Rules and Registration of the Flathead Classic 2024

2024 Flathead Classic Rules and Registration.

  • Registration Day: 
    Tuesday, 24th September 2024 
    4pm until 6pm 

    Event Hub is located at the Northern Pavilion, Broadwater Parklands, Corner of Marine Pde and North St, Southport QLD 4215.

    There is event hub parking for evenings only.

    Fishing Day 1: 
    Wednesday 25th September 2024
    Start Fishing  6:00am 
    Stop Fishing 3:30pm

    Fishing Day 2 : 
    Thursday, 26th September 2024
    Start Fishing  6:00am 
    Stop Fishing 3:30pm

    Fishing Day 3 : 
    Friday, 27th September 2024 
    Start Fishing  6:00am 
    Stop Fishing 2pm

1. All boats fishing in the Gold Coast Flathead Classic must have a current boat insurance policy. It is advised that you have your policy cover details with you when you are fishing the event for easy reference.

2. A team will consist of a minimum of two persons and a maximum of three persons.  Junior teams are permitted provided they comply with QLD maritime regulations.

3. Persons other than fully paid entrants in a vessel must have the approval of the tournament committee. Any action construed as assistance to the angler or anglers by anyone other than a fully paid entrant by any means whatsoever will cause team disqualification for that day or possibly the tournament.

4. This is a Catch and Release competition only. All species of Fish must be released alive.

5. Only artificial lure or flies to be used. Under no circumstances are dead or live baits to be used.

6. No burley is to be used. Although commercial scents are permitted.

7.  **Flathead of any size are eligible for submission for points** All team members must fish out of the same boat. It is possible to have 2 teams’ fish from the same boat i.e two teams of two anglers **Trolling is permitted** The maximum rods in use at any one time is one per angler, thus three rods for a 3-angler team and 2 in use for a 2 angler team. Anglers must set, cast, attend and retrieve their own rods. It is anticipated that equal fishing opportunity will result in approximately equal scores. Having one angler “on strike” will be viewed unfavourably by the tournament committee and may result in disqualification from the event. Protests of any nature must be brought to the attention Tournament committee or marshals on the day of the incident. All decisions made by the Tournament committee concerning rules and prizes will be final and no correspondence entered into. Flathead must be photographed on the tournament sticker provided so the length of the fish is clearly visible. Measurement of fish must be rounded down ie: 40.5 to be rounded down to 40.  In addition, you must have the allocated “token” in every picture. **The fish is to be measured from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail** **Tokens for the event will be issued on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night. They will be different each day** The top 20 (more if scoring is tight) teams will be asked to submit all photo’s to email gmi@goldcoastsportfishingclub.com.au Other teams who have Biggest Flathead will also need to email the photo’s through In the event of a tie then the committee will make the final decision and other species in consideration for the longest fish category must be photographed with a digital camera or mobile phone. These pictures must be made available to the tournament committee upon request.

The tournament fishing boundaries are from the overhead powerlines on Russell Island in the north and to the Pacific Highway Bridge at Nerang in the south/west and all waterways in between apart from government gazetted closed areas. The area extending eastwards from the Seaway Tower directly north across the seaway From an imaginary line that runs in line with the trees on the bank and the Q1 building Anyone fishing east of Swan Bay is considered to be fishing in a bar crossing as such if boats under 4.8m all passengers must be wearing life jackets. All green zones are strictly adhered to, you fish these areas at the peril of the of authorities. Its every boater’s responsibility to know Green Zone boundaries **Attached is an annex with pictures of the arena** All anglers must fish within the stated tournament boundaries. This means even if the boat is within the boundary, no casting or drifting beyond the boundary is permitted whilst lines are in the water. Remember a boundary can look different from different perspectives and distances and unless you are in line with the boundary yourself it is exceedingly difficult to see if someone is in or out of the boundary line. In the first instance we recommend before lodging a complaint that you have a conversation with the team concerned. This conversation should be approached positively and not go in all guns blazing. Maybe it a different interpretation or misunderstanding or people not being familiar with the area? Or is it your perspective are you best place to tell? Remember boundaries are in place to adhere to the Law, Safety and fairness of competition. When fishing in shallow water please keep a cast away from the nearest boat, approx 30m Be careful not to dop in on someone’s drift if they are already drifting the bank you should come in behind them rather than dropping in front of them If you are motoring against the current either under electric or main motor you must give way to boats drifting with the current. 

8. All fish must be photographed on a tournament sticker, that is fish lying on top of the sticker. In addition, you must have your allocated token for the day in the photo, with your angler name. NB: you will need the token word with your angler name on for each angler each day,  as the token changes on a daily basis. 

You will receive a token the evening before for each day. Write this on a piece of paper with a marker pen or alike and make sure its visible in every picture of a fish** We recommend keeping a picture of every fish you capture so if you have any queries with your score then you can send the pictures through and we can manually amend the score in the background. **All capture submissions are to be in by 4.15pm on Wednesday and Thursday and 2.15pm on Friday ** If you are having difficulty, please ring Trent Hopkins on 0421851745

9. Teams who lodge a daily score of 700 points or more or any individual angler whose daily score is 450 points or more must submit their photos of Flathead 40cm or greater to the gamesmasters email: gmi@goldcoastsportfishingclub.com.au.

All photos taken by all anglers must be retained until the end of the competition. In case of a countback, photos must be submitted on request. If no photos can be produced all claimed points will be invalid.

10. All Other Species must be QLD legal length to qualify for recording purposes and must be photographed on the tournament sticker with daily token and angler name.

11. In the event of there being two or more fish of equal length qualifying for the longest fish (Flathead or otherwise), the first fish caught will be declared the winner.

12. No gaffs to be used to capture fish. Fish friendly nets (knotless / Enviro-nets) are recommended.

13. This Tournament is open to all line classes and line types.

14. The Tournament Fishing Boundaries are from the overhead powerlines on Russell
Island in the north and to the Pacific Highway Bridge at Nerang in the south/west and all waterways in between apart from government gazetted closed areas. There are two exclusion zones within these boundaries that are marked on the tournament grid map provided in the E-Mag. No fishing can take place in these exclusion zones:

i) The area extending eastwards from the Seaway Tower directly north across the Seaway.

ii) From an imaginary line that runs in line with the trees on the bank and the Q1 building.

15. All team members are to be in line of sight from their team mates when fishing from the shore.

16. All team members must fish out of the same boat. It is permissible to have two teams fish from the same boat (e.g. two teams of 2-anglers).

17. The maximum rods in use at any one time is one rod per angler. Thus, three rods in use at anytime for a 3-angler team, two rods in use for a 2-angler team. Anglers must set, cast, attend and retrieve their own rods. It is anticipated that equal fishing opportunity will result in approximately equal scores for each angler in the team. Having one angler in the team “on strike” will be viewed unfavourably by the Tournament Committee. Having one angler “On Strike” will be viewed unfavourably by the tournament committee and may result in disqualification from the event.

18. Protests of any nature must be brought to the attention of the Tournament Committee or Marshalls on the day of the incident.

19. All decisions made by the Tournament Committee concerning rules, prizes and trophies are final and no correspondence will be entered into.

20.All fish must be entered by 4.15pm on Wednesday & Thursday And 2.15pm on Friday.

RULES FOR DAILY DRAW

1. Each day competitors names will be selected based on a mystery time. All competitors selected will be placed in a wheel for a prize drawn that day. 

2. All decisions made by the Tournament Committee concerning prize draws and prizes are final.