Fishing Rules:
Any person under the age of 18 must have written consent from a parent or legal guardian. The Tournament reserves the right to refuse participation in the event to any individual at the discretion of the Tournament Director.
This is an Individual Angler competition; each angler will be able to enter fish in each species. Anglers MUST submit their fish in a photo with their identifier on the official measuring device in order to place in the Tournament. Identifier and official ruler will be provided at registration.
Safe boating will be observed at all times. The Tournament may be shortened or canceled due to unsafe weather or water conditions. The decision to shorten or to cancel will be left totally to the discretion of the Tournament Director. A 4-hour period shall constitute a day of fishing. Anglers are all fishing at their own risk, each angler must determine if conditions are safe and reasonable to fish during Tournament.
In the event of a rule violation, the Tournament Director may impose such sanctions as they deem appropriate, including, without limitation, disqualifications, forfeiture of prizes, and prohibition from participation in subsequent tournaments. Decisions of the Tournament Director are final in all matters and are not subject to appeal, and are not reviewable by any court of law. The Tournament reserves the right to make needed changes to these rules in order to ensure the safety and welfare of the Tournament anglers and the public, and preserve the integrity of the event. Any rule changes will immediately supersede all previously published copies of rules. It is your responsibility to read and understand the rules and how you are affected by not complying with the following rules. Every competitor will be required to sign a liability release/permission form for use of image/agreement to the official rules prior to the Tournament.
- Photo, Catch and Release Tournament standings, auxiliary awards, and final winners shall be determined by the total length of each fish measured in inches to 1/16 of inch of each anglers catch during the Tournament. You may upgrade your entries as this is a catch photo competition and only the longest fish will be counted towards longest fish or submitted as part of the bag limit for Grand Slam.
- Total inches of each fish will be measured on the official Tournament ruler provided in Tournament swag bag.
- Nose of fish must be on the zero line and the entire fish must be visible in the entry photo. Photo shall be taken from above the fish on the official measuring device with the angler identifier in the photo. If the fish is larger than the provided measuring device the boat captains measuring device may be placed under the official device for proof of length. Photo must be time stamped.
- Length of redfish, snook and trout will be determined by the pinch tail method with mouth closed.
- Photo’s will be submitted to Weigh Master via iAngler Tournament app. Procedures for iAngler app will be provided at captains meeting and in Tournament swag bag. The prevailing rules as set forth by Tournament along with federal, state, and local statutes and regulations bind all competitors. Competitors will at no time have in their possession, in the live well or cooler, a Tournament species. Tournament official length for all fish will be according to the state laws in the state in which that event is being held. Any fish that appears to have been penned, mangled, mashed, mauled, or otherwise altered will not be eligible at the discretion of the Weigh Master.
- In the event of a tie, the fish that was submitted first in Tournament via app or text shall be the longest fish of species and winner.
First & second place for each species:
based on total length of each species.
Redfish/Red Drum shall be legal bag limit of 1 fish per angler. Redfish must be of legal minimum size (18 inches) to enter. Only the longest fish will count towards bag limit.
Trout shall be one fish of longest length. Trout must be of legal minimum size (15 inches) to enter.
Snook shall be legal bag limit of 1 fish per angler with no size limits. Only the longest fish will count towards bag limit.
Grand Slam: Total # of inches for all 3 (redfish, trout, & snook) tournament species caught.
Grand Slam Champion $2,500
1st Place Snook $1,000 2nd Place Snook $750
1st Place Redfish $500 2nd Place Redfish $300
1st Place Trout $250 2nd Place Trout $100
REGISTRATION: Registration will be at Westshore Yacht Club 6003 Beacon Shores Street, Tampa, from 7:00 AM until 8:15 AM March 25th. All anglers must attend registration and sign in at the designated time and location. If an angler is unable to attend registration due to valid emergency reasons, they may designate an alternate to attend in their place. In addition, they must contact the Tournament Coordinator-Corina Wian 813-508-2618. Anglers agree that it is their own responsibility to find out what was discussed at the captain’s meeting.
AWARDS CEREMONY: Awards ceremony will begin at 3 PM, March 25th at the Westshore Yacht Club 6003 Beacon Shores Street, Tampa. Winners will be announced at 3:30 PM.
Competitors may fish anywhere on tournament waters (Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee & Sarasota Co) accessible to the public by boat, except areas designated as “off limits” or “no fishing” by private ownership or local, state, and federal officials. Competitors may not fish within 50 yards of a competitor’s boat that was in a location first and anchored unless the other boat gives permission. (An anchored boat is a boat held in a stable position by a line attached to a weight, push pole, Power Pole, etc., with the trolling motor in the up position). If the boat does not have a trolling motor the definition of anchored still applies.
All competitors are expected to obey all applicable federal, state, and local regulations and laws. Violation of such rules may result in your disqualification from the Tournament. Repeated or flagrant violations will result in said competitors being banned from future participation in this tournament and possibly reported to the FWC or local authorities.
All fish must be caught alive in a conventional sporting manner. Only one fishing rod may be used at a time per angler. A cast must be fully retrieved before another angler may pick up/touch that rod. Foul hooked fish shall not be measured during competition. A foul hooked fish is defined as a fish that does not have at least one hook in its mouth, and it must be released. Competitors may not catch fish or submit fish that have been caged or confined in an area prior to the Tournament. Competitors may not submit another anglers catch as their own.
Only one casting, spin casting, conventional reel, spinning rod, and reel or fly rod may be used at any one time per angler.
Every effort must be made to keep fish alive. Please keep fish in net or live well to prepare for photo. Wet the measuring device and deck to protect the fish. Hold your breath when the fish is removed from the water, when you can no longer hold your breath neither can the fish. Put the fish in the live well or net and then continue with the process of entering your catch. No dead fish shall be entered in competition. Any alteration of length of fish or measuring device is prohibited and angler will be disqualified and banished from any future tournaments.
Prior to Tournament start, an identifier will be given to each angler. This identifier must remain with angler during Tournament competition, and included in each photo submitted.
The official Tournament times are 8:30 AM to 2:30PM. Anglers/boat may not depart the marina until 8:30 AM. Any fish caught before 8:30 AM are not eligible. All fishing must cease/lines out at 2:30 PM and all submissions must be received by 3:00 PM. All running lights & safety equipment must be in place and working at time of launch.
Any late submission will be automatically disqualified. All entries must be submitted by 3:00 PM day of Tournament.
Competitors in the Tournament are expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety, and conservation. Any infraction of these fundamental sporting principles may be deemed cause for disqualification. Maximum courtesy must be practiced at all times, especially with regard to boating and angling in the vicinity of non-competitors who may be on Tournament waters. Evidence of chemical or substance addiction or abuse or other conduct reflecting unfavorably upon the Hooked on Health Care Fishing Tournament efforts to promote safety, sportsmanship, and compliance with Tournament rules shall be grounds for rejecting any entries for participation and for disqualification. Any act deemed by the Tournament Director that gives an angler an unfair advantage not specifically covered under this set of rules shall be grounds for disqualification. Any violation by an angler deemed intentional or preconceived by the Tournament Director to gain an unfair advantage would be grounds for permanent disqualification.