
TOURNAMENT OVERVIEW
The 135th Anniversary Signature Open is a celebration of 135 years of passionate dedication to craftsmanship and the love of ethical sport fishing, coming to life December 4-6, 2025. The event will be hosted at the incredible Marina Pez Vela facility with the competitors testing their skills in the fish rich waters of Quepos Costa Rica.
MANDATORY BASE TEAM ENTRY FEE
Mandatory Base Entry fee for the 2025 135th Anniversary Signature Open is:
$4,500 for Sonar Boats.
$2,500 for Non-Sonar Boats.
$1,000 for Small Boat 36’ and under.
Allowing up to six anglers and three crew to participate.
Teams will also have the opportunity to enter optional jackpots to compete for cash prizes.
A final registration Soirée and Captain’s meeting will take place at Marina Pez Vela on December 4.
Followed by two fishing days on December 5 and December 6.
The awards ceremony at Marina Pez Vela follows the final day of fishing (December 6).
Total Sonar Boats across the board including the base entry and all optional jackpots is $33,500.
Total Non-Sonar Boats across the board including the base entry and all optional jackpots is $23,500.
Total Small Boat 36’ and Under across the board including the base entry and all optional jackpots is $2,000.
A maximum of one professional angler per team will be permitted and must be identified on the entry form. The term professional is defined as any individual who, within the previous three years of the start of the first day of fishing derives income from and/or actively engages in the act of sportfishing for profit or employment, whether full or part-time, and whether such income comes from the ownership entity of the vessel or not, such as a captain, mate, deckhand, boat owner or charter operator who runs and operates a sportfishing vessel or teaches others how to sportfish. The following individuals shall not be deemed professional under these rules and regulations: yacht brokers who do not personally run boats for profit or employment, licensed captains who do not derive income from sportfishing, event coordinators and/or fishing tournament promoters, charter operators and owners who do not act as a captain or mate on the vessels they own or manage. All participants will be required to submit entry forms for each angler in which they will declare their occupation.
Teams will be designated as fishing on a Sonar boat, Non-Sonar boat or Small Boat 36’ and Under and will compete in separate divisions for the Base Entry purse and awards. The Base Entry purse will be determined by the number of teams entered as Sonar, Non-Sonar or Small Boat 36’ and Under boats. All Sonar and Non-Sonar Boats, will compete together for the Tuna and Dorado Base Entry and Optional Jackpot division purse and awards. The Base Entry awards will include daily winners for each fishing day and overall winners over the two days of fishing and be awarded accordingly:

TEAM BASE
Entry AWARDS
Sonar Team Division Base Entry $4,500
purse based on number of teams entered
Day One Most Billfish Release Points 11%
Day Two Most Billfish Release Points 11%
First Place Most Overall Billfish Release Points 32%
Second Place Most Overall Billfish Release Points 22%
Third Place Most Overall Billfish Release Points 12%
High-Point Billfish Angler – Trophy and prizes
High-Point Billfish Lady Angler – Trophy and prizes
High-Point Billfish Jr. Angler (17 or younger) – Trophy and prizes
Non-Sonar Team Division Base Entry $2,500
purse based on number of teams entered
Day One Most Billfish Release Points 11%
Day Two Most Billfish Release Points 11%
First Place Most Overall Billfish Release Points 32%
Second Place Most Overall Billfish Release Points 22%
Third Place Most Overall Billfish Release Points 12%
High-Point Billfish Angler – Trophy and prizes
High-Point Billfish Lady Angler – Trophy and prizes
High-Point Billfish Jr. Angler (17 or younger) – Trophy and prizes
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Sonar and Non Sonar base Entry
TUNA Awards
First Pace Tuna 3%
Second Place Tuna 2%
Third Place Tuna 1%
Sonar and Non Sonar Base Entry
DORADO Awards
First Pace Dorado 3%
Second Place Dorado 2%
Third Place Dorado 1%
Happy Hour
Daily Award
All Sonar and Non-Sonar teams are eligible to win the Happy Hour Daily prize of $1,000 and additionally, a luxurious surprise. The Sonar and Non-Sonar teams that earn the most billfish release points from 11:00am - 1:00 pm each day will win the prize.
Small Boat 36’ and Under Base Entry $1,000
purse based on number of teams entered
Day One Most Billfish Release Points 11%
Day Two Most Billfish Release Points 11%
First Place Most Overall Billfish Release Points 32%
Second Place Most Overall Billfish Release Points 22%
Third Place Most Overall Billfish Release Points 12%
High-Point Billfish Angler – Trophy and prizes
High-Point Billfish Lady Angler – Trophy and prizes
High-Point Billfish Jr. Angler (17 or younger) – Trophy and prizes
Small Boat 36’ AND Under
Tuna Awards
First Pace Tuna 3%
Second Place Tuna 2%
Third Place Tuna 1%
Small Boat 36’ AND Under
Dorado Awards
First Pace Dorado 3%
Second Place Dorado 2%
Third Place Dorado 1%
optional sonar
Jackpots
All optional jackpot divisions are 80% payback. Only teams entered in the optional jackpots will be eligible for these cash awards. The tournament rules apply to all optional jackpots.
Teams with “non-sonar” designation may opt to fish in the “sonar” designated divisions but must choose one or the other.
Sonar boat daily
BILLFISH RELEASE JACKPOT $3,000
The Daily Billfish Release Jackpot prize consists of one-half of the total jackpot money for each day and goes to the team with the most billfish release points each day. If there is a tie in billfish release points by multiple teams in the tournament, rankings will be determined by the first team to reach their aggregate point total by time of release.
