Pelagic® Pura Vida Blue Marlin Classic – Quepos, Costa Rica – March 24 – 27, 2022.

Who is the top blue marlin fishing team in the world?   Pelagic is proud to present a new tournament celebrating the rich history of blue marlin fishing in Costa Rica. The Pelagic® Pura Vida Blue Marlin Classic is the first and only billfish tournament in Costa Rica of its kind to focus on what is arguably the most highly regarded gamefish in the world – the blue marlin. We are also the first billfish tournament to extend the fishing boundaries to include the offshore FADS and Seamounts of Costa Rica. With no “fence” in place, teams may opt to run up to 100+ miles offshore in search of a hot blue marlin bite. With a unique scoring format and large daily jackpots, teams are rewarded heavily for targeting and catching blue marlin over all other species. Come join us at Marina Pez Vela, Costa Rica this March and let’s find out once and for all who is the best blue marlin fishing team in the world.

Tournament Schedule:

• Thursday, March 24 – Team Check In, Captain’s Meeting, & Kickoff Party
• Friday & Saturday, March 25 – 26 – Tournament Fishing Days
• Sunday, March 27 – Awards Ceremony

Summary of Entry Fees & Optional Daily Jackpot Breakdown:

• General Entry: $5,000 
• All In (Sonar Division): $70,000
• All In (Non-Sonar Division):  $70,000 
• Boats will be divided into two categories: Sonar Division and Non-Sonar Division 

 Entry Fees & Optional Daily Jackpot Breakdown:

SONAR DEFINITION

Side Scanning Sonar vs. Traditional Fish Finder:

All fish finders work as echo sounders and are a form of sonar. For the 2022 Pelagic® Pura Vida Blue Marlin Classic, Sonar vs. Non-Sonar is defined by the following: 

Any vessel with sonar that requires a transducer mounted to a shaft or “Staff” that extends from or through the hull/keel of the vessel like a periscope and with the capability to rotate and view the water from 1 – 360 degrees will be deemed as a Sonar equipped vessel. These vessels can only enter and fish the “Sonar” Division.  A good example of this type of Sonar would be any system that works like the Furuno Omni Sonar.

Any vessel with a traditional fish finder with a “fixed” transducer and with no extending shaft and no ability to rotate the transducer in any direction will be deemed as a non-sonar vessel and can fish the non-sonar division.

The decision of the Tournament Director with respect to a review of the sonar vs. non-sonar distinction with respect to a particular boat or crew or fish will be binding and final.

GENERAL TOURNAMENT RULES

The Pelagic® Pura Vida Blue Marlin Classic is a billfish-only tournament, with blue marlin as the focus and centerpiece. Teams are awarded points for successfully catching and releasing blue marlin, black marlin, striped marlin & sailfish – and each billfish release must be clearly documented on video according to all of the tournament rules. Trophies and cash awards will be presented to the top three teams (1st 2nd and 3rd place) for their aggregate release points performance, over two days of fishing.

Scoring format:

ANGLING & TACKLE RULES

1. Teams must strictly abide by all local laws, including Costa Rica’s specific fisheries laws: all billfish must be released; offset circle hooks are forbidden.
2. IGFA angling Rules shall apply to this tournament, except where tournament rules provide further specifications that may deviate from IGFA rules - in this case the tournament rules shall apply.
3. Fish must be caught on standard rod and reel equipment during advertised tournament hours of 7:00 am to 5:00 pm on March 25, 2022, and 7:00 am to 3:00 pm on March 26, 2022.   
4. Teams may use live bait or dead bait, only with non-offset, in-line circle hooks.
5. Teams may use lures with standard J-Hooks.
6. No live, dead, chunk, or frozen bait chumming of any kind is allowed.
7. Main line:   maximum 50 LB manufacturers stated line class.
8. Backing line: (such as braid, mono, or spectra) no limit.
9. Leader length shall not exceed 30 feet in length.
10. Maximum combined length of double line and leader shall be limited to 40 feet.
11. Electric reels are only permitted for hookless teasers and teaser dredges.  
12. Anglers must hook and fight their own fish – no passing the rod.
13. Captains and mates are permitted to hook and fight fish, as long as they are registered anglers.

FISHING BOUNDARIES, DAILY FISHING HOURS, TEAM CHECK IN & DEPARTURE RULES

1. Fishing Boundaries: There are no boundaries for this event.
2. Daily fishing hours are as follows:  

7:00 am to 5:00 pm on Friday March 25, 2022.

