TH Marine Florida Redfish Series Presented by Aquatraction
The mission of the F.R.S. is to provide a professionally ran series for everyone from the tournament pro to the weekend warrior, promote conservation, competitive camaraderie and education of future generations of anglers through our FREE JR Angler Program.
What Does It Cost to Fish The Boat Division ?
Each angler must have an FRS membership the cost is $55 annually.
Our 2-man boat team entry fee is $250 per tournament which includes biggest red side pot.
Our angler rewards Calcutta is an optional side pot and is $100 for a boat entry with a payout of 50/30/20%
What Does it Cost to Fish The Kayak Division ?
Each angler must have an FRS membership the cost is $55 annually.
Kayak tournament entry is $105 per angler with big red being included in your entry fee.
The optional angler rewards Calcutta side pot is $50 per kayak angler with a payout of 50/30/20%
2024 Florida Redfish Series Boaters Division Rules
Membership Rules:
There is a $50.00 annual Florida Redfish Series membership required per angler (not team). Membership is required to participate in all Florida Redfish Series events. Kids 15 and under are free and do not require a membership to participate.
Any Florida Redfish Series participants caught burning the flats less than 30 days before an event will be disqualified from said event.
Participation and Eligibility
Participation in the North Florida Redfish Series tournaments is by invitation and open only to members of the North Florida Redfish Series in good standing. Any person under the age of 18 must have written consent from a parent or legal guardian. The North Florida Redfish Series reserves the right to refuse membership and participation in any or all events to any individual or team at the discretion of the Tournament Director.
Tournament Rules:
Each FRS Captain must participate in at least two of the four regular season tournaments to be eligible for the team of the year and eligible to fish the championship tournament, A co-angler must have participated in at minimum one regular season tournament and be a current member of the FRS to be eligible to fish the championship tournament.
During the championship tournament a substitution of a co-angler may be allowed by tournament officials for the championship tournament, this angler must be a current member of the FRS and have participated in at least one regular season tournament. This request will need to be submitted in writing for approval by the tournament directors.
1. Teams must consist of two members; teams may have no more than two anglers on the boat during a tournament, this includes the Jr. Anglers.
2. One team member must be at least 18 years of age. All members of a registered team must fish from the same vessel. No hiring of a guide or charter during any of our tournament’s.
3. Teams will consist of 2 anglers. Due to culling permit restrictions, you can only have two anglers per boat
4. Entry fees for a 2-angler team will be $250.00 per team.
The optional $100 Anglers Rewards program that will pay out to the top three finishing teams enrolled will pay out 50%,30%,20%.
All teams will be eligible for the Big Red payout to the heaviest redfish weighed.
There will be a $10 convenience fee charged at checkout to cover credit card processing fees.
5. Registration will be held up until 7:00 PM local time the Friday before each tournament, to be followed by the captain’s meeting at 7:15 PM. All teams are required to either attend the Captain’s Meeting or check in on the Facebook Live broadcast by commenting with their team member’s name. If a team is unable to attend the captain’s meeting due to circumstances beyond their control, they may designate an alternate to attend in their place. In addition, they must contact the Tournament Director prior to the start of the registration to inform the Tournament Director who the alternate will be attending for them. A designated alternate will not be allowed to represent more than one team at a Captain’s Meeting. Teams agree that it is their own responsibility to find out what was discussed at the Captain’s Meeting. Team numbers will be randomly generated and posted to Facebook and sent out via email to all participants.
6. Entry fees are non-refundable. The only exception to this is in the event that a tournament is postponed or cancelled by the Tournament Director.
7. In the event a tournament is cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances, it may be rescheduled by the Tournament Director.
8. The Tournament Director reserves the right to make all decisions regarding the safe operation of a tournament.
9. Each captain is responsible for the safe operation of his or her vessel and must comply with all federal and state regulations governing such operation.
