2023 Florida Redfish Series Kayak Division Rules

1. PARTICIPATION AND ELIGIBILITY. Participation is open to anyone 18 years of age or older. Minors are eligible to participate with a parent or legal guardian signature on the release form. A completed entry form, waiver, and entry fee must be received no later than the published entry date. If a participant is awarded prize money during the year a SSN will be required before getting a check. Each participant is responsible for taxable earnings at the end of the year.

2. Registration and Captains Meeting

 Preregistration  will close at 8 P.M. the Thursday before each event late registration will be allowed until 7 P.M. on Friday Evening before the tournament to be followed by the Captain’s meeting promptly at 7:30 PM. An entry fee of $100 will be due when registering, if not already paid, in order to fish the event. Entry fee for the 2023 Championship will $200. All entry fees are NON-TRANSFERABLE and NON-REFUNDABLE. Attendance at the Captain’s Meeting or by checking in on the Facebook Live broadcast of the captains meeting is required for all contestants. Should the need arise for an angler to miss the Captains Meeting; they should call the Tournament Director prior to the meeting to request a hardship exemption from the meeting. Should the Tournament Director approve the angler’s request for a hardship exemption to miss the meeting, it will be the angler’s responsibility to find a representative to stand in for the meeting. Exact fishing times will be announced at the Captain’s Meeting by the Tournament Director on Friday evening. To participate in the Angler Rewards Program, an additional $50 and to participate in the biggest redfish and additional $25 is due by the Captain’s Meeting prior to the event. Go to www.flredfishseries.com for more details on meeting locations & times.

3. NO FISHING OR KAYAKING TIMES 

Anglers are prohibited from fishing after the Captain's Meeting until Safe Light's launch time. Anglers are also not permitted to launch their kayak for the purposes of traveling, positioning, or scouting between the Captain's Meeting and Safe Light. Tournament day kayaking must begin at the point of launch, when the put-in photo is taken.

4. SAFETY. 

Safe boating will always be observed. During competition each contestant is required to comply with US Coast Guard regulations. In addition, participants must always wear a PFD while competing in the event and be in possession of a sounding device. Tournament days 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.

5. CHECK IN. 

Check in will be announced at the captains meeting. All competitors must check in with their photos, token and measuring devices by the check in time to be announced at the Captain’s Meeting to be eligible for fishing prizes. 

6. SPORTSMANSHIP. 

Competitors in the Florida Redfish Series Kayak Division events 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. Any act of a competitor, which reflects unfavorably upon the Florida Redfish Series effort to promote fisheries conservation, clean waters, and courtesy, shall be reason for disqualification. Evidence of chemical substance addiction or abuse, conviction of a felony or other crimes involving moral turpitude or other conduct reflecting unfavorably upon the Florida Redfish Series efforts to promote safety, sportsmanship and compliance with tournament rules shall be grounds for rejecting any application 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.

7. ALCOHOL AND DRUGS. 

The consuming or transporting of any alcoholic beverages or drugs (other than prescription or OTC drugs) during official tournament hours, on any tournament angler’s boat is prohibited, and angler or anglers will be disqualified from this and possibly all future tournaments. Official Tournament hours begin at SAFE LIGHT and end upon the angler submitting his/her fish, but no later than 3:00 PM

8. PERMITTED FISHING METHODS. 

All fish must be caught, photographed, and released alive in a conventional sporting manner. A cast must be fully retrieved before an angler may pick up another rod. A foul hooked Redfish will not be scored. A foul hooked Redfish is defined as a Redfish that does not have at least one hook in its mouth, and it must be released. Anglers may not catch fish or weigh in fish that have been caged or confined in an area prior to the tournament. All fish must be caught from either the kayak (self-propelled watercraft only) NO WADE FISHING!!! Anglers may only exit their vessel if they have run aground, all fishing must stop then the angler may exit he vessel and can push their kayak off the obstruction. Fishing may only resume after they have returned to their kayak seat. During the hours of competition, contestants may not obtain or receive assistance, including but not limited to the following: a noncompetitor’s boat, the placing of markers by a non-competitor, being towed by or riding on motorized vessels, or receiving electronic, voice or data communication from a non-competitor.

9. TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT. 

Only artificial lures may be used during competition. Commercially sold scents may be added and used. Only ONE casting, spin casting, spinning rod and reel or fly rod maybe used at any one time per angler. Trolling as a method of fishing is prohibited. Be prepared to show your current fishing license, at registration, from the state in which the tournament is being held.

10. COMMUNICATIONS. 

A VHF radio is recommended for all tournament vessels. The VHF may be mounted or portable. The use of mobile communication devices such as cellphones, marine radios, walkie-talkies, CBs or any electronic device to obtain and use fishing information from anyone during tournament hours is strictly prohibited. Communication among anglers is allowed on the water only by non-electronic methods but not for purpose of soliciting information to gain a competitive advantage.

