Tuross Head Fishing Club
General Competition Rules
RULES GOVERNING COMPETITIONS 2018/19 (DOWNLOAD Here)
1. SECTIONS
Monthly competitions will be conducted under four sections.
a) Deep Sea (defined as fishing in the ocean from a boat)
b) Rock & Beach
c) Lake & Estuary
d) Freshwater
The competitions for the four sections will be open, unless otherwise specified.
At the discretion of the committee, additional competitions may be conducted in any or all of the above sections.
2. COMPETITION OFFICIALS
a) Oversee and control all aspects of competitions and handle all inquiries regarding competitions.
b) Be responsible for clerical duties associated with competitions.
c) Be responsible for all Club boards.
d) Be competent in fish identification.
e) Ensure that the fish comply with the rules.
f) Fill in competitions sheets showing competitor’s name, species caught, length, points and date (when required).
g) Accept properly certified measurement cards / photos.
3. COMPETITIONS AND TROPHIES
a) Yearly competitions will be designed by the Fishing Club committee. Fish may be measured and recorded every day of the year, using the brag mats at the Tuross Boatshed or the service station or on a NSW DPI Fisheries brag mat (not sticker) if the fish is being released and the photo presented to either of the locations previously mentioned for recording on the club record sheet. Annual records will be awarded for the longest fish measured for all species designated by the Club and will be presented at the Annual Presentation Day.
b) Monthly competitions will be held on a weekend designated by the Club each month.
Prizes to be awarded for the 4 sections above:
1) For the highest scoring fish measured, (once the attached table is applied to the nominated species).
In each of the four sections above, for male and female entrants (i.e. up to 8 prizes) and one prize for the highest scoring fish measured, by a junior.
Junior entrants become eligible for each of the 8 prizes above if no fish are presented by senior members. In such a case, the junior prize will be awarded to the next most eligible junior competitor. Prizes will be presented at the Club Bar-b-que at the conclusion of each competition.
2) Goblet competition will be held in conjunction with each monthly competition for a designated species. Fish of the designated species may only be recorded on a competition weekend to qualify the award. The species are listed for each month. Goblets will be presented at the Annual Presentation Day. If not won on the designated competition weekend, it will then carry over to any following competition weekend until won.
3) Special competitions or special days will be included in the annual program as decided by the committee.
4. ELIGIBILITY
a) All financial members are eligible to compete in all Club competitions. Unless otherwise specified, there will be no charge for members.
b) Juniors & Sub juniors (those under 18 years of age) shall be entitled to compete on equal terms in Club competitions upon payment of an annual fee as prescribed by the Committee. Additionally, they compete in their own category during the monthly competitions.
Visitors shall be eligible to compete in the monthly competitions on payment of an entry fee as determined by the committee. Visitors will not be eligible for annual trophies and goblets.
5. BOUNDARIES
Boundaries shall be defined as:-
a) For section 1 (a) (deep sea) from Kiama to the Victorian border.
b) For sections 1 (b) and 1 (c) (Rock & Beach and Lake & Estuary) from Kiama in the north to the Victorian border in the south and westwards to the fresh water line.
c) For section 1 (d) (Freshwater) NSW trout waters to the south-east of the Hume Highway.
6. REGISTRATION FOR COMPETITION
a) For monthly competitions, members are not required to pre-enter. Visitors are required to enter the competition before fishing.
b) For all other competitions, registration requirements shall be determined by the committee. One or more competitors recording a fish, in any section, establish a competition in that section.
7. FISHING TIMES
a) Yearly competitions – every day of the year is considered to be a competition day, commencing the day after August Presidents Day to the Presidents Day the following year.
b) Monthly competitions – from 4pm Friday to measure-in time Sunday, or as determined by the committee.
c) Goblet competitions – same as 7b (above)
d) Other competitions – as decided by the committee.
