Competition Rules

Dear Members, Skippers & Anglers — welcome to the 2026 SMG King of Salmon challenge. The tournament will be held from 26 to 29 November 2026 at Salmon Bay, Ballito. The competition will be fished on the two best fishing days of the three days set aside.

Entry fee is R1,450 per angler, open to both members and non-members. Early entry fee, before 18 October 2026, is R1,100.

Make payments to the Ballito Ski Boat Club account using your surname and "SMG KOS 2026" as reference. Upload your proof of payment on the entry form, or email it to finance@balski.co.za.

Craft may also launch from the Blythedale launch site. Launch spots are limited at each club, so enter early to secure yours.

This is a King of Salmon Biggest Fish competition (no species portion). Briefing takes place on Thursday 26 November 2026 at BSBC, where rules will be clarified by the competition director.

Sponsors wanting to get involved: email Louise at admin@balski.co.za or WhatsApp Graham on 083 296 2963.

The biggest fish is determined by weight at the scale. Released species are scored on converted weight as per WikiFish. Billfish will not count towards the Biggest Fish competition. The first three places go to three different pelagic species. One prize per angler, and a top‑three position cannot go to anglers on the same craft.

Anglers entering before 18 October 2026 go into the R5K Cash Lucky Draw.

• 1st Draw — Saturday 24 October 2026 (5 anglers)
• 2nd Draw — Saturday 7 November 2026 (5 anglers)
• 3rd Draw — Thursday 26 November 2026 (5 anglers — must be present)
• Final Draw — Sunday 29 November 2026 (1 angler from the 15 already drawn — must be present)

• Queenfish — WikiFish conversion / min length 70cm, or 1 point per kg at the scale
• Kingfish / GT — WikiFish conversion / min 60cm, or 1 point per kg at the scale
• Garrick — WikiFish conversion / min length 70cm, or 1 point per kg at the scale

Measurement

We encourage release of all measured species where possible — a safe video release scores higher than a fish brought to the scale. Points are only allocated with a clear measurement and release video. Measure from the top lip of the jaw to the centre of the tail fork, in centimetres, with a tape measure. Measurement stickers will be independently checked with a tape measure. No release video, no points.

The video must show the angler, the measurement and the release. Start with your face, stating your name, vessel number and competition name, then move directly to your green armband and the fish to show a clear measurement. The video must be continuous and show the release.

Submit all videos to the committee WhatsApp group for validation. Final submission is 16h00 each competition day — no late submissions.

Members bid on the craft they believe will catch the biggest pelagic fish by weight only (no point multiplication, no billfish). The winning bidder receives 70% of the auction pot; the balance goes to BSBC.

The auction takes place at the pre-event briefing on Thursday 26 November 2026. All payments must be processed on the night. Minimum bid to secure your own craft before the auction is R5k; minimum bid during the auction is R1k.

• All competitors must have a valid fishing licence.
• All national legal size limits and quotas must be adhered to.
• All shark, bottom fish and billfish must be released. No shark or bottom fish count.
• All skippers must have a valid COF and skipper's licence.
• No taxed, damaged, mauled or filleted fish may be weighed (no damage other than a gaff hole).
• Minimum fish weight at the scales is 3kg for all species.
• No dolphin fishing whatsoever. Do not drive towards or within 200m of dolphin, or cast stick baits/poppers as they pass. Fishing amongst dolphin results in disqualification. You may stand your ground and leave baits in the water if they swim towards you.
• FAD fishing is illegal and may lead to disqualification.
• Enter one craft category only — Jet Ski, Paddle Ski or Ski Boat — and finish in that category. Single competitors must finish as such. Crew may not be added or replaced during the event.
• Only the angler who caught the fish may weigh it. No team angling; fish may not be passed between anglers.
• Two anglers may not touch the same rod, and rods may not be passed once a fish is hooked.
• No fishing assistance from other competitors.
• No launching with pre-caught live bait — live wells may be inspected.
• Littering on our beaches will not be tolerated and can lead to disqualification.
• Carry standard safety equipment plus a secondary form of communication such as a cellphone.
• Skippers must complete the launch register each day. No launch register entry, no score.
• Radio launch control before launching and beaching. BSBC operates on channel 69. Do a radio check before requesting permission to launch.
• Fishing boundaries: Nonoti river mouth (north) to Mdloti river mouth (south). Fishing beyond may lead to disqualification.
• Sponsor stickers will be issued and must be clearly displayed on your craft.
• Anglers without completed indemnity forms or full payment will not be allowed to compete.
• All fish may be gutted after weighing and returned to the angler. Refusal means the fish won't count. Fish in contention may be kept by organisers. Zero tolerance for cheating.
• Fighting or abuse will not be tolerated — offenders will be asked to leave with no refund.

Rules may be altered or added at the organisers' discretion before the start of the competition; changes will be communicated beforehand or at the Thursday briefing. Failure to comply results in automatic disqualification with no refund. The organisers' decision is final.

All anglers are expected to follow a high standard of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety and conservation. Poor sportsmanship, rule or law violations, or bringing unfavourable publicity to the club and sport will lead to disqualification.

This includes any social media act or inflammatory statement that, in the opinion of the BSBC Committee, is detrimental to the competition, BSBC or its sponsors — during or after the event — and may result in suspension and disqualification from future BSBC events.

Interpretation and enforcement of these rules rest exclusively with the BSBC Committee, which may impose sanctions including disqualification, forfeiture of prizes and entry fee, and exclusion from future tournaments. Its decision is final.

• At BSBC a dedicated SMG 4x4 will drop and retrieve all jet skis; tractors will drop and push all boats. No private vehicles in the demarcated area. Tractors operate at Blythedale too.
• Launch commences at first light or when safe, as called by the safety officer — estimated first launch 4:15am.
• A staggered launch may be run at Salmon Bay. Launch order is by lucky draw and reversed on day two; the safety officer may amend it.
• Craft not stacked on the beach the night before will be collected from the main road or club premises. Unhook and wait to be towed. Load tackle the night before.
• Jet skis must apply silicone to hulls to aid the push. No exposed hooks on rods — it endangers pushers.
• Shotgun start: wait in the holding zone between the south and north rocks at Salmon Bay, max depth 20m. No bait catching or fishing until the siren. Late arrivals go after all other craft.
• After beaching, the tractor returns your craft to parking or stacks it for the next day. Wash boats on the beach only — not in the BSBC parking area. Club staff may not be asked to wash boats or fillet fish.
• Overnight security will be in place for craft left on the beach.
• Launch number swaps must be sanctioned by launch control.

• All fish must be weighed at BSBC between 10am and 4pm. Scales close at 4pm — if you're in the line at 4pm, your fish will still be weighed.
• Fish must be weighed by the weighmaster, and a photo of the weight with the angler must be posted to the competition group.
• Fish caught from Blythedale must be tagged by the beach team before transport to BSBC.
• Anglers launching at Blythedale get an extra 30 minutes to submit fish for official weigh-in at BSBC.

Prize giving starts on Sunday 29 November 2026 at 16h00. If Sunday is not a fishing day, prize giving starts at 13h00.

Rules are subject to change; you will be notified of any changes on the competition group.