Tournament Rules

Northern Neck Anglers Club (NNAC) Recreational Angling Tournament Rules 2012

  1. Tournaments are open to all NNAC members (adult and youth) and non-member guest anglers from the general public whose names have been submitted for guest registration and the applicable fees are paid unless otherwise specified for a particular tournament.
  2. The deadline for guest angler registration shall be 4:00PM the day preceding the tournament. Unregistered guests may fish with members, but are not eligible to win tournament awards unless registration is waived for a particular tournament.
  3. Guest angler registrations may be made by mail, e-mail, fax, phone, or in person to the President, Vice-President, Secretary or Treasurer and are in effect when the guest fees have been paid.
  4. Guest angler registration fees of $10.00 each are payable prior to the tournament and are non-refundable (except due to cancellation of the tournament) donations to the Club.
  5. All tournaments are strictly recreational and no fish entered in any tournament may be sold or offered for sale and are retained by the angler for personal consumption only.
  6. Fishing will begin at sunrise unless otherwise specified.
  7. Fishing time ends at 4:00PM. All fish must be weighed by 5:00PM at one of the authorized weigh-in locations.
  8. All fish entered for a tournament may be delivered to a weigh-in marina by water on the boat in which the angler caught the fish or by land delivery by the angler to an authorized marina or land based weigh-in location.
  9. An angler may enter only one fish per species on any tournament day unless otherwise specified for a particular tournament. The Trophy Rockfish Tournament has a two fish per day limit.
  10. Fish must be caught by the angler on rod & reel, hook & line tackle in a sporting manner and in compliance with tournament rules and State and Federal fishing regulations.
  11. Fish will be weighed in pounds and full ounces with partial ounces rounded down.
  12. In the event of identical weights, the earliest fish weighed will be the winner.
  13. Fish entered and weighed will be returned to the angler.
  14. Weather conditions for fishing are at the anglers’ discretion to determine whether to fish or not and anglers accept full responsibility for the safety and comfort of their respective boats and crews.
  15. The Club may at its’ discretion postpone, reschedule, or cancel any tournament for any reason and any guest registration fees paid will be refunded upon request.
  16. If there is a National Weather Service Small Craft Advisory or higher level warning in effect within the following zones between sunrise and 12:00 noon, that fishing day will be automatically cancelled.

    ANZ534 Chesapeake Bay from Drum Point to Smith Point
    ANZ537 Tidal Potomac from Cobb Island to Smith Point
    ANZ630 Chesapeake Bay from Smith Point to Windmill Point
    ANZ631 Chesapeake Bay from Windmill Point to New Point Comfort.

    Anglers are responsible for keeping informed about the weather status. One day tournaments that are cancelled will be rescheduled to the following week. Cancellation of a day during a multi-day tournament will not cancel the tournament. Tournament results and awards will be based upon entries for the non-cancelled day(s). Cancellation of all days during a tournament will result in the entire tournament being rescheduled to the following week.

  17. Anglers may depart from and return to any port of their choosing. There are no central check-in or check-out locations.
  18. Area marinas that have been designated the Home Port for a tournament assures participants the availability of necessary facilities and services for a satisfactory outing.
  19. Anglers may fish from a charter boat, with a paid guide, or from any personal vessel. No fishing from shore or piers.
  20. Fishing boundaries for most tournaments will be:
      a.    Tangier Sound
      b.    The Chesapeake Bay from Hooper Island Light to New Point Comfort/Cape Charles
      c.    The Potomac River from the Gov. Harry Nice Memorial Bridge (Route 301) to Point Lookout
      d.    The Rappahannock River from Route 360 Bridge in Tappahannock to Windmill Point
      e.    The Piankatank River
      f.    All tidal bays, creeks, rivers between these points unless otherwise specified.

    21.   The Club may revise the structure and content of any tournament or add or deduct tournaments at its discretion.

    CLICK HERE to find a listing of authorized weigh-in locations

    In the event of any violation of these rules or the applicable fishing regulations, the entries will be disqualified and the decision of the Board of Directors will be final.