2024 Tarpon Fly Fishing Invitational: Tournament Rules

I. General

• The Tarpon Fly Fishing Invitational (the Tournament TFFI) is intended to promote and provide a venue for fly fishermen to compete and share their passion for fly fishing while promoting and furthering the conservancy of our coastal waters.
• The purpose of these rules is to promote fair competition and foster good sportsmanship.The Tournament will take place in Pineland, Florida at The Tarpon Lodge, beginning on Sunday June 2, 2024 and will continue for two full days through Tuesday the 4th. There will be a kick-off and registration banquet the Sunday evening before the first day of fishing and an award and closing event after the last day of fishing.
• The Tournament shall be governed by the Tarpon Fly Fishing Tournament Committee (TFFTC): Comprised of Doug Hatten, John Abitante, Adam Fernandez and Ozzie Lessinger.
• Entry Fee is $1,250 per boat, maximum of 2 anglers and 1 guide per boat, limited to 25 boats.
• Guests may be added for an additional $125 per person per night. Guest defined as a person “not” fishing.
• Please contact Tarpon Lodge at 239-283-3999 for room rates. Early reservation is recommended.
• All participants must sign and submit a waiver to the TFFTC prior to fishing. Waivers can be found on the Tarpon Lodge website.
• This is a non-cash prize event. All proceeds will be distributed for the benefit of Calusa Water Keepers.
• Trophies will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place teams.

II. ANGLERS AND GUIDES

• Anglers desiring an invitation may submit an application to the “TFFTC.” The application can be found on the Tarpon Lodge website. Anglers receiving an invitation must confirm participation by paying an entry fee prior to April 15th preceding the Tournament. Unpaid anglers risk losing their place in the Tournament.
• The Tournament shall set an entry fee which shall include all banquets and other daily and evening activities for the angler and guide. Guests may be added to these activities for an additional fee set by the Tournament.
• In the event of emergency or illness, an angler or guide may have a substitute.
• The angler is responsible for daily guide fees.
• Either the angler or his guide must attend the pre-tournament kick-off banquet to confirm registration, receive Tournament information, and pick up measuring packets.

III. TACKLE

• Only fly casting will be permitted and only artificial lures may be used.
• Leaders may not exceed 15 feet in length and must be IGFA legal.
• Must contain not less than 15 inches of tippet material between the knots of 16lb Hard Type Monofilament.
• A shock tippet must be of nonmetallic material and may not exceed 12 inches including the knots and must be tied directly to the tippet.
• Flies must be single hook construction only.
• A tournament fish may not be gaffed under any circumstances and will lead to disqualification.

IV. FISHING TIMES, TERRITORY, AND RULES

• Official headquarters: Tarpon Lodge, Pineland, Florida.
• Waiver must be signed and submitted to the TFFTC prior to fishing.
• All boats must depart from and return to the Lodge by water. Anglers and guides may fish any areas accessible by boat from the Lodge.
• Under the direction of an official starter, skiffs will leave the Lodge at 5:45 a.m.
• Fishing may begin no sooner than 6:00 am.
• Fishing will end at 3:00 pm at which time, lines must be out of the water.
• All teams must report back to the Tarpon Lodge “T – Dock” between 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm with signed score sheets on each tournament day. A team’s report time is measured at the moment a team member steps onto the T-Dock at Tarpon lodge.
• A team’s failure to sign and turn in score sheet and photographs (if any) by 5:00 P.M. daily will result in a 150-point penalty.
• The Tournament Committee may waive this rule in the case of a breakdown or unusual circumstance.
• The start on any day may be delayed by the Tournament in the event of imminent, inclement, or dangerous weather. In the event of severe weather, the “TFFTC” may reduce the number of fishing days.
• The policy of the Tournament is that the first skiff to reach a spot is entitled to fish there. The “TFFTC” strongly recommends strict observation of all recognized courtesies and sporting practices between skiffs. This includes giving way and sufficient room to other boats in an area that typically accommodates more than one skiff under normal fishing conditions. Understanding that Pine Island Sound waters are fished by many skiffs each day, it is considered unsportsmanlike and a rules violation to have a spot “saved” by another boat.
• Chumming or fishing in or near chummed areas is not allowed.
• No assistance may be given to any angler other than by his guide who handles the boat or grabs the fish for purposes of measuring or releasing the fish.
• Angler, unaided, must cast, set the hook, fight and bring the fish to where the leader can be touched.
• Either member of the team may act as angler, but only one team member may act as angler at any given time.
• No angler or guide may scout for fish using aircraft/drones during the period from the beginning of fishing on the first day until the end of fishing on the last day.

V. SKIFFS AND BOATING

• The fishing boat shall be a traditional flats skiff design.
• Each skiff shall be properly equipped with Coast Guard safety equipment. Guides are expected to operate skiffs in keeping with applicable boating laws and traditional fishing and boating norms for the areas fished.
• No ladder or heightening device platform shall extend more than four feet above the gunwale of the skiff.

