1. PARTICIPATION AND ELIGIBILITY. Participation is open to anyone 18 years of age or older. Minors are eligible to participate with a parent or legal guardian signature on the release form. A completed entry form, waiver, and entry fee must be received no later than the published entry date.
2. REGISTRATION AND CAPTAINS MEETING. Registration will be open through the Captain's Meeting. An entry fee of $50.00 will be due when registering, if not already paid, in order to fish the event. All entry fees are NONTRANSFERABLE and NON-REFUNDABLE. Attendance at the Captain's Meeting is MANDATORY for all contestants. Uniform tokens will be distributed at the Captain's Meeting. This is a Photo Release Tournament. All contestants   must photograph their catch  with the fish on their approved measuring stick with Tournament Token upon fish and clearly visible. Your camera must have Date/Time Stamp technology and the Date/Time stamp must be clearly visible on photo of entered fish. You must present Tournament Judge your camera and photo must be on a removable photo storage card. No printed photo of fish will be allowed to be entered. Exact fishing times will be announced at the Captain’s Meeting by the Tournament Director.
3. SAFETY. Safe boating will be observed at all times. During competition each contestant is required to comply with US Coast Guard regulations. In addition, participants must wear a PFD at all times while competing in the event and be in possession of a sounding device. It is recommended that each participant have a cell phone on board for additional safety. Tournament day may be shortened or canceled due to unsafe weather or water conditions. The decision to shorten or to cancel will be left totally to the discretion of the Tournament Director. A 4-hour period shall constitute a day of fishing.
4. LAUNCH & CHECK IN. Launch Time is at First Safe Light or Sunrise and is at the Tournament Directors discretion. Check in will begins at 1pm at launch site.   All competitors must check in their cameras, token and measuring devices by 4pm to be eligible for fishing prizes. At check in you must indicate whether or not you are submitting your camera for review and fill out a scoring sheet. The post tournament activities will begin at 7 pm.
5. SPORTSMANSHIP. Competitors in ALL Tropic Bay Kayak Fishing Classics (TBKFC)  events are expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety and conservation. Any infraction of these fundamental sporting principles may be deemed cause for disqualification. Maximum courtesy must be practiced at all times, especially with regard to boating and angling in the vicinity of non-competitors who may be on tournament waters. Any act of a competitor, which reflects unfavorably upon the TBKFC’s effort to promote fisheries conservation, clean waters, and courtesy, shall be reason for disqualification. Evidence of chemical substance addiction or abuse, conviction of a felony or other crimes involving moral turpitude or other conduct reflecting unfavorably upon the TBKFC’s efforts to promote safety, sportsmanship and compliance with tournament rules shall be grounds for rejecting any application for participation and for disqualification. Any act deemed by the Tournament Director that gives an angler an unfair advantage not specifically covered under this set of rules shall be grounds for disqualification. Any violation by an angler deemed intentional or preconceived by the Tournament Director to gain an unfair advantage, would be grounds for permanent disqualification.
6. ALCOHOL AND DRUGS. The consuming or transporting of any alcoholic beverages or drugs (other than prescription or OTC drugs) during official tournament hours, on any tournament angler's boat is prohibited, and angler or anglers will be disqualified from this and possibly all future tournaments.
7. PERMITTED FISHING METHODS. All fish must be caught alive in a conventional sporting manner.
Only Fly Fishing & Light Tackle, (Spin or Level wind reels)   fishing equipment is to be used during competition.  Live Bait &  Artificial  Baits  and Flies may be used depending upon the tournament. Commercially sold pork trailers or scents may be used as so long as usage complies with State and Federal Laws. A cast must be fully retrieved before an angler may pick up another rod. A foul hooked fish will not be scored. A foul hooked fish is defined as a fish that does not have at least one hook in its mouth, and it must be released. Anglers may not catch fish or weigh in fish that have been caged or confined in an area prior to the tournament. All fish must be caught from either the kayak (self-propelled water craft) or wade fishing (provided the kayak is tethered to the angler). During the hours of competition, contestants may not obtain or receive assistance, including but not limited to the following: a non-competitor’s boat, the placing of markers by a non-competitor, being towed by or riding on motorized vessels, or receiving electronic, voice or data communication from a non competitor Except in the Case of Emergency.
8. TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT.  Spinning and Casting Rod outfits, Fly Rods & Reels may be used. Equipment must be considered to be ‘Light Tackle” and is at the discretion of the Tournament Director. Please present your equipment to the TD if you have any doubts. Contestants my use live or artificial baits, depending upon the tournament.  Only ONE rod/reel at a time may be used by contestant. Be prepared to show your current fishing license, at registration, from the state in which the tournament is being held.
