RUDY’S JUNIOR OPEN TOURNAMENT
RULES AND REGULATIONS
All rules stated below will be in effect for the RUDY’S JUNIOR OPEN Fishing Tournament. All decisions made by the tournament director and/or tournament officials will be final in all matters. The tournament director and/or the tournament officials can make changes when the safety of a contestant is in question or by a unanimous decision by the tournament committee. Any changes to the rules will be posted on the website www.HSJAA.com and communicated to the tournament members in the pre-tournament meeting before the tournaments. Warnings, penalties, and disqualifications will be determined by the tournament officials. A signature on one set of rules and regulations is applicable for any RUDY’S JUNIOR OPEN Fishing Tournament events and may be used as an acknowledgment for such. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
Tournament Rules
Applicable Laws
Contestants must comply with all Federal, State, and Local laws at all times. Contestants fishing outside of Texas waters must adhere to the local and state laws of the venue, including purchasing and possessing a valid fishing license for that state effective for the dates of the competition. Violation of any federal, state, and/or local laws will result in the disqualification of the individual and their team from the RUDY’S JUNIOR OPEN Fishing Tournament event and may disqualify, at the discretion of the tournament officials, the individual from the tournament.
Tournament Eligibility
This is an individual effort tournament structure. Contestants must be 17 years or under and must follow all the rules and regulations of TP&W. Contestants must fish with a parent or parent-approved guardian 21 years of age or older. Contestants registered in the Junior Division may fish from the same boat as an adult team but may not register in both adult and junior divisions or use an adult team’s fish for weigh-in. The RUDY’S JUNIOR OPEN Fishing Tournament reserves the right to refuse participation in any event to any individual and/or team at the discretion of the tournament committee.
Sportsmanship
RUDY’S JUNIOR OPEN Fishing Tournament participants are expected to follow the highest standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, and ethics. Unsportsmanlike and unethical conduct will result in disqualification at the tournament committee’s discretion. Please refer to the Texas Boating Safety Rules.
Permitted Tournament Fishing Waters
Contestants may fish in any inshore public water accessible by boat, kayak, pier, or walking in. Inshore for this tournament is defined as the navigable, tide-consumable coastal waters, bays, rivers, and wetlands, extending to the inside of the passes to the Gulf of Mexico.
- No fishing is allowed within 300 yards of the tournament weigh station.
- No fishing is allowed within 500 yards of any ferry landing.
- Contestants shall not fish in any area closed by a governmental agency.
- Wade fishing is allowed, but contestants must remain within 300 yards of the boat or shoreline.
- Participants may not fish within 150 feet of another anchored boat or wade fisherman unless invited.
- The boat anchored first has the right to a 150-foot radius.
- If the boat does not have a trolling motor, the definition of anchored still applies.
Permitted Fishing Methods
All tournament fish shall be taken by rod and reel using artificial, live, dead, or cut bait. Contestants shall not harass fish or corral schools. Contestants may not mark fish or schools prior to or during the tournament. Wade fishing is allowed, but contestants must remain within 300 yards of the boat or shoreline. A wade fisherman must net their own fish. Contestants must be in the boat before the combustion engine is started.
Checkpoints and Inspection
Boats may launch anywhere within permitted tournament waters 30 minutes before sunrise. Boats may be in the water but may not leave the dock before safelight. Tournament weigh-in will occur between 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM. Contestants arriving late will be penalized one-quarter pound per minute. Any contestant more than 15 minutes late will be disqualified for the day. Contestants experiencing issues must contact the tournament director before weigh-in closes.
Polygraphs
By signing the tournament entry form, each contestant agrees to submit to a polygraph test if requested. First-place teams are subject to testing and will not receive awards until cleared. Polygraphs may be administered at the discretion of the tournament committee. Results are final and binding.
Insurance and Liability
Each boat must carry minimum liability insurance. Proof of insurance and a signed waiver must be provided before competing. The RUDY’S JUNIOR OPEN Fishing Tournament assumes no liability for injury or damage. All participants must sign a waiver releasing tournament officials, sponsors, and affiliates from liability.
Entry Fees, Tournament Registration, and Identification
The entry fee is $40 per contestant. Registration is online only and must be completed by midnight the night before the tournament event date. All entry fees are non-refundable and are used for tournament administration and prize calculations.
Tournament Payouts
Prizes will be awarded to the top five winning stringers and for the largest redfish.
Fish
This is a live fish weigh-in. Each contestant may weigh two redfish measuring 20 to 28 inches. Altered or mutilated fish will result in disqualification. A quarter-pound penalty will be applied for each dead fish.
Scoring
Winners will be determined by total weight measured in pounds and hundredths. Fish must be transported in official tournament bags and weighed using tournament equipment only.
Ties
If two or more contestants tie, the prize money for the tied positions will be combined and split evenly.
Protest Procedure
All protests must be submitted in writing with a $100 cash deposit within 15 minutes of the final weigh-in. If upheld, the deposit will be returned. Protesters may be subject to a polygraph test.
Permission to be Filmed
All participants grant permission to be filmed, photographed, or recorded without compensation. This includes use of name, likeness, and voice for promotional purposes before, during, and after the event.