All contestants are required to follow all applicable Federal, State and Local regulations and laws. Any violation of such rules and regulations may result in a fine, daily weight penalty or disqualification from the entire tournament.
All contestants are required to practice courtesy, safety and follow local and state game laws. Anyone displaying poor sportsmanship or violating game laws will be subject to disqualification.
Contestants may fish anywhere accessible by boat, except areas designated as "off limits" or "no fishing" by local, state, and federal officials.
A maximum of three people will be allowed to fish per team. Contestants are allowed to charter a guide, as long as only three people are on the boat. Only one rod may be in the water per contestant at a time.
All angling must be conducted from the boat. At no time may a contestant intentionally leave the boat to land a fish or make the boat more accessible to fishing waters. Contestants must leave the official checkpoint by boat. In the event of equipment failure or emergency, there is only one permitted method of returning to the official check-in: (1) by both partners remaining in their boat and being towed by water (a commercial licensed tow company may be utilized, or another team may tow a fellow competitor. Anglers are responsible for colored tie wrap or suitable material for marking and distinguishing their catch. Under this condition the contestant's catch may be counted without a penalty (except for late penalties, dead fish penalties or other penalties pertaining to other tournament rules). Contestants who elect to return to the official weigh-in by any other means than cited above will forfeit their day's catch to restart and resume competition only under the supervision of the tournament director or his designated tournament official. It is the sole responsibility of contestants to locate the tournament director or official to request a restart. Failure to render assistance when requested in an emergency situation is cause for immediate disqualification. Teams receiving assistance must communicate to the tournament official. Competitors are allowed to leave the boat and seek safe shelter in bad weather where danger may be imminent. All team members fishing the tournament must be on the boat while leaving the starting checkpoint. You cannot pick up members after your boat has left the checkpoint.
Joe's Bayou Boat Ramp in Destin, FL will be the official checkpoint for boat check in, in the morning. All tournament boats will be allowed to leave Joe's Bayou at 6 a.m. or safe light. Tournament boats can leave anytime after 6 am, as long as they check in with the tournament director before leaving. You do not have to launch at Joe's Bayou, but you must leave from there on the water. As long as you check in at the ramp and receive your check-in card you are good to go. (Ex: Your keep your boat in a lift or slip, drive your boat to Joe's bayou that morning, pick up your check-in card at the ramp dock, leave for fishing from there).
All contestants must attend Pre-Tournament Registration and the Captain's Meeting at Harbor Docks in Destin, FL Friday March 5thth at 6pm. At least one team member is required to attend.
Early Entry Fee for the Grass Flats Classic is $250.00 + tax (.06) totaling $265.00. After March 1st, 2009 entry fee goes to $300 + tax (.06) totaling $318.00. Calcutta or Cash awards will be discussed at Captain's Meeting. Checks must be made payable to:
Grass Flats Classic
646 E. Hwy 98
Destin, FL 32541
Livebait or artificial lures may be used. Only one rod at a time may be used per contestant. Fly-fishing and conventional tackle are allowed. All redfish must be caught alive in a conventional sport fishing manner.
Every effort must be made to keep redfish alive. An eight (8) ounce or .50 pound penalty will be deducted from the contestants' total weight for each dead redfish presented for weigh-in. No mutilated fish shall be accepted. No angler may manipulate the weight or length of any redfish with the intent of gaining an advantage over other tournament competitors during the tournament. Culling of dead redfish is prohibited.
Tournament Standings shall be determined by the aggregate weight measured in pounds and 100ths of a pound of each team's catch during the tournament. Only redfish/red drum will be weighed, the limit shall be two (2) fish per team. All redfish limits will be in accordance with all local, state and federal regulations. Any fish outside of the slot limit as designated by FWC officials will not be weighed.
All protests must be submitted in writing (No Exceptions), along with a $500 deposit per protests to administer a polygraph exam, within 15 minutes of Official tournament scales closing. The decision of the tournament director and tournament officials will be final. The protestor also agrees to submit to a polygraph exam. If the protest is upheld, the $500 deposit will be refunded.
Tournament boats will be allowed to check in their fish at The Ships Chandler Marina beginning at 4pm. Fish need to be alive when checked in by the tournament director or committee. Dead fish as stated will receive a 1/2 lb deduction per fish. The tournament director or committee will determine whether the fish is dead or alive at the weigh in. Again, a limit of two fish per boat is allowed on boat at weigh in. More details will be provided at Captain's Meeting.
1st through 5th place will be awarded as follows, 100% pay out, based on 50 boat entry
1st $5,000.00
2nd $3,000.00
3rd $2,000.00
4th $1,000.00
5th $500.00
"Lunker" Largest Single Fish $500.00
"Lunker" Largest Speckled Trout $500.00
Trophies will also be awarded to teams placing 1st – 5th
Calcuttas/Cash Awards will also be available and discussed at the Captain's Meeting