7:00 am to 3:00 pm on Saturday March 26, 2022.

1. Teams may depart from Marina Pez Vela any time after 11:59pm, Thursday, March 24^th
2. TEAMS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO RETURN TO THE MARINA TO SUBMIT THEIR CATCH REPORTS AND VIDEO UNTIL AFTER FISHING ON DAY 2, SATURDAY MARCH 26, 2022. BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 3:00 PM AND 11:59 PM LOCAL TIME.
3. Teams may opt to stay out on the water overnight after the first day of fishing, but NO LINES ARE PERMITTED TO BE IN THE WATER BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 5:00pm March 25^th and 7:00am March 26^th, prior to the start fishing time at 7:00 am.

* All rules to be covered thoroughly at the Captain’s Meeting on Thursday, March 24^th. We recommend one member from each team attend the Captain’s Meeting. It is the responsibility of each team to read and understand all tournament rules, including any rule changes or adjustments made or announced at the Captain’s Meeting.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Thursday, March 24^th: Team check in, final registration, captains meeting, and kickoff party

• 10:00am to 5:00pm – Mandatory Team Check-In & Final Registration at Marina Pez Vela
• 5:30pm – Captain’s Meeting – Virtual online live stream version possibly available
• 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm – Kickoff Party
• 11:59pm – Teams may depart for the fishing grounds any time after 11:59pm

Friday, March 25^th: Fishing Day 1

* No Shotgun Start

• Lines-In/Start Fishing – 7:00am
• All teams must video the boat captain, team number, time, and date, view of cockpit lines in, at the start of fishing each day.
• Lines-Out/Stop Fishing – 5:00pm
• All teams must video the boat captain, team number, time, and date, view of cockpit lines out, at the end of fishing each day.
• Fish hooked prior to lines-out on day one at 5:00 PM may be fought until released or lost.
• Video Release Verification – there is NO VIDEO RELEASE VERIFICATION AFTER DAY 1 – ALL VIDEO RELEASE VERIFICATION FOR BOTH DAYS WILL OCCUR AFTER THE SECOND DAY OF FISHING HAS CONCLUDED.

Saturday, March 26^th: Fishing Day 2

* No Shotgun Start – Teams may leave Marina Pez Vela any time they want unless they opt to stay out overnight on the water after the first day of fishing.

• Lines-In/Start Fishing – 7:00am
• All teams must video the boat captain, team number, time and date, view of cockpit with lines in, at the start of fishing each day.
• Lines-Out/Stop Fishing – 3:00pm
• All teams must video the boat captain, team number, Time, and date, view of cockpit with lines out, at the end of fishing each day.
• Fish hooked prior to lines-out on day two at 3:00 pm may be fought until released or lost.
• Video Release Verification Drop Off - 3:00pm to 11:59pm at Marina Pez Vela.

ALL BOATS MUST RETURN TO MARINA PEZ VELA TO DROP OFF THEIR SCORECARDS AND RELEASE VIDEO FOOTAGE NO LATER THAN 11:59 PM AFTER THE SECOND DAY OF FISHING, SATURDAY MARCH 26^TH, OR THEIR SCORE WILL NOT COUNT.

** If entering the marina between 11:30 pm to 11:59 pm, teams must video the boat captain, team number, time, and date, after they enter the breakwater at Marina Pez Vela to be considered “checked in” for video release verification. PLEASE NOTE: Make sure your video time/date profiles are accurate to local Costa Rica time zone!

Sunday, March 27^th: 

Awards Ceremony and Party – 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm at Marina Pez Vela

BILLFISH RELEASE DIVISION – SCORING OVERVIEW

The team which scores the most billfish release points combined over the two (2) days of tournament fishing will win the Billfish Release Division.  All billfish releases must be recorded on video and documented in your catch log (received at Captain’s Meeting). Qualifying billfish species are blue marlin, black marlin, striped marlin, and sailfish. Teams will be ranked based on their two-day combined release point total. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place will be awarded.  

Points are scored as follows: 

• Blue Marlin = 500 points per release
• Black Marlin = 250 points per release
• Striped Marlin = 100 points per release
• Sailfish = 1 point per release

NOTE:   Billfish that cannot be clearly identified in video will be scored 1 point

BILLFISH RELEASE VIDEO REQUIREMENTS

Properly documented video evidence of each released billfish must be dropped off to tournament officials at the end of the second day of fishing, Saturday, March 26, 2022, between 3:00 and 11:59pm. Video requirements will be covered verbally, in detail at the captains meeting. Starting and ending video required for each day with captain, team number, time and date, view of cockpit, showing lines in and lines out.

