Tournament Entry
Entry Fee is $1,500 per boat.
All tournament entries are non-transferable and non-refundable. If your vessel is bale to compete in the event after submitting payment, your entry will be rolled over to the following year for full credit. Payment of the entry fee constitutes a representation by each entrant that he/she has read and fully understands the tournament rules that he/she will abide by such rules and the decisions of the Tournament Director and/or Committee. The King Master is a sport fishing tournament where participants agree to fish in a fair and ethical manner. While the tournament does not strictly enforce the use of IGFA rules, it certainly expects that only minor technical differences will be employed by anglers.
Registration
Registration is from 5pm – 10pm on Wednesday August 4, 2021. Captain’s Meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. in Orange Beach Marina.
Permits & Licenses
An Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling Permit is required and participants must be familiar with and follow HMS regulations. http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/compliance/guides/documents/hms_rec_compliance_guide.pdf
Anglers must obtain an Alabama Saltwater Fishing License which can be purchased locally or online.
Tournament Start
Teams can depart from any port at 7 a.m. and must document the GPS location and timestamp with the official tournament designator. It is encouraged for teams to post their departure on Facebook or Instagram and tag @FishKingMaster via post. ie: King Master Fishing team out! @FishKingMaster. Before check out teams must also video record the fish coolers empty of fish, in case there is a protest.
Fishing Hours
Teams depart at 7 a.m. on Thursday and can continue fishing until the scales close at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday.
Weigh Station Hours
Scales will be open 5:00-8:00pm on Friday and Saturday. All fish caught during the tournament must be weighed before scales close on Saturday night. Boat must be within the designated channel markers by 6:00pm on Saturday to have their fish weighed in. Scales will close immediately after the last fish weighed. All fish submitted at the weigh scales will be returned to the team.
All fish submitted for weigh-in must be caught during the tournament and must be in fresh, edible condition. No mutilated fish can be weighed in. The tournament rules committee reserves the right to disqualify any fish based on quality and freshness.
Qualifying Fish
The following species are eligible for competition when caught by registered anglers in accordance with tournament rules:
Tournament Awards
All Tournament Awards are based on 50 registered tournament boats. Payouts are subject to change depending on the number of entries. Awards for Heaviest Fish will be presented to the angler/boat for fish caught in the following categories:
Top Junior Angler and Top Lady Angler awards will be presented for heaviest King Mackerel. The junior angler must not be older than 16 years of age on the day the fish is caught.
Optional Betting Awards
This is a separate entry. The Optional Entry is not required to compete for Tournament Awards. Participants may pay an Optional Entry fee in one or more of the following:
Payout amounts will be the total amount of the monies received, less 10% deducted for administration fees with the remaining 90% to be awarded. King, King Aggregate, Wahoo, and Cobia will pay 1st, 2nd, and 3rd with a 50%, 30%, 20% split. In the event of limited participation in any category listed above, the payouts will be modified as follows: One team entered will be refunded in full, 2-5 teams will be winner-take-all, 6-9 times will be 60/40 split and 10 or more teams will bee the standard 50/30/20 split. Participants can pay an Optional Betting Fee via credit card, cashier’s or business check Mae payable to King Master. In the event that no qualifying fish are weighed by an Optional Entry participant in a give Division eligible for an Optional Award, 90% of Optional Entry Fees collected for that division are returned to the participant(s) who paid Optional Entry Fees for that division.
Payment for Cash Awards
Prior to fishing, each tournament boat must designate a representative payee to receive payment for all cash awards. Payment of cash awards is by check. A single check will be written to the boat’s representative payee for the combined total of tournament cash awards and optional cash awards. Checks will be written after the Awards Ceremony on Sunday. King Master accepts no responsibility for the division of any cash awards between team members.
Weather: Tournament Delay or Cancellation
In the event the tournament committee feels in their best judgement fishing is unsafe due to severe weather, high seas, or any cause beyond the control of the Gulf Coast Masters, the tournament may be cancelled or delayed. If delayed, a new start time or date will be announced should weather conditions improve. If cancelled, entry fees will be rolled over to the following year in their entirety. If one day is fished, the tournament goes on. Entrants shall have no claim against the Gulf Coast Masters for return of paid entry fees. All teams and participants should make their decision to fish based solely on their own judgment. Fish at your own risk.
Tie Breakers
Release, team placement is determined by the first team to reach the highest total points as verified by the boats GPS time. For fish weighed in, any category of fish brought to the scales, placement is determined by the order of Weigh-in at scales. The recorded time of weigh-in determines placement. In case of a tie for Top Lady Angler or Top Junior Angler on points, placement is determined first by the heaviest fish and then by the first angler to reach the highest total points as verified by the boat’s GPS time. If it comes down to weighed fish only to determine the tie breaker, placement will be determined by the recorded weigh-in time at the scales.
Protest
Any protests relating to the tournament must be submitted in writing along with $500 deposit by the team captain to the tournament committee no later than 15 minutes after the last fish is weighed on the final day of the tournament. All entrants agree to abide by tournament rules and regulations. All disputes are decided by the Tournament Director and Committee. Their decision is final. Poor sportsmanship will be grounds for disqualification from the Gulf Coast Masters. Any violation of these rules resulting in disqualification will result in forfeiture of entry fee and prize money.
Waiver/Disclaimer
It is understood that all participants in the King Master enter at their own risk, and that the officers, committee members, sponsors, directors, tournament venue and all persons connected directly or indirectly with the operation of said tournament, shall be exempt from any liability for libel, slander, loss, damage, negligence, harm, injury or death suffered by any participant, entrant, anglers, his/her companions, boat captains, mates, crew members, vessels and equipment with may occur during or in conjunction with the tournament. By tournament entry, the captain consents that the King Master may just without payment or restriction, any photographs in which he/she or any of their crew may appear for any purpose whatsoever; including, but not limited to resale, advertising, commercial or promotional material. The captain and his crew further release the King Master, officers and directors, and all persons from injury, loss or damage which may result.
All state record winners must submit to and pass in a conclusive manner, a polygraph examination administered by a licensed polygraphist provided by tournament officials. All entrants agree to submit to a polygraph examination at the request of the tournament committee if there is a conflict involving said entrant. Failure to submit to such an examination will result in disqualification of the entrant at the sole discretion of the tournament committee.
ALL DECISIONS OF THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR AND COMMITTEE WILL BE FINAL.
