2023 TOURNAMENT RULES
FOR PERSONAL WATERCRAFT
Sponsored by: Route 1 Motorsports | Sea-Doo
A PWC is a small craft that uses an inboard jet drive as its primary source of propulsion and is designed to be operated by a person or persons sitting, standing, or kneeling on the PWC rather than inside the craft.
ENTRY: $25 entry tickets are per-angler not per vessel. *Participants can sign up for both the primary Central Florida Shootout and the PWC division. Participants must adhere to the rules of each division to weigh a fish.
SAFETY: Safe boating practices must be observed at all times. Each participant is required to follow all USCG & FWC rules and regulations during the tournament. All tournament participants are expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship and courtesy during the tournament.
TOURNAMENT DESCRIPTION: The intent of this tournament is to catch, document, and release fish caught during official tournament hours. CFS supports marine life conservation efforts and hopes that you will release all captured fish and other marine life. If you keep all or a portion of your catch you will not be disqualified from the tournament but please understand it is your responsibility to abide by all current State of Florida fishing rules and regulations including but not limited to species, size, slot, limits, etc. CFS assumes no responsibility for your failure to do so. One of the advantages of a video tournament is that you can win with fish outside any slot limits for their species which you could not legally land for a physical weigh-in.
SIGN UP: Strike Zone Melbourne, Route 1 Motorsports, or www.centralfloridashootout.com
FISHING LOCATION & METHOD: NO wade fishing is permitted. All fish must be caught via hook & line. The choice of baits or lures is at the discretion of the tournament angler. Anglers are NOT allowed to share fish when scoring. Any outside help for landing or catching fish is STRICTLY prohibited and will result in immediate disqualification.
SHARING A PWC: ADULTS ACCOMPANYING MINORS, and OBSERVERS: 1) Sharing of PWC, by participants, is permitted if the PWC is safely designed for more than one person. Each participant in tandem must be registered and scored separately. Fish may NEVER be shared among entrants. Each participant must document his/her own fish without assistance. Use of an extra person strictly as an observer or passenger accompanying an adult participant is not permitted. 2) Adults not entered in the Tournament, who are accompanying minors who are entered in the Tournament, must be on the water with the minor. The adult may be in their own PWC or can be in a tandem PWC with a Jr. Angler and may operate PWC. 3)Observers, on their own PWC, not entered in the tournament, are not prohibited by these rules. However, any interference with or assistance to a participant may cause the participant disqualification. Exception: If the tournament participant is handicapped and requires assistance in order to participate, The Central Florida Shootout will work in advance of the tournament with the angler to accommodate special needs. Please communicate your needs, in writing, prior to the tournament. A final decision on special accommodation will be at the Tournament Director’s discretion. All fishing and angling methods must comply with current Federal, State, and U.S.C.G. safety and fishing Regulations. Offshore species will be weighed at the tournament scales. No rotten or mutilated fish will be weighed.
SPECIES:
Offshore: King Fish, Dolphin, Grouper (Weighed at the CFS scales)
Inshore: Trout, Snook, Redfish (video only)
BOUNDARIES: THE STATE OF FLORIDA -FOR PWC ONLY *Anyone participating in both the primary Central Florida Shootout and the PWC Division must adhere to the boundaries of the primary CFS to weigh fish in that division.
FISHING HOURS: May 12th, 9:00PM lines in – May 13th 5:00PM close of weigh in
WEIGH IN:
Locations: Captain Hirams Resort-1580 US-1, Sebastian, FL 32958
Sunrise Marina -505 Glen Cheek Dr, Cape Canaveral, FL 32920
*Times – 12 pm to 5 pm
*Participates may travel by boat or vehicle to weigh in.
PAYOUT:
Offshore:
Kingfish, Dolphin, Grouper (Largest weight)
1st Place – $1,000.00
2nd Place- $750.00
3rd Place- $500.00
Inshore:
Redfish, Snook, Trout (Longest length)
1st Place – $1,000.00
2nd Place – $750.00
3rd Place – $500.00
MEASUREMENTS: You must supply your own measuring device. Fish measurement will be rounded DOWN to the nearest quarter inch. When deciding which measuring device to use, please keep in mind the maximum fish size is the length of the fish that can be measured and clearly videoed on your measuring device. (i.e., If you have a 30″ measuring device and your fish is 36″ long, it will be checked in at the maximum length shown on your device e.g., 30 inches.)
MEASUREMENTS AND PENALTIES: Fish measurement will be rounded DOWN to the nearest quarter inch. Length is determined from the forward-most point of the mouth of the fish to the tail. Fish are to be measured mouth closed with the mouth touching the 0 (zero) mark, in a natural position (i.e., on its side with no bending of the fish body to extend length), with pinched tail for measurement. If you fail to pinch the tail the judges will use the measurement shown. Judges will not estimate how long the fish could have been with the tail pinched. ALL NUMBERS ON THE RULER MUST BE VISIBLE.
DIGITAL PHOTO EQUIPMENT: All participants must supply their own cell phone with photo/video and time stamp capabilities. Sharing of phones is not allowed unless it is between a parent/guardian and minor who are both entered in the tournament. CFS will not be responsible for camera, cell phone, equipment failure, system incompatibility, or any other photograph, software, or hardware-related issue that causes the angler to be unable to submit photos/video of their catch.
VIDEO – GENERAL: Video of the whole fish, measuring device, the Tournament Token, and the PWC must be clearly visible in each checked-in video. Printed photographs will not be accepted. No altered photos may be entered. Videos and Photographs of the winning fish and/or anglers become the property of Central Florida Shootout.
TOKEN: A Playing Card will be announced online at www.centralfloridashootout.com, the Central Florida Shootout Facebook page, and announced at the captain’s party Friday, May 12th at 5:30 pm. This Playing card is your “tournament indicator” and MUST be included in all videos submitted for video release species. If the wrong card or no card is shown in the photo, the photo will be disqualified.
*If you would like to participate in both the Primary Central Florida Shootout and the PWC division that is possible. A ticket must be purchased for each division you would like to weigh a fish in. You must adhere to the rules and boundaries of each division you would like to weigh a fish in, one fish can be weighed for both the Primary division and the PWC division. For the fish to be eligible for the primary division you must catch your fish within the primary division’s boundaries. No video release will be accepted in the primary tournament weigh-in.