​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. 

BOATING SAFETY

7. Each boat must meet all Federal, State, and Local laws and safety regulations for its size. All Captains are responsible for compliance with all applicable Federal, State, and Local fishing laws and regulations by the Captain’s boat and by all members of the Captain’s crew.

8. All Captains are responsible for monitoring the official Tournament radio channel (CH 78) for Tournament announcements.

9. Violation of any statute or marine regulation or directive by a Captain or crew may be grounds for disqualification in the sole discretion of the Tournament’s Rules Committee.

10. All boats must leave from any inlet within the Tournament Boundaries. No boat can enter the Atlantic Ocean Prior to 6:00 am.

11. All 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. Weigh-in opens at 3:00 pm.

LAND CHECK IN

12.Fish brought to the scales by vehicle must be at the Tournament Site (Jim King Boat Ramp and Park at Sisters Creek) scales not later than 5:30 PM and you must have your boat number (and Lady Angler number if a lady Angler fish). All other weigh-in procedures apply.

FISHING

13. No boat intending to weigh fish may make landfall, receive, or pass anything to or from land, before the boat has checked in. In the event, any boats come together, regardless of the reason, or anything is passed between boats for any reason after the official start of fishing and before each boat has weighed in, then both such boats may be disqualified for that day of fishing. The Rules Committee may grant exceptions for emergency situations.

BOUNDARIES for Beach Tournament

14. All boats must remain within the Tournament Boundaries in the Atlantic Ocean during fishing hours and while catching bait. The Tournament boundaries to the East are State Waters (3 Miles). The North Tournament Boundary is located at Brunswick inlet, The South Tournament Boundary is located at the Flagler Beach Pier.

15. Hours of fishing are from 6:00 AM until 5:30 PM unless amended by the Tournament’s Rules Committee.

16. No boat is allowed to leave their inlet before 6:00AM on the scheduled day of the Kickoff Beach Tournament. NO purchasing live bait and NO penning up bait is allowed. You may purchase dead bait. Four hours of fishing constitutes a day of fishing. All fish caught must be by rod and reel Special exceptions may be granted by the rules committee, in advance of the tournament, by request. The use of any aerial device, (drone, airplane, helicopter) is prohibited.

17. If a fish is hooked and while fighting the fish, you are taken out of bounds you may continue to fight the fish until it is caught or lost. You may not deploy lines until you have returned to the legal boundaries of the Tournament.

WEIGHING IN FISH

18. One Kingfish will be eligible for weigh-in on the day of the Tournament. All fish weighed become the property of the Tournament.

19. All fish submitted for weigh-in must be of legal size, fresh, edible condition, and caught on the same tournament day. The Tournament Weigh Master's decision regarding whether a fish is qualified to be weighed shall be final and binding on all Tournament participants.

20. 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 Weigh Master. Shoes are required by all participants coming to the scales.

21. After a fish is boated, a photo with the tournament issued OFFICIAL Boat Number on the water with the beach in the background must be taken as soon as possible and sent via text to 904-374-2042. If there is no photo submitted the fish will not be qualified to win any prize. The photo must be submitted no later than 5:30 PM. You will receive a response from the Tournament to confirm receipt of your photo.

22. All information printed on the weigh-in slip, including but not limited to the official weight, as accepted by the person who brings the fish to the scale, is binding on the Captain.

23. In the event of a tie in fish weights, the winner shall be determined by the earliest time your fish is weighed at the official tournament scales.

PROTESTS

24. Any protest must be submitted to the Weigh Master, in person and in writing, within one hour after the closing of the weigh station on the day the disqualifying event occurs. Only the registered Captain or one of the crew with his weigh 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

25. 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 will result in disqualification of the Captain and crew and will forfeit all winnings. Each contestant selected for polygraph must have in their possession a valid picture ID and a Florida State fishing license.

MISCELLANEOUS

26. 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., for return of any portion of the entry fee