Official Rules and Regulations
Official Rules and Regulations 2023 – Final May 18 2023
Official Rules and Regulations
A. GENERAL
1. To be eligible for membership in The Tyee Club of British Columbia and for any of the Tyee Club’s buttons or awards, an angler must fish and act in the spirit of traditional methods of the Tyee Club, in accordance with these Rules and Regulations and in accordance with the current Transport Canada and Department of Fisheries and Oceans Regulations.
2. A qualifying Tyee is a chinook salmon registered in accordance with these Rules and Regulations and weighing at least 30 pounds. No more than two qualifying Tyee may be retained in one day. Season limits are those of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
3. The Tyee Club fishing season begins each year on July 15th and ends on September 15th except as may be modified by regulations issued by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
4. Qualifying Tyee must be landed in the waters of Discovery Passage between Seymour Narrows and a line extending between Cape Mudge and the Big Rock on the Vancouver Island shore.
5. The Directors may require members to review and acknowledge these Rules and Regulations in a prescribed form and at a prescribed time.
B. ROWING REQUIREMENT
1. A Tyee qualifying for Club recognition may be landed only while trolling from a boat that is being rowed or paddled. No motor power may be used while fishing or landing a fish.
2. Trolling is defined as the method of angling by which the lure is drawn behind a boat which is moving in relation to the water.
3. Outboard motors may be used only for transportation to and from the fishing grounds and must be tilted while fishing to avoid line entanglement. Motors must not be used in the area designated by the Canada Shipping Act.
C. APPROVED TACKLE
1. The word “tackle” shall be defined as consisting of rod, reel, line, weight, leader, and lure.
2. The rod shall have a minimum length of six feet and a maximum of nine feet.
3. The reel must be a hand-operated type. Electric or spring wound automatic reels are not permitted. Reels with slipping or clutch mechanisms, while acceptable, are not considered single action reels for the purposes of the Gavin Chisholm Trophy. It is suggested that the reel has a minimum capacity of 250 yards of line.
4. The Tyee Club line test requires that the line breaks before lifting the weight in the Official Testing Device. The weight in the Official Testing Device weighs 26 1/4 pounds, and it is located at The Tyee Club House. It should be remembered that most synthetic lines are much stronger than advertised. Line labeled 20 pounds will normally pass the line test, but all rowers and anglers are reminded that it is their responsibility to ensure their line will qualify. The Tyee Club urges every angler or rower to have their line tested by the Weighmaster prior to fishing, although such testing is not required.
5. The use of a leader is optional. When used, it shall be 6 feet or less in length. The line may be doubled for a length of three feet or less at its attachment to the leader.
6. The lure may be any type of artificial lure that has one single barbless hook only and its basic use is for trolling. Lures designed for jigging, spinning, still fishing, or attraction by electronic or sonic means shall be excluded. Any lure about which there is doubt as to the acceptability should be referred to the Tackle Committee.
7. The maximum amount of weight permitted is six ounces.
8. Use of natural bait not permitted.
9. Use of any oils, natural attractants, or artificial attractants immediately prior to or during angling for the purposes of improving chances of a strike is not permitted.
10. Use of devices, electronic or otherwise, that provide information that improves the current or future chance of a strike or are not permitted. This includes, but is not limited to chart plotters, depth sounders, GPS, cameras, cell phones, watches and drones.
D. MEMBERSHIP FEES
1. All persons participating in The Tyee Club of British Columbia must complete Annual Membership Registration and pay membership dues and/or fees set by the Directors prior to fishing with the Weighmaster at The Tyee Club House on the Spit or by qualified persons at other locations designated by The Tyee Club. Completing Annual Membership Registration is a criterion of eligibility for The Tyee Club’s buttons, awards and member categories.
2. If an angler encounters difficulty completing Annual Membership Registration prior to fishing, they may signal their intent by doing any one of the following:
a) Notifying any Director of The Tyee Club, or
b) Notifying the Weighmaster, or
c) Signing the Intent to Complete Annual Membership Registration board at The Tyee Club House.
Such notification may be made by telephone or in person, and within 24 hours, the anglers must complete the Annual Membership Registration.
3. Member categories:
a) Registered members are anglers who have landed a Tyee Salmon weighing 30 pounds or over in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of The Club and who have paid required initial dues.
b) Life members are Registered members who have subscribed for membership for life and who have paid required dues. Life members have all the rights and responsibilities of Registered members.
c) Honorary members are individuals who have been elected to Honorary Membership by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. Such action by the Board shall be considered a tribute by The Tyee Club to the individuals so honoured because of special qualifications possessed by the Honoree;
d) Anglers are individuals that have not met the conditions of other member classes and who have paid required dues.
