TOURNAMENT RULES
16th Steinlager
International
I’A LAPO’A
Game Fishing
Tournament
May 3th – 09th 2015
Pago Pago
Game Fishing
Association
P.O. Box 1215
Pago Pago, AS 96799
Phone: (684) 699-1453
Fax: (684)-699-5272
Contact: Peter Crispen
toolshop@blueskynet.as
*Please READ the
following RULES CAREFULLY.
Website: ppgfa.com
ELIGIBILITY
A team may be comprised of any number of anglers but at least two anglers on a team (for safety a minimum
of two is required). Team members must fish together on a registered tournament boat throughout the
tournament. Only registered anglers are allowed on any tournament boat. All people on any boat must be
registered anglers. The tournament committee can make an exception for press or special needs. Permission
must be given before, not after the boat has competed for the day and only after a written request has been
handed to the tournament committee.
TOURNAMENT FEES
Pre-registration US $200, Regular registration $225.00. Pre-registration - applies to anglers who complete
online registration form at www.ppgfa.com on or before April 29, 2015. All fees (pre-registration / regular)
must be paid at regular registration May 3, 2015. Registration Fee includes 1 thru 6 below.
Women’s & Juniors Day – Wednesday, May 6th.. Women’s fee $25, Junior fee $20. The fee includes
Steinlager T-shirt..
For Supporters the fee is US$100. The Supporters package includes 1, 3, 5 and 6(a) below, entry to daily weigh
in and daily prize giving.
TOURNAMENT PACK
Your tournament pack includes:
1) Admission to the Opening Ceremony.
2) Complimentary Gift Pack.
3) Tournament T-Shirt and Lava lava.
4) Set of Rules for the Tournament.
5) Admission to the Closing Ceremony.
6) Your PPGFA 'Name Tag' (to be worn at all times) which entitles you to:
a) Free Breakfast for the 4 days of fishing.
b) Free transport to and from dock and event locations during the tournament days.
c) Your official entry to the 2014, 16th Steinlager I’a Lapo’a Tournament.
BRIEFING
Briefing will take place Sunday, May 3th at (Venue to be announced). All anglers and boat captains must
attend the pre-tournament briefing unless exempted by the tournament committee. All anglers must uplift
and sign for their Tournament Pack.
SHOTGUN START FIRST DAY
Monday 4th May - All boats must assemble by 6:50am at the designated area in Pago Pago Harbor for the
purpose of filming the commencement of the event. The area designated will be announced at the briefing.
FISHING TIMES (Leave Harbor & Lines Out)
Monday 4th May
7:05am – 5:00pm
Tuesday 5th May
5:00am – 5:00pm
Ladies & Juniors
Wednesday 6th May
6:00am – 4:00pm
Thursday 7th May
5:00am – 5:00pm
Friday
8th May
5:00am – 5:00pm
ALL BOATS MUST BE AT THE WEIGH STATION BY 5:00pm ON THE DAY, NO LATE WEIGH IN
The official time can be had at 699-4949 and this time will be used for all purposes throughout the
tournament.
FISHING AREA
The fishing area for the tournament is within the waters of American Samoa. Fishing of all areas is permitted,
but all boats must start and finish from Pago Pago Harbor and all catches must be present at the weigh-station
no later than 5:00pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. On Wednesday (ladies & juniors day) weighstation closes at 4:00pm
FISHING RULES
The tournament will be fished in accordance with strict I.G.F.A. (www.igfa.org )and tournament rules
(www.ppgfa.com). It is the responsibility of the angler to be familiar with and abide by both sets of rules. In
the event that these rules clash, tournament rules will prevail.
TACKLE
The tournament will be fished by up to and including 80lb/37kg line class. All tackle for the tournament must
meet I.G.F.A. regulations.
Commercial fishing tackle except that which conforms to I.G.F.A. rules, is not allowed on any participating
vessel. Disqualification from the tournament will result.
SPECIES
The species eligible for this tournament are: Billfish (includes Blue Marlin, Black Marlin, White Marlin, Striped
Marlin, Swordfish, Sailfish & Spearfish), Tuna (Yellowfin & Bigeye), Masi Masi, Wahoo, Giant Trevally,
Dogtooth tuna and Miscellaneous species (No Sharks and must be a pelagic fish including but not limited to
Skipjack tuna, Rainbow Runner, Barracuda, Bluefin or Trevally).
MINIMUM WEIGHTS
Marlin & Swordfish 200lb, Sailfish & Spearfish 60lb, Yellow fin & Bigeye Tuna 15lb, Masi Masi 15lb, Wahoo
15lb, Giant Trevally 15lb, Dogtooth tuna 15lb, Miscellaneous 15lb.
SCORING
Each catch will be awarded points based on one point per lb of fish weighed irrespective of line class. Each
angler’s points will be collated for team/boat points. All miscellaneous species meeting minimum weight will
be recognized for the American Samoa Visitors Bureau prize for most species caught. In the event of a tie
between boats in the number of species caught, a tally of the heaviest fish of each species will be made and
the greatest combined weight will decide the winner.
TAG AND RELEASE
Billfish only (Marlin, Swordfish, Sailfish and Spearfish) will be eligible for tag & release in this tournament.
Points will be awarded for each tagged and released fish irrespective of the estimated weight:
Tag & Release Marlin & Swordfish 200pts, Sailfish 100pts & Spearfish 60pts.