VI. MEASURING AND SCORING

• For purposes of measuring and scoring, the Tournament shall issue to each Angler a four-foot stick.
• The Angler or Guide shall provide a digital camera.
• Fish may be submitted for points as either a released fish” (a “Release”) or as a boated fish (a “Boated Fish”).
• A Release is worth 250 points.
• A Boated Fish is worth 750 points.
• Anglers may submit no more than three (3) Releases per tournament day for a maximum of 750 points unless the team enters a verified Boated Fish, in which case the team may enter up to five (5) Releases in addition to verified Boated Fish.
• A Tarpon submitted as a Boated Fish does not receive Release points for the same Tarpon. For example, the maximum points scored for a Boated Fish is 750 points and a team will not be awarded an additional 250 points for said Boated Fish.
• However, if a team is in the process of controlling a Tarpon for Boated Fish points and fails to obtain sufficient photographic evidence in accordance with the rules set forth herein, the team will be awarded 250 points as a Release.
• There is no limit to the number of Boated Fish submitted for scoring.
• As described below, a Boated Fish must be hooked, fought, and brought to hand with photographic evidence to earn points.
• Lip gaffing or gaffing any portion of the Tarpon’s body is strictly prohibited.
• Fish shall be scored, and points shall be earned in compliance with State of Florida fishing regulations in force at the time of the tournament.
• After an angler has hooked a tarpon, one may attempt to earn release points. Release points are earned when the knot at the junction of the fly line and leader is reeled through the top guide of the angler’s fly rod. The boat may be in gear throughout the release process. Release fish must exceed the four-foot length minimum. The provided measuring stick may be used to assist the team with judging the fish’s length if it is not obvious that the Tarpon’s length exceeds the four-foot length minimum. The length is verified with the four-foot stick, as measured along the side (lateral line) from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail.
• Given the practicalities of fighting a Tarpon and judging its length, participating teams are expected and required to abide by the honor system and the highest degree of ethical behavior. If the fish appears to be close to the four-foot minimum length, teams are expected to fight the fish close enough to the boat to compare the fish to the four-foot measuring stick provided by the Tournament for verification. Again, participating teams are expected and required to abide to the honor system and the highest degree of ethical behavior.
• After hooking a fish and completing the Release scoring procedure, the team may then decide to score the fish as a Boated Fish.
• If the team decides to score a fish as a Boated Fish, the team must complete the following procedure as quickly as possible: 1) A team member must take control of the Tarpon by grabbing it by the lower lip/jaw; 2) The second team member must then take a digital photograph with the first team member controlling the fish by grabbing it by the lower lip/jaw with the four foot measuring stick along the Tarpon’s side (lateral line); 3) The Tournament Committee will review each submitted photograph to determine whether the Tarpon submitted as a Boated Fish exceeds the four foot minimum length requirement by majority vote. The Tournament Committee’s decision is final.
• At the conclusion of each fishing day, the angler and guide must submit a signed Catch and Release form to the Tournament judges whether or not any fish have been caught.
• The Catch and Release form shall include times for each Release and/or Boated Fish.
• Boated Fish Photos for each fish caught must be shown to the scorekeepers.
• These items must be turned in by 5:00 pm, or the Angler will not be allowed any points from fish that day.
• The Tournament judges may waive the 5:00 pm rule for boat breakdowns or unusual circumstances.

TIE BREAKER 

• In the event of a tie for 1st, 2nd or 3rd place the tie breaker will go to the team that scored first based on the date and time stamped photo.

VII. GOVERNANCE AND DISPUTES

• The Tournament shall be conducted by the Tarpon Fly Fishing Tournament Committee.
• The final determination of any disputes will be reviewed and settled by the TFFTC.
• The Tournament shall secure judges to oversee daily sign-in, return times, and fish scoring.
• There will be a rule meeting and check in on the Sunday evening prior to the tournament. The “TFFTC” rules shall be reviewed and explained.
• Any infraction of the rules will result in the angler losing all points for that day of fishing.

DISAGREEMENTS

• In case of disagreements, the Tournament Committee decision will be final. All complaints must be submitted in writing by 6:00 P.M. to the Tournament Committee on the day of the complaint.

VIII. OTHER

• The Tournament operates on the honor system, and as such, relies on the integrity of its participants. Any angler or guide found to have knowingly or willfully violated any of the aforementioned rules risks being immediately disqualified and banned from future tournaments.
• Trophies will be awarded at the Tuesday night banquet.

For additional information regarding the “rules”, please contact:

• Adam Fernandez at 941-587-5565
• Ozzie Lessinger at 239-910-7764
• Doug at Hatten at 239-322-4797
• or John Abitante at 954-661-8145