Houhora One Base Fishing Rules – 21st February – 24th  February 2024

1.General Rules

1. The Houhora One Base tournament shall be fished in accordance with HBGSFC, NZSFC and IGFA angling rules for all species. Braid will be allowed under the NZSFC rules and can be used in NZ competitions; there is no restriction to braid size. However, there must be a minimum 5-metre length of nylon that will test under the line class that the fish was caught on and notified to Far North Radio.
2. The tournament would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. Please call in all fish with the sponsors grid name (supplied on registration) at which the fish were caught or tagged.
3. The Organisers have the right to refuse entry to any angler, team, boat, or skipper. Any misconduct will not be tolerated. This could result in removal from the competition.
4. Anglers must be fully paid-up members of a club affiliated to the NZSFC.  No day members will be allowed.  
5. Commercial fishermen must de-register their boat before they start fishing the competition.
6. Registration constitutes acceptance of the rules and regulations governing the competition and all contestants agree to abide by the Contest Organisers decisions. The Organisers have the sole right to alter, change or delete any part of the competition or rules at their discretion prior to commencement of the competition. 
7. Teams must comprise of not less than two, and not more than 6 anglers per team. There must not be less than 2 team members competing at any one time and the skipper must be over the age of 18.
   • Anglers wanting to fish from another boat may do so, but the points for the team prize stay with the angler’s original team and are not transferable. If you want to change boats, the Organisers must be notified before you start fishing with your new team
   • Paid up contestants ONLY shall fish from a boat during the competition
   • The minimum cost of entry is $440 per team (equivalent to 2 anglers). Additional team members $220 per angler (max of 6 anglers per team).
8. Boats participating must be seaworthy and meet maritime New Zealand requirements and be able to communicate to Far North Radio via VHF channel 60 on the east coast, 61 North Cape to the Kings or 02 on the west coast.
   • The Houhora Big Game Sports Fishing Club takes no responsibility for damage or injury to anglers, boats, or visitors under any circumstances.
   • Teams must comply with the Houhora Big Game & Sports Fishing Club Health & Safety Management System rules and requirements as supplied in the registration pack.
9. Speed limit within the harbour is 5 knots. Speeding and passing is not permitted.
10. Breaches of competition rules must be reported immediately to the Organisers. Any breaches will be dealt with seriously and may include loss of points, disqualified fish, or disqualifying teams from the competition. Any protest concerning the validity of any catch, shall be filed in writing, signed, and handed to the Organisers at One Base headquarters by 7pm on the day of the catch. All decisions made by the Organisers shall be final and no correspondence shall be entered into.
11. In the event of extremely bad weather, Far North Radio will notify boats at 6.30am on VHF channel 60 or 02 if the Organisers decision is to have a lay day.
12. FISHING AREA. The boundaries of our grid are on a line from the Hokianga Harbour (North Head) around Cape Reinga to Whangaroa Harbour (North of Flat Island) and includes the Three Kings Islands. NO fishing outside theses points.
    • Boats can only launch within the specified grid area boundaries and will be disqualified if caught launching outside this area. You may launch from Hokianga Harbour but CANNOT commence fishing until you are within the grid boundaries.

2.Registration, Briefing and Fishing the Competition

1. Registration will be held on Tuesday 20th February 2024, from 3 - 7pm at the Houhora Big Game & Sports Fishing Club clubrooms.
2. All registration forms must be completed, angler numbers & starter packs received BEFORE you start fishing. Failure to complete registration correctly may result in disqualification.
3. A team representative, preferably the team captain, must attend the pre-tournament briefing. The team representative will collect the briefing pack, (includes tournament guide, sponsors grid, rules, Health and Safety policy, Boat Compliance, Radio channels and contact details for registering a tag and release fish). Following briefing a Calcutta auction will be held.
4. All anglers from clubs other than Houhora are expected to show proof of club membership at registration. If registering prior, please send membership confirmation with Registration forms. Houhora club members membership numbers will be available on the club data base at the registration desk. 
5. If you wish to “fish in” to the competition you must make prior arrangements with the tournament organisers no later than February 14th 2024, have your registration details completed and fees paid. You must be within the grid boundaries before you commence fishing. You also must have a team member present at briefing.

3.Marine Radio Rules 

Radio start time will be 7.30am (please do not call Far North Radio before 7.30am unless there is an emergency).

1. Far North Radio is manned from 7.30am until 7pm courtesy of Far North Radio & Sea Rescue during their normal operational hours. All teams must notify Far North Radio & Sea Rescue from 7.30am, when they are ‘hooked up’ to a fish, when a fish is tagged and released, boated, or lost and when they return to port.
2. VHF Channels
   • Far North Radio via VHF channel 60 on the east coast, 61 North Cape to the Kings or 02 on the west coast.
3. When reporting a fish please notify the Far North Radio operator of your team number and boat name first, followed by the sponsors grid location, anglers name & number and species boated or tagged.

4.Fishing Times

1. Fishing is from 07.00am Wednesday 21st February 2024 to 4.00pm Saturday 24th February 2024.
2. On Saturday 24th all boats and teams must stop fishing at 4.00pm unless teams have called in as “hooked up” prior to stop fishing.  You must safely and successfully boat, land, or tag & release that fish AND still be inside the harbour by 5.00pm or at the weigh station to have the fish count towards prizegiving on Saturday 24th February 2024.
3. For this tournament, ‘inside the harbour’ is recognised as the location of the 2nd red beacon at Ripiripi Point (west of Houhora Heads campground). From this point you will be visible by the team on the weigh station as you come round the point.

5.Species, Minimum Weights and Points Scoring – Game Fish and Sport Fish.

A more detailed list of prizes, minimum weights, and target species for all categories are listed at the end of this section. 

