OFFICIAL RULES & REGULATIONS OF THE 2026 OWNERS FISHING TOURNAMENT
· It is the contestant’s responsibility to read, understand, and comply with all rules outlined below. Noncompliance will be grounds for disqualification from the tournament and future barring from activities sponsored by Shallow Sport of Texas, Inc. By entering this tournament, each contestant agrees to abide by these rules and agrees that any decisions of the Tournament Directors will be final.
· SHALLOW SPORT OF TEXAS, INC. AND TOURNAMENT DIRECTORS RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE ENTRY INTO THE TOURNAMENT TO ANY ANGLER.
· All participants in the Tournament must be aware of tournament rules including additions or changes made on or before May 09, 2026. A mandatory captains’ meeting will be held at the convention center on Friday evening where we will review these rules as well as any revisions.
· IGFA rules apply. Anglers must have a current fishing license.
· All participants must fish from a Shallow Sport Boat with a HIN# starting with SZX or an SCB with a HIN# starting with SCI. Wade fishing is permitted within sight of boat only. No tubes, kayaks, fishing from the dock. No remote drop offs. You can wade from an anchored boat only.
· There are 5 divisions: 1. Guided Artificial Only Team, 2. Amateur Artificial Only Team, 3. Guided Open Team, 4. Amateur Open Team, and 5. Individual Youth division (12 years or younger in age) Youth fish are eligible towards overall team stringers. (The youths redfish will be used to calculate overall stringer weight if it is heavier than the adult’s Redfish)
· Amateur Division anglers may not be or shall not use professional guides or commercial fishermen to obtain fish. Any boat that has a professional angler on board (licensed captain or guide), must be registered into the guided division. Artificial Only Division anglers shall not use live or dead bait to obtain fish.
· Each team will consist of a minimum of one angler, and no more than five anglers on vessels less than 24’ in length, and six anglers on vessels 24’ in length and larger, including the captain.
· No one is allowed on board the boat if he/she is not registered as an angler of that boat’s team between start time and weigh in time.
· Each angler will be registered by boat/team. A number will be issued for each boat/team. Your number MUST be displayed (visibly near the windshield) on your boat during the entire tournament.
· All boats must be in the same area in the bay within ½ mile from the start location at Louies Backyard on Saturday May 09, 2026, at 6:30AM. There will be a voluntary shotgun start at 6:30AM sharp. No boats may leave the start area until after 6:30AM and must be checked in with all team members between 5AM and 7AM. Any teams not checked in before 7AM will be disqualified from the contest.
· Each team will be allowed to weigh in one Redfish, one Speckled Trout, and one Flounder (one stringer per team, for a total possible combination of 3 fish total per team plus each youth angler’s heaviest fish).
· Winning fish will be determined by heaviest weight. Grand Champion in Guided and Non-Guided divisions will be determined by heaviest combined stringer (One Redfish, One Trout, One Flounder.) You do not have to have all three species to win. In the event of a tie, the winner will be decided by earliest arrival time at the dock, and then the earliest weigh-in time.
· Only one rod per angler is allowed in the water at one time. Fish must be caught on a rod and reel.
· Boats participating in the tournament should not be in contact during official fishing hours with any other boat, unless approved by the tournament directors. Contact phone numbers for directors are provided.
· Weigh-in time begins at 1:00PM and ends at 3:00PM, May 09, 2026 at Louis Backyard. Tournament staff will identify any boats coming into weigh-in within reasonable sight from the dock at 3:00PM. Weigh-in card must be signed by the team captain when the fish are weighed in prior to leaving the weigh station. Fish will only be weighed one time. Make sure the weights are correct before signing the weigh-in card. All fish brought in by land are subject to the same rules.
· No red drum over 28” will be weighed. No speckled trout over 20” will be weighed. No oversized fish are allowed at weigh-in.
· A professional weighmaster will weigh in fish. If in their opinion, the fish was caught outside the tournament time frame or was tampered with in order to alter its weight and/or length, the weighmaster may disqualify the fish, and the contestant may be disqualified from the tournament and agrees to forfeit all rights to winnings. The Weighmaster’s decision is final.
· All protests, objections, or suspicions of rules violations must be provided in writing to the Tournament Directors prior to the end of weigh-in. Failure to provide written, dated, time stamped and signed notification will be grounds for dismissal of the objection. It will be the sole decision of the Directors whether to request a polygraph. All tournament entrants agree to submit to a polygraph examination if requested.
· Tournament Director contact numbers: Wes Hudson 956-433-6567 or Kyra Hudson 956-434-9895.