Terrific Trout, Tampa Bay

Inclement weather, a backup date would be announced.

 “The All Amateur, All Lure and Fly” tournament.  No charity, complete payout.   A small portion may be retained by the director, intended for use in future tournaments.      A bonus species of redfish.    Trout the main target:   Payouts per division will be based on sign ups for that division.  

Entry Fee: Open division,  $30 for all divisions.    Open, No Motor, Fly and Ladies.   No Junior division, the kids pick another division to compete.   One species:  Higher payouts for winning fish.     Bonus species, redfish:   $10 buyin to compete against everyone else paying the $10 in your division.  

The longest trout caught, tournament wide for all divisions gets a special prize:   A trout painting by Kumpa T.   

An annual event, this year’s in January, moving forward Terrific Trout, Tampa Bay will be in November.   The 14th. The speckled trout is our easiest fish to catch.   Can you catch a big one on tournament day?

I am not asking my sponsors for donations.   They are so good with the Classic, I thought we would just make this one “payout” to winners.   If I do get donations, I will make a decision.  They will be prizes.   A lot of donations, I will do a raffle.  

Tournament Schedule

November 13 – 5:30pm to 8pm 

Mandatory Captains Meeting and Pre-Event Registration:  Pub 590, Clearwater.

Registered anglers will pick up their lures and receive instructions and have the chance to ask questions.   

November 14: Weigh In & Award Party –

Pub 590, Clearwater. US 19 and 590, southeast, just 50 yards east of 19, south side of the road.

Note:  The deadline is 2:30PM to be in line to log your fish photos.   Late arrival will eliminate anglers from contention for tournament winnings.

The grill will be going and food will be provided.    Drinks:   Bring whatever you like. Beer is here.

 Tournament Lures-

MirrOLure, 12 Fathom!    You will be provided with some lures from these companies and you will be able to get more specific items to use in the tournament if you desire.  Eric Bachnic and Craig Bahyi, extremely generous for our event.  

For the Fly Fishing Division, use your own flies.
Divisions:  “Open”, “No Motor”, “Fly” and “Ladies”

“Longest” Trout

Per Division: Winners for the “longest” trout, with payouts going as many positions determined by the tournament director   Photos determine winners.   Length will be determined by the tournament judge.  

Tournament Rules-

You must have your token or number on your measuring board for every photo.   

If required, you must have a valid Florida Fishing License

All Boats & Kayaks must meet all USCG and Marine Patrol safety equipment supplies.

Participants must obey all local and state manatee protection zones and speed limits.

No Live or Dead Baits can be used.  Only designated artificial lures are allowed.  Adding scent to lures is prohibited.   The tournament is for fun and to benefit charity.  We expect people to go by the “Honor System” but people caught not using the designated lures will be disqualified.

The contest is for the non-professional anglers.   Captains or guides who are paid to fish or take people fishing are not eligible for winnings.   They may not “guide” other tournament contestants or the contestant will be disqualified.    A charity event, pro guides can join and participate if so inclined, but for “bragging rights” only.  

Boundary:  Lines may only be “cast” in Pinellas, Hillsborough or Manatee County Waters.   Anglers may launch from locations inside other counties but “on their honor” can only actually attempt to catch fish in Pinellas County waters.  With expected participation, this was discussed in order to “spread out” the participants without having contestants travel long distances or working areas well removed from the Tampa Bay/Clearwater/Palm Harbor area.

PHOTOS:  Because this is a catch, photo, release event please do not net fish as this can cause damage to the fish.  Additionally: The competition is “length” and participants lip-hanging fish for determining weight will be subject to disqualification. 

Your first camera photo should have all your lures and your measuring device, which you may do the night before. 

For all other photos, in daylight, your token/number must be in the photo.  

The fish should be placed with the “head” of the fish at the “zero” section of the ruler and the photograph of the fish without tail pinch, “Natural Lay” for the tournament measurement.   Tournament judges will determine the length by what they see in the photos.

Only one photo per angler and per category may be entered,

All fish must be caught and released on the day of event “after 1st safe light” and the angler must get his camera to the weigh-in station by 2:30PM

For anglers fishing together: If they are using separate cameras they can use the same measuring device.   If they will be using the same camera, they will need to tell us so and multiple marked measuring devices will be provided so that the fish are assigned to the correct angler.

Only one rod at a time may be used, participants must hook, fight and secure the fish.  

Using a drone in any fashion to assist in your fishing is NOT allowed.  

Judging and Disputes: 

In the event of a tie, photos turned in 1^st will be the deciding factor.

The Tournament Director and judges have the final say on any catch or dispute that may arise.   Violation of the rules may warrant a disqualification.   A disqualified participant will not get their entry fee refunded.

ALL disputes or challenges must be filed the day of the tournament by 4:00pm & include a $100.00 Challenge fee. If the challenge is not upheld the fee is forfeited, if challenge is upheld the fee will be returned.

Signing up to participate, the angler is assuming liability, wherein the tournament organizers are not liable for your acts on or off the water.

The tournament directors reserve the right to limit the total number of participants and may deny entry based on previous issues regarding inappropriate actions by the entrant.  All rules of the event must be followed; failure to do so will result in disqualification.  

Total participants:  For planning and scheduling, there is a limit to the number of people we can allow to sign up for the tournament.  This will be on a first-come, first-serve basis and when the categories fill no more participants will be accepted.

*Cash Payouts depend on the total number of paid entrants.

*Final cash prize amounts will be announced and awarded at the weigh in

It is the sole responsibility of the entrants to have sufficient liability insurance to cover themselves and their guests if any. The tournament organizers are in no way liable for any injuries sustained by participants in this event.

Where applicable, participants are required to pay any and all local, state or 

Federal taxes due on prizes won!

This is an all Catch-and-Release Event. Use the utmost care in handling all fish.

Participation & Eligibility

Participants have to select their division that is the only classification they are eligible to compete.    See the options below.

              Divisions – Open

Participants ages (15 and Up) that will be fishing in the Open Division, Entry Fee – $ 30.00 Cash, Anglers fishing from powerboats will be in the Open division with the exception of entrants that qualify for the Ladies or Fly Fishing divisions.

The “No Motor Division” is wade, paddlecraft or from land or bridges.   $30.00, competing only against others entered in that division.   Anyone “non-motorized” can select to compete in the “Open Division” (and pay that fee) or can select the Fly, Ladies divisions as well.  Opting into the open division forfeits cash or prizes in the “kayak division”.   “Non-Motorized vessels” that utilize a trolling motor must enter the Open, Fly, Ladies Division but do not qualify for the No Motor division.

Fly anglers only compete in that division and may do so by kayak, powerboat or wading.    Lady anglers may also select the Fly Division.    Ladies may opt into other divisions but forfeit competition in the Ladies Division.

No Motor Anglers can choose to compete in the Fly, Ladies or Open Division.

Ladies:   Participants must be female, of any age and may select the “Open, Fly or No Motor” division instead if they wish.   If they do, they forfeit consideration for “ladies” division.
 
 Fly division:   Use your own.   All flies are eligible.  

Final Registration Captains meeting  – Cash or check

All Entry Fees Are Absolutely Non- Refundable!      

Participants must attend the captains meeting – pay, pick up your stuff, get any of your questions answered.  

 Severe/Inclement Weather: In the event that event coordinators due to weather must cancel the tournament, this event will be rescheduled.