2025 Tournament Rules

2025 Back River Cobia Bowl (TRIFECTA)
Tournament Rules
1. All captains must abide by any applicable state/federal regulations.
2. All participants must be covered by a valid VA Saltwater sport fishing
license and must obey all Federal and VA Saltwater Fishing Regulations.
Failure to do so would mean disqualification.

3. All fish must be caught in VA or Federal waters.

4. All entries must be registered prior to 8 P.M., Friday, June 27 2025

5. Fish must be caught by rod and reel only. NO GAFFS PERMITTED-
That means no gaff use for recreational OR commercial fisherman

involved in the tournament.

6. Each boat may weigh-in one (1) Cobia only. If there is a Registered
youth angler on the boat they can weigh-in One (1) Cobia as well.
Winners will be determined by the weight of the team’s heaviest Cobia.
(VRMC regulations on legal size.)

7. A representative from each registered boat is required to attend Captain’s
Meetings on Friday, June 27, 2025 starting at 6:30pm; located at
Whitehouse Cove Marina in Poquoson.

8. Official tournament start time is 6:00 AM. (lines in the water) on
Saturday, June 285h, 2025. This means NO bait fishing and NO
chumming before 6am. No fishing of any kind before 6AM on

tournament day.

9. TWO Official Weigh-in stations: Whitehouse Cove Marina, Poquoson
VA; and Bay Pointe Marina in Norfolk (9500 30th Bay St, Norfolk).
Weigh-ins will start at 1p.m. and must be in line, to have fish weighed,
no later 5 p.m.

10. Fish can be brought in by car or boat.

11. In case of a tie, the earliest time of weigh-in or registered fish will
determine the winner.

12. All fish are subject to thorough examination, both external and internal.

13. Any contestant found guilty of cheating, attempting to cheat, or
otherwise deviating from the regulations of this tournament, shall be
disqualified and considered ineligible for further and future participation.

14. The tournament will be held, regardless of weather, on June 28, 2025;
fishing is done at your own risk. No refunds!!

15. There will be 3 levels of optional Calcutta's. The previous level must be
entered to enter the next.
CASH ONLY! Entry fees are: COBIA: Level 1-$100, Level 2-$300,
Level 3-$500. SPANISH MAC: Level 1-$100, Level 2-$200, Level 3-
$300. PUPPY DRUM: Level 1-$100, Level 2-$200, Level 3-$300.
Monies will be distributed as follows: 1st place–60% of total purse; 2nd
place–30% of total purse; 3rd place– 10% of total purse. You must tag

your heaviest Calcutta fish with the special tag provided at Captains
meeting. There is also a standalone BIG DRUM RELEASE CALCUTTA
which is totally separate from these Calcutta’s, see rule #17.

16. Kid Angler Division–Children 16 years old and under may participate.
The largest fish wins $500. In case of a tie, the first fish brought in will
win. Fish may also be entered in the main event. Must register at
Captains meeting.

17. NEW! Big Drum Release Calcutta: This is a standalone Calcutta
ad-on (you do not need to enter other Calcutta’s to enter big drum
release Calcutta). You may add this Calcutta to any of the three
trifecta tournaments. The team with the most properly documented
big drum releases wins. Releases must be documented by a cellular
date & time-stamped photograph showing the fish on a tape
measure CLEARLY showing it is over 35” long, as well as clearly
showing the angler and the tournament issued release card.
Tournament reserves the right to DQ any fish for what they deem
to be an inadequate photo or evidence of the catch/release.

18. No fish can be released dead.

19. Each Cobia entry will receive 1 captain’s bucket and four wristbands to
the after party and awards presentation. Each Puppy Drum entry will
receive 1 captain’s bucket and two wristbands to the after party and
awards presentation. Each Spanish Mackerel entry will receive 1
captain’s bucket and two wristbands to the after party and awards
presentation.

20. Awards presentation will start at 5:30pm at Whitehouse Cove Marina.

21. Payout levels for 2025 tournament:
COBIA:
• 1st - $5,000

• 2nd - $3,000

• 3rd - $1,500

• Jr - $500
SPANISH MACKEREL:
- 1st $800
-2nd $300
-3rd $100
Puppy Drum:
- 1st $800
-2nd $300
-3rd $100

22. All participants expressly acknowledge and agree that neither The
Back River Cobia Bowl nor any of it’s board members,
advisors, sponsors, marinas shall be held responsible for any
injury, death, loss or damage of any kind resulting from
participation in this tournament. FISH AT YOUR OWN
RISK. It is the fishing team’s responsibility to check the
weather forecast and determine if it is safe to go.
Team Representative Acknowledgment: _________________
23. The additional angler addition will be at a rate
of $50.00

24. No drone use permitted in any division of this tournament.
25. All Enteries are to take a picture of their singed entry card showing
Calcutta’s as their receipt. Any protest must be accompanied
by this receipt.

26. Any fish that appears to have been penned, mangled, mashed,
mauled, foul hooked, or otherwise altered will not be
weighed at the discretion of the Tournament board.
27. Puppy drum tournament is a three (3) fish stringer tournament.

Heaviest three (3) weighed.

28. Spanish Mackerel tournament is a three (3) fish stringer tournament.

Heaviest three (3) fish weighed.

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A CODE WORD WILL BE PROVIDED AT THE CAPTAINS MEETING.
THE FISH MUST BE VIDEOED ALIVE AFTER LANDING. (AKA GETTING THE FISH IN THE BOAT) THE CODEWORD MUST BE RECORDED DURING SAID VIDEO.

FAILURE TO RECORD THE FISH ALIVE AND/OR FAILURE TO SAY THE CODEWORD IN THE RECORDING WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION OF SAID FISH.

The recording is to be presented to the Weigh-in Master at the Weigh-in location. If the video is considered “questionable” by the Weigh-in master, the video is to be sent to the Tournament Director. The Tournament Director will make the final decision regarding authenticity of video and eligibility of said fish.