Rules

ENTRY FEE / REGISTRATION:
All individuals are eligible to purchase entries to the 2023 El Cheapo Sheepshead Tournament. Entries can be purchased for the General Tournament, Kayak, Ladies and or Junior angler divisions, also the Ladies and Kayak divisions have the option to upgrade to the General as well.
This is optional. Entry to the general tournament will be $125.00. Entry to the Ladies and Kayak
 division will be $75.00 standalone or $200.00 to enter both the general and specialty division. You can
 only enter ONE (1) Additional Category per angler.
Kids entry into the Kid’s Division (ONLY) will be $25.00 per child. It is acceptable for a non-angler to register and take the  junior fishing.
PRIZE STRUCTURE FOR MULTIPLE ENTRIES: If you enter both the General Tournament AND the Kayak OR 
Ladies division, you will ONLY be eligible for ONE(1) prize. You will be placed on both applicable boards,
and will automatically awarded the prize you qualify for with GREATER MONETARY VALUE. Once you are
 assigned a prize post weigh-in, you will automatically be removed from any other boards.
Example ( A.ll numbers are theoretical ): John enters both the General Tournament AND the Kayak
 Division ($125.00 + $75.00), and catches a 11.84 lb fish. John is then placed at 1st in the Kayak division,
 and 2nd in the General Tournament. The 1st Place Kayak prize is valued at $3,200.00. The 2nd place General
 Tournament prize is valued at $6,500.00. John will automatically be awarded the 2nd Place General
 Tournament prize and subsequently be removed from the Kayak board.
• TOURNAMENT WITHIN A TOURNAMENT: There is an optional entry fee of $25.00 per captain or kayak
 angler. Captains who choose to pay the optional fee will fish a “tournament within a tournament”.
 They will compete for the optional entry fee purse only with other Captains who paid the optional entry
 fee. All entry “Tournament within a Tournament” fees go toward the purse and will be divided among the top 3 Captains that paid the
 optional entry fee with 50% to 1st place, 30% to 2nd place, and 20% to 3rd place.
• MANDATORY CAPTAIN’S MEETING will be held at 7:00 PM Friday, March 3, 2023 ( Registrations will be accepted beginning at 5:00 PM.) at the J.O.S.F.C. clubhouse at 4870 Ocean Street, Mayport, FL
• FISHING RULES: A fishing license is required for all participants that are of licensing age according to
 FWC.  
Eligible fish are:    Sheepshead ( Archosargus probatocephalus ).
 All fish must meet current FL state 
size requirements. Only one fish per registered Captain, Kayak Angler, Jr. Angler or Lady Angler may be
 weighed in. All fish must be caught on rod and reel, from a boat or kayak. You must stay in your vessel.
 The tournament will be an open launch format, there will not be a check out or check in but we will be
 monitoring VHF 78. Fishing begins at 6:47 AM Eastern Time. Weigh-in opens at 12:00 NOON , and closes at 4:00 PM You must be STANDING IN LINE by 4:00 PM. All participants must comply
 with Coast Guard regulations and instructions.
• TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE will be available during the tournament on VHF 78
• TOURNAMENT WEATHER CALL will be made at the Captain’s Meeting. The Tournament Director reserves the right to cancel or modify the tournament due to unsafe conditions. If there is a small craft warning the tournament will be restricted to the river system meaning you may not enter the ocean from any inlet. Four hours of fishing will constitute a tournament day. Weather date for the tournament 
shall be Sunday, March 5th.
• WEIGHING-IN: All fish submitted for weigh-in must be in fresh, edible condition, and caught that tournament day. Fish cannot be in frozen condition. No mutilated fish will be weighed. All decisions regarding mutilation will be made by the Tournament Director. All fish submitted for weigh-in become property of the tournament.
• PROTEST: All protests must be in writing within 15 minutes of the close of weigh-in, accompanied by a $100.00 CASH deposit. Digital photographic evidence is strongly suggested. If protest is upheld, deposit will be refunded. The Tournament Director, Assistant Tournament Director along with the President and Vice-President of the Jacksonville Offshore Sport Fishing Club, will be considered the Rules Committee. The committee will review all protests and their decision shall be final. All entrants agree to submit to a polygraph at the request of the Tournament. The results of the polygraph will be considered by the Rules Committee, along with any relevant information, which in their sole discretion will determine whether the entrant will be disqualified. Failure to submit to such an examination will result in disqualification of the entrant.
• PARTICIPANTS enter the tournament at their own risk. The Jacksonville Offshore Sport Fishing Club
 (J.O.S.F.C.), “El Cheapo” Sheepshead Tournament, its officials or members shall not be liable for and 
hereby disclaim any liability for any and all losses, damages or injuries of any kind suffered by any
 participants, entrants, anglers, their guests and companions, boat captains, vessels, and equipment 
which may occur during the tournament, including the weigh-in location at the JOSFC facility.
• TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR and or rules committee reserves the right to refuse entry into the 
tournament for cause at the discretion of the tournament director and or committee.
• JUNIOR ANGLERS (age 16 and under), LADY ANGLERS (age 16 and up), and KAYAK ANGLERS, for an 
additional fee will be competing for a separate prize structure, but must follow the same rules as stated above. Juniors and Ladies should hook and fight their own fish unless safety dictates helping, especially
 with the juniors.
• KAYAK ANGLERS Any entrants in the KAYAK division can only fish from a Kayak. There are no
 boundaries to where Kayak anglers can fish, but safety should be placed above all else when planning
 your trip. Kayaks may not be assisted by tow or push, and may not be launched from another vessel.