GAMEX 2019 Tournament Rules
Click here to download the GAMEX 2019 Tournament Rules.
Click here to see the event Cancellation Policy.
1. Regulations: All EGFC tournaments will be fished within current Game Fishing
Association of Australia (GFAA), Western Australia Game Fishing Association (WAGFA), WA Department of Transport, WA Department of Environment and Conservation, and WA Department of Fisheries rules and regulations.
2. Membership: All anglers must be a current member of Exmouth Game Fishing Club
or a club affiliated with the Game Fishing Association of Australia or International Game Fishing Association (IGFA) on registration. Failure to do so will require angler to join EGFC.
3. Registration: Only registered anglers may participate in any act which directly
contributes to the capture or tag of a fish during the tournament. They are, driving the boat, gaffing fish, tagging fish, running out lines, retrieving lines, clearing teasers or taking the leader. Anglers will fish only from the boat on which they registered. Permission to change boats once registered in the tournament must be applied for in writing to the EGFC Committee and each request will be adjudged on its merits. The Committee will meet ASAP after receipt of such application. The Committee's decision is final.
4. Fishing Area: All Tournament competitors must fish within 60 nautical miles of the
EGFC Clubhouse, from a boat at sea, with a minimum of two anglers on board. All kayak competitors in a single kayak must enter as a pair / team and must fish within sight of each other. All kayaks must go to sea and return under their own power (to be explained further at the briefing). All other safety requirements apply.
5. Lines: All fish must be claimed on the line class on which they were captured. Backing can be used of an undetermined breaking strain in braid, dacron or monofilament. IT MUST HAVE A MINIMUM OF 5 METRES IGFA RATED LINE CLASS TOPSHOT. (For record purposes, 16m continuous of your line/backing, including the 5m of IGFA line is required).
6. Juniors & Small Fry Anglers: A Junior Angler is a person who has not attained the age of 16 years prior to the commencement of the tournament.
A Small Fry Angler is a person who has not attained the age of 11 years prior to the commencement of the tournament.
7. Weigh-In: Fish may only be weighed at the official weigh-in gantry during the times
stated in the program.
Fish must be presented at the gantry on the day of capture unless otherwise arranged with the tournament Weigh Master. Fish must be in an edible condition or will be disqualified by the Weigh Master. Frozen fish will not be weighed.
No points will be awarded for sharks weighed in during GAMEX.
Anglers must present the fish, together with the rod and reel, at least 16m of line, and any double, leader, lure or hook arrangement used in the capture. All tackle must be removed from the fish by the angler before weighing.
The angler or a witness must sign the capture receipt at the recorders station. Billfish may be weighed outside of normal weigh-in times by arrangement with the Weigh Master. The details of such a capture will be broadcast over the tournament radio network at the completion of weighing and posted on the tournament leader board.
Fish will not be accepted for the tournament after the close of weigh-in on the final day.
8. Tag and Release: All details of tagged fish, i.e. species, estimated weight, angler's name, boat name, line class, and time of tagging, must be logged with Radio Base as soon as possible after release. Tag numbers are not to be logged with Radio Base.
Sked sheets will be provided for each team in their tournament bag to record billfish raised, hooked and tagged. Each boat will be asked to give their daily sked at time of log off.
Tag cards, FULLY COMPLETED, must be lodged with the Weigh Master during the official weigh-in times on the day of tagging unless otherwise arranged with the tournament Weigh Master. Latitude and longitude must be accurate to degrees and minutes or two decimal places. One member of the team, or a representative, must sign the capture receipt at the recorders station.
Billfish are to be tagged with NSW DPI tags. These tags have an orange tag card. Sharks must be tagged with NSW DPI tags. These tags have a yellow tag card. No other tags will be accepted.
Tags are available from EGFC Weigh Master on the Briefing Night and during weigh-in times.
9. Tag and Release sections: Tag and Release section winners will be decided by:
a) Boat/Angler with the highest total of Tag and Release points.
b) In the event of a tie on points, the Boat/Angler with the lowest average line class.
c) If still tied, the Boat/Angler achieving the points first according to the time of TAGGING logged with Radio Base.