8. CONTROL CENTRE AND RECORDING TIMES
a) Yearly competitions – any day, standard business hours, at either Tuross Boatshed or the Tuross Service Station. Fish may also be recorded outside of Tuross Head, provided the measuring mat utilised is, as specified above, on a NSW DPI Fisheries brag mat (not sticker) and the information is recorded on a Club record card or photograph with a date stamp on the file.
b) Monthly competitions – only at Tuross Head Country Club Barbeque Area on Sunday at 1:00 pm (4:00 pm during Daylight savings), or as determined by Fishing Club social calendar.
c) Goblet competition – as for monthly competitions.
d) Other competitions – as set by the committee.
9. CONDITIONS OF CAPTURE
a) All fish claimed must be caught within the boundaries.
b) We promote catch and release of all species. Fish can be measured and released at Tuross boat shed or Photographed on a commercial NSW Fisheries measuring mat (not sticker) with a phone or camera that records the time and date while on the water. All photos must be presented to the competition secretary or representative at the weekend BBQ recording station.
10. MEASURE-IN
a) All fish submitted for recording shall have been caught by the competitor claiming the catch and according to the rules of the competition. On the Sunday of a competition, fish caught by a competitor, are allowed to be submitted by another member, providing a valid reason is given, i.e. work or illness.
b) All fish recorded will be measured to the tip of the tail and in the case of a fish with a rounded or truncate tail to the longest central part of the tail.
c) Fish presented for recording that the angler wishes to keep should be presented in a clean condition but retain both the head and tail so they can be measured on the day. The fish must be measured in its natural position: that is with its head laying naturally not extended because the guts have been removed.
d) All fish must be presented within the times set for the competition. No late recording will be accepted unless the Competition Secretary makes a ruling for SPECIAL circumstances (e.g. due to a boat acting in a matter of safety by aiding a boat in distress).
e) The Competition Secretary may refuse to measure or accept the recording of any competitors catch by providing a reason.
f) Catches shall be recorded at the length shown at the official recording centre. Species, length to the tip, date and name of competitor must be recorded.
g) All fish shall be marked, when required, by severing the top half of the tail after measuring.
h) Only anglers present at the presentation will be eligible to receive prize money at the monthly BBQ
i) Any evidence of manipulation of brag mats to make the fish appear bigger or manipulation of photographs in general will result in the disqualification of the member from all competitions in that calender year! Photos must be made available to the competition secretary in a digital format on request.
11. RECORDS
a) All fish recorded, will be considered for the Tuross Fishing Club records. Records prior to the rule changes August 2015 will be retained and a new set of length records will commence.
b) To claim a record, a fish must exceed the existing record by 5 millimetres and be witnessed and signed off by a member of the Committee, or by a staff member of the Tuross Boatshed or Service Station, as designated by the Committee.
c) If claiming a State or South Coast record, fish may be weighed-in whole, and then measured for Tuross competitions.
12. POINTS
a) Based on point score set by the committee.
13 MONTHLY COMPETITION
a) Monthly competition will comprise of the following CATEGORIES :
Highest Point scoring outside fish Women,
Highest Point scoring outside fish Men
Highest Point scoring lake and Estuary fish Women,
Highest Point scoring lake and Estuary fish Men
Highest Point scoring Rock and beach Women,
Highest Point scoring Rock and beach Men
Highest Point scoring fish by a Junior
Monthly goblet fish.
All LEGAL fish measured will score 30 base points.
1) The WINNING fish FOR EACH OF THE above CATEGORIES (1-8) will be the fish earning the most points as set out in ATTACHED point scoring table in each category not necessarily the longest.
(EXAMPLE)
Jo Blog submits 75.2cm Dusky flathead, the fish gets 30 points for the entry then gets 1.56 points for each cm over its legal length of 36cm (75.2cm -36cm=39.2cm) (39.2×1.56=61.15) 30+61.15=91.15 points
Tony Blog submits a 43cm Whiting the fish gets 30 points for the entry, then gets 4.35 points for each cm over its legal length of 27cm (43cm-27cm =16cm) 16×4.35=69.6 30+69.6=99.6 points
Therefore Jo’s fish may have been the longest but Tony’s fish was the highest point scorer and Tony’s fish wins.
The table has been calculated on the difference between the species legal length and its normal maximum growing length divided by 100.
14. PROCEDURE FOR DUAL RESULTS.
a) Where two or more competitors achieve equal length or points for any trophy (excluding records as in 11), each will receive a trophy.
