Reeling Freedom Grouper Slam         New Port Richie 2022

For Info  727-599-3175

Jun 11, 7:00 PM

The Widow Fletcher’s , 4927 US-19, New Port Richey, FL 34652, USA

Reeling Freedom Grouper Slam

By Participating in the Reeling Freedom Grouper Slam Captains and Teams Hereby agree to all the rules as stated below.

Tournament Communications.

1. Announcements regarding weather and other tournament information will be communicated at Captains meeting and/or posted on the Reeling Freedom Facebook event page, and emails to Captains that are registered. Also will be posted at www.reelingfreedom.org
2. Tournament Officials will operate on Channel 68 for any offshore communications that need to be directed to and from team while they are participating in the event.

Participation

1. All teams must fill out an application form, pay entry free, and sign liability waivers to participate in the Reeling Freedom Grouper Slam.
2. Captains meeting is Mandatory by at least one team member. Meeting will take place June 9th at 7pm at Widow Fletchers, New Port Richey. 4927 US-19, New Port Richey, FL 34652
3. All teams must be entered in main grouper slam division to enter in all subsequent Calcutta(s) associated with this tournament.
4. A Florida saltwater fishing license is required for each team member except from a boat which has a valid recreational vessel saltwater fishing license or any FL Resident 65 years or older, or anyone excluded by FL law. License not required when fishing with a charter captain. Go to www.myfwc.com to obtain current Florida fishing regulations.

Checkouts

1. There is no checkout for this tournament

2. Lines in the water no earlier than 7am

Boundaries

1. Boundaries for this tournament will be approximately 80Miles (84’ 11.5W) west of Anclote Anchorage North Entrance Light #2 (28’ 15.053N 082’ 52.903W)

Weather

1. Alternate fishing date will be provided if weather or another Act of God should affect fishing conditions. Teams will be advised after Friday’s (Jun10th) 4pm weather advisory if the tournament will be postponed. Generally, the make-up date will be that Sunday so please plan accordingly

2. It is the discretion of the Team Captain to determine if their craft is seaworthy for the existing conditions.

3. The captain has the choice whether to compete in the Reeling Freedom Grouper Slam Tournament

Tournament

1. Fishing Begins at 7am, June 11th

2. Bait fishing is allowed during the tournament; however, any team is not allowed to land boat, contact another team, and must fish on same vessel for the duration of the tournament.

3. All fish must be caught with handheld rods and reels only. Deep Drop electric reels are NOT allowed to land fish.

4. Reeling Freedom encourages the safe release and venting of all fish not intended to be weighed in at the tournament.

5. All fish weighed in becomes the property of Reeling Freedom LLC and proceeds from the sale of all fish weighed in will be donated to helping RF put our veterans on the water throughout the year.

Conduct

1. The Honor System applies throughout the tournament

2. No passing of anything between boats during tournament hours. This will result in automatic disqualification from the

Reeling Freedom Grouper Slam

3. One angler must hook, fight & bring fish up to point of gaff.

4. There will be no feeding and/or stuffing of any Fish with any bait fish, fish and/or any foreign objects (ie: ice, weights,              etc). This will result in immediate disqualification.

5. Hooks, wire, rigs (terminal tackle) and/or any other foreign objects must be removed from any fish for it to be eligible for competition.

6. All fish entered for the tournament will be inspected for cheating prior to fish being brought to the scale.

7. Fish will be sliced open after the fish has been weighed to verify there are no foreign objects or stuffing of fish.

8. Team members may be subjected to a polygraph test after the tournament. Failure to submit to a polygraph test will result in disqualification of the entire team for the remainder of the tournament series. Refunds of tournament entry fees will not be given for failure of a polygraph test. All decisions of the polygraph examiner will be final.

9. If a team is found guilty of cheating by the Tournament Director, they will automatically be disqualified from the tournament without refund of their entry fee, membership dues or Calcutta fees.

10. All decisions made by the tournament director are final.

11. All participants in Reeling Freedom Grouper Slam must always maintain a high level of professionalism.

12. Anglers are expected to be role models and set a positive example to the recreational angling public.

13. Alcohol is not allowed on stage during the weigh in. If a team member refuses to place their alcoholic beverage on the designated table and brings their alcohol onstage with them, the team will automatically be disqualified.

Weigh in

1. Fish will be weighed at the dock at Widow Fletchers

2. Scales will open at 4pm

3. Teams must be checked-in by radio (channel 68) in the basin harborage of Widow Fletchers by 5pm. Any teams not checked in will be disqualified and not permitted to weigh in Fish.

4. Fish may be brought to scales by boat or car. BE SURE TO CHECK IN BY VISUAL CONFIRMATION WITH TOURNAMENT OFFICIALS BEFORE 5PM

5. Tournament officials reserve the right to inspect any boat used in the tournament before or after check-in

6. Fish entered in the tournament will be checked in and inspected for all manners of cheating by tournament officials

7. Fish must be weighed in by a registered team member that fished on the team the day of the tournament.

8. No rotten or mutilated fish will be allowed to be weighed in.

9. IN THE EVENT OF A TIE the team that checked in first by time will be granted the higher finishing spot for the tournament.

10. All grouper and other fish in any Calcutta must be of legal size to harvest the fish. (24” minimum for Gag Grouper)

11. All results are unofficial until determined by tournament director.

Disputes

1. Protests must be submitted in writing along with a $500 cash deposit to a tournament official within 10 minutes of the last fish weighed in.

2. The cash deposit will be returned to the contestant submitting the protest if the protest is upheld.

3. If there is a dispute of any kind, the decision of the Tournament Director is final.

Tournament Discretion

1. The tournament director reserves the right to implement his discretion at any time during the tournament as it may apply to the rules or any other circumstance(s) that should arise during the tournament.

Awards and Divisions

1. Main Division – Combined weight of all three species that are of no less than legal size- Gag Grouper, Red Grouper, Scamp Grouper. 1st 2nd and 3rd prizes will be granted.

NOTE: If none of the teams catch all three species the prize(s) will be for the combined weight of 2 species.

Calcutta Divisions

2. Big Fish Calcutta- Largest Gag Grouper

3. Ladies Big Fish Calcutta

4. Mangrove snapper Calcutta

5. Hogfish Calcutta

6. Veterans Calcutta

7. Youth Grunt Calcutta- Grunt caught by angler 15 and under

Checks for the winning teams will be made out to the person listed as Captain on the registration form unless otherwise noted at the Captain’s Party. W9’s for all winnings over $599 will also be made out to the person listed on the check that was written for the team’s winnings. At least one person from each winning team must be present to receive check. If no one from team is at event for Awards Ceremony, they forfeit their winnings. If a team loses their check, they will be charged a fee of $35 in order for a new check to be written.