Shark Tournament Promotion here at BF Forums

[BoatlessFisherman]

All Tourneys must be ok'd by me.

The reason is that there has been a few issues with Tourneys the last 2 years and I do not want to see what has happened in the past happen again.

So there will be strict guidelines.

The number one thing is that all Shark Touneys will be Catch and Release 100%

2. There must be a list of rules. Clear and concise rules.
As in how the fish is measured, how the fish is Photographed, the release how it is to be done, penalty's.

Sharks that are protected now by the State of Florida can not be allowed in a Tourney.

Sand Bars are now protected so the law states a photo would endanger and would not be a release but considered a harvest, just like Tarpon, Goliath Grouper. a release by Florida is just that released with out a photo the state says that if you take such a photo that it is not being release immediately.

3. a committee to judge catches and disputes, this must be made of 5 people and 3 must not be connected to the Tournament or any organization in and around such Tourney, these people must be announced before the start of the Tourney, they must also be acceptable to me as a REAL Committee and not some group of yes people.

4.The Tournament must be done by a Florida State recognized Business or organization and you must be listed at Florida Division of Corporations or as an legitimate Organization. This is so if any wrong doings occur participants know who to go after and yes I will legally follow up any wrong doings.

5.A Legal Document notarized that you take full responcibility of the Tournament and that BF Forum has no connection or responsibility to your Tourney or its Participants.

This must also be stated on all posts clearly That BF Forum has no connection.

This is not all

There will be more posted later.


This is being done to protect Participants that will come from the BF Forum and for no other reason

[sharkreleaser26]

What if one of your catches dies from the fight? Like the hammers tend to do for example. The catch isnt eligibable to record then?

[BoatlessFisherman]

Nope

If you release it and it washes backup, it will not be counted either.

in the SST you can also be disqualified from the Tourney for a dead shark if we find negligence in the release or handling of the shark and that is why it is important to still report the death and the committee will determine the outcome, we have had 1 blacktip die and points deducted but we found no neglect so thats all that was done, Video helps.

Accidental deaths happen and that is taken into account

These sharks can be released unharmed you must realize that you as the fisherman must want to go to that extreme to get a good release, this means getting into the water and rocking and walking that shark back to life and it may take 30 minutes to an hour and yes you may be endangering yourself but you choose to do this extreme catch and release so accept the responsibility to do everything you can, we don't want to see anyone get hurt but participants must accept the responsibility of the release in full.

I see many people stand at the waters edge and push a shark forward a few times and let it go and most times this is good enough but not with hammers or any shark that has put up a monster fight and mostly from sharks 9 foot or bigger.

Most sharks I have seen die is because enough time was not taken in the revive time and they figure if it swam off it was ok, but hammers are not and require considerable more time on the revive and waist deep water.

I have released Hammers and been in waist deep water and yes it is very unnerving and I really don't like it but it was the only way for it to survive.

This year the releasing of a hammer will be video taped for the Shorebound Shark Tourney and I suggest all Tourneys do that to protect there intrigrity, if you want the points for A hammer you will video it.

Another reason for me to take more extremes on Shark Tourneys is the activist are watching and they are many now in just one year they have turned into 10 to 15 organizations and they were 3 or 4 last year. I just did a interview with Florida Sportman on Catch and release Shark Tournaments and it will be out in March and I expect alot of attention from these organizations so I am putting this forum in check and making sure we hold our intrigrity as for the Shroebound Shark Tourney if other tourneys want to be unprepared that is there problem and they can deal with these Activist on there own, I believe that Catch and release Tournaments are a great thing as long as we do the extreme to keep the sharks alive and offer Tourneys that have integrity from a real sportmans standpoint.

[BoatlessFisherman]

A little clarification
Most don't and the only reason i did was Females the lady Sharks I want them to survive so i have taken a few chances in the last couple of years to get a clean release in deeper water, but honestly it is scary and I was not literally waist deep but pretty close and the stupid part is they weren't even sharks I caught I just happen by and the sharks were going to die, once on the beach and once at the pier, my little one was baffled why I would get in the water with a shark and I told her as I have told her many times when I help Animals that are injured it is the job of the ones willing to take that extra step that makes them different.

Most cases for me I have been able to release sharks I have caught without going deep into the water.

You just need enough water around the shark so you can move it easily and fast enough to get water moving back though its mouth and out of its gills and the rocking is so the fish stays moving I found that rocking seems to work best in the beginning and then forward thrusts back and forth as it starts to move its dorsal i wait 3 to 8 minutes before the release and still have to go back after it once or twice and do it again before a worn out one comes back. This has been the scariest part grabbing a shark in the water and thats why I suggest you give time before you release it.

Now I am not saying that you have to do this in SST bottom line is get a good release thats all I am saying, if you do not have to get deep in the water to get that release more power to you.

But if you release it and it swims 75 feet away turns upside down and sinks to the bottom, your shark is going to have issues and its not fun going out and getting it to get that release.

So make sure its ready before you release it.

[bolo]

Well said Tommy. We as competiors go thru extremes to catch our sharks. It is only right to do the same when releasing the sharks. It is our responsibility as a fisherman to ensure the sharks survival. The major point of these catch and release tourney is to promote shark awarness.

[james380]

Definitely needed to be said.

