Savayman

Don't forget that Registration for the Spring Big 4 2023 closes at Noon on March 14th 2023!

Here are the CAG Big 4 Rules: By Registering for the Spring Big 4 2023 you agree to abide to the following rules! Spring Big 4 2023 March 15th – June 15th 2023 - These are the final and definitive rules for the CAG Spring Big 4 2023 - Entry to take part in the Spring Big 4 2023 binds you to these rules. It is the Competitors responsibility to read and understand these rules. No changes or allowances will be made to catches or uploads outside of these rules. If in doubt ask! 1. To enter the Big 4 competition you must be a FULLY paid up CAG member (temporary memberships are excluded from entering) and have registered and paid your entry fee of $12.00 payable in the CAG Store for the Spring Big 4 2023 before Noon on March 14th. No entries will be accepted if your registration or payment falls beyond this date. - Please look for a separate topic on how to post your catches! - 2. The Competition will run from Match 15th at 0:01am until midnight on June 15th 2023. All uploads must be completed by midnight on June 15th. If you have an issue whereby the upload of an entry is not accepted by the CAG Leaderboard on June 15th you must contact Willem by email: big4@joincag.com by no later than Midday June 16th. Provided your entry complies with the rules we will accept your entry and assist you in including it on the leaderboard. No upload or messages posted with a date/time of June 16th midday or beyond will count. 3. Upload protocol must be adhered to in order to have an entry accepted. If any requirement or detail is missing then the entry will not be counted. It is the Angler’s responsibility to ensure all details are correctly entered. See Rule #6 4. Only your four biggest fish of the common, mirror or leather varieties count (no grass, buffalo or other strains/breeds will be accepted) and must be caught from North American waters (fish raised in stock ponds or from commercial venues such as paylakes etc may not be entered) . Upload the first four fish that you catch during the qualifying period. Subsequently, ONLY upload a fish if it is BIGGER than your fourth biggest fish. DO NOT UPLOAD FISH THAT ARE SMALLER THAN YOUR FOURTH BIGGEST FISH: this clogs the system and causes errors in uploads. This competition is about four big fish & not the total quantity of fish caught during the competition. 5. Upload your entries within 48 hours of capture and before midnight on the last day when the competition ends. If you have upload problems or unable to upload within 48 hours of capture you must notify us using this email address only: big4@joincag.com See Rule #2 6. Your Upload must include the following details: (1)Trophy Photo of You, the captor, with the Fish, the Scales used to weigh the fish & the Spring Big 4 Logo for 2023 clearly visible in black and white or color; (2) The exact Weight of the fish in lbs and ozs; (3) The State in which the fish was caught. (4) The Date and Time of capture which must be entered in the comments section under the photo. 7. Photo Requirements: (1) Images must be clear. (See notes below). The fish, angler, scales and logo must all be in focus and clearly visible. (2) The Scales & Big 4 Logo must be positioned in the foreground and as close as possible to the fish (scales or logo’s positioned in the background behind the angler and fish are not acceptable). (3) All photo images must clearly show the full width of the fish. Photos where the fish is presented at an angle (45 degrees, tail or head first etc) to the camera will not be accepted. (4) Photoshoped or altered entries may be subject to disqualification. The CAG BOD reserves the right to request any angler entered in the CAG Big 4 to submit his/her scales for verification in the event of any disputes. 8. The Spring Big 4 2023 logo will be available for download in a separate thread just before the start of the Competition (just before midnight on March 14th). 9. Prizes will be awarded to the Anglers finishing in the first 10 places which will be determined as the aggregate of that Anglers best four fish caught within the rules and during the period of the Big 4 Competition. There will be individual prizes awarded for Biggest Common and Biggest Mirror. Additional recognition awards will be made to the captors of the four biggest fish in the 5 regional areas. 10. Fish Care. Any entries NOT showing proper fish handling or care will be rejected! 11. For the first 72 hours only entries will be also accepted where the photo shows the CAG Spring Big 4 2023 Logo clearly visible on a cell phone or iPad/tablet etc. Printed Logo’s are valid at ALL times during the event dates. 12. All Anglers must be in possession of the necessary State Fishing License. 13. All fish must be caught on a single hook rig, using legal rod and line methods and must be returned safely without harm. How to Weigh your Catch Please check your scales for accuracy and ensure that you properly zero the weigh sling (wetted but properly drained) before weighing your catch. Here’s a suggestion: wet your weigh sling, shake off any excess water then hang it on the scales until the water drains and the weight is stable. This usually takes less than 30 seconds. Then zero the sling on the scales and weigh the fish. Scales must be suspended from a Tripod, Weigh Bar or Weigh Crook to ensure stability and accuracy of weight. Holding the body of the scales with your hands will result in an inaccurate reading. Some pointers and suggestions for photos. The Big 4 Logo should be printed out to ensure it can be clearly seen in the photo (Letter or half letter size is ideal). Enclose your logo in a zip lock bag or get it laminated to prevent it getting wet or damaged. When taking the photo have the fish close to your body with your elbows balanced on the thigh/knee area and over a suitable un-hooking mat. This allows you to keep proper control of the fish and to place it back on the mat easily and quickly if required. Do NOT hold the fish out at arms length or while standing. The fish, angler, scales and logo must all be in focus. When taking the picture do not zoom in to just have angler and fish. Zooming in reduces the pixilation count on the photo and reduces the quality of the photo. Winners photos will be used for magazine publication and the biggest regional fish photos will be used for awards. A good example of a Big 4 Entry Photo that meets the Requirements for Rules # 7 & #10 The Big 4 logo and Scales are positioned & clearly visible in the foreground. The fish is also being held & supported correctly & positioned over a suitable protective mat

