2023 ASFT Tournament Rules

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READ CAREFULLY: It is your team's responsibility to adhere to the tournament rules. Rules and Tournament winnings will be finalized on September 27th, 2023. 

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This is a generic outline. Some aspects of the tournament rules may change.

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1) Format: This is an amateur fishing tournament.

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2) Maximum Team sizes: Guided: 4 team members (4 ASPIN Attendees + Guide) Unguided: 4 ASPIN Attendees

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3) LICENSES: All anglers must adhere to Texas Parks and Wildlife Fishing and Boating Rules and Regulations, available at https://tpwd.texas.gov. Please have a valid fishing license with Saltwater tag prior to leaving the harbor.

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4) Check-In: All teams must check in at Storm Shack on Thursday September 28th between 5-10pm, or at Matagorda Harbor between 6-7am on Friday September 29th. Names of each angler must be provided. Please have this information handy at check in. Liability waivers must be signed and returned to check-in table prior to fishing. If a team fails to turn-in their liability waivers, any fish caught will not be weighed.

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5) Guide Selection: This year, each team is responsible for selecting, reserving and paying their guides. No fishing guides will be provided by ASPIN. ***NOTE: Some guides will not fish with certain live baits (ie. Croaker). Make sure to ask you ask the guide you've selected prior to agreement. 

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6) Weigh In (2:00pm-4pm) - The fish to be weighed in must be turned in to the designated weigh station at Matagorda Harbor no later than 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Then when it’s time to weigh your fish, you must be ready to hand the weigh master your fish. ***PLEASE BE AWARE OF POSSIBLE DELAYS IN BOATING, DRIVING WHEN PLANNING YOUR TRIP BACK TO MATAGORDA HARBOR FOR THE WEIGH IN***. To qualify for weigh-in, the team’s boat must be inside Matagorda Harbor by 4:00 p.m. Teams late to the weigh-in will be disqualified from the tournament. Fish will not be weighed.

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7) On Water Rules: 

 

a) Wade fishing is allowed but all team members must remain in sight of their team’s boat at all times. 

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b) Live or Artificial bait is allowed. 

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c) All tournament entry fish must have been caught legally and according to tournament rules on September 29 and by a member of the team turning in the fish. No altering of fish or pooling of fish among teams is allowed. No guide caught fish are allowed to be weighed.

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d) Fishing starts NO SOONER than DAYLIGHT sharp on Friday. Any fish that are taken prior to DAYLIGHT on September 29 will not be accepted at the weigh-in. ASPIN has hired a professional weigh-master for the event.

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The weigh-master will be able to tell if the fish were caught during the tournament times. If your team tries to submit fish that were caught outside of the tournament times, the team will be disqualified and all members will not be allowed to participate in future ASPIN events.

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A Team Captain's meeting will be held at 8pm on September 28th at the Storm Shack. This is a team meeting, Guides are not required to attend.  

 

 WEIGH-IN CATEGORIES & TOURNAMENT WINNINGS

BLACK JACK or BUST ​

• HEAVIEST STRINGER WEIGHT:

  • ​2 REDFISH (21"-28"); 1 SPECKLED TROUT (21"-25")

• HEAVIEST REDFISH (21"-28")

• HEAVIEST SPECKLED TROUT (21"-25")

• HEAVIEST REDFISH MOST SPOTS (21"-28")

• WILD CARD: LONGEST FISH OF ANY TYPE (PICTURE ENTRY REQUIRED)

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1ST PLACE STRINGER WEIGHT - $2,000.00 + Trophy for All Team Members

2ND PLACE STRINGER WEIGHT - $1,500.00 + Trophy for All Team Members

3RD PLACE STRINGER WEIGHT - $1,000.00 + Trophy for All Team Members

1ST PLACE REDFISH - $1000.00 + TROPHY

2ND PLACE REDFISH – $500.00 + TROPHY

1ST PLACE SPECKLED TROUT - $1000.00 + TROPHY

2ND PLACE SPECKLED TROUT – $500.00 + TROPHY

LONGEST WILD CARD FISH - $1000.00

HEAVIEST REDFISH WITH MOST SPOTS - $500.00