Southern Fortune Fishing Tournament 2022 – 2023
Registration for the 2022 - 2023 Southern Fortune Fishing Tournament will open officially on March 1, 2022 and end on July 25, 2022. The Tournament will officially start on August 1, 2022, and end on July 31, 2023.
The Tournament is open to all Anglers that meet the following requirements:
The Tournament will be conducted through the SFFT platforms which can be accessed at Southernfortunefishing.com. All Anglers must complete the SFFT profile, sign the necessary forms and pay the nonrefundable $199.95 Entry Fee. Upon completion of the registration process and the payment of the $199.95 Entry Fee, Anglers will receive their Southern Fortune Fishing Tournament ID.
All Anglers must obtain and hold the applicable local fishing license(s) for the area(s) they intend to fish, and they must understand all of the local fishing rules, regulations and laws in those areas. The SFFT Directors and Staff are not responsible for an Angler’s lack of knowledge of the applicable local fishing rules, regulations and/or laws. Any Angler who violates any applicable rules, regulations and/or laws will be immediately disqualified from the Tournament.
Anglers can fish anywhere and anytime during the Tournament to catch their trophy fish and may upload photos and obtain real time updates on species standings by accessing the SFFT Platforms.
SFFT Directors and Staff are not eligible to participate in the Tournament.
This a rod and reel tournament only and no spear fishing is allowed. Baits used are entirely up to each Angler.
Once registered, all Anglers are automatically approved to fish for all 30 species. Note that only approved measuring devices and scales can be used to qualify fish, the devices and scale’s locations are outlined on the SSFT website Southernfortunefishing.com. When measuring and weighing a fish, Anglers should make sure that there is not anything touching or obstructing the view of the fish.
Video #1: should be taken during the fish fight or directly after the fish is landed, still alive and/or with the hook in its mouth. The Angler’s Fishing ID needs to be visible, and the Angler must state:
Video #2: needs to be taken within 96 hours after the fish has been caught. This video must be done at one of the approved bait shops listed on the SFFT website (Southernfortunefishing.com). The qualifying fish must be weighed and measured using SFFT certified scales and measuring devices. After weighing and measuring a fish, the fish must be gutted on site and checked for any added additional weight. The recording must also include a 360 degree view of the qualifying fish Anglers must bring their own necessary supplies to perform these actions onsite in a clean, professional manner.
Failure to upload Video #1 and Video #2 within the 96-hour period after the fish has been caught will disqualify the fish from being included in the Tournament.
If an Angler encounters an issue uploading a photo or video to the SFFT Platform, they must immediately notify the SFFT Directors and Staff within the 96-hour period after the fish has been caught.
The SFFT Directors and Staff will do their best to handle any issues that arise during the course of the tournament However, it is each Anglers responsibility to have a properly functioning camera or cell phone whenever they are fishing during the tournament and to properly submit photos and videos through the SFFT platforms.
Tournament pictures and videos will be judged by the SFFT Directors and Staff who will have the right to declare any photos and/or videos unacceptable. It is highly recommended that all Anglers submit detailed photos and videos to avoid the potential rejection by the SFFT Directors and Staff. You can find examples of submitted videos on the SFFT website Southernfortunefishing.com.
Mutilation to the fish will cause disqualification. Any mutilation prior to the catch, caused by sharks, other fish, mammals, or propellers that remove or penetrate the flesh. Injuries caused by leader or line, scratches, old healed scars or regeneration deformities are not considered to be disqualifying injuries. Any mutilation on the fish must be shown in a photograph and fully explained in a report accompanying the video upload.
Once the tournament is completed on July 31, 2023, the winner for each species will be selected by the SFFT Directors and Staff and the winners’ names will be posted on the SFFT website Southernfortunefishing.com on August 2, 2023. Once posted, any Angler who desires to protest the results posted on the website will have until 5PM on August 4, 2023 to contact the SFFT Directors and Staff by e-mail. This message to the SFFT Directors should state the specific reason(s) for the protest. The SFFT Directors and Staff will review all protests and their decision, which shall be made in their sole and absolute discretion, shall be final. Note that in the event of a tie in the weight of a species, the longest length fish of such species shall be the winner.
All Anglers are expected to police themselves and the other competitors during the Tournament. It is a violation of Federal Law to cheat in any tournament where there is a financial reward to the participants. The SFFT Directors and Staff reserve the right, in their sole and absolute discretion, to request a winner of the Tournament to submit to a polygraph exam relating to the Tournament which exam will be administered by a professional at the expense of the SFFT Directors. All Anglers have agreed in the Registration process to submit to a polygraph exam if requested.
The Entry Fee includes all processing fees and enters the Angler into all 30 species of fish.
Winners shall receive eighty (80%) percent of the aggregate Entry Fees paid by all Anglers who participate in the Tournament divided evenly between the 30 species winners. Each winner will pay their respective State and Federal taxes on their winnings.
