THE BILLFISH FOUNDATION’S COLLEGIATE BILLFISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP OFFICIAL RULES

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The college football season has just begun with fall practice, who do you think will win it all this year? While you might not have a chance to actively participate in NCAA games, TBF has a way for ANYONE (students, alumni, or fans) to help shore up the reputation and competitiveness of your favorite college/university. All you have to do is sign up today for TBF’s and Collegiate Billfish National  Championship (CBNC) competition. Your team may not be in contention right now for the #1 ranking, but with TBF, you and your friends can win a National Championship in honor of your college or university. All it takes is to be a or become a current TBF member and sign up for the TBF CBNC competition under the name of the school in whose honor you wish to compete.

Anyone can join and sign-up is easy – Current students, alumni, faculty, and fans can all participate in the CBNC. The CBNC sign-up form is located on below and is easy to complete. You can also join TBF and purchase all your tagging equipment needs via TBF’s website. Are you unsure of your TBF membership status? Contact Deborah Cummings or (954) 938-0150 ext. 106 to confirm your current status. Remember, you must have an active TBF membership and sign up for the CBNC to participate.

How does your college/university team win- To participate and win TBF’s CBNC National Championship, just submit your tag cards no later than September 15, 2012.  The team that accumulates the highest number of points during the competition year takes home the trophy. TBF updates the tally regularly on its website, so fish early, fish often, and send in your tag cards as soon as you have them.  Species of billfish tagged are worth varied amounts of points.

  • 100 points for Sailfish and Swordfish
  • 250 points for Striped/White Marlin and Spearfish
  • 500 points for Black and Blue Marlin

This year’s competition began on September 3, 2011 and will conclude on September 30, 2012. Please make sure you clearly state the college/university you are fishing for when you submit your tag cards – ON EACH TAG CARD submitted.  Just write the school name in bold letters somewhere on the card.  The angler and the captain can both accumulate points as long as both people are TBF members, signed up for the CBNC and clearly state which school they are competing for on the tag cards.

TBF CBNC Jackets, Costa Sunglasses & Trophy With Bragging Rights – The CBNC National Championship winning team (the team that accrues the most points for tagged billfish) will be presented the trophy during TBF’s 2012 Annual Dinner at the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show. From the winning team, the six team members who tally the most points will be named team captains. These individuals will receive CBNC jackets, a pair of Costas and the TBF’s CBNC National Championship Trophy. These captains also vote on where to display the CBNC Trophy (college bar, fishing club, marina, it’s your choice where to show her off) until close of the competition the following year, during the month of August. When it is time to return the trophy, TBF will pay for the shipping back to its office.

Second and Third Place Teams’ Top Tagging Anglers – Recognition of the second and third place teams’ top individual taggers will be made with the presentation of a CBNC certificate and TBF CBNC visor in recognition of their contributions to the year’s competition and to billfish conservation.

Other chances to win in the CBNC – Unlike the BCS, the CBNC offers you and your team other ways to win during the season. By just making sure you are an active TBF member and signing up for the CBNC, you and your team can win prizes, whether or not your team has what it takes to bring home the trophy.

Monthly Winners – There will be winners drawn each month from all who are TBF current members and registered in the TBF CBNC beginning in October 2011. These prizes include one pair of Costa sunglasses given away each month, plus TBF limited edition prints, merchandise, and other cool and exciting prizes from The Billfish Foundation and our partners.  To be eligible to win you must be a current TBF member and registered on TBF’s website for the CBNC.

Team With Most Registered TBF Members – The team with the most registered participants in the CBNC at the close of competition year, on Septmeber 30, 2012, will be recognized on TBF’s website, in Billfish Magazine, as well as receive a 500 point bonus. The CNBC specially designed t-shirt for each team member and have their names placed in a drawing to win one pair of Costa sunglasses. The drawing will be held during the end of the competition year at the trophy presentation during TBF’s Annual Dinner in October. Costa is The Billfish Foundation’s Official Sunglasses corporate partner.

2013 BCS Championship Game tickets – Beginning next year, everyone who signs up for the CBNC and is an active member of TBF can win a pair of tickets to college football’s biggest game! Each participant who signs up automatically gets one chance to score these tickets, but the first 250 individuals to sign up this year will automatically have their name in next year’s drawing twice! If you or your friends want a better chance to win the tickets, you can purchase extra “chances” for $25 dollars each or 5 chances for 100 dollars by contactingPeter or Elliott at TBF.

TBF Website Updates – Regularly check out TBF’s website (www.billfish.org) for monthly TBF CBNC standings, monthly prize drawings, great fishing opportunities with top captains, tournament opportunities and to learn where the fishing action is hot. Rack up points for your team and find out where your team sits in the standings at www.billfish.org.

Join TBF-  For this you receive a membership shirt, release certificates for all the fish you catch, and the chance to join your friends and family in supporting your favorite college football team.  In addition to helping science and conservation, you get a chance to win prizes and bragging rights.  Whether or not you catch 1 or 50 billfish this year, joining TBF’s Collegiate National Billfish Championship keeps fish in the water, supports the honor of your favorite team, and keeps you in the running for great gear and prizes.

Limited Edition CBNC T-shirts- Part of the fun of fishing and college football is showing off where you stand.  With this in mind, TBF has commissioned renowned marine artists to create t-shirts for the competition.  Karen Rhodes has created a women’s shirt and Carey Chen has painted one for the men.  Purchasing these shirts (available soon from TBF’s shopping cart) supports TBF and gives you the chance to show your buddies that you are fishing for the honor of your favorite team.  If you get some action shots on the water while wearing the shirt, TBF would love to see them.

Questions – Contact us by phone or email Peter at (954) 938-0150, ext 107, or Andrew at ext – 115.