The Million Dollar Rockfish Challenge Overview

The Million Dollar Challenge Striped Bass Tournament will be held Sunday December 26th through 30th. The Captain’s Meeting will be held at The Marina at Marina Shores, 2100 Marina Shores Drive, Virginia Beach on Sunday December 26th at  6pm. Registration will begin a 3pm. The boat captain or a member of the boats crew must be represented at the Captains Meeting. Fishing will start on Monday December 27th with lines in at 7am. Lines out will be 2pm. This same schedule will apply to fishing days, Tuesday December 28th, Wednesday December 29th and Thursday December 30th.

Boats may be entered to fish 1, 2 or 3 of the four Million Dollar Rockfish Challenge tournament days. Each day is considered a new entry and will be paid for before or during the Captain’s Meeting. Boats can change their fishing day due to weather as long as the change is made in writing prior to 7am on the scheduled fishing day. All fishing days must be completed on or before December 30th. If fishing days go unused during the tournament, entry fees and specialty money paid for those fishing days will be forfeited. Two fish caught per boat per fishing day during the Million Dollar Rockfish Challenge and presented to the official weigh master by the pre-determined time will be weighed. Winners will be determined by weight - the heaviest two fish aggregate weigh caught on a single boat during tournament fishing hours on one day of the tournament wins. The tournament will pay out 10 places.

Fishing boundaries will be limited to Virginia Waters, in the Chesapeake Bay to Coastal Zone as determined by the US Territorial Sea Boundary. Boats may leave from any Virginia Port. The minimum size for any fish to be weighed during the tournament will be 34 inches in length.

All fish caught during the Million Dollar Rockfish Challenge tournament for weigh-in must be brought to the Marina at Marina Shores by water on the boat they were caught on. All boats must make it to the tournament weigh-in site under their own power. No fish will be weighed after 5:30pm on any tournament day unless pre-approved by the tournament director.

 Any participants winning prizes must agree to (regardless of issues) and PASS, in a conclusive manor, a polygraph examination prior to the awards ceremony. Any participant taking a polygraph must also sign the waiver of polygraph liability. Polygraphs may be administered to additional members of the winning boat crews should tournament or insurance officials deem it necessary.

Payouts

• Tournament
• $100,000 payout is based on 300 entries, with the winning boat receiving $50,000. 2nd place will receive $14000, 3rd-$9,000 4th-$6500, 5th-$5000, 6th $3000, 7th-$2500, 8th-$2000, 9th-$1000, 10th-$500.

• Calcutta’s-based on 90% payout
• $150 winner take all
• $250 pays top three
• $500 pays top three boats
• $1000 pays top three boats 

• Top boat each day wins $500

• Boat weighing largest overall tournament combined weight wins $1500. 

• Anyone registering prior to December 15th will be entered into a random drawing for $1000. (A boat entered multiple days will receive the same number of drawing opportunities. A total of THREE $1000 drawing will be given away at the captain’s meeting. 

$1,000,000 IGFA All Tackle World Record payout
International Angler Rules

• Fishing will be limited to Virginia waters of Chesapeake Bay and those waters considered to be in the Virginia Coastal Zone as restricted by U.S. Territorial Sea Boundary.  .
• Species limited to Striped Bass (Rockfish). New Record must exceed old record. Eligible anglers must be a pre-registered Million Dollar Rockfish Challenge Tournament participant prior to catching any potential record fish.
• The International Game Fish Association (IGFA) must certify any new world record prior to claims consideration. Certification by IGFA is at the sole responsibility of the angler.
• The existing World Record at the time of catch will be the benchmark.
• Polygraph of winner is mandatory.

NOTE RULE UPDATE: (due to the weather and change of tournament dates, the North Carolina Coastal Zone waters south to Diamond Shoals Light can be fished and qualify for payouts. The 3 mile offshore line is still in effect and a North Carolina fishing license is necessary. Boats must leave and return from Virginia Ports without making landfall in another state).

 
$250,000 Virginia State Record payout-  

• Fishing will be limited to Virginia waters of Chesapeake Bay and those waters considered to be in the Virginia Coastal Zone as restricted by U.S. Territorial Sea Boundary. 
• Species limited to Striped Bass (Rockfish). New Record must exceed old record. Eligible anglers must be a pre-registered Million Dollar Rockfish Challenge Tournament participant prior to catching any potential record fish.

• State of Virginia record keeping authority must certify any new record as a condition precedent to claims consideration. Any new record must exceed the existing record.
• The existing State Record at the time of catch will be the benchmark.
• Polygraph of winner mandatory.

NOTE RULE UPDATE: (due to the weather and change of tournament dates, the North Carolina Coastal Zone waters south to Diamond Shoals Light can be fished and qualify for payments. The 3 mile offshore line is still in effect and a North Carolina fishing license is necessary. Boats must leave from and return to Virginia Ports without making landfall in another state).

 NOTE— these are two separate payouts. The state record will be paid to the 1st Captain weighing a state record striped bass in the tournament, leaving the world record as the only payout available for the remainder of the tournament. If the world record is caught first, it will qualify for both the state and world record payout for a combined $1,250,000. No other state or world record payouts would be issued.