[frentals]

Great post Tommy. This is an extreme sport and everyone needs to go to extreme measures to save these fish, with the closing of Delary and future beaches threatened we need to do everythign we can to save our rights as fisherman and this liek Tommy said, is showing the community that this sport doesn't result in careless fisherman lettign sharks wash up on the beach, or hoisting them up on forklifts to get a couple of pics, and sayign there was nothign that could have been done to save that fish. The fish caught on bridges are dragged to seawalls and need to be handled with extra care to ensure thier survival. Let's not be stupid and fish in areas where we know, sharks are prone to die, such as the middle of bridges, in which sharks are literally dragged to their death onto sea walls.
We all need to have integrity and this includes myself, as well, for this sport to survive.

[TarponKing]

I have released Hammers and been in waist deep water and yes it is very unnerving and I really don't like it but it was the only way for it to survive..

Never knew that you guys go that extra mile. Wouldn't even begin to understand how it feels having a beast like that next to you in waist deep water! To all the guys this year on the shark tournament, good luck!

i love that part...

[cantseeme47]

hmm my life of a sharks life??? i think mine is worth more extreme measures is not neccessary

[PhishingPhanatic]

hmm my life of a sharks life??? i think mine is worth more extreme measures is not neccessary

Then don't fish for them.

[bullbusters]

Colby
You may start a new link out topic for your Tourney.

Read my Post below

[BoatlessFisherman]

Ok have thought alot about this topic and have come up with this.

If a Tourney is promoted here as in.
Rules are listed, Entry forms, posting of for said Tourney as in pic posting up as catches for the tourney and tourney is co-oped as to 2 sites or more.

The rules mentioned in previous posts here stand.

Now I will allow Tourneys to post a link to another Forum for a Shark Tourney and all participation and official posting will be done in that Forum.

You may use this forum to direct our Forum Members to said Tournament but in no way does this forum or I support the Tourney. If I do or the Forum does it will be stated as that, so please include in your link out that you are not connected to BF Forum.

In exchange for the link out:
1. You must ask to do so and you will be informed of the guidelines.
2.You must start a leader board thread here and up date it Daily for Tourneys under two weeks and twice a week for a tourney that last longer than 2 weeks.
3. No questions relevant to entry or rules for tourney, they can get that info where the tourney is being held.
4.you must post up and leave for not less then 1 full year from end of tourney A Winners page with Pics and a short story on Tourney and Highlights.
?. I may allow an official Pic post Thread Posted by organizer, this must be negotiated.
Other things may be added


This is equally good for you as it is for this Forum if all goes well, your Tourney will get the exposure that hopefully will make it easier for you when another is attempted and our Forum Members get to stay up with your Tourney as it is going.

[bullbusters]

Alright.. I will get in touch with you sometime early this week to discuss this.

[permitchaser]

i have been telling my son since he was a little kid not to kill them ,he knows i wiil get on his case if he does .well said tommy fight the fish pic /revive the fish need a little bolls for that let them go and fight another day

[PhishingPhanatic]

As of March 23rd, Lemons will be restricted, I'm assuming that lemons won't count in the Shorebound tourney then?

http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/02/21/1 ... lemon.html

[BoatlessFisherman]

I am not sure yet, I am waiting for Florida State to get back to me.

I have already ask, just waiting on there lawyers answer

[fixed80]

with things changing so much it seems like.... whats the point of having a saltwater rules & regulation booklet.
there mine as well be a hand-held devise made for an angler to view these laws on a screen and if anything changes suddenly it will be automatically updated.

Hmmmm.... actually i wonder if that could even happen.

[frentals]

They should count, you can't help if u hook a lemon, proper catch and release, should be administered, but ruling them out to fish for is heinous. Fishing and harvesting are two different things.

[Get-em-wet]

They should count, you can't help if u hook a lemon, proper catch and release, should be administered, but ruling them out to fish for is heinous. Fishing and harvesting are two different things.

the one problem with this is...yes you can't help from hooking a lemon...but to get photos and measurements...takes a toll on a fish no matter how long you take do all this...some of the teams don't use huge reels and the fish is already tired from the fight..i'm not saying don't count the fish...i'm just saying don't rule out the possibility of the decision of not counting lemons.

[BoatlessFisherman]

Legally yes you can catch and release Lemon, Sand Bar and Sand Tigers, the issue is can you take a photo and as with Goliath and Tarpon no you should not pose for a pic with the fish out of the water it is illegal.


So anyways this is what I have come up with, thanks for the input Josh.
Still may add things but this is what I put together so far.

These will count Butttt there is stricter guidelines for these 3 Sharks.
1. The fish must remain in the water, at the waters edge it will be for the teams themselves to determine the depth they feel comfortable with. The Tourney suggest 1/3 to 1/2 of the body remain in the water the more the better. As for the legality it just says water in Florida state Statue and does not say how much water.
2. you will not take a posed pic, you will take the pictures as you are collecting data, Tagging, Measuring and or removing the hook .
3. These will have to be videoed from the time the shark gets to the shallow to just after the release. This is not to make it complicated but to give the Tourney and its participants as much proof of the integrity that the teams are releasing these Protected species unharmed and they remain in the water and that the release is immediately done. The key word is Immediately.


This is a new Law also and a new rule for the Tourney
You can only use a single hook with Natural Dead Baits and Live Bait, so this means NO MULTIPLE HOOK RIGS