Clarification on ABT Series Rules

[Bart70]

Hi,

Just a couple of quick clarifications on the 09/10 ABT Kayak Series Rules. I have had a look through the document but wanted to clear up a couple of things I had heard around the place.

Firstly - Is it compulsory that any net used must be of the 'fish friendly'' type? (ie - Environets etc....) Are there any types (other than the old mesh types) that are not allowed?

Secondly, I have heard that if you return with 4 fish and with the intention of selecting your best 3 at the shore you will be disqualified - Is this also true? I could not see any specific mention of this in the rules. (I also guess if you pick up a couple of nice whiting for dinner it would be best not to turn up to the shore with them in your well either .... )

It is looking like I will be doing Camden Haven round and want to make sure I get it right.

Cheers,

Bart70

[GregL]

Hi Bart,
Environets/ fish friendly nets are NOT compulsory, and there are no nets that are banned (except of course from purse seine, gill, and trawling nets ).

You are also ONLY allowed to have 3 Bream in your tank at any one time. Any upgrading must take place BEFORE you get back to the start/ finish launch site.
An unlucky guy was disqualified at Bemm River for coming back with a tank of fish and sorting them out back at the beach. This is a simple rule that is easy to adhere to.
If you have difficulty doing your upgrading whilst out on the water, you ARE ALLOWED to go ashore during the comp to sort your fish out.

As for 'additional species', there is no problem with taking home a few whiting or flatties or whatever else - EXCEPT the bream that you actually weigh in.
The point to remember is that this is a BREAM ONLY CATCH AND RELEASE TOURNAMENT. The bream you weigh in must swim away after they have been weighed. By catch are by catch, so its up to you what you do with them. If you put them in the livewell though with your bream, you should consider if the extra number of fish in your tank is going to be detrimental to the health of your bream.

Hope that helps Bart.
Any other questions please don't hesitate to ask.
See you at Camden Haven,

Best regards,
Greg

[Bart70]

Thanks Greg,

Much appreciated - Looking forward to the weekend!

Bart70

[GregL]

No worries Bart - look forward to meeting you.
Regards,
Greg

[malg]

Wasn't it sad to see those greedy pelicans making off with our pet bream?? "Catch your own food!" I say

[steve]

I agree!!

[GregL]

Yeah, those greedy buggers!
One of them nailed a 27cm that I threw right under the walk way onto the pontoon - I've never seen a pelican move so quick, and I felt really bad for the fish.
Still, he was released and swam away healthy - albeit for about 3 seconds

[Ben Hough]

Still looking for a slight bit of clarification, you guys have stated that you cannot return to the weigh-in with more than the 3 fish in the livewell, yet we are allowed to pull into shore to sort out the fish. Does this mean that if I am at a spot and catch, say, 2 potential upgrades, I can place them in the well temporarily until I finish at that particular spot (my livewell is more than 25L, I know it can handle up to 5 fish without any problems to the fish especially for a short time), then go into shore and remove the smallest 2 fish before going into the weigh-in? Or do you mean that I can, for example, leave the upgrade fish in the net as I paddle to shore quickly to sort it out (ie, strictly no more than 3 fish in the livewell at any single time). I found in the Walpole comp that I was able to sit sideways on my Quest without any dramas to be able to select the smallest fish when the water was calm, but I recall one section which had a lot of chop (where most of the guys ended up towards the end of the 2nd day) where I know it would be impossible for a guy my size to sit sideways on the kayak as relatively unstable as my Quest. I just really want to stay within the rules yet also maximise my chances of getting my biggest bag.

[GregL]

Hi Ben,
Look its really easy!
Catch three fish, then catch a fourth, which is bigger than your smallest fish in the tank. If its too awkward to do the upgrading out on the water, then by all means head in to the shore and sort them out immediately - don't just keep filling your tank with fish until the end of the comp before you sort them out.
You're only supposed to have a maximum of 3 fish in the tank at any time, but you won't get dq'd if you've got a fourth and you're on your way to the shore - not the weigh in - to sort it out.
Hope that clears it up for you buddy!
Regards,
Greg

[Ben Hough]

Sure does, thanks!