2023 ELEPHANT BUTTE LAKE KAYAK FISHING TOURNAMENT RULES AND PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT
Participation and Eligibility:
Participation is open to anyone that will fish from a “watercraft,” such as a Kayak, Paddleboard, Canoe, or Rowboat (hereafter referred to as “kayak”). Gas powered boats are not eligible. Electric trolling motors are allowed, so long as when the electric motor is off, the kayak is human powered using paddles or pedals. Minors are eligible with a parent or legal guardian signature on the Entry Form. All participants must have a valid New Mexico Fishing License and adhere to all New Mexico Department of Game and Fish rules and regulations.
http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/recreation/fishing/
Registration:
To be eligible to compete, each participant must complete the entry form, sign angler release of liability, register for event on iAngler, and pay entry fees before the Captain's Meeting starting at 7pm Friday, May 19, 2023.
Registration for the 9th Annual Elephant Butte Lake Kayak Fishing Tournament will be open until 7pm Friday May 19th. All entry fees are NONTRANSFERABLE and NONREFUNDABLE unless event is canceled.
Captains Meeting:
Attendance at the Captain’s Meeting is MANDATORY for all participants. The Captain’s Meeting will be at the Elephant Butte Community Center, 313 Rio Grande Circle, Elephant Butte, NM 87935 @7pm (off Rock Canyon Road – behind Fire Department- watch for the overhead lights) across the street from Zia Kayak Outfitters. If a participant is unable to attend, they must prearrange their eligibility with the Tournament Director before being allowed to take part in this tournament. At this meeting, unless we run out, Measuring boards can be purchased. A State Park Day Pass (if needed), and sponsor giveaways will be handed out. At the meeting, the Tournament Director will able to answer questions and provide information regarding:
Review of the rules

Potential hazards when on the water

Medical emergencies, communications and safety • Explanation of C-P-R and scoring

Demonstration of measuring device usage

Demonstration of uploading your photos to iAngler (more about this to follow) • The tournament clock will be synchronized
Schedule:
Friday May 19th
Last minute-registration - 4:30-5:30pm (Parking Lot of Elephant Butte Community Center) Registration- 6-7 pm (MANDATORY BOARD CHECKS)

Captains Meeting- 7-8pm
Saturday May 20th
Legal Launch- 6am

First Cast- 6:30 am

Fishing Ends- 3:30 pm

Photo Submission deadline- 4:30pm
Sunday May 21st
Awards Ceremony- 11am @ Elephant Butte Community Center
Start Time & Ending Time:
The Official Time is determined by the timepiece of the Tournament Director. No other watch or cellphone time will be treated as a valid time for this tournament. All participants may fish till 3:30pm as they are able to get to shore and upload their photo files to iAngler before 4:30. If needed, arrive at Zia Kayak Outfitters at 310 Rock Canyon Road, Elephant Butte (across from the Fire Department) no later than 4:30pm for assistance in uploading files to iAngler.
Participants must gauge their own Ending Time to allow for returning to shore, getting kayak out of the water, onto their vehicle or trailer and driving to Zia Kayak Outfitters in time to be assisted in uploading files to iAngler.
Tournament Format: Catch - Photo - Release
Elephant Butte Lake Kayak Fishing Tournament is operating in C-P-R (Catch - Photo – Release) format. Fish are not to be brought to a Final Check-in. Participants must use their own Smartphone cameras to document the overall length of the fish caught.
Species:
Elephant Butte Lake has many species of fish. For the sake of this tournament, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass and White Bass are eligible and may be submitted/uploaded to iAngler.
Scoring of fish:
Each angler’s 5 longest score able fish will be added together for your final score. Length is measured to the nearest quarter of an inch from tip of lower jaw to the tip of the un-pinched tail. Inches will be used and rounded down to the nearest 1⁄4 inch. Angler with the most total inches will be declared winner. Second total inches will be second and so on.
Measuring Device:
The official measuring devices for this event are Hawg Trough or Ketch Board. All other brands or types of measuring devices must be approved by the tournament director. Each contestant must bring the measuring board they plan to use for the event and have it verified by the Tournament Director. Anyone found to be using a measuring device that is determined to not be legal will be disqualified from this event.
Here is a link to buy a Ketch Karbonate 26” measuring device... it is considered the best!:
https://www.amazon.com/Ketch-Karbonate-Fish-Measuring- Board/dp/B0B2XBHW9X?th=1&psc=1
Photo Criteria:
Anglers must be prepared to manually upload pictures with cables, cords, software, required to download photos via a USB port to the official judge’s computer @ iAngler.

