REGISTRATION

1.  Entry fees are non-refundable.
2.  Payment of the entry fee constitutes a representation that the Captain has read and understands these Tournament Rules and that the Captain and crew will abide by such rules and the decisions of the Tournament’s Committees, Weigh Master, and Tournament personnel.
3.  The Tournament reserves the right to deny participation to any Captain or crew member who has violated tournament rules in a previous tournament.

CAPTAIN’S MEETINGS

4.  Each Captain or an authorized representative must attend the Captain’s Meeting. Captains are responsible for being informed of all Tournament Rules, including any amendments announced prior to the start of fishing.

5.  The Tournament may amend the Tournament Rules at any time prior to the end of the final Captain’s Meeting.

PRIZES

6.  All advertised cash prizes are based upon a minimum of 300 paid entries to the Beach Kickoff Tournament. The Tournament reserves the right to adjust the prize structure if there are less or more than 300 paid entries. Additional prizes are awarded for the Junior Angler Tournament, the Ladies Tournament, the Tournaments within the Tournament, and other special awards and prizes.

BOATING SAFETY

7.  Each boat must comply with all Federal, State, and Local laws and safety regulations for its size. Each Captain is responsible for compliance with all applicable Federal, State, and Local fishing laws and regulations by the Captain’s boat and crew. Violation of any Federal, State, or Local statute, marine regulation or directive by a Captain or crew may be grounds for disqualification in the Tournament’s sole discretion.
8.  Captains must monitor the official Tournament radio channel (CH 78) for announcements.
9.  All Boats must leave from any inlet within the Tournament Official Boundaries. No boat can enter the Atlantic Ocean prior to 6:00 AM.
10. Weigh in opens at 3:00 PM and boats intending to weigh fish must be in line at the Tournament Site (Jim King Boat Ramp and Park at Sisters Creek) prior to 5:30 PM. The official check-in time is the time when the fish is weighed. Shoes are required by all participants at the scales.

LAND CHECK IN

11. Fish brought to the Tournament site by vehicle must be at the weigh station scales not later than 5:30 PM. Participants must present their boat number.

FISHING

12. After a fish is boated, a photo of the fish with the tournament issued OFFICIAL Boat Number on the water with the beach visible in the background must be taken as soon as possible and sent via text to 904-374-2042 as soon as possible and it must be submitted no later than 5:30 PM. Fish without a qualifying photo will not be eligible to win any prize. You will receive a response from the Tournament to confirm receipt of your photo.
13. In the event any two boats come together, regardless of the reason, or anything is passed between boats for any reason after the official start of fishing and before weighing in, then both boats may be disqualified. The Rules Committee may grant exceptions for emergency situations.
14. The Kickoff Beach Tournament Boundaries are as follows: East: State Waters (3 nautical miles offshore), North: the Brunswick inlet and South: the Flagler Beach pier. All boats must remain within the Tournament Boundaries during fishing hours and while catching bait. If a fish is hooked and while fighting the fish, a boat is taken out of bounds, the angler may continue to fight the fish until it is caught or lost. Lines may then not be deployed until the boat has returned to the Tournament boundaries.
15. Fishing, including fishing for bait, begins at 6:00 AM, unless amended by the Tournament. No boat is allowed to fish or take bait in the Atlantic Ocean as of 7:30 PM on the day prior to the start of the General Tournament. Four hours of fishing constitutes a full day of fishing. All fish must be taken on a rod and reel. Special exceptions may be granted by the Rules Committee, in advance of the Tournament, on request. The use of any aerial device (drone, airplane, helicopter) is prohibited.

WEIGHING IN FISH

16. Only one Kingfish is eligible for weigh-in per boat. All fish weighed become the property of the Tournament.
17. Boats weighing fish must reach the weigh-in station unassisted.
18. All fish submitted for weigh-in must be of legal size, fresh, edible condition, and caught on the day of the Tournament. The Tournament Weigh Master's decision regarding whether a fish is qualified to be weighed shall be final and binding on all Tournament participants.
19. Fish to be weighed must be put on the dock and carried to the scales by a member of the boat’s crew but may have assistance at the discretion of the Dock Master. Shoes are required by all participants coming to the scales.
20. In the event of a tie in fish weights, the fish with the earliest official weigh-in time wins.
21. All information printed on the weigh-in slip, including the official weight, as accepted by the person who brings the fish to the scale, is binding on the Captain.

PROTESTS

22. Protests must be submitted to the Weigh Master in person and in writing within one hour after the closing of the weigh-in station. Only the registered Captain or one of the boat’s crew with the boat’s weigh-in slip may file a protest. A three hundred-dollar ($300) Cash deposit must accompany each protest. In the event the protest is upheld, the deposit will be refunded. If the protest is not upheld, the deposit will be forfeited. The final decisions of the Tournament Rules Committee are binding regarding any protest.

POLYGRAPH

23. All Captains and crew agree to submit to a polygraph at the request of the Tournament. Failure to take, pass and/or submit to the polygraph process will result in disqualification and forfeiture of all winnings. Each participant selected for polygraph must have in their possession a valid picture ID and a Florida State fishing license.

MISCELLANEOUS

24. Any matter not specifically covered by these rules may be decided by and at the sole discretion of the Tournament Rules Committee and final decisions of the Tournament Rules Committee shall be binding. The Tournament reserves the right to delay, cancel or reschedule the Tournament if conditions, including but not limited to the weather conditions, are unfavorable or unsafe in the sole judgment of the Tournament Rules Committee. The Tournament Rules Committee reserves the right to amend any rule due to safety concerns. If the Tournament shall be delayed canceled or rescheduled due to any cause beyond the control of Jacksonville Marine Charities, Inc. d/b/a The Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament, no entry fee shall be refunded to the entrants and entrants shall have no claim against Jacksonville Marine Charities, Inc., any Tournament sponsor or the City of Jacksonville, for return of any portion of the entry fee.