Points will be awarded as follows:
T&R Whaler Shark 1-15kg line 200pts 24-60kg line 100pts
T&R Other Shark 1-15kg line 300pts 24-60kg line 200pts
T&R Sailfish/Spearfish 1-15kg line 400pts 24-60kg line 200pts
T&R Marlin/Broadbill 1-15kg line 500pts 24-60kg line 400pts
If a team/angler tags a fish, then captures (weighs) the same fish, only capture points will apply. Points accrued for Tag and Release sections are per tag, not per line class.
10. Champion Boat and Angler: The winner of these sections will be the highest point scoring Boat/Angler based on the following formula - Highest point scoring fish on each line class + Highest point scoring fish of each species = Total number of points.
Points will be awarded as follows:
T&R Whaler Shark 1-15kg line 200pts 24-60kg line 100pts
T&R Other Shark 1-15kg line 300pts 24-60kg line 200pts
T&R Sailfish/Spearfish 1-15kg line 400pts 24-60kg line 200pts
T&R Marlin/Broadbill 1-15kg line 500pts 24-60kg line 400pts
Weighed Billfish must be a minimum weight of four times the line class. Weighed other Game Fish - weight of fish x 100 divided by line class = points.
No points will be awarded for sharks weighed in during GAMEX.
Weighed Golden Trevally on 1kg line - weight of fish x 50 divided by line class = points.
11. Marlin point score: Black, Blue and Striped Marlin will be considered one single species for point scoring purposes for Champion Boat, Team and Champion Angler sections.
12. Top Tagging Captain: The George King Memorial perpetual trophy will be awarded to the Captain who has attained the most number of billfish tagged according to the tag cards submitted. Note: A captain is not deemed to be an angler and a captain at the same time. Fish tagged by the designated captain do not count towards this trophy.
13. Live Bait: When live bait fishing for billfish, anglers cannot use offset circle hooks or J
hooks. In-line circle hooks only are to be used.
14. Exmouth Gulf Tag and Release limits: Billfish can only be tagged on 1kg to 10kg inclusive line classes to accrue points if tagged inside Exmouth Gulf.
Exmouth Gulf is defined as: All waters south and east of a line drawn from North West Cape to the south-west tip of South Muiron Island, to the north-west tip of South Muiron Island, to the south-west tip of North Muiron Island, to the north-west tip of North Muiron Island, to Peak Island, to Observation Island and to Tubridgi Point.
15. Communications: All boats must be fitted with an operational VHF radio system and are required to log on and off with Radio Base on each day of the tournament. Tournament radio coverage will be exclusively VHF. A non-functional radio must be repaired before the affected vessel goes to sea the following day. Vessels failing to comply will be disqualified for that day.
16. Lines In and Out: Lines in and out will be as printed in the tournament
handout and notified at the briefing.
No line is to be in the water 15mins prior to lines in, including bait jigs and teasers.
A radio call will be made at 15mins to lines out. At this time any vessel that is hooked up, or hooks up before lines out, must notify Radio Base and be acknowledged. A boat may continue to fight a fish after lines out if they have notified Radio Base. Weigh-in time restrictions still apply. All other boats are to observe radio silence during the last 15 minutes of lines in.
18. Protests: A verbal intention to protest must be made to the Weigh Master as soon as possible by the protestor. This is to enable the Weigh Master to preserve any evidence that may be needed by the Committee if the fish/tag card is presented before the protestor can attend the gantry. All protests must be lodged with the Weigh Master in writing with a $100 deposit which will be refunded if the protest is upheld. Protests must be lodged before the close of weigh-in at which the fish was weighed or tag card presented. No further protests will be accepted after completion of the weigh-in on the final day. The Committee will consider all protests as soon as possible after receipt. The Committee's decision is final and the affected parties will be notified ASAP.
19. Sanctuary Zones: If a competitor is charged by Fisheries WA or the Department of Biodiversity, Attractions and Conservation Parks & Wildlife with fishing in a sanctuary zone, they will be disqualified from the competition for that day. No other protests relating to sanctuary zones will be heard.
