There is one (1) eligible general division for this tournament: (1) Heaviest Overall Tuna. Trophies and cash awards will be presented to the top three teams (1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place) for the three (3) heaviest single tuna overall in the general entry division, and the single top team with the heaviest two fish aggregate total weight.

Teams may consist of no more than six (6) registered anglers, one (1) captain, and two (2) mates for a total of nine (9) registered team members. 

Eligible Species: Bluefin Tuna, Yellowfin Tuna, and Bigeye Tuna

ENTRY FEES AND OPTIONAL JACKPOTS

GENERAL ENTRY: $500

ALL IN: $31,000

1. Teams must strictly abide by all California, Mexico, and NMFS Fisheries laws. 
2. Fish must be caught on standard rod and reel equipment during advertised tournament hours from lines in at 5:30am Friday, August 21^st until lines out at 6:00pm on Saturday, August 22^nd. 
3. Teams may use live bait or dead bait. Live and dead bait chumming is permitted. 
4. 130 LB manufacturers stated maximum line class.
5. Leader length shall not exceed 30 feet in length.
6. No electric reels, spears, or harpoons are permitted in the landing of any fish. Electric reels are permitted for flying kites & for hookless teasers.
7. Anglers may receive assistance from their captain/crew in hooking their fish. Because this is a fun tournament, it is perfectly acceptable for registered anglers and crew to hook the fish and pass registered anglers the rod. Registered anglers may take turns fighting fish with other registered anglers.
8. Anglers must fight all fish with the rod fully removed from fixed rod holders. Use of a fighting chair, bracing the rod on the gunnel or using a rod assist device is permitted.
9. The use of spotter planes and drones are strictly prohibited during all tournament hours.

*All rules will be reviewed at Captain’s Meeting. Any last-minute changes announced at the Captain’s Meeting will be enforced; at least one registered member from each team is required to attend. It is the responsibility of each team to read and understand all rules, including changes or adjustments.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

• Tuesday, August 18^th – San Diego Marlin Club
• 5:00pm – 6:30pm – Mandatory Team Check In/Registration*
• 6:30pm – Captains Meeting
• Wednesday, August 19^th – Pelagic Headquarters
• 5:00pm – 6:30pm – Mandatory Team Check In/Registration* 
• 6:30pm – Captains Meeting 
• Friday, August 21^st – Fishing Day 1
• Departure time 12:00AM (Midnight)
• 5:30am – Lines in
• 5:00pm – 10:00pm – Weigh Stations Open 
• Saturday, August 22^nd – Fishing Day 2
• 6:00pm – Lines Out
• 5:00pm – 9:00pm – Weigh Stations Open
• Sunday, August 23^rd – Dana Point Yacht Club
• 11:00am – Polygraph Testing 
• 4:30pm – 6:30pm – Awards Ceremony + Dinner

FISHING HOURS & DEPARTURE TIME: Teams are permitted to fish continuously from 5:30am on Friday August 21^st, through August 22^nd until lines out at 6:00pm. Teams may depart from any Southern California marina or launch facility on Friday, August 21^st from 12:00AM midnight on. This includes any port or cove on Catalina Island and any legal anchorage on San Clemente Island. Teams must check the daily status of safety zones around San Clemente.  Video documentation of departure time must be provided and is explained in the video documentation requirements section below. There is no fishing of any kind allowed from Friday Aug 22^nd 12:00am until Lines in Friday August 22^nd at 5:30am.

FISHING BOUNDARIES: There are no boundaries as to where teams can fish. Fishing in Mexican waters is permitted if all team members abide by Federal, State, and Mexican fishing laws, bag limits, rules, and regulations. This includes required passports, biosphere bracelets for the Coronado’s, California fishing licenses and Mexican fishing licenses. It is the responsibility of each team to know and understand all laws, regulations/permits, and requirements. Teams caught fishing without the proper licensing/permits or ignoring bag limits, will be disqualified from the tournament. As long as teams are back at an official weigh station and are in line and registered with weigh master for weigh in, no later than 9:00pm on Saturday, August 22^nd fish will be eligible to be scored. Fish that arrive at the scales after 9:00pm will not count in the tournament. 

WEIGH-IN (TUNA, DORADO, YELLOWTAIL): All teams must weigh their fish at an official tournament weigh station during weigh station hours to be eligible and scored. OFFICIAL WEIGH STATIONS: The Marlin Club San Diego and Catalina Island

All fish must come to the scales on the vessel they were caught on and vessels must be officially registered in the Pelagic California Tuna Challenge. All fish must arrive to the scales whole and unprocessed to be counted for weigh in. Absolutely no fish may be brought to the scales by vehicle or any means other than on the vessel they were caught on, no exceptions for any reason whatsoever. 

All winning teams must pass a tournament provided polygraph test before official results are posted and made final.

VIDEO DOCUMENTATION: The following properly documented videos, with correct date/time stamp, must be provided when requested by tournament officials:

1. Video evidence of each team leaving their port of embarkation on Friday, August 21^st at 12:00am midnight or later. The video must show marina breakwater, cove, or island feature, the captain, team number, and time and date of vessel departure.
2. Video evidence showing lines in at 5:30am or later, on Friday, August 21^st. Video must include the team number, fishing lines being deployed, at least one registered team member, and time and date of lines in.
3. Video evidence of any harvested fish (tuna, dorado, yellowtail) being boated and put on deck. The video must include a registered angler connected to the fish with standard rod and reel equipment, team number, and the fish being gaffed and pulled over the rail and on deck during official tournament fishing days and hours.
4. Video evidence showing lines out no later than 6:00pm on Saturday, August 22^nd. If a team is hooked up and engaged in the fighting of a fish at this time, you must provide video of that fish being hooked and fought prior to lines out time of 6:00pm and continue with no video break until the fish is either lost or boated. Fish boated after 6:00pm on Saturday, August 22^nd will count if all video requirements are satisfied and the team is in line at weigh station and registered with weighmaster no later than 9:00pm. 

