Blue Water World Cup 2023

It’s time to start planning for one of the biggest and most prestigious spearfishing tournaments on Earth!

Blue Water World Cup is kicking off this July, here’s what you need to know:

Dates: July 1 – 5 2023 (full moon is on July 3rd, expect very fishy dives!)

How to sign up: Contact our office at contact@palapasventana.com or give us a call at +1-310-594-DIVE. We will process your entry and assist you with your ground transportation needs and other particulars of the tournament. 

You arrive July 1st and depart July 5th officially, but many divers elect to show up early and do some scout dives – this is allowed! You may also elect to move to Baja after your tournament…it happens!

Cost: $1900 per diver

You may sign up a team of 3 divers or individually and we can place you on a team.

What’s included: 

  • All accommodations in triple occupancy casitas with A/C and bathrooms

  • All meals from our famed restaurant, El Anzuelo (excellent sashimi!)

  • Three competitive dive days on board our pangas. Dives are typically from 7am  – 3pm

  • Knowledgeable captain who has worked with us and dived the local area for years

  • $2500 in prize money

  • Tons of giveaways from our fantastic sponsors (think the biggest names in diving and spearfishing)

  • Amazing camaraderie and a lifetime of memories from this competitive and fun event!

  • Airport shuttles from SJD-Palapas Ventana are $225 each way total, and can be split amongst other divers

The Rules:

  • DATE & DURATION OF CONTEST

  • The meet will be held between July 1 – 5, 2023 

  • Competition dive days will take place on July 2nd, 3rd, and 4th

  • No panga is allowed to use any other launching point except for the designated location, and boats that report back after the official time limit will not be allowed to record any entry of fish that day. No boats shall cross the start line  until all boats are present and capable of loading divers. In case of mechanical failures boats must radio in to report their problem, arrange assistance, and be considered if their fish count or not due to late return

DIVING RULES

  • Divers must be freediving when they spear and land their catch. Artificial breathing devices must not be used to retrieve fish.

  • All divers must carry valid local fishing licenses (included in application fee) in the boat for the period of the contest.  If spearfishing outside of the dates of the competition, all divers must purchase an additional license. Please advise us at the time of application if you require an extended license and we will be happy to help you arrange it.

  • Divers must propel themselves unassisted and without motors.

  • Diver must remain in the water and unassisted until the fish is subdued.

  • Divers must pull their fish to the surface while they remain in the water. Once the fish is subdued and at the surface someone may gaff it and bring it into the boat.

  • Diver must remain in the water at all times while playing a fish. If contact is lost, they must re-establish contact while remaining in the water. No assistance may be provided, except for other divers or persons out of the water to inform the diver of the location of the fish or float. Additional spear guns may be handed UNLOADED to the diver capturing the fish; they must then be loaded by that diver to place a second or third shot.

  • Fish must be free swimming, and unrestricted by nets, traps, fishing lines or other devices.

  • Fish must not be in an artificial environment such as penned in bays or in close proximity to fish nets.

  • Fish mutilated by anything other than the spearfishing equipment of the applicant are not allowed.

  • Scoring is on an individual basis – trophies and prizes will be awarded to top 3 plus biggest fish.  Cash prizes for 1st and 2nd place individuals – Team scores will be announced but all prizes and cash will be given to individuals

  • Flashers and chum –  Throw flashers and  hang flashers are permitted. Motorized or drone flashers are not allowed.  Divers are prohibited from targeting fish on another teams flashers. Species that may be used for chum are sardines, anchovies, mackerel, ballyhoo, green jacks, pilot fish, and needle fish. Chum may be thrown by the diver or their captain.  Chum may be purchased, captured with cast nets by the captains, or speared by the diver.  Chum may be purchased frozen from Palapas Ventana or live from bait boats at Cerralvo – no team shall spend more than 45 usd per day on chum.  Divers may not target fish on another teams chum slick. Divers may not use any fish on the tournament species list for chum – Divers may not shoot any fish on the target species list for for chum.  Jack Crevalle and Milkfish and Skipjack  speared by divers must be entered in the tournament and (because they can not be sold for charity) will be marked and may be chummed the following day. Again good fish to shoot for chumming are green jacks, mackerel  and needlefish.