4. Member dues:
a) Annual dues for Registered members: $30.00
b) Annual dues for Anglers: $20.00.
i. Upon registering a Tyee, the Angler must pay additional dues of $10.00 to become a Registered member.
c) Single day dues for Anglers: $10.00.
i. Upon registering a Tyee, the Angler must pay additional dues of $20.00 to become a Registered member.
ii. Single day dues may be upgraded to Annual dues (section 4b) prior to angling.
d) Annual dues for Anglers that are juniors, sixteen years and younger: $0.00.
i. Upon registering a Tyee, the Junior Angler will pay no additional dues and shall become a Registered member.
e) Life Membership dues: $500.00
i. Dues are a one-time payment and annual dues thereafter are $0.00.
ii. Only Registered members are eligible for Life membership.
E. TYEE QUALIFICATION
1. To be considered as a Registered Member, an Angler (sec. D(3)(d)) must:
a) Land a chinook salmon of 30 pounds, minimum weight, while fishing in accordance with these Rules and Regulations, and
b) Pay the required dues.
2. Every angler must bring their Tyee to gaff or net by use of rod and reel only, and unaided, except that the guide or other angler in the same boat may net or gaff the fish or loosen the lead. The guide or other angler may also aid the angler if the line tangles with another line, catches on a propeller, or is fouled by other objects, by handling only the line and never the rod or reel.
3. All retained Tyee must be weighed and officially recorded, on the date of capture at The Tyee Club House by the Weighmaster to be eligible for qualification and Club competition. A Tidal Waters license correctly filled in, showing Area 13 SMZ, must be shown to the weighmaster before any chinook is put on the scale.
4. The club expressly reserves the right to require an additional line test and to call for an examination of tackle whenever such action may be deemed advisable. The Weighmaster will randomly test the tackle of anglers entering qualifying Tyee. The Weighmaster will inspect and test the tackle on anglers whose qualifying Tyee may be a contender for any of The Tyee Club awards, whether or not the tackle has been previously inspected.
5. In case of a tie, the first officially registered Tyee shall be considered the winner.
F. CATCH AND RELEASE
1. Catch and release has been used for many years by anglers throughout the world in an effort to conserve fish stocks. Studies have shown that the survival rate of released fish caught using artificial lures with a single barbless hook is sufficiently high enough to have a beneficial effect upon fish populations. The Tyee Club of BC supports the practice of catch and release of chinook of all sizes, when the chinook can be released in a healthy condition.
2. To be eligible for a catch and release pin please adhere to the following:
a) The angler may be a Registered, Life, Honorary or Angler member of The Tyee Club. Releasing a Tyee under this section does not fulfill the requirement for an Angler (sec. D(3)(d)) to become a Registered Member;
b) The Tyee must have been caught and released while fishing in accordance with these Rules and Regulations; and
c) The Tyee must be kept in the water at all times, handled carefully, and released in good condition. If the use of a net is necessary, a knotless mesh catch and release type should be used. Handling of the fish needs to be minimized and the Tyee shall be righted and responsive when release; and
d) The weight of the Tyee will be estimated by the angler and rower or just the angler if solo, and the weight of the chinook shall be estimated to be greater than 30lbs.
3. If observed, the presence or absence of the adipose fin should be reported to the weighmaster;
4. Caught and released Tyee are not eligible for Club trophies.
G. TYEE DISQUALIFICATION
1. Any of the following acts or omissions will disqualify a catch:
a) A broken rod.
b) Hand lining a Tyee.
c) Any person, other than the angler, touching the rod or reel while the angler is fighting the Tyee.
d) Hand lining the double line or the use of a boatman’s hand line, snapped on or in any way attached to the double line or leader.
e) Failure to comply with tackle regulations.
f) Shooting a Tyee.
g) Throwing a gaff at the Tyee before leader is within reach of the boatman.
h) Use of a lily iron, harpoon, lance, or gaff over four feet in length.
i) Anyone other than the angler and one gaffer assisting in gaffing or killing a Tyee.
j) The mutilation of the Tyee by sharks, seals, or other sources, that in the judgement of the Rules Committee will have affected the fighting qualities of the Tyee.
k) Angling from an anchored boat.
l) Use of motor while angling.
m) Motoring through the boundaries of the Tyee Pool to record a captured or released Tyee.
H. PROTESTS
1. Any protest based upon a possible violation of the Rules and Regulations by an angler must be made to a member of the Executive Committee of The Tyee Club within 24 hours after the weight of the fish is recorded. Such protest must be filed in writing.
2. Within 3 days of the filing of the protest, the President or Vice President shall select a committee of the Board of Directors of the Tyee Club and convene a meeting to evaluate the protest.
