2024 OBBC Tournament Rules

The OBBC has added an Optional Small Boat Division, for vessels 38 feet in length and under. Small boat division teams can compete in all tournament calcuttas. Small boat teams must choose a division. They cannot compete in both.

The OBBC will also offer 4 new separate bluefin tuna only calcuttas and 3 bluefin trophy prizes. Harpoons will be allowed in this division, and consequently, bluefin tuna points will no longer count in the OBBC point system.

The OBBC tournament winner will be the vessel that accumulates the most overall points.

CHECK IN--IMPORTANT

On Thursday and/or Friday, all vessels must return and radio register with the OBBC committee boat by 5 pm on tournament channel 72. The weigh station committee boat will be situated at the Oak Bluffs Harbor entrance. Tournament vessels must be visually verified, vessels must verbally declare which weigh station they will be going to, except on Saturday. On Saturday, the Oak Bluffs weigh station will be CLOSED. Check in on Saturday is at 5 pm outside the Falmouth harbor break-wall. Tournament vessels must be visually verified. Tournament catch forms and release footage must be submitted when weighing fish.

FISH DAYS--IMPORTANT
All vessels will be allowed to fish 2 out of the 4 tournament fish days. Vessels will be allowed to fish overnight. All vessels planning to fish single days must return by designated times on that same day of departure. Vessels can leave at midnight. Vessels can leave from any port. All vessels will be asked to declare their fishing days upon check in on July 9th. Any fish day declaration changes must be declared by 8PM the night before departure by texting tournament organizer, Damon Sacco, at 508-221-5136.

MANDATORY--All vessels must declare departure BEFORE leaving the dock by using the tournament phone app and clicking the "Start Trip" button. Be sure and familiarize yourself with the app, and get it working before you plan to fish.

Boat Points For Qualifying Fish in OBBC

All point breakdowns are the same for both OBBC boat class divisions.

BLUE MARLIN: 300 points for each released fish (unlimited releases allowed)
WHITE MARLIN: 100 points for each released fish (unlimited releases allowed)
ALL SPEARFISH & SAILFISH: 100 points for each released fish (this will award points for all spearfish/sailfish species/unlimited releases allowed)
BLUEFIN TUNA: Will NOT count in the OBBC (except in Bluefin Only Entries)
SWORDFISH: 2 points per pound (60" inch minimum, 1 fish maximum to be weighed in per vessel) and 100 points per released and or caught fish (3 fish maximum to count in tournament regardless of kill/release) *swordfish catches will only count as 1 pt per pound in all billfish calcuttas
YELLOWFIN: 1 point per pound (2 fish allowed total for tournament)
ALBACORE: 1 point per pound (2 fish allowed total for tournament)
BIG EYE: 1 point per pound (2 fish allowed total for tournament)
DOLPHIN: 1 point per pound (1 fish allowed total for tournament)
WAHOO: 1 point per pound (2 fish allowed total for tournament)

2024 OBBC Tournament Rules

All entrants must sign and/or check the respective "I agree" boxes on the online tournament REGISTRATION form in regards to the POLYGRAPH and INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT before being eligible to register for the event. Any breach of any of the above Tournament Rules will result in disqualification. Decisions of the Tournament Committee are final.