To be scored, billfish release video must contain a continuous sequence with the following five (5) items:

1. Ability to show date and time of each release
2. A registered tournament angler fighting the fish
3. A mate touching the leader with the fish boat side. To identify species, clear video showing the fish’s distinctive traits must be provided.  Billfish that cannot be unmistakably identified will be scored at 1 point
4. Color-coded scorecard, provided by the tournament, in clear view with fish in sight, to mark completion of a catch
5. Video of the leader being cut, or the fish unhooked and released, followed by at least 3 seconds of continuous video showing the fish no longer attached

If proper time-verified video is not supplied to the reasonable satisfaction of the Tournament Director, your catch will not be scored.  Teams must supply their own video recording device with ability to show time/date.  Tournament Officials’ rulings on release evidence are final; there will be no protests allowed for video evidence.  Submitted tournament videos may be used by Pelagic, Inc. and/or Ocean Lifestyles, LLC for marketing or other purposes, worldwide, in Pelagic’s sole discretion

IN EVENT OF A TIE: If there is a tie in aggregate billfish release points by multiple teams at the end of the two-day tournament, rankings will be determined by the first team to reach their aggregate point total by time of catch.

Example: If “Team A” reached their point total at 1:00 pm and “Team B” reached their point total at 2:00 pm, “Team A” beats “Team B”.

GENERAL ENTRY & AWARDS PAYOUTS

All teams must pay the fee for the General Entry category to participate in the tournament and be eligible for awards.

After applying a 20% administration fee against the total general entry amount to arrive at total available prize money, 100% of net entry goes towards the Billfish Release Division, which pays 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. Winners are awarded as follows: 65% to 1st place; 25% to 2nd place; and 10% to 3rd place.  

General Entry Payout Breakdown:

In the rare case of no fish being caught and scored in the general entry category, all payments will be reimbursed less the administration fee.  If only 1^st and 2^nd place are handed out, the 3^rd place money will be evenly distributed amongst 1^st and 2^nd.   If only one team places in the general entry, 1^st place will receive the money from 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd.

*** IMPORTANT NOTES:

1 - Pelagic® Pura Vida Blue Marlin Classic offers an 100% total (net) payout after administration fee on general entries

2 - Credit card payments will require a surcharge of 3.5%

3 - All credit card charges are made by Ocean Lifestyles, LLC

OPTIONAL DAILY JACKPOTS

Teams have the option of raising the stakes by placing bets in optional daily jackpots. Optional daily Jackpots pay only one place per jackpot category per day (winner take all) and will be determined by each day’s most daily release points in the Billfish Release Jackpots.  The purchase of a daily jackpot is split evenly over the two-day tournament, and teams must purchase both days per jackpot category.

PLEASE NOTE: The Pura Vida Blue Marlin Tournament offers an 100% of net payout after administration fees on all jackpot entries.

TIE BREAKERS: In the event of a tie in any of the billfish release daily jackpots, the jackpot winner will be determined based on time; therefore, the team who first reached their daily total by time will win the daily jackpot. PLEASE NOTE: make sure your video time/date profiles are accurate to Costa Rica time zone!

If no qualifying fish are scored in a jackpot category on day 1 of the tournament, the money for that jackpot will roll over to day 2; if no qualifying fish are scored in a jackpot category on day 2 of the tournament, the money for that jackpot will roll back to the day 1 winner in that jackpot category. In the unlikely event that no qualifying fish are scored in a given jackpot category during the two-day tournament, the monies collected for the unfulfilled jackpot category will be paid back to each respective entrant of that category, minus the 20% administrative fees.

OTHER RULES AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION

PROTESTS

Any protests must be made in writing, accompanied by $500 cash, and presented to the tournament director NO LATER than 8:00 am on Sunday, March 27th, 2022. You will be asked to provide a written statement and any photo/video or other form of supporting documentation surrounding the protest claim. Protests will be ruled on by tournament director and supporting staff; tournament director’s decision is final. Any verbal/physical abuse or threats made to tournament staff or disparagement (whether orally, in writing or on social media or any other forum) of Ocean Lifestyles, LLC, PELAGIC or their personnel or staff is grounds for team disqualification for this and future tournaments without refund.  A successful protest will result in a reimbursement of the $500 fee.  A failed protest is non-refundable, with the $500 dollar fee being retained by Ocean Lifestyles, LLC or, at its election, donated to a charity of its choice.  Ocean Lifestyles, LLC reserves the right to deny entry to any individual or team for any lawful reason.