1. All billfish (except shortbilled spearfish) landed must weigh a minimum of 90kg.
2. Yellowfin, Big Eye and Bluefin tuna must exceed 15kg.
3. Mahimahi must weigh a minimum of 10 kg.
4. Shortbilled spearfish must weigh a minimum of 15 kg.
5. Kingfish must be a minimum length of 100cm.
6. Snapper must be a minimum length of 35cm.
7. Billfish (excluding shortbilled spearfish) 3 points per kg
8. Points for Tag and release Billfish (excluding shortbilled spearfish): 300 points

6.Weighing of Fish and Tag Presentation. 

The Weigh Station will be open from 4pm to 6pm 21st – 23rd and 3pm to 5pm 24th February

1. All reported catches must include grid sponsors name and information.
2. If you wish your fish to be eligible for that day’s prizegiving you are responsible for getting your fish to the weigh station within weigh station opening time.
3. Tag cards must be handed to the weighmaster by 6.00pm on the day of capture to be eligible for that day’s prizegiving, or by 6.00pm the following day for next day prizegiving.  
   • Bring the tackle, tag pole and rigged lure the fish was caught on for the weighmaster to inspect. No inspection no prize.
   • A photo or video of the tagged fish must be supplied with a clear view of the ‘photo number cards’ supplied, next to the fish.
   • Tag cards can be sent electronically via the information provided in the registration pack by the times outlined in rule 6c.
4. Teams weighing fish, or presenting tag & release cards, not presented to the weighmaster completed by 6.00pm will go into the next day’s prize pool. Final night Saturday (Day 4), all weigh sheets and tag & release cards must be in the weighmaster’s hands completed by the final cut off time at 5.00pm. Teams must ensure they allow enough time to make it to the weigh station before the closing times.
5. Fish must be presented at the weigh station in good condition on the day they were caught or before 6.00pm on the following day to be eligible for the daily prizes.
6. Game Fish caught overnight can be weighed the following morning. Please call 09 409 7755 to arrange.
7. Normal weigh station rules apply. Tag & Release cards and weigh sheets must be completed before you come to the weigh station.
8. Tournament fish can only be weighed at Houhora Big Game & Sports Fishing Club.
9. If you have fish to weigh, or tag cards to hand to the Weighmaster, please call the weigh station once you have entered the harbour entrance on VHF Channel 10 so our weigh station team can conduct an orderly processing operation at the jetty.
   • We ask that all team boats coming into the weigh station fly a catch flag so we can readily identify them.

7.Prizes & Prizegiving -  All 2024 One Base Tournament entrants will be eligible for individual angler “Lucky draws”

1. Prizegiving will be at 8.00 pm daily.
2. Contestants must present their angler cards to be eligible for any daily lucky draws and for prizegiving.
3. In the event of any fish of the same species being the same weight, the first fish boated, which shall also mean reported to Far North Radio at the time of capture shall be deemed the winner.
4. For tagged billfish (excluding shark), the prizes will be determined by most caught. In the event of a tie the prizes will be determined by angler draws out of a hat.
5. In the event of lucky draws, the number drawn will be called over the PA system 3 times if no attempt has been made to identify yourself the prize will be redrawn.
6. In the event of any disputes, the decision of the organiser after consultation with advisors shall be final.

8. Snapper Section

1. No land based fishing, longlines, Contiki’s, kayaks or drones
2. For information regarding Registration and Briefing refer to section 2.0.
3. Each angler can weigh a total of 1 fish per day.
4. For this section line class applies and fish will be weighed under IGFA rules.

General Information.

1. The inside of the pontoon is to be always kept clear for the water taxis.
2. Tying up at the jetty is not permitted except for weighing fish, presenting tag & release cards, or on and off-loading passengers and supplies.
3. Water is available to boats at the club jetty or commercial wharf. During weigh in times please contact the weigh station personnel on channel 10 to arrange a time.
4. Distribution of prizes within your team is the team’s responsibility. Set your ground rules now, as the Club will not get involved with your domestic disputes. Prizes awarded during the competition are not transferable or redeemable for cash.
5. At the conclusion of the competition, copies of all weigh sheets from anglers (other than Houhora Club members) will be sent to their respective clubs. We treat these as courtesy weighs.  If you weigh a fish and want to use the catch card to take back to your own club the weigh sheets must be signed by the weigh master and marked “Duplicate” and presented to the club recorder so that fish are not counted twice nationally
6. The Club site is a licensed premise. BYO is illegal and not permitted.
7. Rubbish – Bring your rubbish ashore and place it in the bins provided at the Club jetty. Separate the glass bottles and cans from your rubbish.
8. Toilets –It is an offence to flush boat toilets inside harbours in Northland. If you don’t have toilet holding tanks on your boat, please come ashore and use the toilets provided at the Club facilities and the main wharf. Please do not pollute our harbour.
9. Hot showers are available in the clubrooms.
10. Tag cards and extra weigh sheets are available from the clubrooms.
11. Ice is available from the Houhora 4 Square Wharf Store, CNL Ice, and the Houhora Liquor Centre in the Pukenui village.
12. Groceries etc. are available from the Houhora Wharf Store. Contact the friendly team on 09 409 8819. Normal trading hours 7am –7pm
13. We can arrange to have most things fixed. Contact the clubrooms 09 409 7755 or Far North Radio on the VHF.
14. Petrol & diesel is available at the commercial wharf. (See tournament book for operation details)
15. The Water Taxi is manned by volunteers. Pick up and drop off is at the wharf jetty and can be contacted on VHF channel 6.
16. Look for the courtesy van. Pick up and drop off outside the St Johns Ambulance station.
17. Those that require a mooring should contact the Houhora Harbour Warden - Greg Gemmell on 027 651 7048