CAG Big 4 Competition - What's it All About? The CAG BIG 4 Competition takes place twice a year - In Spring (March 15 - June 15) and Fall (October 1 - November 30th). Anglers simply upload details (Photo, Weight, Date of Capture and State where caught) of their Biggest 4 Fish caught during the period of the competition. Anglers taking part MUST follow the rules especially those regarding Photo Requirements. There are no exceptions. Any Fully Paid CAG Member can enter for just $12 to take part (temporary memberships are excluded from taking part). If you are not yet a member you can join by clicking here: Click Here to Join CAG If your membership has expired please login to your account to renew your membership or message Barry Howard for assistance. Over $1,700 in Prizes are up for grabs! Prizes go to the Top Ten Anglers recording the Biggest 4 fish during the competition. Additional Prizes are awarded for the Biggest Common and Biggest Mirror as well as Regional Recognition Awards & Prizes. CAG Members can Register, Read the Rules etc by clicking here: Click Here for Spring Big 4 2023 Our thanks to our sponsors for their generous support of the CAG Spring Big 4 2023

To all our CAG Members and forum friends I wish you the very best for Christmas & the New Year. May your lines be tight and your nets filled with all manner of scaly specimens. And to friends old and new I hope to share some time on the water with as many of you as possible in the coming year. Stay warm, stay safe and please reach out to those who may need help in those areas hit by the artic conditions.

The CAG BIG 4 Competition takes place twice a year - In Spring and Fall. Anglers simply upload details (Photo, Weight, Date of Capture and State where caught) of their Biggest 4 Fish caught during the period of the competition. Anglers taking part MUST follow the rules especially those regarding Photo Requirements. There are no exceptions. Any Fully Paid CAG Member can register to take part. Prizes are awarded to the Top Ten anglers recording the Biggest 4 fish during the competition. Additional Prizes are awarded for the Biggest Common and Biggest Mirror as well as Regional Recognition Awards. Click Here to Sign Up for the Fall Big 4 2022 You must be a CAG Member to Sign Up!