HEAVIEST TUNA GENERAL ENTRY – SCORING OVERVIEW

At the end of tournament fishing, teams may weigh their respective tuna; however, only their single-heaviest tuna will be scored in the general division. At the end of the final day of tournament fishing, team rankings (1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd) will be determined by a team’s single heaviest tuna, throughout the two-day tournament. 

SCORING: Teams will receive 1-point per pound of scored gamefish, rounded to the nearest tenth (i.e. 17.2 points). 

In the event of a tie, the team weighing their fish first on time will be awarded the higher seeding. 

Minimum Weight per fish to Qualify = 15.0 lbs

If only 1^st and 2^nd place are handed out, the 3^rd place money will be evenly distributed between 1^st and 2^nd place. If only one team places in the general entry, 1^st place will receive the money from 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd.

The tail of each fish brought to the scales will be clipped, signifying that it has been weighed and scored.  All fish that appear to have been altered, spoiled, mutilated, or frozen will be disqualified, per the discretion of tournament officials.  Any boat which enters a fish that is proven to have been caught on another vessel, weight-altered, frozen, previously weighed, or otherwise tampered with will be disqualified from the tournament without refund.

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 the remaining General Entry purse is allocated to the heaviest tuna division, which pays 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place. 

Within the general entry division (heaviest tuna overall), the prize money will be awarded as follows: 65% to 1st place; 25% to 2nd place; and 10% to 3rd place.                

NOTE: In the event of a tie in the general tournament, the higher seeding will go to the team that first weighed their fish. If no qualifying tuna are scored during the tournament, the entry money (less a 20% tournament administration fee) will be refunded via wire transfer.

OPTIONAL JACKPOTS

OPTIONAL JACKPOTS: Jackpot winners will be determined by single-heaviest qualifying fish in the single heaviest fish categories and by their heaviest two (2) tuna fish aggregate in the two fish tuna jackpot category. The tournament offers an 80% total (net) payout on jackpot categories.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS: Credit card payments will incur a surcharge of 3.5%; All charges are paid to Pelagic Tournaments, LLC

REGISTRATION/CHECK-IN: Teams wishing to enter the Tournament must complete registration online at www.PelagicTournaments.com; or during Team Check-In/Registration(s). Tournament entry fees and optional jackpots must be determined, listed, and payment received at the time of final registration. At least one registered member is required to attend final registration and Captains meeting.

CAPTAIN'S MEETING: Captain’s Meeting will be held in person near tournament HQ’s. Efforts will be made to virtually stream the event on @PelagicGear’s Instagram social media platform. At least one registered member is required to attend registration/captain’s meeting..

AWARDS CEREMONY: An awards presentation and trophy ceremony will be held at Dana Point Yacht Club. All teams are invited to join regardless of overall placing in tournament.

DRONES/SPOTTER PLANES: The use of drones or spotter planes is strictly prohibited. No drones or planes are allowed to be flown at any time during official tournament hours by any team or associate of any team, including commercial planes or drones for hire. Any team caught flying a drone or using spotter planes will be disqualified from the tournament.

PROTESTS: Any protests must be made in writing and presented to the tournament director accompanied by $500 cash, NO LATER than 10:00pm on Day 2 Fishing Day. You will be asked to provide a statement and any photo/video or other form of supporting documentation surrounding the claim.  Protests will be ruled on by Tournament Director and supporting staff, provided that the decision of the Tournament Director 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 Pelagic Tournaments LLC, PELAGIC or their personal 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 fee being retained by Pelagic Tournaments LLC or at its election donated to a charity of its choice. Pelagic Tournaments LLC reserves the right to deny entry to any individual or team for any lawful reason. 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/ Pelagic Tournaments, LLC for marketing or other purposes, worldwide, in Pelagic’s sole discretion. 

VIDEO RELEASE: The Pelagic California Tuna Challenge tournament, Pelagic Tournaments 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 imaging submitted to the tournament or taken by Pelagic Inc or Pelagic Tournaments LLC, on a worldwide basis, in perpetuity, for marketing, advertising or any other purposes in Pelagic’s discretion.

WITHDRAWAL FROM THE TOURNAMENT: All withdrawals must be submitted in writing. If the withdrawal is received prior to the tournament’s Day 1 Fishing Day, by 11:59pm Thursday, a full refund will be issued. Once tournament fishing starts there are no refunds for any reason whatsoever

RIGHT TO POLYGRAPH TOURNAMENT PARTICIPANTS: The Tournament 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 Pelagic Tournaments events.

FORM 1099, TAXES, & FEES: All monies won in the Tournament are subject to taxing and you will receive a 1099 form from Pelagic Tournaments, LLC and may be asked to execute a W-9 and a release in favor of the tournament company as a condition of awarding your prize monies. Please expect a 30 to 60-day processing period to receive any cash winnings. Winners will be paid via wire transfer only; no wire fees apply.

PERMITS AND LICENSES: It is the responsibility of registered boat captains and anglers to comply with all United States Federal and State laws regarding fishing licenses, size limits, bag limits and any other regulations that may apply. This is a requirement of California and NMFS and is not a tournament rule – permit and licensing infractions have no bearing on tournament results or awards. 

Have further questions? Please send an email [re: 2026 Cali Tuna Challenge] and one of our Tournament Officials will contact you shortly.

Tournament Director – Tony DiGiulian: tony@pelagicgear.com (954) 895-6635 (Call, Text, and WhatsApp)