SONAR DISQUALIFICATION 

Any vessel/team caught registering and/or fishing in the Non-Sonar division of the Pelagic® Pura Vida Blue Marlin Classic, in violation of the above definition of what constitutes a Sonar vs Non-Sonar vessel, will be immediately disqualified from the tournament with no refund and could be possibly banned from entering any future Pelagic or Ocean Lifestyle events in sole the discretion of Ocean Lifestyles, LLC.

VIDEO RELEASE

Ocean Lifestyles LLC, Pelagic, Inc. and their respective affiliates, have the right, but not the obligation, to post and/or use for any purpose, all video, photos, and other imaging submitted to the tournament or taken by Pelagic, Inc. or Ocean Lifestyles, LLC, on a worldwide basis, in perpetuity, for marketing, advertising or other purposes in Pelagic’s discretion.

RIGHT TO POLYGRAPH TOURNAMENT PARTICIPANTS

The 2022 Pelagic® Pura Vida Blue Marlin Classic reserves the right to polygraph all tournament winners at its discretion. Any teams caught cheating or falsifying video release verification will be disqualified with no refund and could possibly be banned from entering any future Pelagic or Ocean Lifestyle events.

FORM 1099

Please note, that all monies won in the 2022 Pelagic® Pura Vida Blue Marlin Classic are subject to all applicable tax, and you will receive a 1099 form from Ocean Lifestyles, LLC and may be asked to execute a release in favor of the tournament company as a condition of awarding your prize monies. Please expect a 30–60-day processing period for all monies won to be paid. Payout instructions will be delivered to person listed as team contact. Winners can be paid via check or wire transfer; please note, wire transfer fees do apply –  $30 for US wires and $45 for International Wires

REGISTRATION

All teams wishing to enter the Pelagic® Pura Vida Blue Marlin Classic must complete online registration or during Team Check-In/Registration on Thursday, March 24th (10:00am-5:00pm) at Tournament HQ in Marina Pez Vela.   Tournament entry fees and optional jackpots (if applicable) must be paid in full before the final registration ends.

Check-In/Registration: Check-in/Registration will be held on Thursday, March 24 (10:00am-5:00pm) at Tournament HQ in Marina Pez Vela. 

CAPTAIN'S MEETING

The Pelagic® Pura Vida Blue Marlin Classic Captain’s Meeting will be held on Thursday, March 24^th, 5:30pm in person on the main stage of Marina Pez Vela. Efforts will be made to virtually stream the event on @PelagicGear’s Instagram social media platform. If there is no stream, it is up to each team to individually know and understand the schedule, rules, & regulations of the tournament, including any updates or amendments made or announced at the Captain’s Meeting. 

AWARDS CEREMONY

An awards presentation and trophy ceremony will be held on Sunday, March 27th, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm on the Main Stage of Marina Pez Vela. All teams are invited to join regardless of overall placing in tournament. Efforts will be made to have a live stream of the ceremony broadcasted via @PelagicGear’s Instagram channel. Awards and ceremonial checks will be presented in ascending order based on tournament winnings by team.

CHARTER/LODGING INFORMATION

Need an all-star vessel for your friends or family to fish the tournament? Visit the link below to view all the various charter operations Marina Pez Vela offers and find the right boat for you.   Remember, each team must bring their own boat or reserve a vessel for charter.   The Pelagic® Pura Vida Blue Marlin Classic will not provide a boat for you.  There are plenty of great lodging options available for rental very close to the marina as well.  

For details contact www.ifishquepos.com

Costa Rica: +(506) 2774-9006

Toll Free: 1-866-740-4658             Email: info@ifishquepos.com

Have further questions? Please send an email [re: 2022 Pura Vida Blue Marlin Tournament] and one of our Tournament Officials will contact you shortly.

US Contact/Tournament Director – Tony DiGiulian: tony@pelagicgear.com               (954) 895-6635

Costa Rica Contact – Alcides Alfaro: alcides@ifishquepos.com