2025 IFA Rules

** Download the rules for each event below **

 

OFFICIAL TOURNAMENT RULES

Nov. 1 – Nov. 30, 2025

INTERPRETATION & ENFORCEMENT

  • All Federal, State, and Local laws, rules, markings, orders, and warnings must be followed and will always supersede tournament rules. Participants in violation of any laws may be disqualified.
  • All violations of laws will be turned over to the proper authorities for investigation and possible prosecution. This includes, but is not limited to, cheating, harassment, wildlife violations, illegal drug use, and any other illegal activity.
  • These rules will remain subject to change by Tournament Officials.
  • Participants are responsible for reading and understanding the written rules, addendums, additions, and announcements. The written rules supersede any verbal or video communication of the rules.
  • Special Rules and amendments may be announced, added, or omitted for special circumstances or clarification at the judgement of Tournament Officials.
  • Interpretation and enforcement of these rules will be left exclusively to Tournament Officials.
  • Decisions of Tournament Officials are final in all matters and are not subject to appeal.
  • A violation of tournament rules may result in penalties, disqualification, and/or legal actions at the discretion of Tournament Officials or Local, State, Federal authorities.

PARTICIPATION

To participate, you must download the eTournament Fishing app, register with an active membership/subscription, and agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy. All participants are required to use a commercially manufactured tournament measuring board.

  • Any youth participants that do not have their own cell phone may submit fish using a parent or guardians cell phone, but you MUST CONTACT the Tournament Director prior to the event for approval and special instructions.
  • Any participants under the age of 18 must have permission from a parent or legal guardian, including a release of liability. This release is acknowledged during the tournament registration process and is available for review in advance within the Terms and Conditions on the eTournament Fishing website.• Any youth participants under the age of 16 must be accompanied on the water by a parent, legal guardian, or adult representative declared in writing by parent or guardian.
  • Participation in any tournament is at the sole discretion of Tournament Officials.
  • All participants must have a valid fishing license for the waters they fish.
  • When fishing from a boat, ALL PERSONS ONBOARD must be registered participants in the event.
  • The tournament organization reserves the right to add money and prizes to paybacks, as well as distribute prizes at their discretion.
  • Any participant wishing to withdraw from the event must submit a request in writing via email to info@etournamentfishing.com. Tournament Officials must be notified no later than Friday, October 24, 2025, to be eligible for a refund. The refund amount will be the event entry amount, less app use and processing fees. Refunds may take up to 10 days to be processed by payment processor.
  • Anglers must have a valid State or National Park pass where required. Failure to do so may result in disqualification from the event.

IFA DIVISIONS

Participants may register and compete in the following divisions:

  • IFA Boat Division (fishing from any powered boat/kayak)
    • Prizes for 1st – 20th place
  • IFA Kayak Division (fishing from a non-motorized kayak)
    • Prizes for 1st – 20th place
  • IFA Shore Division (includes fishing from docks/piers and other publiclyaccessible land-based structure)
    • Prizes for 1st – 20th place

AWARDS – GRAND SLAM / GRAND CHAMPION / BIG FISH

The IFA 2025-month long event includes the following categories and opportunities to win:

  • Grand Slam (per division): Total length of the participant’s longest single Redfish, longest single Speckled Sea Trout, and longest single Snook.
  • Grand Champion (cross-division): Total length of the participant’s longest single Redfish, longest single Speckled Sea Trout, and longest single Snook.
  • Big Fish (per division): Weekly single longest fish across species – Redfish, Speckled Sea Trout, and Snook.

 

Weekly Winners:

Prize will be awarded to the single longest fish across species, per division. Species include Redfish, Speckled Sea Trout, and Snook.

 

Overall Event Winners:

Grand Slam winner (per division) will be determined by the combined total length of each participant’s longest single Redfish, longest single Speckled Sea Trout, and longest single Snook.

Grand Champion winner (across all divisions) will be determined by the combined total length of each participant’s longest single Redfish, longest single Speckled Sea Trout, and longest single Snook.

Note: For the Grand Slam and Grand Champion categories, the eTournament Fishing app will auto-cull your largest fish, allowing you to continually upgrade throughout the event period.

 

PAYOUTS

See Payout Schedule under the Payout Tab above

 

REGISTRATION AND FEES

To register for a division, first download and install the eTournament Fishing App. Once installed, open the app and navigate to the ‘Search Tournaments’ area.