20. Boat Auction: There will be two Boat Auction categories
A. Champion Boat Overall
B. Champion Boat Tag and Release Billfish.
The winner of category A will be the person who purchases the boat that places first in the Champion Boat Overall section. The winner of category B will be the person that purchases the boat that achieves the highest tag and release billfish points score based on the following formula:
The winner of each Boat Auction division will receive 50% of the relevant Boat Auction division pool. The runner-up will receive 30%. EGFC will retain 20%.
In the event of a tie, each prize pool percentage will be divided evenly (example: if there is a tie for first place each winner will receive 40% and EGFC will retain 20%. If there is an outright winner and a tie for runner-up the winner will receive 50%, each runner-up 15% and EGFC will retain 20%).
Boat auction monies will not be refunded after the hammer fall. All boats are bought on an as-is basis.
Boat Auction buyers will be asked to sign for the amount reached at auction immediately after the hammer fall and must pay the money owing prior to the Wednesday of the event.
21. Conduct: All competitors will participate in a sporting manner and embrace the ethics of game fishing. All Billfish and Gamefish offal must be disposed of correctly. The Committee reserves the right to penalise any Boat or Angler by deduction of points or disqualification for part of, or the whole, tournament for conduct they consider detrimental to the competition or the EGFC.
22. Cyclones: In the event that a cyclone approaches the Exmouth area during the
GAMEX tournament all fishing will be suspended once a ‘Yellow Alert’ has been declared or winds forecast exceed 26 knots. Fishing will recommence once the ‘All Clear’ has been given, provided sea conditions are deemed fishable by the committee. If no further fishing is possible, the leading boats/anglers at the time of the Yellow Alert will be declared the winners at the committee’s discretion. EGFC advise all competitors to have appropriate insurance for the event, including travel, accident and boat. This is the responsibility of the skipper and team, not EGFC.
23. Cancellation: Please refer to our weather matrix for possible daily cancellations. Please see our Cancellation Policy for further details via our website: www.egfc.com.au
24. Terms and Conditions: Please refer to our terms and conditions for the event located on our website: www.egfc.com.au
25. Disclaimer: The EGFC committee reserves the right to change any rule, regulation or section which it believes will enhance the Tournament. The EGFC takes no responsibility for loss or damage to competitor’s person, personal effects or vessel and competitors fish the tournament at their own risk.
1. Regulations: All EGFC tournaments will be fished within current Game Fishing
Association of Australia (GFAA), Western Australia Game Fishing Association (WAGFA), WA Department of Transport, WA Department of Environment and Conservation, and WA Department of Fisheries rules and regulations.
2. Membership: All anglers must be a current member of Exmouth Game Fishing Club
or a club affiliated with the Game Fishing Association of Australia or International Game Fishing Association (IGFA) on registration. Failure to do so will require angler to join EGFC.
3. Registration: Only registered anglers may participate in any act which directly
contributes to the capture or tag of a fish during the tournament. They are, driving the boat, gaffing fish, tagging fish, running out lines, retrieving lines, clearing teasers or taking the leader. Anglers will fish only from the boat on which they registered. Permission to change boats once registered in the tournament must be applied for in writing to the EGFC Committee and each request will be adjudged on its merits. The Committee will meet ASAP after receipt of such application. The Committee's decision is final.
4. Fishing Area: All Tournament competitors must fish within 60 nautical miles of the
EGFC Clubhouse, from a boat at sea, with a minimum of two anglers on board. All kayak competitors in a single kayak must enter as a pair / team and must fish within sight of each other. All kayaks must go to sea and return under their own power (to be explained further at the briefing). All other safety requirements apply.
5. Lines: All fish must be claimed on the line class on which they were captured. Backing can be used of an undetermined breaking strain in braid, dacron or monofilament. IT MUST HAVE A MINIMUM OF 5 METRES IGFA RATED LINE CLASS TOPSHOT. (For record purposes, 16m continuous of your line/backing, including the 5m of IGFA line is required).
6. Juniors & Small Fry Anglers: A Junior Angler is a person who has not attained the age of 16 years prior to the commencement of the tournament.
A Small Fry Angler is a person who has not attained the age of 11 years prior to the commencement of the tournament.
7. Weigh-In: Fish may only be weighed at the official weigh-in gantry during the times
stated in the program.
Fish must be presented at the gantry on the day of capture unless otherwise arranged with the tournament Weigh Master. Fish must be in an edible condition or will be disqualified by the Weigh Master. Frozen fish will not be weighed.