10. Tournaments will begin at safe daylight, as determined by the Tournament Director. Anglers may launch their boats before safe daylight, but no team may leave the designated launch area until released by the tournament director or series official. Safe daylight is defined as 30 minutes before sunrise. This time will be posted on, www.flredfisheries.com, Facebook, Instagram and mentioned at the Friday night Facebook Live meeting before the tournament each month, any team that leaves the ramp before the designated time will be disqualified.
11. Tournament conclusion time will be determined by flights; the scales will open at 2:30 p.m. The first flight will be due back at 3:00 p.m. and each flight after that will check in at 15 min intervals. At least one member of each team must check in at a designated checkpoint by their designated flight time. Any team that checks in late will be penalized as follows: .50lbs per minute up to 15 min, over 15 minutes late – disqualification and no credit for the day’s catch
12. Each team is allowed to weigh a two person’s legal bag limit of redfish. Only fish of legal harvest size, according to State law, will be accepted at the weigh in. Questionable fish will be measured by the Tournament Director. Any fish that is brought to the scales to be measured and is deemed to be either under or over the slot limit will be bumped from your bag and you will be allowed to weigh your remaining fish.
13. The Florida Redfish Series will be applying for a culling permit for each tournament if there are more than 25 teams participating, this means all fish must be weighed alive and released at the conclusion of each tournament. There will be a .50lbs weight penalty per dead fish enforced for teams who bring a dead fish to the scale.
14. Only recreational limits may be kept during tournaments. Commercial limits are not allowed.
15. All measurements will be done using a Florida Redfish Series provided Checkit Stick utilizing the perfect pinch, all measurements will be done by sliding the perfect pinch to the 26” mark and taking the length at the longest point of the tail. Any angler may use the ruler to measure their own fish, but no courtesy measure will be provided.
16. Only fish taken by hook and line are eligible for weigh in. Electrically driven reels on freestanding rods (Electramates) are not acceptable. Mounted winch devices (one armed bandits), motor driven long lines, spearing, Gigging, netting, shooting (including bang sticks), or any method of catching fish in violation of Florida or U.S. laws are prohibited. Use of any illegal method for catching fish will result in disqualification from the tournament of all entrants on the violating team.
17. All weights are final. Fish will not be weighed more than once.
18. In the event of a tie, the tie will be broken by the weight of the teams’ largest fish. If still tied the team who registered for the tournament first will be declared the winner.
19. Teams are only allowed to use artificial lures; “no live bait” or “prepared bait” will be permitted, with the exception of pork strips, or commercially sold scents, etc. Only ONE casting, spin casting, spinning rod and reel or fly rod (10-foot maximum length from butt of handle to rod tip) may be used at any one time per angler. Be prepared to show your current fishing license, at registration, from the state in which the tournament is being held.
20. No team may approach another team on the water any closer than 150 feet unless under mutual agreement by both teams.
21. Contestants may not exit their vessel to fish, no wade fishing.
22. All participants must possess a valid Florida Saltwater Fishing License when applicable to Florida State Law.
23. All team members are expected to conduct themselves in a safe, courteous and professional manner at all times. The Tournament Committee will have the final say in all conduct matters. There will be no refunds of any kind if you are disqualified for violation of the conduct rule.
24. The Tournament Director may implement additional tournament specific rules and restrictions for individual tournaments. Entrants are responsible for understanding rules for each tournament.
25. The Tournament Director will determine location for any draw tournaments. The Tournament Director or a designated representative will conduct the draw.