2022 CCC RULES As a minimum there shall be prizes for the Biggest Carp, and Biggest 4 Carp (total weight of 4 biggest carp caught by angler). Additional Prizes for Total Overall Weight, Section Winners, First Fish, Smallest Fish and Biggest Mirror are also being planned. Carp King Belt Buckle awarded for the capture of the Biggest Carp North American Champion Trophy awarded to Biggest 4 Carp 1.The Peg Draw shall start no later than 7:00 am on Saturday morning (Anglers who are arriving early in the morning must register and have their scales checked before 6:30am), with Fishing from 8:00am to 4:00pm. The Award Ceremony will follow at the advertised time & place. Scale certification will also be available on Friday evening at the Meet & Greet. 2. All anglers must hold a valid NY fishing license. All anglers must have pre-registered and have pre-paid all entry fees before the draw. There is to be no fishing by anglers along the venue on the day PRIOR to the CCC date; any competitor found pre-baiting, plumbing, or fishing after this time and before the official start of the competition will be disqualified, and their entry fees forfeited. 3. This is a catch-and-release competition; no fish will be weighed unless it was caught fairly (hook must be within 2 inches of the fishes mouth), has been handled safely, and can be released alive. 4. Any angler found attempting to weigh in fish that are snagged, foul-hooked (hook is in a part of the fish’s body more than 2 inches from the mouth) or caught by any other unfair means will be disqualified from the competition. The Weigh Officials’ decision in all such cases shall be final. 5. Only Carp ( Common or Mirror ) can be weighed in and counted for any awards or prizes. All other fish (including Game Fish) do not count, and must be returned immediately to the water. Anyone attempting to retain a Game Fish will be disqualified from the competition. 6. If two anglers, as a result of travelling together or a requirement for extra assistance, need to fish adjacent pegs then they must notify the Draw Official no later than the evening BEFORE the peg draw. These anglers will be allowed to draw first. One of the two Anglers will draw a peg number and the next peg will be assigned to his partner. In the event the first angler picks an end peg the two pegs above or below will be assigned. This will ensure that there are always independent anglers either side of the Two anglers for the purposes of weighing as in Rule 18. Please note: The CCC is an Individual tournament and EACH angler MUST fish independently of any other. Each angler must fish and place all of their fishing equipment within a rod-length (12 feet) either side of their peg. Anglers can cast to any point up to halfway between their peg and the pegs on either side, or up to 15 yards from their peg in the case of end peg in the section. Any infringements in placing their fishing equipment more than 12 feet from their peg, or in attempted casting outside their peg area, will make the Angler concerned liable for disqualification from the competition. 7. Big Carp are hard-fighting fish; there may be a need for an angler to leave their peg location momentarily, to play a fish that is running parallel to the bank. Please be considerate of other anglers; try and avoid playing your fish in their pegged areas. Adjacent pegged anglers are encouraged to help an angler in difficulties with a big fish by removing their lines from the water while the fish is being played. Neighboring Anglers can help by netting fish or removing other rods for the Angler; no other assistance is allowed. 8. Anglers may leave their pegged area to answer a call of nature, etc. All lines must be reeled in before leaving. If the angler wishes to leave during the competition, they need to record their leaving time with the Anglers either side of them, and remove all their equipment from their pegged area. Anglers must be present at the end of the Awards Ceremony after competition closes to be eligible for any prizes and awards. 9. No boats, bait-boats or wading, use of floatation devices or swimming (except in an emergency!); fishing from the shoreline only. Exception – an angler can enter the water by authorization from a Weigh Offficial or Angler at the next peg, to free a fish caught in a snag, weed or otherwise in distress or possible danger. Please ensure that you receive a verbal authorization from the Angler at the next peg or Official present before you enter the water. 10. Only 2 RODS per angler may be used at any time, with 1 single hook per rod. Hooks can be no larger than a size 1, recommended hook patterns are barbless and micro-barbed (e.g. a standard Carp Hook), or have the barb squeezed down with pliers. Hooks larger than a size 1, multiple hooks, double or treble hooks and hooks with an oversized barb are not allowed. Weigh Officials have the right to inspect angler’s hooks, and can disallow fish caught on any other type of hook; Weigh Officials decision in all such cases will be final. The angler can use an additional rod for spodding, spombing, or controlling a marker float; no fishhooks can be attached to any part of the line on this rod. The angler can have additional rods pre-rigged at the peg; but they can only have a maximum of two baits in the water at any time. Any angler found breaking these rules or fishing or attempting to fish in an unsportsmanlike way will be disqualified from the competition. Any angler breaking the 2 rod & 1 hook per line competition rules will be disqualified from the competition. 11. Required for each angler: a well-padded unhooking mat, a carp-specific weigh sling, a set of scales & tripod/monopod for weighing the fish, and at least 1 mesh style/CAG approved & well ventilated carp sack or retention sling (for retaining fish in the water before weighing), and a soft, knotless mesh “fish friendly” landing net of the appropriate size. Anglers will not be allowed to count fish towards their total if they do not have a suitable mat and landing net. 12. Pre-Baiting will not be allowed. No breaking of the water is allowed before the start of the competition, except to plumb the depth, position a marker float, wet nets, unhooking mats and carp-sacks. Anglers are allowed to draw a small amount of water in a suitable bucket or pail, to wet and prepare ground bait (chum) before the start. 