Each fish photo must include all of the following criteria to avoid penalties or disqualification:
The entire Bass, from the tip of the lip to the end of the tail, on an approved measuring device, while in a tournament legal vessel.

Lying with the tip of the lip against the post end of the measuring device.

The mouth of the Bass can be OPEN. Lower jaw of fish must be

touching the bump on the board.

The tail of the Bass must be lying flat on the board, and will be measured to the longest point.

Bass must be facing to the left, tail to the right, belly toward the angler.

Measuring device markings must be clearly visible. Including the actual

numbers.

Assigned unique identifier must be visible.

One overhead photo shot frame (not shot at an angle).

Fish must be clear of any holding devices.

Lip, eye, and tail cannot be obstructed in the photo, even by your hand or

identifier. Tail begins just behind the top and bottom fin of a fish, the ends

of these fins must be visible.

Hand or fingers must not be under the gill plate, touching gills.

Original/Raw Photo only - Screenshots, Crops, Duplicates and edited photos will be disqualified
Example of correct fish orientation below-

Permitted Fishing Methods:
Participants should make every effort to release their fish alive after catching and photographing. Participants may not fish more than one rod at a time, and a cast must be fully retrieved before the angler may pick up another rod. All fish must be caught via a fishing rod, line and hook using live, dead bait, or an artificial lure on the day of the tournament during tournament hours. All fish must be caught via kayak. Wade/shore fishing is allowed provided the kayak was the sole means of transportation to the fishing location and provided that the kayak is within sight and in a safe reachable distance of the angler at all times. Participants may not catch fish that have been caught, caged or confined in a given area prior to the tournament day. During the tournament, a participant may not obtain assistance from a non- participant, including, but not limited to the non-participant placing markers, or providing electronic, voice or data communication helpful to the participant in locating fish.
Fishing Locations:
Elephant Butte Lake has over 200 miles of shoreline. The tournament boundaries are Elephant Butte Dam/Ash Canyon in the south and the area called Chalk

