Name

The event shall be known as the 63rd Kariba International Tiger Fish Tournament, KITFT (Inter-Club). It is a four-person team event.

Dates and Venue

The KITFT tournament will be held on the 2nd, 3rd & 4th October 2023 from the NAUZ Charara Site, Lake Kariba. It is a three-day event.

Entry Fee

The entry fee shall be US$550 per team of four. There is a further charge of US$50 per driver/reserve in a team. This amount is non-refundable in the event of a withdrawal or non-arrival, unless authorised by the committee.

Entry Requirements

Entry is open to all Clubs / Societies and their members who meet with the following requirements:

• Zimbabwean Clubs / Societies must be properly constituted and fully paid-up members of the NAUZ (Union).
• Non-Zimbabwean Clubs / Societies must be fully paid-up members of the Angling Union or Association of that country subject to proof of membership of their Home Union.
• To have International Status teams must comprise of at least three members who are non-resident of Zimbabwe. Teams’ status at the start of the first day will remain the same for the duration of the tournament.
• Entries will only be accepted on the official entry form. Change of Competitors’ names on the entry forms will only be permitted if proof of membership can be furnished.
• All teams, once they have registered, will be allocated numbers on their arrival at the KITFT office at NAUZ Charara site.
• Entry forms must be completed in full and addressed and delivered to the KITFT Administrator, 64 Churchill Avenue, Alex Park, Harare.

Final Acceptance for Entries

The closing date for the acceptance of entries will be published in advance. The Committee reserves the right to accept or reject entries without recourse.

Teams

A team may consist of four anglers and two reserves / drivers who must all be registered. These reserves may replace any one of the team members on any of the three days of the tournament, provided prior consent is granted by the Committee and the reserve’s name was entered on the original entry form.

Only individuals in a four-man team can compete for the individual trophies.

A minimum of two anglers per boat. No angler may fish in a boat alone.

If you are entering a FULL junior or ladies team of 4 anglers with 2 drivers per team. You will be allowed to write down a reserve angler in that same category on your entry form who will be your official reserve. The drivers will remain as drivers. This will enable teams to maintain the integrity of a full ladies or junior team for the duration of the tournament and not lose their status if for any reason one of the anglers is unable to continue angling
If you do not have a reserve angler of the same category available, then you would have to fish 3 up in one boat to maintain your status.

Boats

Boats remain the sole responsibility of the individual competitors.

A team may use a maximum of two boats, for the duration of the tournament (i.e. start of official practice to end of the tournament). Replacement of boats due to breakdown must be sanctioned by the Committee. It is a contravention of the rules for a team or competitor to seek or accept assistance of an individual vessel or vessels for the purpose of trying to increase their catch of fish. The bona fide rendering or seeking of assistance in the event of a breakdown, accident, for medical reasons or any other like emergency is permitted.

A competing boat may not fish within 100 metres of another boat without invitation. To indicate that you are fishing at a preferred area you must either be anchored or tied with your motor raised.

Under no circumstances will competitors be allowed to carry passengers in their boats without prior consent from the organising Committee.

Boats may not reserve spots. Do not claim a tree or area as yours. No complaints will be entertained by the Committee.

Safety equipment as listed on the Safety and Survey form is compulsory and any Boat not having this equipment will result in the Team’s catch for the day being disqualified. Marshals will make random checks throughout the Tournament.

Captains Meeting

The Captains Meeting will be held 16:00 hours on the Tuesday preceding the tournament. It is imperative that each team be represented by at least one member.

Check In / Out

Each team will receive two identification tags when registering their team at the KITFT Charara Site Office. These tags must be handed in by each boat, into a collection point, as from 04:00 hours prior to the start of each day’s fishing. The tag system is administrated on the water.

Tag collection will continue on the water until 07:00 for late starters.

If a boat starts too late to hand in their tag into the officials, they must inform the committee and hand in their tag to a designated collection point at the Heritage launch pad.

On completion of the day’s fishing, teams must collect their tags at the Weigh Bay, after syncing their days catch (even if there were no fish caught). Any teams who have not collected their tags before 18:00 hours will face disciplinary action.

The tag system must be strictly adhered to, to avoid possible disqualification. This system enables the Committee to know who is not competing and more importantly who has not returned and may be stranded on the lake. This is VERY IMPORTANT as the system is used in conjunction with EZYTRACK to see if there are any competitors stuck out on the lake.

Marshals

Marshals will be in attendance at Charara and on the Lake. They will be identifiable by their printed shirts and / or armbands and their duties include:

• The right to examine all boats and tackle of competitors.
• To patrol the lake during the tournament to ensure competitors abide by the rules.
• To render assistance to competitors in the event of an emergency, to the best of their ability.