13. The competition will start promptly at the advertised time; fishing time will be signaled by one long blast on a car horn or by Weigh Officials. The fishing period will last a maximum of 8 hours with competition close announced by two long blasts on a car horn or Weigh Stewards. All fishing lines must be removed promptly at the end of the competition. Any angler playing a fish when the competition end is announced must call out and signal “Fish On”. The angler will have a maximum of 15 minutes to play the fish in and net it; timekeeping will be the responsibility of the Anglers at adjacent pegs 14. ALL Baits and Chum / Ground bait must be fish safe. Allowed baits include bread, corn (sweetcorn or boiled maize), particles, boilies, pellet and paste baits, etc. In addition, anglers can use natural baits such as worms, night crawlers, maggots, mealworms, wax worms, crickets and hellgrammites, etc. Artificial baits, attached to each hook/hair rig system (e.g. artificial corn, boilie, crayfish fly, etc.) can be used, but no spoons, plugs, jigs, or other metal lures can be used. The Weigh Officials have the right to inspect all baits, and disallow any bait they deem illegal, offensive or dangerous. 15. All standard, Carp-safe rigs are allowed; all rigs should include either a Safety Clip or allow the lead/sinker to slide over knots in the case of an Inline, Helicopter, or Method Feeder rig. Zig Fishing, Fly Fishing, Float Fishing or Pole Fishing Rigs must include a lower breaking strain leader/hook length/tippet, to avoid a Carp breaking off the whole rig. All rigs are liable to inspection by Weigh Officials; any unsafe rigs found must be changed immediately, or the Angler concerned will be disqualified from the competition. Weighing Officials decision in all such cases will be final. 16. Ground baiting (chumming) is allowed only after the advertised start time. Spods / Spombs, PVA bags, nets & string, catapults (fishing slingshots), throwing spoons, and feeders of all types are acceptable. Please bait intelligently and only within your peg area. 17. Scales Calibration Check - Any Angler wanting to use their scales to have their fish weighed by a neighboring Angler must present their scales for calibration check to the Weigh Officials on Friday evening (or at 6:30am on Saturday morning for those Anglers arriving on Saturday). Weigh Officials will mark checked scales for neighboring Anglers to identify which scales can be used for weighing purposes. 18. Weighing System – Each angler’s fish will be weighed and recorded by a neighboring Angler on the Anglers Weigh Sheet with exact weight, type (Common or Mirror Carp), and time caught. The neighboring Angler will also sign the Weigh Sheet. It is each angler’s ultimate responsibility for ensuring that his/her fish is recorded accurately, and that the Weigh Sheet is delivered to the Weigh Officials at the end of the competition. In the event of any weighing disagreements or discrepancies, please notify the Organizer or Weigh Official immediately, within 1 hour of the end of the competition day, in person. The Organizer and Weigh Official will examine the Angler’s Weigh Sheet, talk to the Recording Angler, and will advise the angler of the decision. In all cases, the Organizers decision shall be final and binding. 19. In the event of a tie for any total or big 4 weight awards & prizes, the angler with the biggest single fish shall be judged the winner. In the event of a tie for the weight of a single fish award or prize, the award of trophy will be decided by a coin toss. 20. A Runner (Angler’s Guest) is allowed to be with the Angler at their designated peg, to support the Anglers by netting fish, assisting the Weigh Officials with the weighing and recording of fish, and by releasing fish safely back to the water. In addition, the Runner can leave the peg at any time, to fetch food and drink, carry the Angler’s gear, and liaise with spectators, the Weigh Team, and Media Representatives. The Runner cannot bait the hook for the angler, cast out, or otherwise touch the fishing rod until the fish is netted; at that point the Runner may move the rod and net out of the way, assist with unhooking the fish, and liaise with the Weigh Official. 21. Anglers are responsible for their own property, safety and liability for any damage or injury to others. The Organizer of this competition, and the Sponsors, wave any liability for any personal loss or injury, howsoever caused; this is an “enter-at-your-own-risk” event. Please remember that there are likely to be spectators and children present at all times. Look behind you before you cast! 22. You must be a Fully Paid CAG Member over the age of 16 (on or before the date of the event) to enter the CCC. The $65 Entry Fee must be fully paid to CAG before the draw on Sept 24th. This event will be limited to a maximum of 50 Anglers. 23. If the event needs to be cancelled, due to extreme weather conditions, Covid restrictions etc any refunds will be at the sole discretion of the CAG BOD; their decision will be final. 24. Anglers will be required to sign a waiver of liability before being allowed to enter the draw; any refusal to sign will result in instant disqualification of that Angler. Anyone under the age of 18 must have a parent or legal guardian also sign the waiver. A valid NYS fishing license must be with you when fishing. Licenses can be obtained on line. http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/6091.html Out of state members can purchase a one day license for $10 The Hudson River is a tidal river and as anyone who has ever fished a tidal river knows adjustments have to be made for the flow and changes in depth. Be prepared!