Photographic evidence must be provided, using digital or video camera (video preferred). An item issued with
the tournament pack and specified by the tournament committee each day must be present in the photos or
video submitted as verification. The tag and release process (i.e. both the tagging and the releasing of the fish)
must be shown clearly in the photographs or video. Failure to strictly adhere to these requirements may result
in your fish being disallowed. All tag & release pictures or videos must be made available for downloading for
possible review, publicity of current and future Steinlager I’a Lapo’a tournaments and use on the P.P.G.F.A.
web site. The pictures and videos will remain the property of the provider.
CATCHES
All catches must be radioed or phoned to tournament base during round up times giving the species, boat and
anglers name. Failure to follow these requirements may result in disqualification of the catch.
COMMUNICATION
All boats must have a V.H.F. radio and tuned to the tournament channel, 84. A.S.T.C.A. mobile phones will also
be used by all boats. Round up times will be 10:00am and 2:00pm each day.
WEIGH IN
All fish must be available for presentation at the weigh-station by 5:00pm sharp to be included in that days
prize giving. An air horn will be sounded at 5:00pm. All fish must be weighed on the day of capture. Each
angler must complete a 'catch card' declaring his or her catch was made in accordance with tournament
rules. Ladies & Juniors Day weigh in closes at 4:00pm.
The “catch card” must be handed to the weigh-master at the weigh-station during official weigh in times and
no later than when the closing horn has been sounded (5:00pm Mon, Tues, Thur & Fri; Wed 4:00pm).
No LATE hookups or weigh-in will be approved.
The angler must present all tackle (lure and rod), including gaff with which the fish was caught. All lures must
be removed before the fish is weighed.
A “tag & release card” must be completed for each tagged and released fish and be handed to the weigh
master by 5:00pm, on the day of tagging.
There will be no challenges allowed of the tournament committee’s decision.
All fish to be credited to the Pago Pago Game Fishing Association. All fish weighed become the property
PPGFA. They will be used for sashimi, oka, etc. and distributed
to the tournament sponsors and charities.
RETURN TO BASE
To account that all vessels have returned
each day, at least one team member must
report and sign in at tournament headquarters no later than 7:00pm each night. Failure to do so may result in
teams being penalized.
DISCLAIMER
The distribution of prizes within your team is your team's responsibility. Set your ground rules at the start
as the Organizers will not be involved in your domestic differences.
SAFETY REGULATIONS
In the interest of safety all boats must carry required safety equipment.
PROTESTS
Any protest concerning the validity of any catch shall be filed in writing signed and handed to the tournament
committee by no later than 6:15pm, on the day of the catch. All decisions made by the Tournament Organizers
shall be final and binding and no correspondence will be entered into.
CLARIFICATION OF THE RULES
Before you begin fishing, make sure you are clear on all the rules. If in doubt, ask the officials as no warning
will be given. Any competitor who commits a breach of the rules shall be disqualified. The decision of the
committee shall be final.
PPGFA reserves the right at its sole discretion to refuse entry into the tournament of any angler or team of
anglers or of any boat, fishing craft, or vessel, and its decision concerning same
shall be final and no discussions or correspondence will be entertained.
Any person who has been disqualified or denied entry to any other tournament will not be eligible for entry.
GAMING RULES FOR: $15,000 DAILY JACKPOT & TOTAL WEIGHT TO THE POLE
$15,000 Daily lotto – All registered anglers have the opportunity to win $15,000 on each of the four (4)
days of the tournament. In order to win a registered angler must bring to the weigh pole the heaviest eligible
fish species caught on that day i/a/w the published tournament rules.
If the last two (2) digits of the whole pound weight of the heaviest qualified species brought to the weigh pole
on any of the 4 days matches the pre-selected two (2) digit number in a sealed envelope identified for that
specific day of the tournament that individual is a winner.
Example: the heaviest eligible fish brought to the pole for the day weighs in at 347.08 pounds. In order to
win, the $15,000 prize the pre-selected number in the sealed envelope, for that specific day, must be the
number 47 (whole pounds). The fractional weight .08 is not eligible and will not be used to match the preselected number.
Daily Boat Pool – Total POINTS to the Pole including Tag & Release –
All registered boats may enter the DAILY POOL for the highest Total Points brought to the weigh pole each day
for all entered boats. The daily entry fee per boat is $100.00. The wining boat will receive 70% of the daily
pool and the PPGFA 30%. Only eligible species caught i/a/w tournament rules and presented to the pole on or
before 5:00pm will be considered in the total weight.
The distribution, if any, of a boat’s pool winnings is at the sole discretion of the boat's captain.
TOURNAMENT OFFICIALS
Peter Crispin
Tournament Manager
733-2847
/ 699- 1453
toolshop@blueskynet.as
Andy Wearing
Facilities Manager
indgas@blueskynet.as
Debbs Cox
Events Manager
russ.debbs@gmail.com
Jim Mahoney
Comptroller
jim.tuvao@gmail.com
Lasiandra Hall
Government Liaison
258-4988
733-1211
lasiandra@americansamoa.travel
733-3890
George Poysky
Gaming Manager
poysky@blueskynet.as
258-2988
254-5531
Fred Brant
Weigh-master
Iusitino Williams
Media Coordinator
iusitino@yahoo.com
733-7448
J.D. Hall
Web Master
jd@rhalljrlaw.com
733-6473
258-5111
toolshop@blueskynet.as
Will Sword
IGFA Representative
258-9455
sword.william@gmail.com
Tom Drabble
Social Director
733-5714
tom@sadieshotels.com