Ezytrack

All boats to be fitted with tracking prior to the start of the tournament, supplied by Ezytrack for their own safety.

Teams that do not have tracking installed for any day of the tournament will be disqualified for that day.

Eligible Fish / Scoring System

Only Tiger Fish (Hydrocynus Vittatus) of a length of 30cm or more will be eligible.

A bag limit of 20 fish per team per day, shall apply.

Measurement to be called out to the nearest half cm rounded DOWN. (i.e.-if the fish sits between 36cm and 36.5cm your score will be 36cm)

Points will be awarded per cm according to a length to weight formula.

All fish to qualify towards your score must be released alive and unmutilated (if you cut a fish for fillet, that fish will not qualify towards your score).

BAITING – only allowed to use indigenous species to the Lake for any and all baiting

The Start

The tournament will commence at 06:00 hours daily. The signal to start will be the firing of a flare at Charara Point.

The start will be an imaginary line running from the Charara Point to the Zebra Gap.

To avoid disqualification, no competing boat or angler may proceed beyond the imaginary line before the official start.

All boats must be behind the Start line between 05:45 hours and 06:00 hours.

On tournament days, anglers are not allowed to feed or chum spots before the official start time.

Lines may not be wet until after the official start, i.e. 06:00 hours.

The Finish and Weigh-in

The gates to the weigh bay (long bar) enclosure will be closed promptly at 16:30 hours. All phones with the Keepnet data not in the enclosure by the prescribed time will not be accepted for weighing under any circumstances.

Equipment

The maximum accepted breaking strain of line for the tournament shall not exceed 10 kilograms.

There will be no restrictions on the number of fishing rods a competitor may use.

All other equipment and methods shall be strictly in accordance with the rules and regulations as laid down by IGFA.

The use of electric reels propelled (remote control) vessel/device is strictly prohibited.

All equipment and methods may randomly be checked by the committee and Marshals to ensure IGFA and CIPS rules are being followed.

Boundaries, Delays, Call Offs

All Zimbabwean waters are legible to fish.

The Committee may delay or call off any day of the tournament, if in the opinion of the committee, in consultation with Lake Captain, the lake becomes too rough, thereby posing a possible danger to competitors and equipment.

In the event of a call off, the day will be declared null and void for all competitors.

Ties

In the event of teams tying for certain trophies the honours will be shared. Except for in the case of “most fish” where most points scored will count.

Infringements of Rules / Disputes / Disqualification

The tournament is governed by the rules and regulations as laid down by IGFA and CIPS. In addition to these, the following will apply:

• Clubs / Societies will always be held responsible for the actions of their members. Should any rule or regulation be breached by a member, the club in it’s entirety, at the discretion of the disciplinary committee may be barred from entering teams for the following year.
• Should an individual competitor breach any rule or regulations governing the tournament, the competitor in question together with his/her team members may face immediate disqualification from the tournament. Furthermore, the entire team and its members may be barred from competing for a minimum of a further two tournaments after which time their application for readmission will be considered by the disciplinary committee.
• The following behaviour will not be tolerated: unsporting conduct, such as causing deliberate disturbance to fellow competitors in any form. Fishing before specified times set by the organising committee. The rules and the spirit of the tournament are not to be abused; in which case the appropriate action will be taken.
• Complaints must be substantiated with positive proof for the committee to take any action and must be lodged by 16:30 hours on the day of the alleged breach of rules and / or regulations.
• The organising committee is empowered to change any rule or to introduce new rules where it sees fit, provided these changes are advantageous to the tournament.

Indemnity

The National Anglers Union and any KITFT committee member will in no way, whatsoever be responsible for the death or injury to persons or loss or damage to personal effects or property prior to, during or after the tournament and entry is at the sole risk of the competitor.

Approval

The tournament has been approved by the Lake Captain, National Parks and the Sports Commission, which have powers and authority over and in the venue of the tournament, the Kariba area generally and persons entering the area and using the Lake.

Test of the Best Tournament

All KITFT rules and regulations, IGFA rules and regulations will apply. Replacement team members are as specified below:

• If a team qualifies for the Test of the Best Tournament, only members of that team or their nominated reserves may fish.
• If the team cannot field four members for the Test of the Best Tournament, the remaining members will be deemed to be the full team.
• Any withdrawals from the Test of the Best Tournament must be in writing to:- The Chairman of KITFT Committee and will be replaced by the next best team from KITFT.
• Any withdrawals must be received at least 28 days prior to the tournament.
• Teams representing fishing clubs from outside Zimbabwe may choose any replacements at the discretion of the KITFT Committee.
• Fishing areas will be at the discretion of the KITFT Committee.