26. No Airboats, surface drives or mud-motors will be allowed in any Florida Redfish Series Tournament; all boats must be a minimum of 14 feet in length. Each boat must have all required U.S. Coast Guard safety equipment. In addition, it must have a functional bilge pump and live well space, properly aerated to adequately maintain a live limit catch of Redfish by both contestants, a minimum of 18 gallon live well is required. For the safety of all contestants, Boats are required to have some type of Shut Off Device or Kill Switch. This ignition shut off device must be attached to the driver’s body anytime the combustion engine is operating. All bladder tanks and any other type of auxiliary gas tanks that are not installed by the boat manufacturer are prohibited. Fuel may be carried only in factory installed fuel tanks. Any additional fuel used during the tournament day must be purchased from a retail facility open to the public. If participating boat was not factory equipped with a built-in fuel tank, then participant may use no more than two of the standard US Coast Guard approved portable tanks mounted at the stern in designated areas by the motor. Maximum horsepower for all outboards used in tournament competition will not exceed the horsepower limitations as set by the U.S. Coast Guard horsepower rating plate attached to the boat by the manufacturer. By registering to participate in an event, each contestant agrees to submit his or her boat and/or motor to an inspection by the tournament director. Falsifying information on entry forms or altering the horsepower numbers on the motor or rating plate will be cause for disqualification from the tournament and may result in future ineligibility to enter FRS tournaments.
27. No drones are to be used to locate schools of fish. Absolutely NO drones are allowed 2 weeks prior to or during the fishing tournament! We encourage the use of Go Pros or similar recording devices to capture your day and would love to use them to add to our video if you’ll send us footage.
Official Check Points
28. There will be only one official checkpoint for boat check in the morning and one official check-in point in the afternoon. Failure to go through boat check and checkout in the morning will result in disqualification. All fishing must cease upon check-in. Teams that experience equipment failures may have them repaired and check out late for an event. However, it is the team’s responsibility to find and notify the tournament director or tournament official in order to check out. All running lights must be in place and working at time of launch.
Protesting & Reporting Procedures:
All protests must verbally initiate then submitted in writing, along with a $200 cash deposit, within thirty (30) minutes of the closing of the scales and be turned into the tournament director or tournament official. 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 Rules and Protest Committee, or polygraph, upholds the protest, the cash deposit shall be returned to the contestant submitting the protest. Each competitor agrees to report any rule violation to the tournament director immediately upon discovery of the violation.
Polygraph:
Each competitor who fishes in any Florida Redfish Series event agrees to submit to a random polygraph examination at a time and location as determined by the Tournament Director following the end of the competition in each tournament and abide by its conclusion. Failure to pass the polygraph will result in disqualification.
Alchohol and Drug Policy:
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 3pm. If you choose to consume alcohol or drugs after tournament hours and cannot take a polygraph, then any winnings will be withheld until a time which a polygraph can be performed.
Most Importantly……HAVE FUN!
2024 Florida Redfish Series Kayak Division Rules
Membership Rules:
There is a $50.00 annual Florida Redfish Series membership required per angler (not team). Membership is required to participate in all Florida Redfish Series events. Kids 15 and under are free and do not require a membership to participate.
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.
2. Registration and Captains Meeting
Registration will remain open until 7 P.M. on the Friday Evening before the tournament to be followed by the captain’s meeting promptly at 7:30 PM.
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 launch 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. Launch Photo Submission.
Launch time will be announced at the captains meeting. All competitors must check in with their launch photo, which will include identifier, PFD and measuring devices no earlier than the designated time. No fish pictures will be judged before your launch photo is received.
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.
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 3pm. If you choose to consume alcohol or drugs after tournament hours and cannot take a polygraph, then any winnings will be withheld until a time which a polygraph can be performed.
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 has been hooked behind the gill plates in the body, no snatch hooking. 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. COMMUNICATION.
A VHF radio is recommended for all tournament vessels. The VHF may be mounted or portable. The use of mobile communication devices such as cellular telephones, marine radios, walkie-talkies, CBs, or any electronic device to communicate fishing information or to contact anyone during tournament hours is strictly prohibited. Communication among anglers is allowed on the water only by non-electronic methods. Medical emergency calls may be made and then a tournament official should be contacted. Social media posting is encouraged during the tournament to support the tournament and its sponsors.
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.
