or provide their own fishing vessels. All vessels must be Coast Guard certified for the number of passengers on board. In the event of boat failure, teams may transfer to a new vessel and continue fishing. They must notify boat change with Committee boat. It is the responsibility of the Captains to have all proper licenses and must adhere to all laws and regulations in the areas that they will be fishing.

10. Hooks
Only fish caught on rod and reel will qualify. Live or dead bait may not be passed between boats after start of fishing each day. Live bait and dead bait must be rigged with circle hooks only. Circle hooks can NOT be offset. ANY FISH CAUGHT ON A BOAT WITH AN OFFSET CIRCLE HOOK, ALL FISH CAUGHT ON THAT BOAT FOR THAT DAY WILL BE DISQUALIFIED. Lures can be rigged with conventional hooks.

11. Forms
Each angler must complete a Fish Catch/Release form, which is supplied in the tournament bags at registration. The form must be completed and turned in at the end of the fishing day. No form, no points! The angler must furnish, if requested, the lure, leader, rod, reel, hooks and terminal tackle with which the fish was caught.

12. The Rules Committee has the right to investigate and act upon any incident occurring during the tournament. They shall have the right to disqualify any capture following examination and measurement of tackle and equipment used on the boat. Any protest, concerning the validity of any catch, must be filed in writing by an angler, signed by the team captain only and hand delivered to the Rules Committee no later than 8:00 pm of the day of the catch or infraction. No protests will be accepted by Boat Captains. The decision of the Rules Committee is final. The rules committee will be announced at registration.

Radio Control will operate on a VHF Channel 78. All hookups must be called in and acknowledged by committee boat Dianne Harbaugh. If a tournament boat is out of range, the hookup must be relayed via radio. No Cell phone hookups will be accepted. No exceptions. In the event there is a multiple hook up, the number of sailfish on the line must be announced on the radio and clearly acknowledged by the Committee Boat Dianne Harbaugh. If in doubt, call in again to confirm.

All captains of boats and all anglers participating in this tournament may be subjected to a polygraph examination. Any Captain or angler refusing to take this examination, will be disqualified from winning any prize moneys.

13. Fishing Boundaries are: The northerly boundary is the shoreline and the southernly boundary is the 100 fathom curve. The easternly boundary is 80.17.85W and the Westerly boundary is 80.51.30 W. All fishing, other than bait catching, must take place within these boundaries. Boats are not permitted to fish in the Special Preservation Areas. Fish caught in these areas will be disqualified.

14. Awards & Trophy's
80% of the entry fee will be returned in the form of a Jackpot to be distributed the following:

First Place Team Overall - Most Points - 50% of Jackpot
Second Place Team Overall - Most Points - 30% of Jackpot
Third Place Team Overall - Most Points - 20% of Jackpot

Daily Calcutta’s are for total points of all released billfish (not weighed fish) for each fishing day.

First Place Individual Angler -Trophy Hard Luck Trophy-Trophy
Conference Team Awards -Trophy Highest Scoring Vet -Trophy

It is expressly understood that all participants in the tournament enter at their own risk. By registering as an angler, crew, passenger or guest in this tournament, the angler, crew, or guest holds harmless the Outdoor Channel, the tournament committee, officers, sponsors and all persons connected with the tournament from any libel, slander, loss, damage, negligence, harm, injury or death suffered by any participant, entrant, sports fisherman or passenger, their companions, crew, family members, vessels and equipment which may occur during or in conjunction with the tournament. By registering in the tournament, the angler consents to the use, without payment or restriction, any photograph, video, tv or sound in which he or she appears for any purpose what-so-ever.

CHARTER BOAT INFORMATION IN ISLAMORADA

Holiday Isle - 305-664-2321 -
Whale Harbor Marina - 305-664-4511 -
W W Sportsman - 305-664-3398
Bud N Mary's - 305-664-2461 -
Papa Joe’s Marina - 305-664-5005

Tournament Director - Sue Vermillion

808-325-9896

The Islander Resort: 305-664-2031