  • If you want a fish to count towards a world record, you must abide by the rules of the sanctioning agency, i.e.: IBSRC, IUSA Forms, tapes and assistance available – we have set 11 world records at Palapas Ventana. 

  • Loaded guns may not be kept in the boat – no exceptions.

  • Pangas will cross between the start line buoys no earlier than 7am and must cross between the finish line buoys by 4pm  – no fish on late boats will be weighed for any competitors or captains.

  • No boats shall leave the beach until all boats are present and capable of loading divers.

  • Official time shall be by GPS, and will be checked every morning at the divers meeting before loading.

EQUIPMENT

  • Spear guns: The gun must be loaded by the contestant with muscle power only. No assistance, explosive or compressed power is allowed.

  • Terminal gear: Reels, trail lines and floats are allowed. Each diver must have a visible float.

  • A float is to be towed by each competitor – no exceptions

  • A sheathed knife is to be carried by each competitor during the hours of the competition.

  • Each contestant’s float and knife must be presented at the signing on area each morning, prior to the commencing of the day’s event if requested.

  • Powerheads: The use of powerheads and indeed the importation of powerheads into Mexico are strictly forbidden. 

LOCALITY

  •  The area will cover the area from 5 miles north of La Reina to 5 miles south of Ensenada de Los Muertos, including the “88”. A map will be handed to all contestants and discussed on site at “pre-competition” meeting.

  • Any off limits will be discussed during the “pre-competition” meeting.

  • All boats available for contestants on meet dates will be sport fishing pangas, with local fishing captains provided.  They will be fairly comparable as far as speed.  Each boat will carry a maximum of 3 contestants in order for each captain to maximize safety efforts for responsibility for surface supervision for the 3 contestants.

  • Each night a lottery will be held to allocate boats and Captains for the next day. This will ensure that there is no preference for boat or captain. 


FISH COUNT RULES

  • 5 total fish a day per diver

  • You can only shoot 2 fish of a pelagic species per day – ex: you shoot 2 wahoo and you are done with wahoo for that day

  • You may only shoot one Billfish for the entire tournament

  • You may only shoot one reef fish for the entire tournament

PELAGIC SPECIES LIST

This meet will target pelagic fish generally abundant in less than 20 meters of water.  Minimum length is 24 inches from longest part of fork to longest part of closed mouth for all eligible fish. All size exceptions noted below. Each competitor may shoot no more than 1 of each of the following species per day. However each competitor may not shoot more than 5 fish total per day. Divers may take only one billfish total during the entire tournament

ELIGIBLE FISH

  • Yellowfin Tuna / Atun de aleta amarilla (Thunnus albacares)

  • Dolphinfish Mahi Mahi / Dorado (Coryphaena hippurus)

  • Wahoo (Acanthocybium solanderi)

  • Yellowtail / Jurel de aleta amarilla (Seriola Ialandei)

  • Striped Bonito / Bonita (Sarda Orientalis)

  • Black Skipjack / Barrilete (Euthynnus lineatus)

  • AmberJack/Almaco Jack / Pez Fuerte (Seriola rivoliana)

  • Pacific Sierra  / Sierra (Scomberomorus sierra)

  • Rooster Fish / Pez Gallo (Nematistius pectoralis)

  • All billfish, marlin and sailfish. (Blue Black Striped or Sail)

  • Milkfish / Lison (Chanos chanos)

  • Jack Crevalle / Toro (Caranx hippos)

  • Mexican Barracuda (sphyraena ensis) 20 inches

  • Golden Trevally / Palometta (Gnathanodon speciosus) 20 inches

  • Big Eye Trevally/Bonito (Caranx sexfasciatus) 20 inches

  • Blue Trevally – Pompano Azul (Carangoides ferdau) 20 inches

  • Rainbow Runner/ Anahi (Elagatis bipinnulata) 20 inches

  • African Pompano / Pompano Africano (Alectis ciliaris) 20 inches

  • Rainbow Chub / Chopa Castilla (Sectador ocyurus) 14 inches

  • Red Snapper / Huachinango  (Lutjanus peru) 14 inches

GOOD LUCK! 

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