Fees:

Completing your registration requires an event entry fee (plus credit card processing fee), and an App membership/subscription.

  • Boat Division: $100
  • Kayak Division: $50
  • Shore Division: $25

*The App membership/subscription costs $4.99 per month. You can cancel it at any time following your event.

Note:

  • You can fish anytime during the event. Compete on one day or all of them for a chance to win.
  • If you’re registered in multiple divisions, submit your catch to the correct one, each catch can only be submitted once.
  • Event registration closes on Saturday, November 29, 2025, at 12:00 PM ET.

 

REQUIRED VIEWING OF THE ANGLER’S MEETING

All Participants must watch the pre-recorded Angler’s Meeting that will be listed in the event section within the eTournament Fishing app and on the ET Fishing website (https://etournamentfishing.com). Participants are responsible for all the information contained in the meeting.

 

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

The IFA 2025-month long event includes the following categories and opportunities to win.

Weekly:

The event includes four (4) weekly derbies which begins November 1st at 12:00am and concludes November 30th, 2025, at 11:59pm EDT.

  • Week 1: 11/1/25 (12:00am) – 11/7/25 (11:59pm)• Week 2: 11/8/25 (12:00am) – 11/14/25 (11:59pm)
  • Week 3: 11/15/25 (12:00am) – 11/21/25 (11:59pm)
  • Week 4: 11/22/25 (12:00am) – 11/30/25 (11:59pm)

Overall Event (Grand Slam and Grand Champion):

  • Tournament period: 11/1/25 (12:00am) – 11/30/25 (11:59pm)

Friday, October 31, 2025

Prior to the event start, all participants must be off the water no later than 6:00pm EDT. No fishing is allowed after this time until the start of the tournament. The pre-recorded Angler’s Meeting will be posted on the website.

 

USING THE eTOURNAMENT FISHING APP

Please watch the eTournament Fishing Quick Video Guide Tutorials “Getting Started” (https://etournamentfishing.com/quick-video-guide-series) Or visit the website: www.eTournamentFishing.com

The App may be downloaded using the QR codes or links below: Android Google Play Link iOS App Store Link

 

Android Google Play Link 

 

iOS App Store Link 

 

 

MINIMUM PHONE REQUIREMENTS NEEDED

Each Participant is required to use an Android phone with version 12 or newer OR an iPhone with iOS version 18.x or newer.

UPDATE YOUR CELL PHONE’S OPERATING SYSTEM

It is CRITICAL to check and make sure that your cell phone’s operating system is UPDATED to the most current version available to ensure proper functionality with the eTournament Fishing app.

eTOURNAMENT FISHING PRACTICE EVENT

IT IS HIGHLY ENCOURAGED THAT ALL PARTICIPANTS enter the FREE eTournament Fishing “Practice” event in the app and make some submissions prior to the tournament. Measurement photos and release videos can be ofanything, your dog, your shoes, etc. This will confirm the app’s compatibility with your cell phone and allow you to become familiar with the fish submission process in the app.

APP CHECK-IN PRIOR TO THE EVENT

Participants MUST CHECK-IN to the event prior to the start while you have a good cellular data or Wi-Fi connection. This allows the App to function in online mode when good cellular service is available or in the offline mode when you are in areas with poor or no cellular service. When you have a good cellular data or Wi-Fi connection, open the eTournament Fishing app and go to the event that you registered for and tap the “Check-In” box in the upper right corner. This can be done immediately after registering for the event.

Note: If you are registered in more than one division, you must check-in to the correct division in the app before you start fishing. Catches submitted into the wrong division will be disqualified. For example, if you’re registered in both the Shore and Boat divisions, you can’t submit a fish caught from the shore into the Boat division. All submissions will be reviewed for division rule compliance.

 

Important note: Check In to the Correct Division

If you are registered in more than one division, you must check in to the correct division in the app before you begin fishing.

  • Submitting a catch to the wrong division will result in your fish being is qualified.
  • For example, if you’re registered for both the Shore and Boat divisions, a fish caught from the shore must be submitted to the Shore division, not the Boat division.
  • All submissions will be reviewed to ensure they comply with division submission rules.

