4H Reeling in the Future

2023 OFFICIAL RULES

RESPONSIBILITIES

ALL PARTICIPANTS AND GUESTS OF THE TOURNAMENT ARE PARTICIPATING AT THEIR OWN RISK. IN NO WAY IS THE MANATEE COUNTY 4-H ASSOCIATION, THE TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE, OR ANY SPONSOR IS TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR INJURIES, PROPERTY DAMAGE, OR LOSS OF LIFE AS A RESULT OF PARTICIPATION IN THIS EVENT.
ELIGIBILITY

ALL SPORTS FISHERMEN (MALE AND FEMALE) ARE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE. DETERMINATION OF ELIGIBILITY IS LEFT TO THE COMPLETE DISCRETION OF THE COMMITTEE. ANY PERSON CONVICTED OF A FISHING VIOLATION IS INELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE FOR FIVE (5) YEARS FROM THE DATE OF THE FISHING VIOLATION. ALL REQUESTS FOR PRE-TOURNAMENT DETERMINATION OF ELIGIBILITY SHOULD BE SUBMITTED, IN WRITING, TO THE COMMITTEE PRIOR TO THE CAPTAIN’S MEETING.
LOCATION

LOCATION IS ANNOUNCED EACH YEAR. VISIT THE MANATEE COUNTY 4H REELIN IN THE FUTURE WEBSITE FOR LOCATION INFORMATION WWW.4HFISH.COM.
DATES 

THE TOURNAMENT WILL OCCUR ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY ON THE DATES ESTABLISHED ON THE MANATEE COUNTY 4H FISHING TOURNAMENT WEBSITE AT WWW.4HFISH.COM.
TEAMS AND CREW

EACH TEAM IS ALLOWED UP TO SIX (6) TOTAL MEMBERS INCLUDING THE CAPTAIN AND ANY MATE(S). NO SUBSTITUTIONS IN CREW MEMBERS CAN OR WILL BE MADE AFTER REGISTRATION CLOSES ON THE DAY OF THE CAPTAIN'S MEETING. TEAMS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO USE A BOAT - AS KAYAKING AND WADE-FISHING IS PERMITTED. NOTE: FEDERAL MARITIME LAW HOLDS THE CAPTAIN OF THE VESSEL RESPONSIBLE FOR ACTIONS OF HIS BOAT, ITS WAKE, AND ITS CREW.
REGISTRATION

THE NUMBER OF ENTRIES TO THIS EVENT IS NOT LIMITED BUT DOES CLOSE AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE CAPTAIN’S MEETING. THERE WILL BE AN ENTRY FEE PER TEAM.
VESSEL SAFETY

SAFE BOATING MUST BE OBSERVED AT ALL TIMES. PARTICIPANTS ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH US COAST GUARD REGULATIONS INCLUDING THE POSSESSION OF US COAST GUARD APPROVED PERSONAL FLOATATION DEVICE (PFD), LIGHT AND WHISTLE.
ENTRY FEES

FEES PER TEAM ARE AS FOLLOWS:
$300.00 PER TEAM OF UP TO SIX (6) INSHORE AND WOMENS DIVISION 
$250.00 PER YOUTH TEAM DIVISION UP TO SIX ANGLERS INCLUDING CAPTAIN
THERE WILL BE A $20 CASH DEPOSIT REQUIRED FOR ISSUANCE OF OFFICIAL MEASURING BOARDS DUE AT REGISTRATION. YOU WILL BE RETURNED THIS DEPOSIT WHEN RETURNING YOUR MEASURING BOARD.
COMMUNICATION

CAPTAINS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CONTACTING TOURNAMENT OFFICIALS WITH ANY QUESTIONS OR REQUESTED INFORMATION DURING THE EVENT. INFORMATION OF HOW TO CONTACT SUCH OFFICIALS IS LISTED BELOW AND WILL BE POSTED ON THE OFFICIAL EVENT PAGE ON FACEBOOK.
CAPTAIN'S MEETING

WILL BE HELD ON FRIDAY AT THE TOURNAMENT LOCATION AT 5:00PM ET.
BEGINNING & ENDING FISHING TIMES

THE MANATEE COUNTY 4H REELING FOR THE FUTURE TOURNAMENT SHOOTOUT WILL BEGIN IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE CONCLUSION OF THE CAPTAIN’S MEETING. THE EVENT ENDS AT 2PM ON SATURDAY. ANY BOATS IN VIOLATION OF THESE START OR FINISH TIMES WILL NOT QUALIFY TO RECEIVE ANY PRIZES OR RECOGNITION.
INCLEMENT WEATHER

