Tournament Rules

Catch and Release

The Cowford Redfish Tournament is a catch and release fishing tournament focusing on flood tide fishing. For your catch to be considered, you must measure and photograph your fish with the tournament token immediately after catching the fish.

No team shall have points deducted or be disqualified for the keeping of fish after measuring and photographing, pursuant to the laws or regulations of the State of Florida or federal regulation.  It is at the discretion of each team or individual whether to keep or release their fish. We strongly encourage each participant and team to practice catch and release.

If a team, however, decides to keep a fish, the fish will be counted by the inches measured at the time of photograph immediately following the catch.  Fish that are apparently dead in the photograph will not be counted.  No fish will be measured or weighed at the dock.

Location

• Fishing shall be within the boundaries of Duval, Nassau, and St. John’s Counties west of the ColRegs line, and excluding St. Augustine inlet and jetty, the St. Johns River Inlet and Mayport Jetties, Nassau Sound (except the spartina flats adjacent to the sound are permitted), the St. Mary's River and Inlet, the St. Mary's River Jetties, and Lake Ponte Vedra.
• All team members must fish on the same boat during fishing hours.
• Anglers are permitted to wade at their own discretion and risk.

Check-in / Check-out

There is no required check in on the day of the tournament.  Participating anglers are responsible for picking up entry package including tournament token at the Captain's Meeting on Friday, September 29, 2023.

iAngler Catch Logging

Anglers must register with and use the iAngler application for catch logging.  Using iAngler is for the benefit of the tournament participants to make it easier to log catches and reduce the likelihood of cheating complaints.

iAngler Geotagging Change Notice:

Geotagging will be removed from iAngler this year.  Fishing only in authorized locations will be conducted on the honor system.

Captain's Meeting

Anglers must attend the mandatory captain's meeting at Palms Fish Camp at 7:00 PM to obtain tournament token and entry package.

Check in:

Anglers may launch from any safe launch, or by wading (the safety of which is determined by angler’s discretion and at angler’s risk) in Nassau, Duval, and St. Johns counties.  Anglers may begin fishing any time after 7:00 AM.  

Check out:

Final time to submit catches via iAngler is 3:00 PM.  Winning anglers must be present at Palms Fish Camp to be eligible for prizes.

Fishing Hours

• Saturday, September 30th, 2023, 7:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.
• Each team shall pick up its entry gift, including measuring device at the captain’s meeting on September 29, 2023 at Palms Fish Camp.

Eligible Species and Methods

The Cowford is a redfish tournament.  Other than special bonus sheepshead, only redfish will be considered.  A special bonus sheepshead prize based on the single largest sheepshead will also be awarded.

Only the use of artificial lures or fly is permitted. The idea is to fish the forecast flood tide, so unsportsmanlike conduct, such as fishing jetties, dropping baits, or fishing brackish impoundments, is not permitted.

Tournament Awards

REDFISH

Fly Team Champions

• Top Scoring Team

Conventional Team Champions

• Top Scoring Team

Top Angler Awards

• Top Fly
• Top Conventional
• Female Fly
• Female Conventional
• Junior Fly
• Junior Conventional
• Kayak Angler Fly
• Kayak Angler Conventional

KAYAK division - Top Angler

• Aggregate inches for redfish on kayak in Fly and Conventional Divisions

BONUS SHEEPSHEAD division

• Single biggest fish through any means of fishing, fly or spin

Trash Cleanup Champions

• A special award will be presented to the individual or team with the most trash collected by weight

Award Eligibility and Scoring

Scoring

• REDFISH TEAM divisions will be scored by total number of inches for each team’s TOP TWO redfish.
• REDFISH TOP ANGLER, JUNIOR AND KAYAK divisions will be scored by each angler’s TOP TWO redfish.
• BONUS SHEEPSHEAD division will be scored by the single biggest sheepshead for any angler in any division.
• Only artificial lures or fly are allowed.
• A fish scored for an Artificial or Fly Division award must not have been caught while chumming or trolling by boat.
• Artificial lures and Flies may not be “sweetened” by the addition of any natural bait, dead or alive
• Redfish caught on artificial lures will be assigned to the Conventional Division
• Redfish caught on fly will be assigned to the Fly Division
• Sheepshead will be eligible only for the Special Sheesphead Division based on the single largest sheesphead by either fly or artificial means of fishing.

