All events listed below will take place at Marina Pez Vela. We encourage all anglers, crew, and their guests to attend the social events during the tournament.

Thursday, March 13, 2025

Team Check-in & Captains Meeting

Team Check-in – 4:00 pm – 6:30 pm

Captains Meeting – 7:00 pm

Friday, March 14, 2025

Fishing Day 1

Lines in – 7:30 am

Lines out – 3:30 pm

Weigh In & Media Drop off – 3:30 pm – 6:30 pm

Saturday, March 15, 2025

Fishing Day 2

Lines in – 7:30 am

Lines out – 3:30 pm

Weigh In & Media Drop off – 3:30 pm – 6:30 pm

Awards Dinner – 7:00 pm

(All times are Costa Rican CST)

2025 IGFA Open Tournament Rules

1. PERMITS & LICENSES

All participants must abide by Costa Rican Fishing Regulations and must have a valid Costa Rican recreational fishing license from Incopesca. The angler, crew and boat must have valid Costa Rican Fishing Licenses. All participants must sign an indemnity waiver.

2. FISHING DAYS & HOURS

Fishing days for the 2025 IGFA Open are Friday, March 14, 2025, and Saturday, March 15, 2025.

The tournament will begin with the call of “lines in” at 7:30 a.m. and continue until the call of “lines out” at 3:30 p.m. for all fishing days of the tournament.

Any game fish requiring a weigh-in must arrive at the scales at Marina Pez Vela before 6:30 p.m. Fish arriving at the scales within 15 minutes of the deadline must receive verbal confirmation from tournament officials. Scales will close at 6:30 p.m.

If a boat receives verbal confirmation from tournament officials of a visual before 6:30 p.m., scales will remain open until that boat’s fish are weighed.

There are no lay days or weather days, unless determined by the tournament. Fish at your own risk.

3. DEPARTURE & BOUNDARIES

Fish must be caught within a 50-mile radius from the center of Marina Pez Vela (GPS Coordinates 9° 25’ 35” N 84° 10’ 22”).

Should a hooked fish cross the boundary line, the fish can be played outside of the boundary until caught or released. The tournament committee reserves the right to request coordinates from any participating team to verify that all releases were legitimately hooked within the 50-mile radius.

Fish that are hooked outside of the tournament boundaries will not be eligible for the tournament.

Boats are permitted to leave the dock at 5:30 a.m. each day of fishing.

4. ANGLING & EQUIPMENT

All IGFA International Angling Rules apply. 

• All anglers are required to fish with 15 kg (30 lb) monofilament line as stated on the spool.
• The use of backing is permissible per IGFA rules.
• Top shots must be a minimum of 5 meters (16.5 feet) in length.
• The leader (any material) is limited to 30 feet and is measured to the bend of the last hook.
• The double line is limited to 30 feet.
• The combined length of the double line and leader shall not exceed 40 feet.
• Any type of live, dead or artificial bait can be used.
• Live bait may only be used while fishing for Tuna, Wahoo or Dolphinfish
• Billfish caught on live bait will be disqualified
• A maximum of five anglers per team/boat per day are permitted.
• 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 artificial lures only.
• Natural baits must be deployed with non-offset circle hooks.
• Live chumming is prohibited.
• Costa Rican law mandates the use of non-offset circle hooks on any bait intended for “billfish” (Sailfish & Marlin)

5. TOURNAMENT SPECIES

Blue marlin, black marlin, striped marlin, and sailfish are eligible for catch and release only. Dolphinfish (dorado), yellowfin tuna, and wahoo are eligible for weight categories.

6. REPORTING OF BILLFISH

All billfish releases must be called into the tournament scorekeeper on VHF Channel 21 with the following information:

• Species released
• Boat name
• Angler name

The tournament scorekeeper will then verify your information and give you a release time, which must be recorded on your daily catch report and turned in at the end of the fishing day.

7. CATCH & RELEASE RULES

All billfish must be released to qualify. A billfish is considered released when: a) the swivel between the main line 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 or cutting the leader as close to the hook as possible. “Popping” the leader is not a good method of healthy release, and we ask that you refrain from doing so.

8. CATCH & RELEASE POINTS

• Black Marlin: 400 points
• Blue Marlin: 400 points
• Striped Marlin: 200 points
• Sailfish: 100 points

WEIGHT SCORING

Awards will be given to the angler that catches the heaviest of the eligible weight species, which includes dolphinfish (dorado) and yellowfin tuna. The minimum weight for eligible species is 15 pounds. Team and angler points will not be awarded for weight species.

9. CATEGORIES, AWARDS, GENERAL ENTRY & CALCUTTA

ANGLER RELEASE CATEGORY

• Top Angler – Angler with the most total points from billfish releases
• Second Place Angler – Angler with the second most total points from billfish releases
• Third Place Angler – Angler with the third most total points from billfish releases
• Top Junior Angler – Junior angler (age 16 and under) with the most points from billfish releases

BOAT RELEASE CATEGORY

• Top Boat – Boat with the most total points from billfish releases
• Second Place Boat – Boat with the second most total points from billfish releases
• Third Place Boat – Boat with the third most total points from billfish releases

WEIGHT CATEGORIES

• Heaviest Dolphinfish (Dorado) – Angler that records the heaviest dolphinfish.
• Heaviest Yellowfin Tuna – Angler that records the heaviest tuna.
• Heaviest Wahoo – Angler that records the heaviest wahoo.