IN THE EVENT OF INCLEMENT WEATHER A DECISION WILL BE MADE BY THE TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE AS TO DELAY, POSTPONE, OR CANCEL THE TOURNAMENT AT THE CAPTAIN'S MEETING, PRIOR TO THE START TIME OF THE TOURNAMENT. FISHING IN ANY INCLEMENT WEATHER IS AT-YOUR-OWN-RISK. CAPTAINS ARE ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFETY OF THEIR BOAT AND CREW.
TEAM EVENT

THIS IS A “TEAM EVENT”. ONLY THE CAPTAIN AND REGISTERED ANGLERS ARE ELIGIBLE TO FISH. TEAM SUBSTITUTES WILL BE ALLOWED PROVIDED THEY HAVE RECEIVED PRIOR APPROVAL FROM THE 4H FISHING COMMITTEE. EACH FISHING TEAM IS LIMITED TO A MAXIMUM OF SIX (6) ANGLERS (INCLUDING THE CAPTAIN).
FISHING AREAS

TEAMS MAY VENTURE AS DESIRED. HOWEVER, THE TEAM BOAT MAY NOT LEAVE THE WATER AND BE TRAILERED. IF YOU ARE WADE FISHING, THE BOAT MUST BE STATIONARY AND MUST REMAIN STATIONARY UNTIL ALL ANGLERS ARE ABOARD.
TACKLE CLASSIFICATION

ALL LINE CLASSES MAY BE FISHED DURING THE EVENT. FISH MUST BE CAUGHT BY HOOK AND LINE AND ON CONVENTIONAL RODS AND REELS. SPINNING, CASTING AND FLY TACKLE ARE ACCEPTABLE. ELECTRIC DEVICES ARE PROHIBITED.
SPECIES AND SCORING

THE TARGET SPECIES FOR THE INSHORE AND JUNIOR DIVISIONS SHALL CONSIST OF SNOOK, REDFISH, TROUT AND ONE “WILD-CARD” SPECIES, WHICH SHALL BE SELECTED AT RANDOM DURING THE CAPTAIN’S MEETING AT 5:00 P.M. ON FRIDAY. THE SINGLE WILD- CARD SPECIES SHALL BE SELECTED AT RANDOM FROM THE POOL OF SPECIES LISTED ON THE POINT SCHEDULE ON 4HFISH.COM. THE WILD- CARD SPECIES MAY, BUT IS NOT REQUIRED TO, COUNT AS ONE (1) OF THE TEAM'S SIX (6) FISH.
ALL TEAMS, INCLUDING JUNIORS’ DIVISION, SHALL SUBMIT EACH CATCH BY SUBMITTING A PICTURE TO IANGLERTOURNAMENT.COM PAGE OR THE IANGLER TOURNAMENT APP, EXHIBITING THE OVERALL LENGTH OF THE FISH (END OF LOWER JAW TO TIP OF TAIL) ON AN OFFICIAL MEASURING BOARD ISSUED AT THE CHECK IN. EACH TEAM IS ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT ALL TARGET SPECIES TO IANGLER, REGARDLESS OF SIZE. THE SIX (6) TOP SCORING FISH WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY SELECTED AS THE TEAM’S SIX (6) FISH, ONE OF WHICH MAY INCLUDE THE WILD-CARD SPECIES.
ANY EVIDENCE OF IMAGE MANIPULATION WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION. EACH PHOTOGRAPH MUST SIMULTANEOUSLY DEPICT THE OFFICIAL TEAM NUMBER, THE LOWER JAW TOUCHING THE END OF THE MEASURING BOARD AND A CLEAR, READABLE DEPICTION OF THE TOTAL LENGTH OF THE FISH. ALTHOUGH STATE LAW REQUIRES SNOOK TO BE MEASURED WITH “PINCHED TAIL” METHOD, FOR THE TOURNAMENT, SNOOK TAILS SHOULD NOT BE PINCHED WHILE PHOTOGRAPHED ON BOARD. PHOTOS OF SNOOK WITH PINCHED TAILS WILL NOT BE AWARDED POINTS. POINTS WILL BE AWARDED BASED ON THE TOTAL LENGTH OF THE FISH AS SET FORTH ON THE POINT SCHEDULE.
ELIGIBLE SPECIES ARE LISTED ON THE POINT SCHEDULE. THE POINT SYSTEM WILL BE BASED UPON THE TYPE AND SIZE OF THE FISH AND WILL DETERMINE THE WINNING TEAM. EACH BOAT WILL BE ALLOWED TO ENTER UP TO THREE (3) PICTURES OF FISH (ONE PER SPECIES) FOR JUDGING DURING THE EVENT IN BOTH THE SHOOTOUT DIVISION AND TRASH CAN DIVISION.
BAIT