Bluffs in the north. All fishing locations must be in waters accessible to the public at all times.
Prohibited:
No Ferrying (i.e. the use of a boat or motorized vehicle to transport your kayak while on the water is prohibited). You may launch at a spot and choose to pull kayak out to use your vehicle to re-launch at a different spot.
Safety:
Safe boating conduct must be observed at all times. Participants must wear a PFD when on the water and be in possession of a sounding device to be in compliance with state laws.
Plan ahead and come prepared. Be certain to have food, snacks and water/beverages. It is advisable to bring sun protection/sunscreen. And dry bag/boxes for anything that shouldn’t get wet.
Tandems / Sharing:
Two participants are allowed to fish in the same boat if notice is first given to the Tournament Director. The boat must be the type of boat that is generally recognized as being safely capable of carrying two participants. In this situation, all people in said boat must be registered participants (no non-participants are allowed in the boat). Participants fishing in the same boat must score their fish individually using their own measuring device and upload photos to their own account with iAngler.
Communications:
All types of communication between participants are allowed. Participants may even share information of where the fish are biting with the other participants, if they wish. Should there be a need of an Emergency call, when possible, also contact the Tournament Director. The Tournament Director’s phone number will be given out at the “Drive-thru” Captain’s Meeting.
Sportsmanship:
Participants are expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety and conservation. Any infraction of these fundamental sporting principles may be deemed cause for disqualification. Maximum courtesy must be practiced at all times, especially with regards to boating and angling in the vicinity of non- participants who may be on the tournament waters. Any act of a participant deemed by the Tournament Director that gives an angler an unfair advantage not specifically covered under this set of rules, shall be grounds for disqualification.
iAngler:
The iAngler Tournament System (www.ianglertournament.com) is a comprehensive system for the operation and management of fishing tournaments. The iAngler mobile application allows anglers participating to log their catch data while still on the water. This means data is collected all day long and everyone will have a Live Leaderboard to view giving them encouragement to keep casting to catch “one” more fish!
During the tournament, participants will use the mobile app to photograph their catch and record basic information while on the water. The catch is immediately transmitted to the iAngler web portal for review by the Tournament Director. The transmission takes seconds. If an internet connection is not available, the catch record is saved for transmission later.
The Tournament Director is immediately notified when an angler logs a catch. He/she can review the catch photo and information, then accept or reject the submission. Accepted catch records are immediately scored and posted to the Live Leaderboard. Anglers are immediately, via email and within the app, when a catch record is rejected. The rejection notice contains a message from the Tournament Director on why the record was rejected. If possible, the catch record can be corrected and resubmitted.
Example: catch was 19 1/2” and submitted as 21”. Tournament Director would see this and reject. Angler would be able to correct and resubmit.
The mobile app is available for free downloading in the iTunes, Verizon Play Store and Google Apps app stores.
While participants of tournaments are supposed to pay $5 to gain access, Zia Kayak Outfitters will pass out a CODE upon registration of the event enabling you to have access to register on IAngler.
Understand that while a Leaderboard is Live and visible, fish that are uploaded by the app later when the angler’s phone gets a signal or when uploading is done at Zia Kayak Outfitters should the participant need assistance. This means some fish were not uploaded and made knowledgeable to the leaderboard during the tournament and may change expected rankings.
Final Check-Out:
Following the conclusion of the event it is recommended that anglers notify the Tournament Director that you are off the water and safe. The two forms of approved check out are in person or via text.
Ties:
In the event of a tie. The tiebreaker will be the angler with biggest fish. If all of their fish are identical in length then they will be added together. For example if the tie is for 2nd and 3rd the two pots will be added together and split equally. Should there be a tie for the “Big Fish,” the participant’s second largest fish will be used as the tie breaker and if needed, the participant’s third submitted fish will be used to break the tie.
Prize Structure:
Bragging rights and a big picture of you on several websites and Facebook pages (for at least a week) is priceless, but in addition.....
iAngler will be seeking the event’s largest “virtual” stringer of fish. Using aggregate scoring of a total of 5 fish, there will be 10 spots paid out plus the Big Fish competition winner.
Prizes:
1st Prize: $1,500 Cash and $300 in Zia Kayak Outfitters store credit