11. NO MOTORS. 

Anglers can only use Paddle or Peddle driven Kayaks, the use of a boat or motorized water vehicle to transport your boat on the water is prohibited. All craft must be self-propelled - no motors are allowed (electric or combustion).

12. PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS. All fishing locations must always be in waters accessible to the public according to state and federal regulations. 

13. TOURNAMENT BOUNDARIES. Anglers must launch and fish within the boundaries set by the Tournament Director and the boundaries will be posted on the website, Facebook, Instagram and tournament app.

14.PRIVATE LAUNCHES. 

There will be no launching from private property. You must launch from any PUBLIC land or boat launch. Marinas, fish camps, or boat launch areas that are providing access if the angler pays an access fee not exceeding $20.00 will be considered public launches. No private access launch sites. Private arrangements to gain access will not be allowed & anglers who use them will be disqualified. It is the sole responsibility of the angler to ensure that the chosen launch site is not posted or otherwise restricted as a "No Trespassing site", and that is open to the public for launching and parking.

15. SCORING. 

The event uses catch-photo-release scoring determined by the length of each fish (the longest two redfish submitted will count towards your aggregate) In the event you cannot transmit your picture through the APP we will review all catches at the weigh in and all submissions must be verified and finalized by 4 P.M. by a tournament official or the tournament director. Each angler will be responsible for purchasing the official Florida Redfish Series Aluminum Ketch 32" Ruler NO PLASTIC OR KARBONATE RULERS ALLOWED. All anglers will receive their unique scoring code word after the captains via text and email. The first photo on the camera must be of your rigged boat as put in at launch with measuring device and scoring marker visible. Fish must be photographed in or on the boat, on the official measuring device, clearly showing the length of the fish with the scoring marker and boat visible. More than one photo of a fish may be taken. Length is determined from the forward-most point of the fish to the pinched top of the tail with the fish’s mouth closed. Fish must be above the state minimums to count – fish may not be above the slot limit. The maximum fish size is 27” and the fish's tail must rest naturally, and the entire tail must be laying on the board when the picture is taken, do not fan the tail to make a long fish fit in the slot or hard pinch a tail to gain length. 

16 TIE BREAKERS. 

In the event of a tie, the tie breaker will be the biggest fish in length, if there is still a tie then the biggest fish time stamped the earliest will be declared the winner. The Tournament Director will review the photos to verify reported results and determine place winners. The Tournament Director is responsible for the final call in all matters. Competitors may enter as many fish as you want however only the longest two redfish in the slot will comprising a true “Aggregate”.

17. FISH LENGTHS. 

Fish must meet minimum length of 18”and a maximum length of 27”in accordance with FWC Rules.

18. PHOTO SUBMISSIONS. 

Participants may only use cell phones for recording scoring fish and be submitted through the Fishing Cahos APP.

19. PROTEST. 

All protests must be submitted in writing along with a $100 cash deposit, within thirty (30) minutes of check-in time to the Tournament Director. The protester also agrees that if there is a question of verifying the charge of a protest that he or she also may be subject to take a polygraph and agree to testify in a court of law if necessary. If the Tournament Director, or polygraph, upholds the protest, the cash deposit shall be returned to the contestant submitting the protest.

20. POLYGRAPH. 

Each contestant who fishes a Florida Redfish Series Kayak Division event agrees to potentially submit to a polygraph examination at a time and location determined by the Tournament Director following the end of the competition in each tournament and abides by its conclusion. Failure to pass the polygraph will result in disqualification.

21. RELEASE OF LIABILITY AND COVENANT NOT TO SUE. 

A waiver, release of liability, and covenant not to sue are part of the entry form. It is required that all contestants take responsibility for themselves while participating in event activities.

22. PHOTO RELEASE. 

Anglers agree to grant the Florida Redfish Series a non-exclusive license for the photos to be used at their discretion. Contestants grant the Florida Redfish Series and the sponsors the unconditional right to use their name, voice, photographic likeness and biographical information in connection with the Florida Redfish Series tournaments, production, promotion, and/or articles and press releases, and shall not be entitled to receive any royalties or other compensation in connection with such use.

23. RULE CHANGES. 

Rules interpretation is exclusively left to the Tournament Director. The decisions of the Tournament Director are final in all matters and are not subject to appeal.

24. CONTINGENCY PRIZES. 

Sponsors may at their discretion award contingency prizes for anglers winning or placing using their products.

25. POINTS SYSTEM. 

200 points will be awarded to the winning Angler of each tournament, 199 points to 2nd, 198 points to 3rd, etc.

26. CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFICATIONS. 

2023 Championship fee will be $200. All Anglers that enter and fish two (2) regular season events will qualify for the Championship. The Florida Redfish Tour Kayak Division Championship will be a 2-day event.

27. ANGLER OF THE YEAR.

Points for Angler of The Year will be awarded to each angler who fishes any regular season event. The angler of the year will be determined by the total accumulated points of all six regular season tournaments and the championship.