The entry fee for the IGFA Light Tackle Invitational is $3,000 per boat. Your boat’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 Light Tackle Invitational has partnered with CatchStat to ensure a smooth and seamless registration and accurate, live scoring during the event. Please click below to register for the tournament.

For any questions, please contact IGFA at 954-927-2628 or info@igfa.org.

 

 

Schedule of Events

Thursday, February 6, 2020:
Captains Meeting & Kick Off Party

5 PM – 8:30 PM

 

Friday, February 7, 2020: 
First Day of Fishing

Lines in: 8:30 AM
Lines out: 3:30 PM
Dock party: 5:30 PM – 7 PM

 

Saturday, February 8, 2020:
Second/Final Day of Fishing

Lines in: 8:30 AM
Lines out: 3:30 PM
Awards Ceremony: 6:30 PM – 9 PM

 

Accommodations

All events for the IGFA Light Tackle Invitational will be hosted at the Sailfish Marina Resort, however boats participating in the tournament are not required to dock at Sailfish Marina Resort.

Listed below is the contact information for additional docking and lodging options outside of the host venue, Sailfish Marina Resort.  

Marinas

Riviera Beach Marina
200 East 13th Street
Riviera Beach, FL 33404
561-842-7806
https://marinavillagepalmbeach.com/

 

Cannonsport Marina
182 Lake Drive
West Palm Beach, FL 33404
561-848-7469
www.cannonsportmarina.com

Rybovich
4200 N Flagler Drive
West Palm Beach, FL 33407
561-840-8178
www.rybovich.com

Palm Harbor Marina
400 North Flagler Drive
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
561-655-4757
www.palmharbor-marina.com

Lodging

Marriott Singer Island Resort & Spa
3800 North Ocean Drive
Singer Island, FL 33404
561-340-1700
www.marriott.com

Atlantic Shores Vacation Villas
100 Bamboo Road
Palm Beach Shores, FL 33404
561-231-0230
www.atlanticshoresvacation.com

Palm Beach Shores Resort & Vacation Villas
181 S Ocean Avenue
West Palm Beach, FL 33404
561-863-4000
www.pbsr.com

Singer Island Resort & Spa
3800 North Ocean Drive
Singer Island, FL 33404
561-214-4498 
www.singerislandresortandspa.net

Tournament Rules

The Captain’s Meeting will be held on Thursday, February 6, 2020, at Sailfish Resort & Marina. A team representative must be in attendance.

1. PERMITS & LICENSES
All participants must have a valid Florida Saltwater Fishing License. All boats must posses a valid HMS Permit. 

2. FISHING DAYS & HOURS

Fishing days for the IGFA Light Tackle Invitational are Friday, February 7, 2020, and Saturday, February 8, 2020. 

The tournament will begin with the call of “lines in” at 8:30 am and continue until 3:30 pm for all fishing days of the tournament.

Any game fish requiring a weigh-in must arrive at the scales prior to 6 pm. There are no lay days or weather days, unless determined by the Committee. Fish at your own risk.

3.BOUNDARIES & DEPARTURE

Northern Boundary: St. Lucie Power Plant (Lat. 27º 20’57.00” N)

Southern Boundary: Boca Raton Inlet (Lat 26º 20’8.00” N)

All boats must visually check out of Palm Beach (Lake Worth) Inlet each morning between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. Any boats departing after 8:00 a.m. must visually check out at the Sailfish Marina. 

4. ANGLING & EQUIPMENT

All IGFA International Angling Rules apply.  

• All anglers are required to fish with the tournament-provided Ande Tournament 6 kg (12 lb) monofilament line.
  • Boats will be sent bulk spools of line upon registration. 
  • Random line samples may be requested. 
• The use of backing is permissible per IGFA rules.
• Top shots must be minimum of 5 meters in length.
• Leader (any material) is limited to 15 feet including floats/corks and is measured to the bend of the last hook. 
• Double line is limited to 15 feet.
• The combined length of the double line and leader shall not exceed 20 feet. 
• Any type of live, dead or artificial bait can be used and are scored equally. 
• Four anglers per team/boat, per day are permitted, with no restrictions.
• Captains, crew members, and commercial fishermen (paid within last three years) are not permitted to be registered anglers. The term captain/crew shall be defined as any individual who, within the previous three years of the tournament, derives any income from the act of sportfishing. This includes full and part time individuals. Any individual that profits from commercial fishing in any manner is prohibited. If you have any doubt, please see the tournament director.
• A maximum of four 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. 