SPLIT BILLFISH RELEASE JACKPOT $3000
The Daily Split Billfish Release Jackpot will provide two daily prizes each day and consists of one quarter of the total jackpot money. The teams that have the most billfish release points from 7:30 am - 11:30 am, and 11:31 am to 3:30 pm each day will win the prize. If there is a tie in billfish release points by multiple teams in the tournament, rankings will be determined by the first team to reach their aggregate point total by time of release.
Sonar boat overall
BILLFISH RELEASE JACKPOTLEVEL ONE - $3000 LEVEL TWO - $5000
There are two levels of Sonar Boat Optional Overall Billfish Release Points Jackpot. Level-one jackpot fee is $3,000; level-two jackpot fee is $5,000. The Overall Billfish Release Points Sonar Boat Jackpot will be awarded to the top three teams with the most Overall Billfish Release Points of the tournament over the two days of fishing and be awarded accordingly. First place 50%, Second place - 30%, Third place - 20%. If there is a tie in billfish release points by multiple teams in the tournament, rankings will be determined by the first team to reach their aggregate point total by time of release.
Sonar boat WINNER TAKE-ALL
BILLFISH RELEASE JACKPOT $5000
The fee to enter the Sonar Boat Winner Take-All Release Jackpot is $5000 and is optional. The jackpot will be awarded to the Sonar Boat team with the most overall billfish release points of the tournament. If there is a tie in billfish release points by multiple teams in the tournament, rankings will be determined by the first team to reach their aggregate point total by time of release.
optional non sonar
Jackpots
non-Sonar boat daily
BILLFISH RELEASE JACKPOT $1,500
The Daily Billfish Release Jackpot prize consists of one-half of the total jackpot money for each day and goes to the team with the most billfish release points each day. If there is a tie in billfish release points by multiple teams in the tournament, rankings will be determined by the first team to reach their aggregate point total by time of release.
SPLIT BILLFISH RELEASE JACKPOT $3000
The Daily Split Billfish Release Jackpot will provide two daily prizes each day and consists of one quarter of the total jackpot money. The teams that have the most billfish release points from 7:30 am - 11:30 am, and 11:31 am to 3:30 pm each day will win the prize. If there is a tie in billfish release points by multiple teams in the tournament, rankings will be determined by the first team to reach their aggregate point total by time of release.
non-Sonar boat overall
BILLFISH RELEASE JACKPOTLEVEL ONE - $2000 LEVEL TWO - $3000
There are two levels of Non-Sonar Boat Optional Overall Billfish Release Points Jackpot. Level-one jackpot fee is $2,000; level-two jackpot fee is $3,000. The Non-Sonar Boat Overall Billfish Release Points Jackpot will be awarded to the top three teams with the most Overall Billfish Release Points of the tournament over the two days of fishing and be awarded accordingly. First place 50%, Second place - 30%, Third place - 20%. If there is a tie in billfish release points by multiple teams in the tournament, rankings will be determined by the first team to reach their aggregate point total by time of release.
NON-Sonar boat WINNER TAKE-ALL
BILLFISH RELEASE JACKPOT $3000
The fee to enter the Non-Sonar Boat Winner Take-All Release Jackpot is $3000 and is optional. The jackpot will be awarded to the team with the most overall billfish release points of the tournament. If there is a tie in billfish release points by multiple teams in the tournament, rankings will be determined by the first team to reach their aggregate point total by time of release.
SONAR AND NON-SONAR OPTIONAL
GAMEFISH Jackpots
DORADO (DOLPHINFISH) DAILY JACKPOT
There are two levels of optional Dorado (Dolphinfish) Daily Jackpot. Level-one jackpot fee is $1,000Level-two jackpot fee is $2,000 The Dorado (Dolphinfish) Daily Jackpot prize consists of one-half of the total jackpot money and will be awarded to the team that catches the largest Dorado (Dolphinfish) each day. If no fish are weighed on an individual day, the jackpot rolls over to the next day or the previous day’s winner.
OVERALL TOP THREE LARGEST DORADO (DOLPHIN FISH) JACKPOT
The fee to enter the Overall Top Three Largest Dorado (Dolphinfish) Jackpot is $2,000 and is optional. The teams that catch the three largest Dorado (Dolphinfish) will be awarded accordingly. First place 50%, Second place - 30%, Third place - 20%.
TUNA DAILY JACKPOT
There are two levels of optional Tuna Daily Jackpot. Level-one jackpot fee is $1,000 Level-two jackpot fee is $2,000 The Tuna Daily Jackpot prize consists of one-half of the total jackpot money and will be awarded to the team that catches the largest tuna each day. If no fish are weighed on an individual day, the jackpot rolls over to the next day or the previous day’s winner.
OVERALL TOP THREE LARGEST TUNA JACKPOT
The fee to enter the Overall Top Three Largest Tuna Jackpot is $2,000 and is optional. The teams that catch the three largest tuna will be awarded accordingly. First place 50%, Second place - 30%, Third place - 20%.
OPTIONAL SMALL BOAT
36’ AND UNDER Jackpots
SMALL BOAT 36’ AND UNDER BOAT DAILY BILLFISH RELEASE JACKPOT $500
The Daily Billfish Release Jackpot prize consists of one-half of the total jackpot money for each day and goes to the team with the most billfish release points each day. If there is a tie in billfish release points by multiple teams in the tournament, rankings will be determined by the first team to reach their aggregate point total by time of release.
TUNA AND DORADO (DOLPHINFISH) DAILY JACKPOT $500
The Tuna and Dorado Daily Jackpot will go to the largest Tuna and Dorado each day and consist of 25% of the total purse. If no fish are weighed on an individual day, the jackpot rolls over to the next day or the previous day’s winner.In the event of a tie by weight the teams will split the award
Additional
DOcumentation
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