ONLY BAIT FISH ARE ALLOWED ON ANY BOAT PRIOR TO THE TOURNAMENT START. DELIVERY OF BAIT TO ANY BOAT IS PERMITTED. ASSISTANCE FROM NON-TOURNAMENT BOATS IS LIMITED TO FUEL, FOOD/DRINK, AND BAIT. ANY OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE FROM NON-TOURNAMENT BOATS TO PLACE MARKERS OR PROVIDE FISH IS PROHIBITED AND WILL DISQUALIFY ANY TEAM FROM RECEIVING PRIZES OR AWARDS.
WEIGH-IN

PICTURES OF THE FISH MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE NO LATER THAN 2pm ON SATURDAY. THE TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE WILL HAVE THE FINAL OVERSIGHT INTO ACCEPTABLE ENTRIES.
SCORING AND POINT SCHEDULE

SEE NEXT PAGE.
PHOTOGRAPHED/RELEASED FISH

ONE (1) PICTURE IS REQUIRED FOR EACH OF THE THREE (3) LARGEST FISH TO BE CONSIDERED FOR WEIGH-IN. PICTURES OF THESE FISH MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE BY 3 PM ON SATURDAY TO BE CONSIDERED. HARD COPIES AND/OR MEMORY CARDS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. ANY EVIDENCE OF IMAGE MANIPULATION WILL DISQUALIFY THE TEAM. THE LENGTH MEASUREMENT MUST BE TAKEN WITH THE INSTRUMENTS GIVEN OUT AT REGISTRATION AND PHOTOGRAPHED ACCORDINGLY WITH THE FISH'S NOSE AT THE ZERO INCH MARK.
THE TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE WILL ISSUE THE WEBSITE TO SUBMIT ENTRIES AT THE CAPTAIN’S MEETING.
PHOTOGRAPHY EQUIPMENT

ANGLERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING THEIR OWN PHOTOGRAPHY EQUIPMENT AND SUBMITTING THEIR ENTRIES BEFORE THE 2PM DEADLINE. THE TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE WILL NOT PROVIDE ANY SPECIAL EQUIPMENT WITH WHICH TO PHOTOGRAPH, VIDEO, SUBMIT, OBTAIN INTERNET ACCESS OR OTHERWISE VIEW THE CATCH.
TIE-BREAKER

IN THE EVENT THAT TWO (2) TEAMS TIE WITH POINTS, THE FOLLOWING TIE BREAKERS WILL APPLY: 
1.SINGLE LARGEST POINT FISH SHALL BE AWARDED THE HIGHEST PLACE AWARD.
2.IN THE EVENT THE ABOVE IS A TIE, THE FIRST TEAM TO WEIGH-IN SHALL BE AWARDED THE HIGHEST PLACE AWARD.
TAX LIABILITY

WINNING TEAMS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INCOME TAX LIABILITY ACCRUED BY VIRTUE OF WINNING CASH OR PRIZES. ALL CASH AWARDS WILL BE REPORTED TO THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE.
SCORING INFORMATION
SPECIES – SHOOTOUT

Snook, Redfish & Trout are acceptable fish in this division.
SPECIES – TRASH CAN

Jack, Ladyfish, & Catfish are acceptable fish in this division.
SCORING

All fish will be measured in conjunction with the state law pinched tail measurement. Points will be awarded by the total overall length of 1 Snook, 1 Redfish, & 1 Trout
Measurement Example:

A 35 3⁄4 inch fish will be measured as a 35. No fish will be rounded up. All fish will be considered the number they display until they exceed the next measurement up on the ruler.