PARTICIPATION AND ELIGIBILITY
Participation is open to anyone 18 year of age or older. Minors (17 and younger) are eligible to participate when accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who shall sign a release/waiver form on behalf of the minor. A completed entry form, waiver, and entry fee must be received no later than the published entry deadline date. “All participants represent that they are physically and mentally competent, fit and able to participate. By entering, all participants agree to assume all risks of personal injury, death, and damage to or loss of property and further agree to indemnify and hold The Coastal Conservation Association tournament organizers, volunteers, sponsors, officers, members, and agents harmless from and against any and all claims, liabilities, and causes of action resulting directly or indirectly from participation.

PRE-REGISTRATION AND PRE-TOURNAMENT MEETING
Each contestant is encouraged to pre-register before the published date to guarantee ditty bags and tournament shirts. Registration will remain open on-site between 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm, Friday, August 25th, 2023 and on Saturday morning, August 26th, 2023, from 6:00 am to 7:00 am at Bridge Side Marina Pavilion in Grand Isle, LA. Attendance at the Rules/Safety Meeting approximately at 7am Saturday morning is mandatory, this will be conducted at Bridgeside and Wakeside Marinas and all participants must be present and on dry ground. Any other location or changes will be announced at the Friday Captains meeting. At the meeting, tournament directors/volunteers will go over the rules, boundaries, restrictions and other concerns.

LEGAL FISHING TIME / BOUNDARIES
Fishing begins by shotgun start approx. 7:30 am until 2:00pm on August 26, 2023. Times are subject to change based on weather and safety issues at the discretion of the Tournament Director and United States Coast Guard. All fish must be caught in accordance with LA state law, and the following tournament rules. Only waters inside Caminada Pass from the Buoy at the entrance to the pass to the buoy marked boundary approximately 700 yards on the east side of the Grand Isle Bridge are eligible. (Legal fishing times, boundaries and weigh-in location are subject to change due to conditions of the day).  There may be additional restrictions based on local conditions.  The final boundaries will be identified at the Saturday morning safety meeting. All anglers must depart from Bridgeside or Wakeside Marinas unless otherwise specified during the captains meeting.

WEIGH IN
Weigh in will take place on the chase boat that accepts your fish. Chase boats will be instructed not to collect/weigh any dead fish All competitors may catch and keep only 1 redfish over 27 inches. Competitors may catch, weigh and release an unlimited number of redfish in accordance with LDWF regulations.

Any fishermen hooked up who has notified the weigh boat or a tournament chase boat by the 2:00pm cutoff time on August 26, 2023 will be allowed to weigh in their catch. If an angler calls after the deadline, the catch will not qualify. There will be no exceptions to this rule. Official time will be kept by the Tournament Director. The weigh-in official(s) will make decisions on accepting fish for weigh-in, their decision is final. Any attempt to enter fraudulent catch, exchanging catches, tampering with catch, or hampering or threatening any official of the tournament will result in immediate disqualification. Fish will be weighed in the order in which they are checked in on the boat. The largest fish will be determined by weight. In the event of a tie, the first of the fish entered will be considered the winner, and the other will be dropped to the next position. (Redfish will be bent, and loosened straight before being measured with a pinched tail to ensure they are 27″ or longer.) Frozen, spoiled, gutted or mutilated fish will not be eligible for entry.

• Dead fish will not be accepted for weigh in
• Anyone eligible for the Junior division can weigh a large bull red in the regular division and the Junior division, but at the time of prize selection, they will have to elect whether they want the Junior prize or the regular field prize, not both.  If they elect the regular field prize, the next heaviest red caught by a Junior will win the Junior.  Same format applies to Ladies Division.

PFD/LIFE JACKETS
Must be worn at all times by participants. Violation of this rule will result in disqualification.

LEGAL TACKLE / BAIT
Any hook and line combination of artificial tackle, flies, live and or dead bait is allowed.

WATERCRAFT & PROPULSION
Watercraft acceptable for use in RTB are:

1. Small, narrow, single-hull watercraft not exceeding 44 inches in hull width and 17 feet in hull length, or 18 feet in combined hull length plus attachments, and…
2. that the manufacturer identifies and sells as a kayak, including inflatable kayaks and modular kayaks
3. Stand-up paddleboards (SUP)
4. Canoes
5. Pirogues

Other watercraft specifically approved as exceptions in advance of competition by RTB Committee. Approved exceptions for 2023 are: • Blue Sky Boatworks 360 Angler • Biyak and Pedal boats.

If unsure about the acceptability of a watercraft, contact RTB director in advance for eligibility determination.

Unless approved as exceptions by RTB Committee, the following watercraft may not be used in competition:

1. Gas or liquid fueled motorized or hybrid fuel/electric powerboats or jetskis
2. Sailboats
3. Jon boats/Bateaus
4. coracles, and rowboats
5. Dinghies and skiffs
6. Float tubes, inflatable rafts, and rigid inflatable boats (e.g., Zodiac)
7. Pontoon boats, pontoon-style pond boats, twin-hull watercraft, or similar.

Use of watercraft in competition other than those listed above as acceptable or exceptions will result in disqualification from the Event.

Watercraft propulsion is restricted to paddle, pedal, pole, or a single electric motor. Engines may only be used to get anglers from point A to B. Fishing under power will not be allowed.

1. Competitors must comply with all boating regulations pertaining to motorized kayak/electric-propulsion watercraft registration, use, and operating restrictions for the designated fishing area. Violation will result in disqualification from the Event.
2. Electric motor used to propel a watercraft:
   • must be attached to the kayak in a safe manner for operation, and
   • may not exceed the lesser of (a.) manufacturer’s labeled Maximum HP/Thrust Capacity, (b.) 3 HP, or (c.) 105 foot-pound thrust.
      Violation of either condition will result in disqualification from the Event.

Towing

• Towing, transport or relocation assistance from another watercraft, including “mothershipping,” is NOT permitted. Any one being towed or moved via the power of another kayak will be disqualified.
• If a participant has to be towed back by a chase boat or other participant they will be disqualified from the tournament.

Trolling

Trolling is not allowed. Motors shall not be used when fishing. Only in use in getting from point A to B.

Electric Motors

Anyone using an electric motor is responsible for providing self-propulsion (paddle or pedal) in the event their electric motor malfunctions.

RTB Management reserves the right to determine unacceptable or disqualify a watercraft for any reason. RTB Management also reserves the right to determine unacceptable or disqualify any electric motor that they see fit.  If you are uncertain if your electric motor is not suitable for RTB, please confirm with RTB management prior to the event. 

WATER COURTESY
Do your best not to disturb someone else’s fishing area, by encroachment, or noise. Unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated.

PROTEST
All protests must be made in writing and delivered to a tournament director no later than 2:15 pm. The tournament director is the final authority in all considerations.

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.

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.

WEATHER
Bad weather may require the Tournament Director to close fishing early for safety reasons.  In that case, information will be given at the Bridge Side pavilion as to a new time for the awards to start.

Cancellation Policy
There will be no refunds in the event the tournament must be cancelled due to weather.

All rules are subject to change. Any rule change will be covered at the captains and safety meeting.