2024 TOURNAMENT RULES

A copy of the rules and regulations shall be kept aboard each boat and made available to each participant. Each participant shall read and thoroughly familiarize him or herself with the rules and regulations. Any participant who violates any rules and regulations of The Central Florida Shootout, whether intentional or not, could possibly disqualify him or herself and all other participants aboard his / her boat. A disqualification shall prevent a participant from collecting prizes for fish registered.

  • All participants are subject to a polygraph test. Failure to submit to or pass a polygraph test will subject the participant to disqualification.
  • Every participant must be registered prior to fishing. A participant is deemed to be anyone competing for cash prizes and shall include everyone aboard a boat, fishing from a pier, the surf, and/or a dock. The captain or owner of each participating boat shall see to it that every person aboard his boat has a $50 Angler’s Ticket.
  • Any captains permitting a person on his/her boat to violate any rule of The Central Florida Shootout may cause all participants aboard his/her boat to be disqualified.
  • The Central Florida Shootout is a Captain’s Choice Tournament. Captains fish at their own discretion and accept full responsibility for their crew and vessel whether on land or in the water.

Cash registration locations (starting January 1st,2024): Strike-Zone Fishing located in Melbourne FL and Sunrise Marina located in Port Canaveral FL

  • All Angler Entry tickets must be properly completed with the required information at the time of ticket purchase. (Online tickets are completed by staff) Only registered participants are eligible to fish. Registration tickets or online purchase confirmation must be presented at the Weigh Station when entering a fish for prize competition during the hours listed below. (Participants may be required to present acceptable personal identification when registering any fish into The Central Florida Shootout.
    TICKETS ARE NOT TRANSFERABLE OR REFUNDABLE.
  • All fish entered must be caught within the territorial waters of the Central Florida Shootout. For offshore and inshore saltwater, the territorial waters of the Central Florida Shootout includes all open and public waters from an east-west boundary from St. Augustine (North) 29N 54’78” and an east-west boundary (South) 26N 46′ 27″ from Lake Worth Inlet.
  • The official start time of The Central Florida Shootout is lines in the water at 9:00 pm on Friday, April 26, 2024. See below for designated weigh-in deadline times.

WEIGH-IN DEADLINE TIMES: Saturday, April 27, 2024, scales open at 12:00pm. Fish may be brought to the scales by boat or vehicle. You can continue fishing after weighing a fish, but you cannot upgrade the species that was weighed first.

  • All anglers must be in line to weigh by 5 P.M.
  • At the close of Saturday’s fishing, those anglers who have passed the check-in boat at the weigh stations or identified by a Central Florida Shootout official as being docked or inline as the weigh station closes, will be allowed to have their catch weighed and entered.
  • The official Weigh station will be Sunrise Marina, Port Canaveral, Florida, and Captains Hiram’s, Sebastian, Florida. Have your VHF radio turned to VHF Channel 72, as that is the official tournament channel when coming to the tournament dock.
  • All species can come to the event by truck or car, however, the angler who caught the fish must accompany his or her fish to the scale. All anglers must have his or her Angler Ticket or online purchase confirmation on their person in order to weigh fish and have proper identification. Ticket(s) must be presented prior to putting the fish on the scale. Absolutely no person or persons can give a fish they caught to another ticket holder to weigh. This will be a part of the polygraph exam!
  • All Central Florida Shootout winners will be determined by the largest fish entered in each category according to weight and are subject to limitations. If there is a tie, the earliest fish weighed gets the win. Participants weighing any inshore species (Redfish and Trout) will receive a half-pound deduction to the fish’s weight if the fish is not alive when weighed.
  • This is an angler tournament! In the interest of conservation, we will encourage any participant not to weigh after their first fish is weighed. An angler will be permitted to hold and win only one place per category at any one time but may place in more than one category simultaneously. If there are two or more anglers on board a boat, each angler can weigh the same species of fish. Cash and prizes for three places in each species. Any Angler Ticket holder can win (or place) in more than one species but can only win one place per species. At 2:30 pm on Sunday, May 5, 2024, at the awards, located at Captain Hirams in Sebastian, FL. A name will be drawn, and that angler entry ticket holder will win a 2023 Pathfinder 2200 and Yamaha package.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE PRESENT TO WIN THIS AWARD. (Awards will begin at 11:00 am May 5th at Captain Hirams in Sebastian, FL)

  • All fish shall be kept in as good a condition as possible, preferably on ice, so the judge can make an accurate judgment as to its freshness. Any fish deemed to be spoiled or rotten may be disqualified. Any fish that has been shot, cut, mutilated, bang struck, frozen, or showing signs of unsportsmanlike handling may be disqualified. In addition, all fish entered may be subject to a Tory meter test. No fish will be accepted for registration that has been gutted or chemically treated prior to weighing. The official judge or his representative may at his discretion gut any fish presented. A marine biologist may be on hand to determine the freshness of your catch. The judge’s decision will be final.
  • The participant must catch all fish entered into the competition and it must be caught with a rod and reel or a pole and line. No participant shall be assisted in any way to land his or her fish except for help in netting or gaffing his/her catch. No exceptions are made.
  • To promote conservation and in some cases comply with the State of Florida or Federal regulations, the Central Florida Shootout judges will not accept an entry of any fish in the Species categories that does not meet minimum length or slot limit requirements as specified. The Central Florida Shootout reserves the right to amend these lengths and/or remove any fish from the competition, without notice, at any time to comply with federal and/or state requirements.
  • All anglers must conform to local, state, and federal laws. All entrants coming to scale by boat must conform to all no-wake zones and speed limits. Speeding tickets or citations issued will result in disqualification. Everyone onboard a tournament boat must have a valid Florida fishing license. Unsportsmanlike conduct will result in disqualification without refund of tickets.
  • All prizes not claimed at the awards ceremony on Sunday, May 5th , 2024 by June 1st, 2024, will be donated to Taylor for Teens or Candlelighters for future use.
  • The Central Florida Shootout Committee reserves the right to postpone the Central Florida Shootout due to weather. The Tournament make-up date is May 4th with the awards ceremony being on May 5th. No refund of tickets will be made due to rescheduling. Please check the website www.centralfloridashootout.com for updates.
  • Protests of any nature must be submitted in written statement form and personally turned in to the Central Florida Shootout Committee / Tournament Director no later than one-half an hour after the last fish is weighed along with a $250 fee. If the protest is upheld, monies will be returned to the protester. If a protest is not upheld, monies go to the tournament.
  • Any matter not specifically covered by these rules may be decided by and at the sole discretion of the Central Florida Shootout Committee.
  • Disclaimer: The Central Florida Shootout is not responsible for typos within the awards package and rules and reserves the right to amend or substitute prizes due to events beyond the Central Florida Shootout’s control.
  • Lady Angler: Ladies division awards will be 1st-3rd places inshore and 1st-3rd places offshore.