15A. 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) All catch submissions must be made through the Fishing Chaos App no later than 3pm on tournament day and must be time stamped no later than 2pm, no text or email submissions will be allowed, and all submissions will be verified by 4 P.M. by Reel Tournament Management. Each angler will be responsible for purchasing the 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 identifier. Fish must be photographed in or on the boat, on the official measuring device, clearly showing the length of the fish with the Blue Fox Tins FRS LOGO identifier attached to the Ketch ID Holder. More than one photo of a fish may be taken.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER KETCH BOARD
CLICK HERE TO ORDER IDENTIFIER HOLDER
CLICK HERE TO ORDER IDENTIFIER
15B. MEASURING YOUR FISH
The longest part of the tail must touch the lines on the Ketch measuring board, no part of the fish’s tail can be hanging off of the measuring device. Please do not fan the tail to make a long fish fit in the slot or hard pinch a tail to gain length. Length is determined from the forward-most point of the fish to the longest point 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 Ketch ID holder must be centered between the 24.5″ and 26.5″ marks on all upper shot fish over 25″. If your Ketch ID holder is not correctly placed on the Ketch board then your catch submission will be disqualified.
15C. Hands Free no foreign objects
ALL photo submissions must be hands free, no hands on the fish. No foreign objects can be on the fish period!!! Nothing can be in the fish’s mouth such as a fish gripper or lures. Any violations of this rule will result in the photo submission being disqualified.
15D Final Review
The FRS Staff will review all photo submissions for all paying positions before the tournament will be declared official. The FRS reserves the right to overturn any Reel Tournament Management judging decisions.
16. FISH LENGTHS.
Fish must meet minimum length of 18”and a maximum length of 27”in accordance with FWC Rules.
17. 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 picture submitted first 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.”
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 protest fee of $100. The leader boards will be turned off from 12pm to 3pm, Once the leader boards go live at 3pm the challenge feature will be enabled and remain on until 4pm. This is how you will initiate your protest. Then you must return to the weigh in no later than 4:30pm to complete the protest document and pay the $100 protest fee before it is reviewed. No protest will be reviewed until the completion of the boat weigh in, the form is completed, and protest fee is paid. 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. FISHING WITH GUIDES.
No fishing with local guides 30 days before the tournament in tournament waters. This means either paid or unpaid, on your boat or their boat or a kayak guide. The only exception to this rule is if the kayak guide is registered to fish in the kayak division in the tournament prior to any pre-fishing.
LOCAL GUIDE DEFINITION: A local guide is defined as someone who is a for hire guide and offers guide services within the tournament boundaries.
TOURNAMENT WATERS DEFINITION: Any waters inside the tournament boundaries.
22. 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.
23. POINTS SYSTEM.
100 points will be awarded to the winning Angler of each tournament, 99 points to 2nd, 98 points to 3rd, etc. Anglers that zero will be receive 10 points less than the lowest points awarded to an angler weighing fish, (i.e. if the last angler that weighs fish receives 80 points than every angler after them who zeroed will receive 70 points).
Points Tie Breaker:
In the event of a tie in points for the Divisional Championships or Angler of the year the tie breaker will be determined by the following.
1: Highest finish in the trail if a divisional tie breaker, if for AOY highest finish in the series.
2: Second highest finish in the trail if a divisional tie breaker, if for AOY the tie breaker will continue with second highest finish, 3rd highest finish etc until a winner is determined.
3: Total length in inches in the trail, if for AOY total length in inches for the season.
26. No Shuttling
You may NOT team up and park a vehicle in one area a shuttle your kayaks to a different launch area with the intention of using the first vehicle to gain a time advantage. You must return to your original launch sight at the conclusion of the tournament.
27. No Relaunching
You may not pull your kayak out and drive to a new location and relaunch your kayak once the tournament has begun and your launch photo is submitted.
28. CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFICATIONS.
2024 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.
29. 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.
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