2024 Wahoo Gold Cup / Tuna Shoot-Out

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2024

About The Tournament

Entrants that are under the age of 18 years must have written consent from their parent or legal guardian.
We suggest up to 4 anglers maximum plus 2 crew aboard a cruiser, and 3 anglers plus 1 crew aboard a super panga/skiff.
It is the sole responsibility of the participating anglers to know and abide by the tournament rules. By entering the Wahoo Gold Cup/Tuna Shoot Out they acknowledge such and agree to all rules. Deadline for check-in/sign-up is Friday, September 20th at 8pm at Hotel Palmas De Cortez.
Entry fee will be $600 per team. Register early and save time at registration.
There is no restriction on when and how much bait can be obtained prior to the flare start at 7:00am
ALL TEAMS MUST SHOW THEIR TEAM NUMBER TO THE TOURNAMENT OFFICIAL PRIOR TO LEAVING THE STARTING AREA. Tournament official will be on a boat right in front of the dock at Hotel Palmas De Cortez. Teams that do not check in will be disqualified. Any team that doesn’t depart in front of Hotel Palmas De Cortez at 7am will be disqualified.
There will be a flare start Saturday, September 21, 2024 in front of Hotel Palmas de Cortez at approximately 7 a.m. Weigh-in will be at the Hotel Palmas de Cortez scale. The scale will open at 1 p.m. and close at 4 p.m. All boats planning to weigh-in fish must be inside (shore side) of the anchored hotel boats/outer boat mooring in front of the Hotel Palmas de Cortez dock by 4 p.m. Boats returning after the 4 p.m. deadline will be disqualified. Any team planning to weigh fish must off load at hotel dock (not beach). For the past 19 years, the Van Wormer Resorts have hired a PHD in marine biology from the University of La Paz to inspect all fish weighed at the scale for all three of our tournaments. Have fish been disqualified in the past? = YES.
Any boat deemed operating in an unsafe manner will be disqualified from the Tournament.
There are no fishing boundaries.
There is no restriction on tackle that can be used other than fish must be taken on hook and line using rod and reel. More than one team member may fight the fish, and team members / crew may assist the angler by touching the main line at any time during the fight
Prize – The angler that catches the heaviest Wahoo or Tuna will win the new Volkswagen Polo. (In the lobby of hotel Palmas De Cortez). In the remote event no wahoo or tuna are caught, dorado will be the back up specie.

It is the responsibility of the team to decide which fish to weigh prior to docking at Hotel Palmas de Cortez. Only one fish per specie per boat will be weighed.
Between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 21, 2024, no vessel entered in the Tournament may be involved in handing off or receiving anything from another vessel whether that vessel is in the Tournament or not. The Tournament Director may choose to grant special permission to a team to waive this rule in the event that someone’s personal safety or health is at risk. In the event that a boat is disabled, they must contact Tournament control on channel 23. The team may be granted permission to bring their fish to the scale area on another boat prior to 4:00 p.m.
The Tournament channel is 23 U.S.A.
Mutilated fish will not be weighed in
In the event of a tie, the first fish weighed wins.
Van Wormer Resorts reserves the right to deny any team or individual entry into the Tournament.
All verbal protests and supporting evidence must be presented to the Tournament Director immediately upon returning to the weigh-in area, followed by a written protest no more that 30 minutes after the verbal protest. Said evidence will be ruled on by the Tournament Director by 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 21, 2024
Any verbal or physical abuse or threats from entrants toward Tournament Staff is cause for a team’s disqualification.
The Tournament Director reserves the right to alter starting and finishing times to coincide with the weather.
Any person or team that wins any prize may be subject to a polygraph test.
Teams that weigh-in fish cannot continue to fish.
Wrist bands will be distributed to team members at sign-up/check-in and must be worn at all times.
In the event the tournament is cancelled due to closure of the port or weather, all entry and jackpots will be 100% refunded.
All participants must have a valid fishing license. Fishing license number is required for each angler at registration. Failure to provide a valid fishing license will be cause for disqualification. All boats must provide boat registration number when signing up for tournament.
Awards dinner will be held in the patio of Hotel Palmas De Cortez on Saturday, September 21st at 7pm. Thousands of dollars in raffle prizes will be given away at the

JACKPOT INFORMATION:

Optional cash jackpots of $200, $300, $500, $1,000 & $2,000 will be offered separately for Wahoo and Tuna. In the event no Wahoo or Tuna are caught, jackpot money will be refunded.

Download Rules