Upon departure, all tournament vessels must declare their start time and trip departure by clicking the "Start Trip" section of the OBBC tournament app. This procedure will alert tournament officials the GPS location and time of each vessel's departure. Your cell phone's "location" mechanism must be turned on to use the app correctly. Vessels who do not declare a trip departure before leaving the dock will not be able to count that day of fishing. Once a vessel declares a departure/start trip, it cannot be changed. Vessels encountering mechanical failure issues WILL be allowed to switch vessels but must continue fishing their originally declared trip. If you are having trouble with the app, you can also declare departure by texting a clear video of your vessel's chartplotter (containing a GPS time stamp), a tournament catch flag, and boat name. This video must be texted to tournament staff at 508-221-5136.
Calcuttas can be registered on Tuesday July 9th at either registration location 2pm - 6pm.
Tournament vessel crews are not allowed to dispose of fish racks in Oak Bluffs or Falmouth Harbor. Doing so will result in immediate tournament disqualification, a forfeiture of any prize winnings, and a $5,000.00 fine payable to the Town Of Oak Bluffs. Fish racks are to be disposed of outside the harbors or in the harbor dumpsters. Heavy-duty contractor bags will be handed out at registration to all vessels.
Tournament packets which contain tournament programs and tournament catch flags must be picked up in person at check in at one of the 2 tournament registration locations.
All boats weighing fish on Thursday and/or Friday must return to the designated check in area adjacent to the Oak Bluffs harbor entrance buoy, and radio to the OBBC tournament committee boat on VHF channel 72 by 5 pm.
After being visually verified, boats checking in on Thursday and/or Friday must declare which weigh station they are planning to proceed to. If proceeding into Oak Bluffs, please follow the instructions given by the OB weigh station staff as there will be a cue of boat names to abide by. If proceeding to Falmouth, the same rules apply. Please be sure and check in with the Falmouth weigh station staff on VHF channel 71 BEFORE entering the harbor.
On Saturday the Oak Bluffs weigh station will be closed, and boats declaring fish and/or release footage must be visually verified and checked in on VHF channel 72 in front of the Falmouth Harbor entrance by 5 pm
All vessels returning to weigh fish/submit release footage must receive verification of arrival by weigh station. That means your vessel has to be physically seen by OBBC staff. Vessels will be given instructions on when to approach the weigh stations. For vessels weighing in in Falmouth, once you are visually verified and checked in, you can proceed to the Falmouth Weigh Station. Please wait to be called in. Upon arrival to the Falmouth Harbor entrance, you must call the Falmouth OBBC weigh staff using VHF Channel 71 and proceed as instructed. On Saturday only, please use VHF channel 72
The OBBC will follow International Game Fish Association Rules and additional rules and allowances specified herein.
130 lb Line class is the maximum allowed in this tournament.
Electric reels can be used as teaser reels, dredge reels, and for a breakaway system with a release. Electric reels containing a manual conventional retrieval mechanism CAN be used providing the electric component of the reel is completely removed/detached from the reel and is not being used to fight fish, tease fish, or change bait depth. The motor can only be used to retrieve the bait all the way to the surface.
The leader on all classes of tackle over 20 lb (10 kg) shall be limited to 30 feet (9.14 meters). The combined length of the double line and leader shall be limited to 40 feet (12.19 meters).
Vessels will be allowed to retain legal swordfish under 60 inches and such fish will count as 100 points.
Spreader Bars will be allowed in the OBBC, but must only contain one hook.
Double hooks and J hooks are allowed
In case of a tie(same number of points), winner will be determined by earliest time of cumulative points OR catches attained during fish days. Video documentation of all catches with a GPS time stamp(chartplotter) is highly recommended as is carefully documenting time of catch on the OBBC catch form(s) in your packet. Time of catch is paramount for all catches and most importantly, releases.
Tournament catch forms (documenting catch times and species) must be filled out and submitted to weigh station staff when weighing in fish or declaring release footage. All forms and release footage must be handed in to weigh station staff. If you are not weighing any fish, but have release footage to declare, you still need to hand in catch forms and footage to the weigh station staff by 7 pm on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. If your vessel is checked in and waiting in line to weigh in, you may present your catch form at the time of your weigh in. Just be sure and check in and be verified at Oak Bluffs harbor entrance by 5 pm on all fish days except for Saturday as check in will be at Falmouth Harbor entrance same time format.
There will be a 130 mile range limit for all vessels from Hooter Buoy.
The angler must hook, fight and bring the fish to the gaff or tag stick unaided by any other person (excluding gaff and leader man). An alternate angler will be allowed to hook and hand the rod one time for each fish hooked.
This is a rod and reel, hook and line tournament. The use of hand lines, rope, nets, harpoons, and any other means of fish capture other than rod and reel are strictly prohibited.
Fish cannot be fought from the rod holder except for Bluefin Division Only catches.
Harpoons are not allowed except for Bluefin Division Only catches.
Winners of the OBBC will be presented with an invitation to fish the IGFA Offshore World Championship
Each vessel will be presented with a laminated tournament flag inside their packet. All released fish entries must be documented with a digital video recording device. A cell phone is fine. All catches must be documented from the time of leadering to 5 full seconds after the time of release. All captured video footage with tournament fish must contain a clear view of the tournament flag. Video must be uninterrupted from the time the mate grabs the leader to the time the fish is seen swimming away.
Small boat division vessels are categorized as 38 feet in length or less, and will be allowed to compete for all OBBC prizes and/or calcuttas if they choose. They will also be allowed to fish exclusively against other vessels in their own size class if they so choose. Teams must decide which division they are choosing to fish by day of registration. This seperate OBBC "Small Boat Division" will offer separate tournament prizes and calcuttas.
The official clock of the tournament will be kept on continuous GPS time.
All boats entering or leaving the harbors should adhere to the “NO WAKE” speed limit.
The OBBC assumes no responsibility for the conduct or safety of any boats or entrants. All participants enter the tournament at their own risk
All participants and their crews must adhere to federal and state mandated fishing guidelines and permit requirements.
There is no tournament weather committee. All boats are responsible for making decisions regarding weather, and do so at their own risk.
All vessels will be given oversized trash bags to contain fish racks and there will be a designated dumpster along the Oak Bluffs Harborfront.
Any and all protests must be filed in writing and handed off in person to Damon Sacco or Christian Giardini by 7 pm each day of fishing. Protests will cost $250 and proceeds will go to the designated tournament charity.
All tournament caught fish are the property of the boat. After the weighmaster releases the fish, its disposal must be done outside the harbor.
All vessels are required to have their fish picked out and ready to weigh. The OBBC weigh staff will not be able to weigh fish to determine weight ahead of time.
No mutilated fish shall be eligible for competition. Mutilation shall be defined as damage which would impair the fighting ability of the fish.
The weigh master reserves the right to retain and inspect any fish that is deemed questionable. If retention is refused, the fish is automatically disqualified.
The Tournament Directors reserve the right, in their sole and absolute discretion, to reject any fish that does not meet the requirements of the Tournament. Any decision of the Tournament Directors to reject a fish is final.
Anglers and crew aboard winning boats may be subjected to a lie detector test.