I. Registration and Fees:

Rule 1: ENTRY FEE PER BOAT: Pre-sale is $250 and will increase on June 1st to $350. Payment confirms registration upon submission of the filled form. Boat entry includes 4 dinner tickets.

Rule 2: REGISTRATION: Available online at https://mcfba.org/mcba-fishing-tournament or by contacting tournament personnel.

II. Important Dates, Times, and Locations:

Rule 3: CAPTAIN’S MEETING: Pirates Cove Resort and Marina, 4307 SE Bayview St, Stuart Florida 34997, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Friday, June 13th, 2025. Rules announced at 7:00 PM. One angler per boat must attend or make prior arrangements.

Rule 4: TOURNAMENT HEADQUARTERS & OFFICIAL WEIGH STATION: Pirates Cove Resort and Marina, 4307 SE Bayview St, Stuart Florida 34997.

Rule 5: Regular Weigh-in Hours: Saturday, June 14th, 2025, from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Contact weighmaster on VHF channel 68 for earlier weigh-in. No fish weighed after 4:00 PM will be eligible.

Rule 6: START and END HOURS OF FISHING: Saturday, June 14th, 2025, lines in at 6:00 AM, all lines out by 3:30 PM. Weigh-in closes at 4:00 PM.

III. Angler and Boat Regulations:

Rule 7: ANGLERS PER BOAT: Maximum of four (4) registered anglers, including the captain per initial registration. Additional anglers are $50.00 each. Anglers can serve as captain and/or mate.

Rule 8: COMMUNICATIONS: All boats must have a working VHF marine radio and monitor channel 68 for official announcements. Notify tournament personnel if not returning to weigh-in.

IV. Fishing Rules:

Rule 9: FISHING LOCATION: Any inlet within U.S. territorial waters is permitted.

Rule 10: ELIGIBLE FISH: Dolphin, Kingfish, and Snapper (excluding Cubera). One fish per category per angler can be weighed. All fish must comply with state and federal regulations and cannot be mutilated (as determined by the weigh master).

Rule 11: BAIT & TACKLE: No bait restrictions (live bait allowed). All fish must be caught on rod and reel. Wire lines are permitted. Electric reels are prohibited unless used for Swordfishing.

V. Judging:

Rule 12: TIES: Earliest weigh-in time breaks ties in weight.

VI. General and Safety:

Rule 13: FISHING BOUNDARIES: Limited to U.S. territorial waters.

Rule 14: ENTRY REFUSAL: The Martin County Firefighter Benevolent Association Fishing Committee reserves the right to refuse any entry with or without cause.

Rule 15: WEATHER CONDITIONS: The weather committee can postpone or cancel the tournament due to unsafe conditions (announcements on channel 68). Captains are responsible for their crew and fish at their own risk. If the tournament is canceled, all funds acquired for the 2025 MCFBA Fishing Tournament will be kept as donations to the 501(C)(3).

Rule 16: LAWS: Participants must abide by all federal, state, and local environmental and fisheries laws and possess a current Florida saltwater fishing license upon request.

NOTE: Tournament rules are subject to change without notice. Any changes will be announced at the Captain’s Meeting.

VII. Awards:

Rule 17: Boat Entry Fee allows crew to be eligible for 1st, 2nd or 3rd place of the tournament based on the premises of largest tournament eligible fish by gross weight "see rule 10".

Rule 18: Eligibility for tier awards require pre-entry into each category prior to the tournament check-in. In addition to Rule 17 guidelines anglers have the opportunity to compete in each of the categories with separate prize pools. Largest Bonito, Largest Cobia, Largest Blackfin Tuna, Largest Swordfish and Largest gross weight KDS Meat Mayhem.

Rule 19: KDS Meat Mayhem is the entry of one Kingfish, Dolphin and Snapper with the largest accumulative gross weight wins the category. Anglers can enter any combination, but only one fish can be weighed per species.

Rule 20: Prize money for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place of the tournament is based off percentage of boat entry fees, whereas Prize money for the tier awards is based off percentage of buy-in total of each species excluding swordfish, which is in its own prize pool.