Rules and
Regulations

1st Pascagoula Rotary Club Fishing Rodeo
June 4 – 5, 2010

Mission Statement:
The Rotary Motto is “service above self”. In keeping with our own mission, we will require that all participants display honorable, ethical and sportsmanlike conduct throughout this competition. Each participant should have a copy of the rules and familiarize him or herself with them before fishing. A violation of the rules is ground for disqualification, not only for the individual, but possibly for every participant on a boat. To participate, all entrants must fill out an application form and pay entry fees to be eligible to compete for prizes and/or jackpots. To receive tickets, the application form must be returned prior to fishing. The ticket must then be presented at weigh‐in. Pascagoula Rotary Club Fishing Rodeo (PRCFR) reserves the right to use a lie‐detector should the need arise.

1. All Entrants are responsible for fishing licenses for the waters they intend to fish.
2. All entrants agree to abide by all Federal and State of Mississippi Game and Fish Laws.
3. Legal waters shall be any river, stream, pond, lake, creek or impoundment within the borders of the State of Mississippi and the contiguous waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
4. There shall be a saltwater and freshwater category:

A. Saltwater Category:

  1. Red Drum (Redfish)
  2. Speckled Trout
  3. White Trout
  4. Flounder
  5. Ground Mullet
  6. Black Drum
  7. Tripletail (Blackfish)
  8. Stingray
  9. Bluefish
  10. Spanish Mackerel
  11. King Mackerel
  12. Wahoo
  13. Bonita
  14. Cobia (Ling)
  15. Amberjack
  16. Red Snapper
  17. Jack Crevalle (Cavalla)
  18. Yellowfin Tuna
  19. Blackfin Tuna
  20. Dolphin
  21. Vermillion Snapper
  22. Grouper
  23. Tarpon
  24. Gaftop Catfish
  25. Shark

B. Freshwater Category:

  • Largemouth Bass
  • Crappie (White Perch)
    • Bream
    • Bluegill
  • Shellcracker
  • Catfish
  • Garfish

5. A most “Unusual Category” may be awarded in the _____of the judges.
6. All participants must be registered prior to fishing. Failure to register may disqualify all participants in a boat.
7. The PRCFR is a captain’s choice tournament. Captains fish at their own discretion and are responsible for their crew and vessel at all times.
8. All participants must provide all required information at the time of ticket purchase. A participant is anyone over 14 years of age who competes for prizes and/or awards, except for captains and deckhands of boats for hire. The captain of his or her boat is responsible for rules enforcement and registration of participants.
9. Any captain who permits anyone on his or her boat to be in violation of PRCFR’s rules may cause disqualification of all participants.
10. Only registered participants are eligible for awards/prizes. Registration ticket must be presented by rodeo participants at the weigh station when entering a fish for competition. (You may be required to also present other identification at this time).
11. Official starting time of the PRCFR is 5:00 a.m. CDT on Friday, June 4, 2010. The scales will close at 7:00 p.m. Any boat in‐line at 7:00 p.m. will be allowed to weigh‐in. The rodeo will end at 7:00 p.m., Saturday, June 5, 2010.
12. The official weigh‐in site will be at The Point of the______ of Beach Blvd. in Pascagoula, MS (also known as the mouth of Yazoo Lake or “The Inner Harbor”.
13. All PRCFR winners will be determined by the largest fish entered in each category according to weight. However, all fish entered must comply with the State of Mississippi and/or Federal minimum length requirements.
14. All fish must be entered and weighed at the tournament headquarters by the angler who caught the fish. All fish shall be weighed using platform or hanging scales, per the judges’ discretion. Those fish which have to be weighed by hanging scales will be suspended by the head with the exception of sharks, which will be suspended by the tail. In the event of a tie, the earliest fish weighed‐in will be the winner.
15. An angler will be permitted to hold and win only one place per category at any one time, but may place in more than one category simultaneously.
16. To be eligible for consideration, all fish must be caught during the posted hours of the rodeo.
17. All fish must be kept in as good a condition as possible, preferably on ice, so the judges can best assess its freshness.
18. Any fish deemed to be spoiled, rotten or frozen will be disqualified. Do not cut or chemically treat any fish for entry.
19. All fish entered for completion must be caught by the participant using “fair‐catch” methods with a rod and reel, pole and line, and/or hand‐line. No participant shall be assisted in any way in landing his or her fish except for help in netting and/or gaffing his/her catch. “Spearing” and/or “graging” is not allowed.
20. Any fish that has been shot, mutilated, cut, hit with a bang stick or otherwise altered shall be disqualified. The official judge reserves the right to “gut” any fish entered into competition. Additionally, any fish entered may be subject to further testing by the judges. Judges decisions will be final.
21. Fish will be kept on display in fish bins only as long as the fish retain a place on the board and as space permits. Anyone requesting a fish to be returned will give notice to the weigh master at the weigh‐in. Prior requested prize winning fish will be returned after the awards ceremony.
22. All fish entered become the property of PRCFR.
23. Awards ceremony will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 5, 2010. All prizes not claimed at the awards ceremony or within 6 days after the tournament will remain the property of the tournament. Prizes will not be awarded before the ceremony.
24. Participants enter at their own risk. Neither the PRCFR, nor any person connected with the tournament shall be held liable for any loss, damage, negligence, harm or injury to anyone for any reason.
25. Any person previously “banned” from any other tournament will not be allowed to enter this tournament. Any fish entered in any other fishing event will be disqualified.
26. Anyone found to be in violation of the tournament rules may be disqualified for this and all future tournaments sponsored by the PRCFR.
27. In case of inclement weather, a complete tournament will be held the following weekend. (Bad weather rule: The National Weather Service must issue no small craft warnings within 4 consecutive hours. This constitutes a valid tournament).
28. No commercial fishing vessels will be allowed. Anyone caught fishing on a commercial fishing vessel will be automatically disqualified.