Seabass Tournament, MAY 18-19

[Saltwater Bass]

RULE CHANGE: Catalina waters are the only fishable waters for the WSB championship

Download your mail-in entry form with a check by CLICKING HERE
or sign-up online by clicking in the upper right icon on this page.

For the lead story and questions and answers, CLICK HERE.

In response to the exclusion this year of the coast in the WON/Yamaha Catalina Island White Seabass Championship, the tournament’s playing field has been further “leveled.”

The Catalina tournament is now a Catalina Island inshore and offshore -only tournament, but all other rules and schedule remain the same. So mark it on your calendar, May 18-19 at Two Harbors, Catalina.

Said Director Pat McDonell, who made the call, “There were many teams who suggested a clarification of the rules after 2010 when a 53 pounder from Dana Point won the event. This just keeps the event to Catalina. Safer and more fair for all teams and boats.”

All the sponsors will be back, and the rules remain the same. Biggest single fish, white seabass, halibut or yellowtail, paydowns to fifth place, with $200, $200 and $300 optionals for all three species for a total of NINE optional payouts plus the overall money paid to five team. Plus two tackle drawings, free clothing from Spiderwire and Pflegar Institute, spools of Spiderwire, hook packs from Owner and more at check-in, plus a BBQ lunch. There will also be cash awards for the biggest fish caught on Spiderwire, and the Costa/Avet/Seeker Casting Contest.

For details, see www.wonews.com for rules and in WON and the website for entry forms. Cost is $100 a person, with a two-person minimum but there is no limit to the number of anglers per team. Call Pat McDonell at (949) 366-0030 ext 33 or e-mail him at pat@wonews.com. You can pay your entry by personal check or credit card. Jackpots can be paid only by personal check, or cash onsite. There is a $20 late fee for individual signups or additions in Catalina. See the entry form for deadlines.

WON/YAMAHA 2013 Catalina White Seabass Championship schedule

SATURDAY, MAY 18

Check-in: Teams must check in at Two Harbors, Catalina between 10 a.m. and noon on Saturday. Entry is $100 per person, no limit on number of team members. (There is a $20 on-site fee charge for new anglers.) You’ll be getting your goodie bags with sponsors gifts. Most important, you will update or finalize your team roster and your team members will fill out the waiver at the check-in table AND index card that will serve as a ticket for all drawings. We also will take in optional jackpot money — cash only, at $100, $200 and $300 for white seabass, yellowtail and halibut (six optionals total). We prefer teams to pay optionals in advance.

Barbecue/drawings: Lunch starts at noon and activities will include a barbeque lunch, a short team meeting, a drawing for prizes, and “around” 2 p.m. you will be released to fish.

SUNDAY, MAY 19

Weigh-in and awards: The scale area at the pier will open at 10 a.m. and close at noon. Don’t be late. Teams must decide which SINGLE seabass, yellowtail or halibut to weigh prior to reaching the weigh-in area, and teams can weigh in one fish of each species only.

Awards presentation: Will start at approximately 1 p.m. and be completed by 2:30 p.m. Don’t miss the awards presentation even if your team doesn’t catch a seabass, yellowtail or halibut that qualifies for prizes or cash. There’s a bunch of prizes from sponsors to be given in away in a drawing.

Rules for 2013 Yamaha Catalina White Seabass/Halibut/Yellowtail Jackpot

See changes to 8 and 15, and new rules 23 and 24 concerning fishable waters and boat checks.