9. COMMUNICATIONS. The use of mobile communication devices such as cellular telephones, marine radios, walkie-talkies, CBs, pagers or any electronic device to communicate fishing information or contact with anyone, including family members, during tournament hours is strictly prohibited. Communication among anglers is allowed on the water only by non-electronic methods. Emergency calls may be made and then a tournament official should be contacted. You may call 911 for emergency.
10. NO MOTORS. The use of a boat or motorized water vehicle to transport your boat on the water is prohibited. All craft must be self-propelled - no motors are allowed (electric or combustion).
11. PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS. All fishing locations must be in waters accessible to the public at all times according to the law, USCG, and FWC regulations, or state of participation regulations.
12. SCORING. The event uses catch-photo-release scoring determined by the length of each fish (only one fish per species may be entered), combined in the case of an Aggregate/Slam and individually for each Division. Each angler will be issued a unique scoring marker/token at the Captain's Meeting. The first photo on the camera must be of your rigged boat as put in at launch with measuring device and scoring marker visible & ’Date Stamped’. Fish must be photographed in or on the boat, on the measuring device, clearly showing the length of the fish with the scoring marker visible. More than one photo of a fish may be taken. Length is determined from the forward-most point of the fish to the natural un-pinched top of the tail with the fish’s mouth closed. Fish must be above FWC minimums to count(or state of event minimums) - reds maybe above the slot limit. The maximum fish size is the length of the fish measuring stick. In the event of a tie the entry checked in earliest will be declared the winner. The judging committee will review the photos to verify reported results and determine place winners. The Tournament Director is responsible for the final call in all matters. Competitors may enter only one fish per species into the tournament. The Largest Fish per species wins First Place. The Second Largest Fish per species wins Second Place and so on. If a contestant reveals the length of his entered fish to another contestant, he or she may be disqualified from event.
13. DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY. Participants may only use digital cameras for recording scoring fish (cameras may not be shared by competitors). Entrants must bring the memory card from their camera to
check-in. The tournament scorekeeper will download memory cards onto the official computer. The tournament scorekeeper will be able to read most standard memory cards, however anglers should bring a USB cable for their camera to ensure that their photos may be downloaded.
15. PROTEST. All protests must be submitted in writing, along with a $200.00 cash deposit, within fifteen (15) minutes of the last check-in to the Tournament Director or designated tournament official. The protester also agrees that if there is a question of verifying the charge of a protest that he or she also may be subject to take a polygraph (at his or her own expense) and agree to testify in a court of law if necessary. If the Tournament Director, or polygraph, upholds the protest, the cash deposit shall be returned to the contestant submitting the protest.
16. POLYGRAPH. Each contestant who fishes an TBKFC Kayak Fishing Tour/Series event agrees to submit to a polygraph examination at a time and location determined by the Tournament Director following the end of the competition in each tournament and abides by its conclusion. Failure to pass the polygraph will result in disqualification and forfit of protest deposit.
17. RELEASE OF LIABILITY AND COVENANT NOT TO SUE. A waiver, release of liability, and covenant not to sue are part of the entry form. It is required that all contestants take responsibility for themselves while participating in event activities.
18. PHOTO RELEASE. Scoring photos remain the sole ownership of the Tropic Bay Kayak Fishing Classics & Tropic Bay Guides Inc. to be used at their discretion. Contestants grant the TBKFC, Tropic Bay Guides Inc.  and the sponsors the unconditional right to use their name, voice, photographic likeness and biographical information in connection with Tropic Bay Kayak Fishing Classics
tournaments, production, promotion, and/or articles and press releases, and shall not be entitled to receive any royalties or other compensation in connection with such use.
19. RULE CHANGES. Rules interpretation is exclusively left to the Tournament Director. The decisions of the Tournament Director are final in all matters and are not subject to appeal.
20. PRIZE STRUCTURE. For the TBKFC  Fishing Tour/Series ,event awards are cash prizes and or mucrchandise. Number of places awarded is based on the number of entrants. More details about prizes are available from the Tournament Director by making written request at the email link. Cash payout is based upon boat participation of 100 registerd boats.
21. CONTINGENCY PRIZES. Sponsors may at their discretion award contingency prizes for anglers winning or placing using their products.
22. We ask that you show vigorous support for the Tropic Bay Kayak Fishing Classic to our sponsors at the Awards Ceremony. Without our Sponsor Support we could not do this. All involved thank you in advance for your participation and efforts.

23. All rules and regulations are of equal importance and are designed for safety, state and federal law compliance and to ensure

the integrity of the event.