2nd Prize: $1,000 Cash and $200 Zia Kayak Outfitters store credit

3rd Prize: $750 Cash and $100 Zia Kayak Outfitters store credit

4th Prize: $500 Cash

5th Prize: $300 Cash

6th Prize: $200 Cash

7th Prize: $150 Cash

8th Prize: $100 Cash

9th Prize: $75 Zia Kayak Outfitters store credit 10th Prize: $50 Zia Kayak Outfitters store credit
Sponsors may provide additional awards to participants fishing using their product(s) at their own discretion.
Big Fish Payout: Number of anglers entered X $10
Awards Meeting:
Sunday, May 21st, at 11:00am, all participants expecting to take home prizes and everyone who wants to view the final, final results are to meet at the Elephant Butte Community Center, 313 Rio Grande Circle, Elephant Butte, NM 87935 (off Rock Canyon Road – behind Fire Department- watch for the overhead lights) across the street from Zia Kayak Outfitters. This is the same place where the Captain’s Meeting was held.
It is expected that in addition to you, family members of participants, the Tournament Director, Russ & Edna (Zia Kayak Outfitters), sponsors and media may be in attendance. Prizes will be given out and pictures will be taken.
Protest:
All protests must be submitted in writing along with a $100 cash deposit, within 30 minutes of Final Check-in time to the Tournament Director. If the Tournament Director, who has sole discretion in deciding the validity of the protests, upholds the protest, the cash deposit shall be returned to the participant submitting the protest. Protests may be made with regards to the fairness of the rules or enforcement of the rules. Scoring of photos is subject to the discretion of the Tournament Director, or his/her assigns, and not subject to protest. Allegations of cheating by other participants are not protests, but should be reported to the Tournament Director.
Cheating & Bans:
Cheating is a disgrace to the fun-spirited purposes for which the Elephant Butte Lake Kayak Fishing Tournament is organized. Any participant found cheating will face punishment, as determined by the Tournament Director. Punishment is likely to include a lifetime ban from Elephant Butte Lake fishing events and the names of cheater(s) prominently displayed in public. There is no appeals process for bans or other punishment and the Tournament Director has final discretion on these matters. Any participant who sees or suspects another participant of cheating should attempt to photograph said actions. Whether or not the participant is able to photograph the alleged cheating, it should be reported to the Tournament Director at Final Check-in, or via phone during tournament hours so that justice may be served. Alleging cheating is not a protest and does not require a $100 deposit.
Release of Liability:
A waiver, release of liability, and covenant not to sue is required to participate. It is required that all participants take responsibility for themselves while participating in the varied Elephant Butte Lake Kayak Fishing Tournament activities. Participants must accept that kayak, canoe, etc. fishing is inherently dangerous - safety and individual responsibility must be exercised at all times.
Photo Releases:
Scoring photos and other photos downloaded to the official tournament computer remain the sole ownership of Zia Kayak Outfitters and its sponsors. Participants grant Zia Kayak Outfitters and sponsors the unconditional right to use their name, voice, photographic likeness and biographical information in connection with the Elephant Butte Lake Kayak Fishing Tournament and production, promotion, and/or articles and press releases, and shall not be entitled to receive any royalties or other compensation in connection with such use. This includes photographs taken by Zia Kayak Outfitters and the sponsors or media.
Rule Changes:
These written rules become finalized at the end of the Captain’s Meeting. Rules interpretation is exclusively left to the Tournament Director. Rules can be changed and will be left exclusively to the Tournament Director.
Feedback:
Zia Kayak Outfitters wants to conduct a Kayak Fishing Tournament annually and desires ever increasing numbers of participants. Please take a moment to send an email to EBkayakT@gmail.com offering your suggestions of how we might make improvements. Compliments are also acceptable!
General Information:
The tournament will be conducted rain or shine. But in the case of dangerous conditions, the tournament will be postponed to the following day or to a later date. The decision to shorten or cancel will be left totally to the discretion of the Tournament Director. If canceled or rescheduled, participants have the choice to be refunded or have their fee applied to a future scheduled event.
Should there be a decision to shorten the event, a 4-hour period shall constitute a day of fishing. Area information re: places to eat or places to sleep is an attachment to this when sent by email. Elephant Butte booklet is available for pickup at Zia Kayak Outfitters.
Entrance to State Park requires a Day Pass costing $5.00 per vehicle, or $40 for an annual pass. Tournament participants will be provided a Day Pass at the Captain’s Meeting.
Fishing licenses can be obtained online using this web

address http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/ . Zia Kayak Outfitters is a New Mexico Fishing License Vendor.
Tournament quality fishing tackle is available at Zia Kayak Outfitters 310 Rock Canyon Rd., Elephant Butte.
Maps of Elephant Butte Lake are available online @
https://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&q=elephant+butte+lake+state+park&fb=1& gl=u s&hq=elephant+butte+lake+map&cid= 4554388603399255697&ei=KoyiUoiTBIT M2AXZ5IDIBw&sqi=2&ved=0COEBEPwS
Printed maps are available the Guest Office at the State Park Main Entrance of Marina del Sur.
Kayak launching spots include Marina del Sur, Rock Canyon, Dam Site Marina and shoreline areas known as Dirt Dam, Lions Beach, Rattlesnake Island, Hot Springs Landing Cove, Long Point, Lost Canyon, Three Sisters and Monticello South Point. Be aware of soft sand areas to avoid getting stuck even with 4-wheel drive.
Participants must gauge their own Ending Time to allow for returning to shore, getting kayak out of the water, onto their vehicle or trailer and driving to Zia Kayak Outfitters in time to be assisted in uploading files to iAngler.