5. TOURNAMENT SPECIES
Blue Marlin, White Marlin, Sailfish and Spearfish are eligible for catch and release only. Dolphinfish, tuna (blackfin and yellowfin) and wahoo are eligible for weight categories.

6. REPORTING OF BILLFISH
A billfish hook-up must be called in to the tournament score keeper within the first minute on VHF channel 71. The tournament score keeper will validate your hook-up by announcement. A billfish release must be called in to the tournament score keeper with the following information:

1. 1. Species released
   2. Boat name
   3. Angler name

The tournament score keeper will then verify your information by announcement and give you a release time, which must be recorded on your daily catch affidavit and turned in at the end of the fishing day, with your video evidence. If you lose your fish prior to release (i.e. jump-off, pulled hook, etc.) please inform the tournament score keeper as soon as possible.

7. CATCH & RELEASE RULES
All billfish must be released to qualify. A billfish is considered released when: a) the swivel between the mainline 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-set or cutting the leader as close to the hook-set 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

• Blue Marlin: 400 points
• White Marlin: 200 points
• Spearfish: 150 points
• Sailfish: 150 points
• Unidentifiable Billfish: 100 points
• All ties will be broken on time

WEIGHT SCORING

Awards will be given to the angler that catches the heaviest of the eligible weight species, which includes dolphinfish, tuna (blackfin and yellowfin) and wahoo. Points will not be awarded for weight species.

9. CATEGORIES & AWARDS

ANGLER RELEASE CATEGORY

Top Angler 

• Angler with the most total points

Second Place Angler

• Angler with the second most total points

Third Place Angler

• Angler with the third most total points

BOAT RELEASE CATEGORY

Top Boat

• Boat with the most total points

Second Place Boat

• Boat with the second most total points

Third Place Boat

• Boat with the third most total points

WEIGHT CATEGORIES

Heaviest Dolphinfish – Angler

Heaviest Tuna (Blackfin or Yellowfin) – Angler

Heaviest Wahoo – Angler

10. CATCH & RELEASE VERIFICATION

It is the responsibility of each team to provide the Tournament Committee which sufficient video evidence to verify the release of each catch, and the identity of each billfish released. The tournament supplied Daily Report Form must be completed and submitted along with your video footage, by boat, at the designated Sailfish Marina Dock no later than 120 minutes (2 hours) after “Lines Out” on each day of fishing.

• Video Requirement: All billfish releases must be verified in a continuous video footage sequence, from the time video evidence confirms identification of the fish, until the leader is touched and then cut at the time of release. Each team is responsible for providing their own video camera and the appropriate media to record video footage that documents the releases on their boat. The preferred video formats are SD cards.
• Release Verification: This video documentations submitted must clearly identify the fish as well as the official release of the fish (see above for release qualifications). Upon releasing the fish, the proper release card must be displayed on video to mark the completion of a catch. Two (2) release cards will be issued to each team (one for Day 1, and the other for Day 2 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.
• Release Confirmation: All billfish releases (time of release) must be radioed/phoned to the tournament score keeper; time on SD card is not official tournament time. Each release will be audibly verified on the VHF. It is the responsibility of each boat to have a sufficient VHF radio and/or cellular phone. Tournament standings will be reported on the radio at the start and conclusion of each day. Live scoring via internet will be available throughout the tournament. Also, a scoreboard will be posted at Sailfish Marina daily.
• If fish are being fought at “Lines Out” time, the captain MUST report the number of fish hooked up and only those fish, if successfully released,
  will count.
• Disputes & Protests– All disputes will be settled by the Tournament Committee. All decisions are final.

 

Video Evidence: General Instructions & Suggestions

• Be sure that your camera meets Tournament requirements prior to its start.
• Be sure to possess the appropriate cables, adapters, cards, readers, etc. to allow the Committee to download your evidence, if needed.
• Designate a qualified team member familiar with your camera operation to bring the evidence (and Daily Report Form) to the Committee.
• Have two cameras recording during the fight. Back up is never a bad idea.
• Be sure to have batteries fully charged and extra batteries, SD cards, etc. on hand.
• Recordings should be cued up for Committee review.
• Be familiar with your equipment.
• Test your equipment prior to the Tournament start.
• Designate someone to record the release evidence, be familiar with the equipment and the tournament rules.
• Do not store the equipment in an air-conditioned environment to avoid fogging.
• Underwater video (i.e. use of a GoPro or other underwater device) is the best way to positively identify your billfish species.
• Be sure you have captured all the evidence necessary for qualification prior to submission.

 

 

Thank You to Our Tournament Sponsors!