UNDERSTANDING THE RULES
it is the responsibility of all Million Dollar Rockfish Challenge Captain’s and crew participants to familiarize themselves with all the rules and regulations of the Million Dollar Rockfish Challenge tournament and agree to abide by said rules and regulations. By participating in the Million Dollar Challenge all captain’s and crew also agree that all decisions of the Tournament Director and tournament committee are final. By participating in the Million Dollar Challenge, all Captain’s and Crew consents to the use without payment or restrictions, of any photographs and his or her name in which the captain, his crew, and/or boat appears for any purpose whatsoever. Each participant further releases the Million Dollar Rockfish Challenge, its tournament director, committee members, plus sponsors from any liability for libel, slander, loss, damage, negligence, injury, and/or death suffered by any Captain or Boat Crew which may occur during the Million Dollar Rockfish Challenge.

DISQUALIFICATION
any boat, boat captain and/or crew violating any tournament rule or local, state or federal fishing law will be disqualified from the Million Dollar Rockfish Challenge. Any boat, captain or crew disqualified will not be allowed to have their fish weight counted during the tournament and will forfeit any entry fees, specialty money and prize money for the Million Dollar Rockfish Challenge.

TACKLE RULES AND REGULATIONS
All Local, State and Federal Fishing Regulations apply to this tournament. For the World Record Million Dollar Rockfish Challenge payout, IGFA World Record Certification Regulations also apply.

GENERAL TOURNAMENT RULES
1. Captain's and their crews are responsible for following all local, state, and federal fishing and boating laws during tournament hours. Any violation of these laws will disqualify your catch for the day of the violation.

2. Any Striped Bass/Rockfish caught and presented at a tournament scale for weigh-in must be fit for human consumption and not frozen or mutilated.

3. All fish qualifying for tournament prizes becomes the property of the tournament. Random fish may be collected as well for inspection.

4. In the event of identical weights, the first fish weighed shall be declared the winner.

5. After checkout, two or more boats congregating (close enough to pass fish) or touch land or a dock other than the weigh-in dock will be disqualified from tournament competition. The only exception is in the case of a life-threatening emergency.

6. Tournament officials reserve the right to inspect all boats entered in competition at any time.

7. All protests concerning the determination of the tournament winners shall be made to the tournament rules committee in writing, and shall be accompanied by a $1000 cash deposit. All protests must be made no later than 30 minutes after the last fish has been weighed each day of the competition by the person witnessing the infraction. If the protest is upheld, the $1000 will be returned: otherwise, the $1000 cash deposit becomes the property of the tournament.

8. Any Tournament sponsor or employees entering the tournament in compliance with the tournament rules are eligible for any and all prizes.

9. Winning anglers may be requested to submit to and successfully pass a polygraph test and/or sign an affidavit prior to being presented any prize. This must be done in a timely fashion. Failure to submit to the test automatically revokes all claims to any prizes won.

10. All visible hooks must be removed from all fish prior to bringing fish to the scale.

11. No fish less than 34" length will be accepted.

12. All potential record Striped Bass caught in tournament that will be considered for Virginia or World Records payouts must meet IGFA guidelines laid out by the insurance company providing the coverage.
b) The fish must exceed the current old record.
c) There must be a least one other person on the boat to certify that all rules where adhered too.
d) Members on the boat including the angler must, if requested, submit to and pass a polygraph test before prizes are awarded.

14. All boats are responsible for getting their fish to the weigh station under their own power and on the boat that caught the fish.

15. Payment of the entry fee into a tournament constitutes a representation by each entrant that he or she has read and understands the tournament rules and will abide by such rules and that the decisions of the tournament's committees and personnel.

17. The Million Dollar Rockfish Challenge is a captain's choice tournament; it is up to the participating captain and crew to determine whether his or her craft is sea-worthy for existing sea conditions. Tournament officials may cancel a fishing day if sea conditions are not safe or if Gale Wind Warnings have been posted by the Coast Guard. The captain is responsible for the safety of all members of his crew both on and off the ocean.

18. Eligible Fish Species: Striped Bass/Rockfish

19. Refunds: In the event of a natural disaster or act of God cancels a tournament day, entry fees will be forfeited. Specialty money will be will refunded after a 10% handling fee is subtracted. Daily payout money will be given away through a random drawing from all participants that have selected that day as a fishing day.

20. Fishing Hours: Boats may leave from any Virginia Port. Lines In: 7am. Lines out 2pm. Scales open 1pm and close at 5:30pm. Any boat in line at the dock before 5:30 pm will have there fish weighed regardless of time.

21. Boats qualifying for prize money will be asked to relocate to the tournaments leader row until that days weigh-in is complete. While there the boats catch will be displayed and checked by tournament officials. The boats chart plotter will be checked to insure it stayed within the legal fishing boundaries of the tournament. This will also be the media interviewing area for the Captain and crew.

22. One Fishing Day constitutes the tournament.

23. The Largest aggregate two fish by weight wins.

24. Final rules and/or regulations shall be clarified at the captains meeting.

25. Any prize winner or winners must be prepared to submit and pass a polygraph test prior to receiving any prizes. The results of the test will be final. Failure to comply will result in the forfeiture of any prizes or awards.

26. Tournament officials reserve the right to make changes to the rules and regulations at their discretion.

27. Tournament officials reserve the right to refuse entry to any person or boat.

28. As a participant in the Million Dollar Rockfish Challenge, you agree to allow tournament officials use of photos, pictures and your likeness which includes  your catch, crew and boat for any and all publicly prior to, during or after the Million Dollar Rockfish Challenge for whatever purpose the tournament deems necessary.