b'2026 Tournament RulesANGLER ELIGIBILITY:Open to all except professional anglers, captainsmust be indicated for each sailfish; weigh and record dolphin/kingfish/and crew.Professional is defined as anyone who has been paid to fish,wahoo/cobia/tuna at the marina on an official tournament scale.If a boat crew or captain on a fishing boat in the last year (12 months).The Derbybreaks down, their daily score sheet & SD card may be delivered prior to Rules Committee reserves the right to determine an anglers professionalthe deadline by some other boat. The Sailfish Marina is the ONLY official status. All entrants must fish on boats officially entered in the Silver Sailfishweighing and recording station. Derby and must fly the official Derby Pennant. *All decisions made by the tournament committee are final and official.LIMITED ENTRY:Tournament limited to 50 boats. BAIT & TACKLE SPECIFICATIONSFISHING DAYS:Thursday, January 8th & Friday, January 9th.WEATHER: The decision to fish is solely the Captains choice.All par- 1. All anglers are limited to fishing 20 lb. (maximum) test line.The use of ticipants fish at their own discretion and risk. backing is permissible per IGFA rules.Leader (any material) is limited DEPARTURE:All boats must visually check out of Palm Beach (Laketo 15 feet including floats/corks.The combined length of double line Worth) Inlet each morning between 6:30 a.m and 8:00 a.m. Any boatsand leader shall not exceed 20 feet. departing after 8:00 a.m. must visually check out at the Sailfish Marina.2. Tournament boats are allowed to fish a maximum of four (4) lines at You must show your boat number and be audibly confirmed prior to leav- any one time.This includes the use of bait rods.Eligible fish (sailfish, ing the inlet.FISHING HOURS: Official Lines In is 8:00 a.m. anddolphin, etc.) cannot be caught using a bait rod. No wire lines or plan-official Lines Out is 4:00 p.m. each day.At the conclusion of each day,ers allowed. Downriggers and kites are permissible.all boats must return to Sailfish Marina by water, in the boat you fished3. Any type of live, dead or artificial bait can be used and are scored equally. on, to submit their daily score sheet & SD card by the designated time. The use of natural dead bait teasers/dredges is prohibited.Artificial BOUNDARIES:North: St. Lucie Power Plant (Lat. 27 2057.00 N)bait/strip teasers and dredges are permitted. Chumming sailfish with South: Boca Raton Inlet (Lat 26 208.00 N) live or dead bait is prohibited.Boats must retain all baits (fresh or used) DAILY REPORTS & SD CARDS: The tournament supplied Daily Re- during fishing hours. port Form must be completed and submitted along with yourSD card,4. All boats are required to fish with billfish approved non-offset circle hooks by boat, at the designated Sailfish Marina Dock no later than 90 minuteswhen fishing with live or dead baits.Any brand non-offset circle hook is (1 1/2 hours) after Lines Out.Register names of all anglers aboard,permitted.Hooks must not be altered in any manner whatsoever.The whether eligible fish were caught or not. List tag numbers if applicable;use of other traditional hook styles is permitted only when fishing with note estimated weight and length of released sails; official time of releaseunbaited artificial lures.ANGLING RULES & VIDEO VERIFICATION PROCEDURES1. All participants must comply strictly with IGFA rules. The only exception5. Video/Content Release:Video footage submitted becomes property of will be in the event of multiple hookups.Then the angler may fight ad- the Silver Sailfish Derby and may be used for all promotional purposes. ditional fish from a rod holder.Anglers must fight their own fish unas- All registered captains, anglers and occupants of their boats consent sisted.Fish will be disqualified if rod, reel or line is handled by anyonethat tournament officials may use all video content without payment or other than the angler while fish is baited, hooked up and fought.restriction. SD cards will be returned at a later date.2. A sailfish release is official when a crew member touches/takes hold6. Release Confirmation: All sailfish releases (time of release) must be of the leader; tipping the leader does not constitute a release. Cut theradioed/phoned to the tournament score keeper; time on SD card is leader to release a sailfish (as close as possible to the mouth).Breakingnot official tournament time. Each release will be audibly verified on the the leader by intentionally jerking or snatching is not permitted & willVHF. It is the responsibility of each boat to have a sufficient VHF radio disqualify a catch.Gaffing a fish to touch the leader is not permittedand/or cellular phone. The official Silver Sailfish Derby VHF Channel is & will disqualify a catch.A fish hooked on multiple lines is deemed79 (backup Channel VHF 80). Tournament standings will be reported ineligible. If the leader is wrapped around the fish, clearly identify onon the radio at the start and conclusion of each day. Live scoring will be video that the fish is within touching range of the butt-end of a gaff oravailable throughout the tournament.tagging stick; this will constitute a release. 7. If fish are being fought at Lines Out time, the captain MUST report 3. Video Requirement: All sailfish releases must be verified in a continuousthe number of fish hooked up. Only those fish, if successfully released, video footage sequence, from the time video evidence confirms identifica- will count.tion of the fish, until the leader is touched and then cut at the time of8. No one may retain hold of the leader to hook a fish.The fish must pull release. Each team is responsible for providing their own video cameradrag from the reel.and the appropriate media to record video footage that documents9.The intentional abandonment of the boat to fight or land a sailfish is the releases on their boat. The first video clip to be shot by all teamsprohibited.All anglers & rods must remain in the boat.should be of the time & date at the start of fishing. Video media will10. Marlin releases do not count towards sailfish release points, but will be not be provided to teams by the tournament. Acceptable video formatseligible for special awards.are SD cards only.11. If tagging sailfish, care should be exercised in placement of the tag, avoid-4. Release Verification: This continuous video must clearly identify the fishing eyes, gills & stomach. Billfish Foundation Tags will be available when as well as the touching of the leader by a crew member, and the separationyou pick up your Captains Bag at the West Palm Beach Fishing Club.of the fish by cutting the leader. If a break in the footage should occur, the12. Derby officials may disqualify any entrant/entry/captain/boat for any team must reestablish video evidence of the fish again with a continuousrule infractions and will interpret all rules and constitute final author-video sequence up to the leader touch and leader cut.ity. Any protests must be submitted in writing immediately to the Derby Upon releasing the fish, the proper release card (one for Day 1, andCommittee, and MUST be accompanied by a $500.00 non-refundable fee. the other for Day 2 of fishing) must be displayed on video to mark the13. All anglers must be properly licensed for fishing in salt water. Anglers, completion of a catch.crews and captains fish at their own risk.J anuary7-10, 2026 11'