Team Awards

• Eligibility for Team Champion awards requires a team to consist of no more than three anglers
• Each teams TOP TWO redfish will be considered so that there is no increased advantage for a three man team over a two man team

Top Angler Awards

• Top Angler awards will be determined by individual catch, again, top TWO redfish only

Junior Anglers

• A Junior Angler is an angler who has not reached their seventeenth birthday as of September 29, 2023

Ultimate Tie Breaker

In the event of a tie after all other tie breakers have been applied for an award, the team/individual that caught the last eligible fish FIRST shall be the winner

Line Test and Leader

• There are no line class requirements.  Please conduct fishing ethically and according to all State of Florida Wildlife and Conservation Commission and federal rules.

Redfish Tagging

• An optional tagging kit may be provided to anglers who chose to tag and release fish to benefit fisheries research efforts (tentative)

Photographs

• Anglers must log their catch through the iAngler app
• Measuring devices will be supplied in captain's bags.
• Each fish entered into the catch logs must be photographed with their device using the iAngler app
• The photograph must clearly show the head of the fish against the end of the measuring device and clearly show the entire fish and the total length of the fish, without obstruction of hands or fingers.
• Tails may be pinched according to Florida state regulations.
• For fish larger than the measuring device, the photograph must clearly show the total length of the fish on the tournament tape measure.
• All photos must include the official tournament marker provided.

Compliance

Each team shall be responsible for accurately and completely filling out their catch log on iAngler. Failure to comply with any rule or regulation of the tournament or state or federal law may cause the disqualification of an angler or the angler’s catch.

Weather

All anglers will fish at their own discretion and at their own risk. The tournament will commence barring extreme weather (hurricane or other natural disaster, etc.).  Extreme weather will be determined by the tournament committee.  There will be no refunds for a cancelled tournament.  

Indemnity

All anglers will fish at their own risk. All anglers agree to indemnify and hold harmless all members of the Tournament Committee, Directors, Sponsors and their agents and employees from any and all liability, loss or damage they may suffer as a result of this fishing tournament.

Captains/Anglers Meeting

• All captains/anglers or their representatives shall attend the Captain’s Meeting and Kick-off on Friday September 29, 2023 at 7:00 PM.

Cell Phones/Radio Contact

The use of cellular phones or radio communication with non-registered anglers, for fishing information, during tournament fishing hours is strictly prohibited.

Miscellaneous

• No one other than a registered angler shall be allowed in a boat, other than a licensed captain or competition committee member or designee.
• Every angler must have a current Florida fishing license, unless exempt by Florida law, or fish on a vessel whose captain has a current boat fishing license.
• The members of a team may separate and fish via wading at angler’s discretion.
• The tournament committee reserves the right to refuse the registration of any angler.
• Tournament results will be posted after the awards dinner by 9 p.m.
• Any challenges to the calculations should be made within one hour of posting.

By Entering You Agree to the Following:

I certify that I agree to comply with the Cowford Redfish Tournament Rules.

In consideration for the acceptance of my entry in the Cowford Redfish Tournament, I and my crew, for us, personal representatives, heirs and executors, release and forever discharge all members of the tournament committee, all tournament sponsors, contributors, participants, producers, and their employees, agents, contractors, representatives, successors and assigns (the “Released Parties”) of all liabilities, claims, actions, damages, costs or expenses which I may have against the Released Parties for bodily injury, death, and/or property damage arising out of or in any way connected with my participation in the tournament, including but not limited to, all risks, known or unknown, anticipated or unanticipated without regard to whether they are inherent in participation in a fishing tournament  I understand that the use or operation of watercraft carries inherent risks that may result in injury, dismemberment, or death.  I understand that fishing, including fishing either via watercraft or by wading, during a high tide event carries risk normally not associated with fishing, wading, or operation of a watercraft, including swift current and rising water that may cause injury, dismemberment, or death.  I understand that this release is an unconditional, full and general release, including a release of all claims arising out of the negligent acts or omission of any of the Released Parties.

I hereby  authorize the use of my name and/or likeness as well as that of my vessel, free of further consideration, for promotion and advertising purposes in any media form and reproduction, including radio, television, newspaper, brochure, online or video.