(The winner of each category will receive a trophy at the award ceremony. Cash prizes will be paid out by CatchStat through optional jackpots for the following categories listed below.)

General Entry and Optional Jackpot

10. VIDEO REQUIREMENT

All billfish released in the tournament must be verified by video footage that clearly shows the angler, species, and release.  Each team is responsible for providing their own video device and the appropriate video memory cards to record video footage that documents the releases on their boat. Video footage may be recorded on mobile phones or tablets. Each team is required to initialize their video device by showing the date and time on their GPS prior to lines in for each day of fishing. Color-coded cards will be provided for each team and must be displayed during the video of each billfish release. The color-coded card will be designated for each fishing day the night before.

11. BILLFISH CATCH & RELEASE VERIFICATION

It is the responsibility of each team to provide the tournament officials with the completed and signed daily catch report, and the video documentation of each of their billfish releases. The daily catch report must be turned in at the designated location at Marina Pez Vela by 6:30 p.m. on each day of fishing.  

Video documentation must clearly show the following:

• The angler fighting the fish – Clear video evidence showing the angler fighting the fish.
• Species verification – Clear video evidence clearly showing the fish for identification purposes.
• Release verification – Clear video evidence showing on official IGFA release as listed in the Catch & Release section of the tournament rules.
• Day confirmation – Clear video evidence of the color-coded card for that day of fishing.

Video/Content Release: Video footage submitted becomes property of the IGFA and may be used for all promotional purposes. All registered captains, anglers, and occupants of their boats consent that tournament officials may use all video content without payment or restriction.

Hook-Up & Release Confirmation: All billfish releases (time of release) must be radioed to the tournament scorekeeper; time on SD card is not the official tournament time. Each release will be audibly verified on the VHF via Channel 21. It is the responsibility of each boat to have a sufficient VHF radio. Tournament standings will be reported on the radio at the start and conclusion of each day. Live scoring via CatchStat will be available throughout the tournament.

If fish are being fought at “Lines Out” time, the captain MUST report the number of fish hooked up before lines out, and only those fish, if successfully released, will count.

12. DISPUTES & PROTESTS

Any disputes or protests must be submitted to the tournament committee in writing by 7 p.m. within the same day that the infraction or event in question takes place. All disputes will be settled by the tournament committee. All decisions are final.

Tournament Committee assumes that all participants have all necessary permits, licenses and/or registrations required to legally operate and fish in Costa Rican waters. The Tournament Committee is not responsible for verifying compliance with Costa Rican legislation; however, in the event the Tournament Committee either becomes aware of incompliance or in the event of a protest, the associated team will be disqualified by the Tournament Committee.

The tournament committee for the IGFA Open includes of the following individuals: Zack Bellapigna (IGFA Staff), Michael Criscola, Jason Schratwieser (IGFA President).

13. SONAR DEFINITION

Any vessel with a sonar system that requires a transducer mounted to a shaft or “staff” that extends from or through the hull/keel of the vessel like a periscope and with the capability to rotate will be deemed as a sonar-equipped vessel. These vessels are not eligible to fish in the “non-sonar” optional jackpot.  A good example of this type of Sonar would be any system that works like the Furuno Omni Sonar.

Any vessel with a traditional fish finder with a “fixed” transducer and with no extending shaft and no ability to rotate the transducer will be deemed as a non-sonar vessel and are eligible to fish the “non-sonar” optional jackpot. Teams with “non-sonar” designation may opt to fish in any of the optional jackpots.

The decision of the Tournament Committee concerning a review of the sonar vs. non-sonar distinction with respect to a particular boat or crew or fish will be binding and final.

The general entry fee for the 2025 IGFA Open is $5,000, this general entry fee includes a $1,500 tax-deductible donation. Optional jackpots will be paid out in full by CatchStat through cash prizes.

Your team’s registration fee covers all food and beverages at the three events taking place during the tournament, in addition to the tournament bags.
Teams are responsible for chartering or providing their own boats for the tournament.

The IGFA Open has partnered with CatchStat to ensure a smooth and seamless registration and accurate, live scoring during the event. To receive more information about this event, please contact the IGFA at 954-927-2628 or [email protected].

All events for the 2025 IGFA Open will be hosted at Marina Pez Vela and we have worked closely with the team at Marina Pez Vela to ensure you have a great tournament experience.

Please see below for resources regarding the chartering of a boat, accommodations, and marina slip space for private vessels.  

Charter Boats

Marina

To make slip reservations with Marina Pez Vela please email:
[email protected]

Lodging

To make lodging reservations with Marina Pez Vela please email:
[email protected]