Surf Casting Rules

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Junior National Surf Casting Competition Rules

  1. The duration of each competition will be as set out in the programme.
  2. Angling with a rod and a reel is obligatory.
  3. Only one rod may be connected to a trace and in use at any one time.
  4. The accepted maximum length of the rod is 5 meters. The rod must have a minimum of 3 rings on the blank and one top ring.
  5. Any number of extra rods are allowed in the area and may be connected to a clip or swivel on the main line only (i.e. no trace).
  6. The competitor may only cast his trace and bait into the water using a rod and reel. No other form of getting bait into the water is permitted.
  7. There are no limitations concerning the main line, the leader or trace line.
  8. Only hooks with an outside gape width of more than 7mm are permitted. Any competitors found with smaller hooks in their possession will be disqualified immediately.
  9. A maximum of 3 single hooks is permitted per trace.
  10. Any amount of traces can be prepared and baited.
  11. The assembling of the trace and associated materials are free. The use of attractive materials like bright spoons, coloured floating or non-floating pearls (maximum size 15mm), coloured feathers, and fluorescent parts and so on the hook line but not on the trace line (rig body) is allowed. The maximum of three floating pearls are allowed per trace (The hook-line is the part of the trace with the hooks). It is forbidden to glue feathers and other materials to the pearls. The use of a sliding hook on the main line is forbidden.
  12. Only bait that is issued for the tournament may be used. Anything contrary to this will result in instant disqualification
  13. No additives, whether odorous or not, are permitted on the bait.
  14. The rod holders/stands should be set on the dry shore of the sea, approximately in the middle of the drawn angling area.
  15. The convenor has the right to remove any suspicious bait from a competitor's box and replace this with substitute bait in order to test or analyse the bait that the competitor was using.
  16. In a case of a big fish being hooked, the competitor is permitted to follow the fish into the adjacent areas.
  17. Other competitors are not permitted to disturb or hinder the angler landing a fish in any way.
  18. For casting and landing fish, permission to enter the water for a short time may be granted, but at no stage is the angler allowed to go any deeper into the water than his knees.
  19. Competitors may not cast should the adjacent anglers stand in front of them.
  20. The competitor may only cast into his allocated 20 metre area.
  21. Pendulum style casts are permitted but the convenor or official may insist on a strong shock-leader being used for safety reasons.
  22. There is no restriction on size or shape of sinker other than the fact that it may not weigh less than 2 oz.
  23. The competitor must have suitable measuring equipment as in pegs, tape, pen and clipboard. He/she must also have a suitable hook remover so as not to damage or injure the fish.
  24. Fish that qualify must be placed in a bucket filled with seawater until the catch has been verified. The angler is permitted to clip on a new trace and cast as soon as the fish just caught has been placed into the bucket.
  25. All fish must be returned alive to the water.
  26. Should a fish be hooked by more than one competitor; the competitor whose hook is in the fish's mouth will account for this catch.
  27. Should a fish have two competitors' hooks in its mouth still connected to the rods, it shall not count for either competitor.
  28. Intentional "jigging", "jagging" or deliberate foul hooking will result in disqualification of the competitor.
  29. At the end of the competition the competitor must retrieve the line immediately and quickly unless playing a fish.
  30. Should a competitor's line break while playing a fish the fish will be disqualified unless it is already on the beach.
  31. The use of any electronic communication is not permitted during the competition. However, permission may be obtained from an official in a case of an emergency.
  32. Competitors are not permitted to stop fishing before the end of the competition without permission from the convenor.
  33. Should a competitor require to leave the competition area for a short period for whatever reason it may only be done with the consent of the adjacent competitors or the convenor.
  34. At the end of the competition the competitor must remain in his area until the convenor or official has checked the results.
  35. The competitor is required to verify his results by signature. Should there be any element of doubt a signed and dated remark or protest must be made on the competition card with full details and it must be handed over to the convenor immediately at the end of the competition.
  36. The use of landing nets, gaffs, etc., is not permitted when landing a fish.
  37. If the competitor can prove within the first hour of the competition that his allocated area presents a considerable disadvantage to him due to unforeseen circumstances, the convenor must assign another area to the competitor. No additional fishing time will be allowed.
  38. The convenor may stop the competition in the case of extreme weather conditions or security risk. Should this occur within the first half of the competition the competition must be annulled and reconvened. Should it happen in the second half of the competition the results up until that point will qualify.
  39. Points will be scored as follows per the FIPS-M scoring system:
    • Fish will be measured by total length
    • Rays and skates will be measured by disk width
    • The fish will be measured on a measuring mat or by the use of two pegs placed in the sand
    • The minimum size is a total length of 15 centimetres or 150 millimetres (149.99 does not count)
    • For qualifying fish (i.e. 15 cm or above), the measurement will be rounded up to the nearest centimetre.
    • Ten (10) bonus points will be awarded for each qualifying fish caught.
    • In the case of points being tied, the competitor with the most number of fish will be placed above the other. Should there still be a tie, then the angler with the greatest total length of fish will be placed above the other.
    • The South African policies relating to conservation apply with regard to protected species, number of fish permitted to be weighed and closed seasons.

Fish Species

Many species of fish are caught in the area but these are the predominant species.

Fish Species Fish Species

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