3. After investigating all circumstances relating to the protest and after considering all available evidence and hearing all pertinent testimony, the committee of Directors shall rule on the merits of the protest. Such ruling shall be in writing and shall be final.
I. BUTTONS
1. Buttons are available for purchase by Registered Members who have landed and registered a qualifying Tyee according to the Rules and Regulations of The Tyee Club of British Columbia. Members may purchase one button for each qualifying Tyee. The Club buttons shall be:
· The Bronze button for Tyee salmon weighing 30 pounds or over but under 40 pounds.
· The Silver button for Tyee salmon weighing 40 pounds and over but under 50 pounds.
· The Gold button for Tyee salmon weighing 50 pounds and over but under 60 pounds.
· The Diamond button for Tyee salmon weighing 60 pounds and over but under 70 pounds.
· The Ruby button for Tyee salmon weighing 70 pounds and over.
· The Tyee Man button which is presented to the angler taking the largest Tyee salmon for the season.
· The Catch and Release button for Tyee salmon weighing 30 pounds or over that has been caught and released.
J. TROPHIES
1. Trophies will be awarded to anglers registering Tyee according to the Rules and Regulations of The Tyee Club of British Columbia in various categories. The Club Trophies are as follows:
a) The Tyee Man Trophy is presented to the angler who registers the largest Tyee of the season.
b) The Lillian J. Sparrow Trophy is presented to the female angler who registers the largest Tyee of the season.
c) The E.B. Ballentine Trophy is presented to the angler who registers the largest pair of Tyee in one day during the season.
d) The Gavin Chisholm Trophy is presented to the angler who registers the largest Tyee using a single action reel in the season.
e) The Les McDonald Trophy is presented to the angler who registers the first Tyee of the season.
f) The W.C. Mainwaring Trophy is presented to the guide whose angler registers the largest Tyee of the season.
g) The Dr. Julien E. Benjamin Trophy is presented to the guide whose anglers collectively register the largest number of Tyee during the season.
h) The Dr. Richard Murphy Trophy is presented to the guide who rows the most new members into the Tyee Club during the season.
i) The Isfeld Memorial Trophy is presented to the angler who takes the largest pair of Tyee during the season.
j) The Raven Trophy is presented to the angler 16 years or younger who registers the largest Tyee of the season.
2. With the exception of the Les McDonald Trophy, the trophies and awards are presented at the Annual General Meeting of The Tyee Club the following year. All trophies are the property of The Tyee Club of British Columbia. The Tyee Club provides each year’s trophy winners with a ‘keeper’ trophy as a permanent possession.
K. ETIQUETTE ON THE WATER
1. The Tyee Club expects all anglers and rowers to observe certain common courtesies while fishing and while travelling to and from the fishing grounds.
a) Tyee boats create wake that is hazardous to others in small craft, people on wharfs, float planes, and properties. While motoring to and from the pool, you are responsible for your wake and asked to minimize it when it may affect others.
b) Give fellow rowers room. Look over your shoulder frequently. Collisions are not uncommon.
c) Respect fellow rowers’ position. Do not push others off their location.
d) Ensure running lights are visible, in good working order and used during low light conditions. Running lights must be standard red port & green starboard at the bow and a white 360o at the stern.
e) Be respectful of others when using bright lights at dawn and dusk.
2. Canadian Coast Guard Regulations require that no motor power be permitted within the Tyee Pool during the Tyee Club season. Motoring is permissible outside the boundaries including a strip along the shore west of the low water mark. At extreme low tides this option does not exist.
3. Before You Go Fishing
a. Be sure you have registered for the Tournament and paid your appropriate fees and dues. Ensure you have a current tidal waters fishing license. The weightmaster will ask to see it before any chinook is put on the scale.
4. Anglers/rowers are required to shut off the motor and row or paddle the boat, with motors raised, into the “no motor” area for fishing. Departing the area should be in the same manner: rowing out of the “no motor” area before lowering and starting the engine.
5. The Tyee Club asks all anglers and rowers to encourage good sportsmanship and to be courteous to all anglers.
a) When letting out your line, members are asked to turn your clickers off as a courtesy to others. If your reel is not equipped for this, please attempt to let line out as quietly as possible.
b) When a chinook is hooked the angler/rower should serve notice to others in the area by conveying a loud call of “Fish on!” Nearby anglers should immediately retrieve their lines to avoid fouling. The rower should endeavour to manoeuvre the fish to deeper water, away from the other boats as soon as reasonably practical to allow others to resume fishing.
c) When not rowing or actively fishing please maneuver your boat as to not impede others fishing.
6. Ensure you possess your Tidal Fishing License while fishing and mark all retained chinook on your licence immediately after catching.
7. Ensure you possess and have your Transport Canada Boating Licence on your person.