Some of the prizes to be won... A Deeper Pro+2 Castable Sounder Three x Shimano TX2 13' Tribal Intensity Rods Shimano Beastmaster 10,000 Reels Trakker Rod & Reel Sleeves

One day NY Freshwater is $10 Buy online: https://www.ny.gov/services/get-freshwater-fishing-license

CAG Members can find more Details, Rules & Latest Info by following this link: https://www.carpanglersgroup.com/forum/index.php?/forum/431-ccc-2022/

The awards will be consistent with the CCC tradition: The North American Champion trophy will be awarded to the angler with the Four Fish with the greatest total weight (Big 4). The North American Carp King Jeweled Belt Buckle will be awarded to the angler catching the Single Heaviest Carp. In addition, we will have Special Awards for the angler landing the Biggest Mirror, Smallest Carp Caught, First Carp Caught, the Heaviesy Combined Total-Weight as well as Trophies for each Section Winner (Big 4). In case of ties, see the rules. The Winners will also receive tackle prizes in honor of their achievement. CAG Raffle There will also be a CAG Raffle at the Dinner and Prize Giving!

Registration for the 2022 CAG Carp Classic is now LIVE! Cost is $65 for CAG Members which includes your CCC Entry as well as Dinner at the Awards Ceremony. CAG Members Please be sure to sign into the forum to get the member price in the store! Just click on the link below. https://www.carpanglersgroup.com/forum/index.php?/store/category/84-ccc-2022/ Non-Members Pay $90 which includes CAG Membership.

2022 CCC Schedule Saturday September 24th Location: Hudson River, NY Peg Locations*: Coxsackie Riverside Park, Dutchmans Landing & Henry Hudson Park Friday Sept 23 2021 Meet and Greet: At the Pegasus Restaurant from 5:00 pm A Bar-B-Que will be available in the parking lot 4pm-8pm at the smoker !!!! Get your scales certified. Saturday Sept 24 2022: 7:00am - Peg draw @ Chrissy's Diner (details below) 8:00am - 4:00pm - CCC Fishing 6:00pm - Dinner 7:30pm - Awards, Prize Giving & Raffle The Dinner and Awards will be held at the Pegasus Restaurant Pegasus Restaurant 10885 St. Rte 9w, Coxsackie NY 12051 http://www.pegasuson9w.com 518-731-9200 The Peg draw and Scale Certification will be done at CHRISSY’s Diner. 11830 Route 9w, West Coxsackie NY 12192. The only red light in Coxsackie turn onto Rt 385 (Mansion St), pull around behind the building to the large parking lot. They will be open for breakfast @ 6:00 if anyone wants to grab a bite before the fishing starts. She will also make lunches to go! Certification will be from 6:00 to 7:00. Peg draw @ 7:00. If your coming to the meet and greet on Friday you can also get your scale certified then. Local Places to Stay! Holiday Inn Express 518-719-1999 Best Western ... 518-731-8300 800-528-1234 21b Motel …… 518-731-2721 * Pegs subject to final confirmation