1. Participation & Eligibility — A waiver of liability must be signed by parent or legal guardian and be on file with WON prior to the Seabass/Halibut/Yellowtail Jackpot Tournament. All forms will be signed at check-in. Each participant is responsible for having his or her own Coast Guard approved life jacket or vest.
2. Cooperation with Media/ Promotion — Within the framework of reasonable requests, all Tournament participants will cooperate with media representatives covering said event. Likewise, participation in the Seabass/Halibut/Yellowtail Jackpot Series grants WON the use of any pictures of participants, accounts, or interviews with contestants it gathers for the lawful promotion of the tournament.
3. Sportsmanship — The laws of good judgment and sportsmanship as well as courtesy toward others on and off the water will be adhered to at all times. Specifically, the use of obscene language or gestures is strictly forbidden at any time before, during, or after the event. Any verbal or physical abuse or threats from entrants toward the Jackpot Series staff is cause for a team’s disqualification.
4. Alcoholic Beverages/ Narcotics — Misconduct from drug or alcohol abuse will result in disqualification.
5. Safety — All boats must have Coast Guard approved life jackets/vests and safety equipment. Anyone found operating a boat in an unsafe manner (in the opinion of the Tournament Director) is subject to immediate disqualification.
6. Insurance & Liability — It is the sole responsibility of the boat owner to carry and have proof of public liability insurance covering himself and passengers. All Tournament participants are required to sign a waiver absolving the tournament sponsors, co-sponsors and their employees from any responsibility for any damage or personal injury sustained as a result of their participation in the tournament or related activities.
7. Licenses — Each participant must have in his possession a valid and current fishing license. Anglers checked at weigh-in by the DFG that do not have a valid California fishing license will cause their ENTIRE team to be disqualified from the tournament.
8. Fishable Waters — Fishable waters in the Seabass/ Halibut/Yellowtail Jackpot Tournament include any water reachable by boat that is open to all participants and which is not otherwise restricted by local restrictions. All fishing and landing of fish must be done from the boat. The tournament is relegated to Catalina Island waters. See rule 23.
9. Weigh-In — Teams cannot continue to fish after they weigh-in their catch. The qualifying fish for placing in the event are white seabass, yellowtail and halibut. Biggest single fish of any of the three species wins. Payouts in either cash or prizes will be given to top five teams.
10. Practice/Pre-Fishing —There is no restriction on pre-fishing.
11. Polygraph Testing — All Seabass/Halibut/Yellowtail Jackpot Series participants, by virtue of their entry into the Tournament, are subject to testing by polygraph (lie-detector) by authority of the Tournament Director.
12. Late Rule — Any participant/team that returns to the weigh-in area on the beach past the deadline time will not be allowed to weigh their catch. Deadline is (12) noon on Sunday. Teams can disembark at Cat Harbor, but no transportation is provided (it’s a long walk to the scale). TEAMS MUST BE AT THE SCALE BY NOON.
13. Tackle/Techniques — Live bait and artificial lures are permitted. Fish attractants and chum buckets are also permitted.
14. Qualifying Fish — White Seabass (Minimum size 28”.) Limit one fish per angler. Teams can only weigh-in their largest Seabass/Halibut/Yellowtail (Halibut minimum size 22 inches). The team must decide which fish will be weighed in prior to going to the scales and can weigh in one fish of each species only unless they are in the optional jackpots. One fish per species can be weighed in by optional jackpot entrants.
15. Standings/Ties — The top three (3) teams win prizes, cash and plaques. In the event of a tie in fish weight, a coin toss will determine the winning team. Fish will be weighed in only one time. There are no ”re-weighs” unless the director or weighmaster decides the scale “may” not have properly assessed the correct weight. If there is a second weighing at the request of a team and the director agrees, the second weight is the weight that will be used. The director’s decision is final.
16. Protests — Protests regarding violation of these rules must be announced immediately to the Tournament Director and then submitted to him in writing within 30 minutes of the verbal protest.
17. The tournament VHF Channel is 72. Catches need not be radioed in. A;; teams should remain on that channel for safety purposes.
18. Participants must be present at Two Harbors to win drawing prizes at both Captains Meetings Saturday and awards ceremony Sunday. (anglers on boats preparing boats at end of captains meeting (new) can have a teammate pick up their prize).
19. Teams may leave their boats during the event and return to them. In other words, you can sleep on land after fishing the afternoon evening bite, and return for the morning bite before weigh-in.
20: Teams must have two people, but they can have unlimited numbers of entrants per boat. All people on a boat must be entered as a paid teammate.
21. There will be a boat check for several teams in a random drawing. All previously caught fish aboard boats at check-in must have fins clipped or be filleted. Teams found to have unclipped fish are disqualified. (as a courtesy, entry fees and jackpots will be returned).
22: A late fee of $20 will charged for late entries per late angler. There is no late fee for jackpots. Team can pay by check or credit card before the event at WON, or by cash only on site.
23: No boats may fish the coast at any time. It is Catalina Island waters- only tournament. Boats cannot fish the coast or any other islands. Just Catalina inshore and Catalina offshore waters.
24: All boats’ GPS tracking (if available) and fish holds are subject to inspection at any time by staff.

[Mikey]

good god i would love to fish this...