No points will be awarded for sharks weighed in during GAMEX.
Anglers must present the fish, together with the rod and reel, at least 16m of line, and any double, leader, lure or hook arrangement used in the capture. All tackle must be removed from the fish by the angler before weighing.
The angler or a witness must sign the capture receipt at the recorders station. Billfish may be weighed outside of normal weigh-in times by arrangement with the Weigh Master. The details of such a capture will be broadcast over the tournament radio network at the completion of weighing and posted on the tournament leader board.
Fish will not be accepted for the tournament after the close of weigh-in on the final day.
8. Tag and Release: All details of tagged fish, i.e. species, estimated weight, angler's name, boat name, line class, and time of tagging, must be logged with Radio Base as soon as possible after release. Tag numbers are not to be logged with Radio Base.
Sked sheets will be provided for each team in their tournament bag to record billfish raised, hooked and tagged. Each boat will be asked to give their daily sked at time of log off.
Tag cards, FULLY COMPLETED, must be lodged with the Weigh Master during the official weigh-in times on the day of tagging unless otherwise arranged with the tournament Weigh Master. Latitude and longitude must be accurate to degrees and minutes or two decimal places. One member of the team, or a representative, must sign the capture receipt at the recorders station.
Billfish are to be tagged with NSW DPI tags. These tags have an orange tag card. Sharks must be tagged with NSW DPI tags. These tags have a yellow tag card. No other tags will be accepted.
Tags are available from EGFC Weigh Master on the Briefing Night and during weigh-in times.
9. Tag and Release sections: Tag and Release section winners will be decided by:
a) Boat/Angler with the highest total of Tag and Release points.
b) In the event of a tie on points, the Boat/Angler with the lowest average line class.
c) If still tied, the Boat/Angler achieving the points first according to the time of TAGGING logged with Radio Base.
Points will be awarded as follows:
T&R Whaler Shark 1-15kg line 200pts 24-60kg line 100pts
T&R Other Shark 1-15kg line 300pts 24-60kg line 200pts
T&R Sailfish/Spearfish 1-15kg line 400pts 24-60kg line 200pts
T&R Marlin/Broadbill 1-15kg line 500pts 24-60kg line 400pts
If a team/angler tags a fish, then captures (weighs) the same fish, only capture points will apply. Points accrued for Tag and Release sections are per tag, not per line class.
10. Champion Boat and Angler: The winner of these sections will be the highest point scoring Boat/Angler based on the following formula - Highest point scoring fish on each line class + Highest point scoring fish of each species = Total number of points.
Points will be awarded as follows:
T&R Whaler Shark 1-15kg line 200pts 24-60kg line 100pts
T&R Other Shark 1-15kg line 300pts 24-60kg line 200pts
T&R Sailfish/Spearfish 1-15kg line 400pts 24-60kg line 200pts
T&R Marlin/Broadbill 1-15kg line 500pts 24-60kg line 400pts
Weighed Billfish must be a minimum weight of four times the line class. Weighed other Game Fish - weight of fish x 100 divided by line class = points.
No points will be awarded for sharks weighed in during GAMEX.
Weighed Golden Trevally on 1kg line - weight of fish x 50 divided by line class = points.
11. Marlin point score: Black, Blue and Striped Marlin will be considered one single species for point scoring purposes for Champion Boat, Team and Champion Angler sections.
12. Top Tagging Captain: The George King Memorial perpetual trophy will be awarded to the Captain who has attained the most number of billfish tagged according to the tag cards submitted. Note: A captain is not deemed to be an angler and a captain at the same time. Fish tagged by the designated captain do not count towards this trophy.
13. Live Bait: When live bait fishing for billfish, anglers cannot use offset circle hooks or J
hooks. In-line circle hooks only are to be used.
14. Exmouth Gulf Tag and Release limits: Billfish can only be tagged on 1kg to 10kg inclusive line classes to accrue points if tagged inside Exmouth Gulf.
Exmouth Gulf is defined as: All waters south and east of a line drawn from North West Cape to the south-west tip of South Muiron Island, to the north-west tip of South Muiron Island, to the south-west tip of North Muiron Island, to the north-west tip of North Muiron Island, to Peak Island, to Observation Island and to Tubridgi Point.