DRAWING RULES: Any angler entered into the Central Florida Shootout will receive one ticket per $50.00 angler ticket. Additional tickets may be purchased for $50.00 each for each angler. A part of your Angler Ticket will be removed and placed in a drum (one per entry ticket). MAKE SURE YOU FILL OUT THAT PORTION OF YOUR ANGLER TICKET AND PRINT LEGIBLY.

GENERAL TOURNAMENT ENTRY: $50 per angler.

Payout: Cash for first place and cash and prizes for second and third place for each species:

  • Dolphin – First place $1500.00
  • Kingfish – First Place $1500.00
  • Yellow Edge Grouper – First place $1000.00
  • $500 for the biggest Wahoo (no second or third place)
  • $500 for the biggest Cobia (no second or third place)
  • $500 for the biggest Triple Tail (no second or third place)
  • $500 for the biggest Amberjack (no second or third place)
  • Trout – First Place $1000.00
  • Snook – First Place $1000.00

*Cash and prizes for second and third places!

Junior Angler Tournament
Trophy and/or Prizes for 1st – 3rd place
Species: Black Drum, Trout, Sheepshead, Jack Crevalle

To be eligible, a junior angler must be 14 years of age or younger.

  • Junior Anglers fish for free with one paying adult. ($50).
  • Junior Anglers will only be eligible for prize money and Boat raffle if they purchase a $50 Angler Ticket.

Tuna Tournament 

$200 team entry, can enter a single person but every person present on the boat must have a ticket and be listed in the entry.

1st – 2nd place will be cash payout (based on entry amount)

90% payout of the total collected

*Registration for this can be found at centralfloridashootout.com & at the Captain’s party*

THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE 2024 CENTRAL FLORIDA SHOOTOUT! VISIT THE WEBSITE FREQUENTLY FOR EVENT UPDATES, TOURNAMENT PHOTOS, AND MORE! WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN NEXT YEAR! TO CONTACT THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR, CALL 321-759-7593 or 321-759-7523.

How to Submit Your Entry: Official Rules and Disclosures

No purchase or donation is necessary to enter or win. A purchase or donation will not improve your chances of winning.

WHO CAN ENTER: This angler ticket is part of a fundraising campaign for the charitable works of Taylor for Teens, located in Melbourne, FL 32904. U.S. residents are eligible to enter. Employees and their family members and household residents are not eligible to enter. Voids were prohibited.

HOW TO ENTER: Simply verify your name and address and add your phone number and a self-addressed envelope we will complete your entry tickets after you mail the requested information to 4820 Durango PL Melbourne FL 32904. We hope you will make an optional donation of $50 per ticket. Though we hope you will send a gift when you return your raffle tickets, it is NOT necessary to send a donation to enter or win and sending a donation doesn’t increase your chances of winning. Your raffle return envelope must be postmarked by April 15th, 2024. Prize donated by Boaters Exchange and Yamaha. No purchase or contribution is necessary to participate. The drawing is being conducted by Taylor for Teens Florida whose principal place of business is in Melbourne Florida 32904.

WHAT YOU CAN WIN: A random drawing from the angler entry tickets on May 5th, 2024, will result in One (1) Grand Prize Winner. The prize will be paid from the monies collected, and within 30 days of winner verification. This will further the important charitable work of Taylor for Teens, Candlelighters of Brevard, and Promise in Brevard.

From Captain Hirams in Sebastian, FL we will draw the angler entry ticket during a Facebook Live event Sunday, May 5th, 2024, at 2:30 pm EST. The potential winner will be notified by phone immediately and have 7 days from the drawing date to provide proper identification verifying his or her name, address. Prizes are non-assignable and non-transferable. Prize winners will be solely responsible for paying any applicable local, state, and federal taxes.

The odds of winning a prize will depend upon the number of angler entry tickets returned.

Failure to comply with any of the rules on this page may result in disqualification. If you submit an incorrect address or phone number and we are unable to contact you, your prize notification is returned or you don’t respond to the notification within 15 days, an alternate winner may be selected.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: For a list of previous year’s winners, please email centralfloridashootout@gmail.com by April 15th, 2024. The Central Florida Shootout, sponsors, or beneficiaries shall not be liable for injury, loss, or damage of any kind resulting from participation in this raffle fundraising campaign or from any acceptance or use of any prize awarded. Nor shall they be responsible for typographical, printing, or other inadvertent errors in these official rules or other materials relating to this raffle fundraising campaign.