15. PROTESTS
a) Protests must be in writing, signed and submitted by the person(s) protesting.
b) No protests lodged more than twenty minutes after the announcement of awards will be considered.
16. DISQUALIFICATIONS
Individuals and/or teams are liable to disqualification from competition if:-
a) Fish have been taken by other than approved methods.
b) An individual or team fishes outside the defined boundaries.
c) Fish are submitted for measuring by persons other than the person who caught the fish (unless special circumstances arise)
d) Fish, which do not comply with state regulations, are presented.
e) Ineligible fish are presented.
f) Any evidence of manipulation of brag mats to make the fish appear bigger or manipulation of photographs in general will result in the disqualification of the member from all competitions in that calendar year! Photos must be made available to the competition secretary in a digital format on request.
Points are scored on monthly competition days only. Points given are per cm or part thereof.
Each person may present only one of each eligible species each day, except for the monthly competition when two of each species may be presented on the Sunday of the competition.
When a competitor reaches 300 points for a species in the yearly competition, further points do not count.
Only species listed above may be presented and counted towards prizes and trophies.
#Point score sheet is calculated in the following way :
The legal length of a species of fish = (a)
The normal maximum length of a fish = (b)
(a) Is subtracted from (b) giving us the difference (c)
Each fish of any species is worth 100 points at its maximum length
So to give us a point score per cm over legal length we use the following formula:
100 divided by (c) = (d)
Let’s use Whiting as an example Legal length is 27cm (a)
Normal maximum length is 47cm (b) (this is from the DPI data but can be adjusted to suit our area)
47 – 27 = 20 (c)
100 divided by 20 = 5
So for a whiting we give 5 points per cm (or part thereof) of its size over legal length.
We give each fish 30 points for being recorded, the reason for this is so that each fish gets points no matter the size, and otherwise a legal Whiting at 27cm would score no points.
At present the table has been calculated on the normal maximum size of each species as per an agreed length as set by a club subcommittee.
Species Legal Length Max. Length Difference Points per cm
Bass/E-Perch 25 45 20 5.00
Blackfish 27 52 25 4.00
Bream 25 50 25 4.00
Flathead sand /tiger 33 73 40 2.50
Flathead Dusky 36 100 64 1.56
Flounder 25 50 25 4.00
Flying Gurnard 25 47 22 4.54
Sargeant Baker 20 60 40 2.50
Garfish 15 35 20 5.00
Kingfish 65 100 35 2.86
Leatherjacket 20 55 35 2.86
Morwong 30 65 35 2.86
Mullet 30 52.5 22.5 4.44
Mulloway 70 102 32 3.12
Nannygai 25 50 25 4.00
Gummy Shark 90 150 60 1.67
Pigfish 25 50 25 4.00
Salmon 30 80 50 2.00
Drummer 30 45 15 6.66
Snapper 30 75 45 2.22
Tailor 30 60 30 3.33
Tuna Yellow/blue fin 80 160 80 1.25
Trevally 30 55 25 4.00
Whiting 27 52 25 4.00
Trout Brown 25 70 45 2.22
Trout Rainbow 25 51 26 3.85
Carp 1 70 69 1.45
Freshwater Catfish 30 50 20 5.0
Golden Perch 30 60 30 3.33
Redfin 1 50 49 2.04
Murray Cod 55 75 20 5.0
Point score table as amended for the 2017-2018 competition.
AS THE FISHING CLUB HAS NO CONTROL OVER YOUR ACTIVITY, LOCATION OR METHOD OF FISHING, THEY WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM WHATSOEVER, BUT ADVISE YOUR ACTIVITIES MUST BE CARRIED OUT WITH THE UTMOST CAUTION.
©John Suthern 2015
PLEASE REFER TO THE LINKS BELOW FOR SAFETY INFORMATION
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/recreational/saltwater/safety
http://www.safefishing.com.au/
http://www.lifejacketwearit.com.au/
http://www.maritime.nsw.gov.au/sbh/safety_on_the_water/safety_on.html
http://www.maritime.nsw.gov.au/sbh/safety_equipment/safety_equipment.html