15. Communications: All boats must be fitted with an operational VHF radio system and are required to log on and off with Radio Base on each day of the tournament. Tournament radio coverage will be exclusively VHF. A non-functional radio must be repaired before the affected vessel goes to sea the following day. Vessels failing to comply will be disqualified for that day.
16. Lines In and Out: Lines in and out will be as printed in the tournament
handout and notified at the briefing.
No line is to be in the water 15mins prior to lines in, including bait jigs and teasers.
A radio call will be made at 15mins to lines out. At this time any vessel that is hooked up, or hooks up before lines out, must notify Radio Base and be acknowledged. A boat may continue to fight a fish after lines out if they have notified Radio Base. Weigh-in time restrictions still apply. All other boats are to observe radio silence during the last 15 minutes of lines in.
18. Protests: A verbal intention to protest must be made to the Weigh Master as soon as possible by the protestor. This is to enable the Weigh Master to preserve any evidence that may be needed by the Committee if the fish/tag card is presented before the protestor can attend the gantry. All protests must be lodged with the Weigh Master in writing with a $100 deposit which will be refunded if the protest is upheld. Protests must be lodged before the close of weigh-in at which the fish was weighed or tag card presented. No further protests will be accepted after completion of the weigh-in on the final day. The Committee will consider all protests as soon as possible after receipt. The Committee's decision is final and the affected parties will be notified ASAP.
19. Sanctuary Zones: If a competitor is charged by Fisheries WA or the Department of Biodiversity, Attractions and Conservation Parks & Wildlife with fishing in a sanctuary zone, they will be disqualified from the competition for that day. No other protests relating to sanctuary zones will be heard.
20. Boat Auction: There will be two Boat Auction categories
A. Champion Boat Overall
B. Champion Boat Tag and Release Billfish.
The winner of category A will be the person who purchases the boat that places first in the Champion Boat Overall section. The winner of category B will be the person that purchases the boat that achieves the highest tag and release billfish points score based on the following formula:
- Marlin/Broadbill - 500 points
- Sailfish/Spearfish - 400 points
The winner of each Boat Auction division will receive 50% of the relevant Boat Auction division pool. The runner-up will receive 30%. EGFC will retain 20%.
In the event of a tie, each prize pool percentage will be divided evenly (example: if there is a tie for first place each winner will receive 40% and EGFC will retain 20%. If there is an outright winner and a tie for runner-up the winner will receive 50%, each runner-up 15% and EGFC will retain 20%).
Boat auction monies will not be refunded after the hammer fall. All boats are bought on an as-is basis.
Boat Auction buyers will be asked to sign for the amount reached at auction immediately after the hammer fall and must pay the money owing prior to the Wednesday of the event.
21. Conduct: All competitors will participate in a sporting manner and embrace the ethics of game fishing. All Billfish and Gamefish offal must be disposed of correctly. The Committee reserves the right to penalise any Boat or Angler by deduction of points or disqualification for part of, or the whole, tournament for conduct they consider detrimental to the competition or the EGFC.
22. Cyclones: In the event that a cyclone approaches the Exmouth area during the
GAMEX tournament all fishing will be suspended once a ‘Yellow Alert’ has been declared or winds forecast exceed 26 knots. Fishing will recommence once the ‘All Clear’ has been given, provided sea conditions are deemed fishable by the committee. If no further fishing is possible, the leading boats/anglers at the time of the Yellow Alert will be declared the winners at the committee’s discretion. EGFC advise all competitors to have appropriate insurance for the event, including travel, accident and boat. This is the responsibility of the skipper and team, not EGFC.
23. Cancellation: Please refer to our weather matrix for possible daily cancellations. Please see our Cancellation Policy for further details via our website: www.egfc.com.au
24. Terms and Conditions: Please refer to our terms and conditions for the event located on our website: www.egfc.com.au
25. Disclaimer: The EGFC committee reserves the right to change any rule, regulation or section which it believes will enhance the Tournament. The EGFC takes no responsibility for loss or damage to competitor’s person, personal effects or vessel and competitors fish the tournament at their own risk.