 

CPRV™ FORMAT

  • This is a CPRV™ (Catch, Photo, Release Video™) format event. The CPRV™ format is used to promote conservation and to eliminate the harvest of any fish. AT NO TIME during tournament hours are participants allowed to catch and hold the fish on a stringer, or in a basket, cooler, or LiveWell, or be in possession of any species of fish, except minnow type baitfish. Documentation of fish will be captured digitally, and the fish will be immediately released

FISH SUBMISSION MEDIA REQUIREMENTS

Measurement Photo

  • The measurement photo must be taken from the “straight down perspective” with no angle. Avoid taking the measurement photo in extremely bright and direct sunlight which can wash out the photo and cause a poor-quality photo. Avoid shadows if possible. The measurement photo must show the entire fish and be clear and in focus. It is solely the participants’ responsibility to provide a clear measurement photo so the Tournament Official can accurately confirm the submission.
    • The measurement photo must show the fish’s mouth fully closed for
    • Speckled Sea Trout and Snook. NOTE: If the mouth is not closed, a 1 (one) inch penalty will be assessed.
    • The Measurement Photo must clearly show the mouth/nose TOUCHING the “bump end” of the measuring board. NOTE: If the measurement photo does not clearly show the mouth/nose touching, the submission will be rejected and will not count.
    • The measurement photo MUST CLEARLY SHOW the tail of the fish, (pinched or not) on the measuring board so an accurate length measurement can be taken. NOTE: If fish’s tail touches or crosses a graduation line, the team is allowed to round up to the next closest ¼ (quarter) inch.
  • Trophy Photo

The Trophy Photo can be a “selfie”, or a standard photo taken of the angler holding their fish. “Selfie” type photos should include at the minimum a portion of the anglers head and portion of the fish.

NOTE: The Trophy Photo will not be used to confirm the submission but may be used for promotional purposes during and after the event.

  • Release Video

The release video must show the fish being released back into the water. NOTE: The release video will not be used to confirm the submission but may be used for promotional purposes during and after the event.

 

FISH SUBMISSION PROCESS

The required fish submission media requirements will be completed within the App for each fish submission. The fish submission process is simple, quick and intuitive. For more instruction on the Fish Submission Process, please watch the eTournament Quick Guide Tutorial, “Fish Submission Process” (https://etournamentfishing.com/quick-video-guide-series) or visit the website: www.eTournamentFishing.com. Please send any inquiries to:Support@eTournamentFishing.com

STEP 1

TAP THE SUBMIT A FISH BUTTON

STEP 2

SELECT THE SPECIES OF FISH

STEP 3

SELECT THE LENGTH OF THE FISH

STEP 4

TAKE THE MEASUREMENT PHOTO

STEP 5

TAKE THE TROPHY PHOTO

STEP 6

TAKE THE RELEASE VIDEO

STEP 7

TAP THE SUBMIT BUTTON

 

UPLOADING FISH SUBMISSIONS AND MONITORING SUBMISSION STATUS

When the submission is in the “Being Uploaded” status (also shown with red background color), it is currently being uploaded to the Tournament Director, this typically takes less than a minute. However, in areas with poor cellular service, this process can take longer. Once the status changes to “Pending Review”, the upload has been completed, and the Tournament Director has your fish submission. If you close the App, the process will pause until you re-open it. We recommend leaving the App open until the uploading process has been completed. At the end of the day or after your final fish submission, make sure that ALL your fish submissions are in the “Pending Review” status. If ANY fish submissions are still in the “Being Uploaded” status (with red background), it is due to being in an area with poor or no cellular service or the App was closed prior to completing the upload process. Once you return to an area with good cell service, open the App to your event submissions list page and leave it open to allow your fish submissions to upload, you may need to “pull page down to refresh” or tap the reload icon (circular arrow). Once all your fish submissions are in the “Pending Review” status, they have been uploaded to the Tournament Director for review.

 

FISH SUBMISSION VERIFICATION DEADLINE

To ensure results can be accurately completed in a timely manner, all participants must confirm that all submissions are in the “Pending Review” status. If you have any submissions that are in the “Being Uploaded” status (with red background), leave your App open when you return to an area with good cellular service. If for any reason, your submission(s) do not move to “Pending Review”, contact the Tournament Director for assistance PRIOR to the noon deadline. If you do not contact the Tournament Director prior to the deadlines, those fish submissions will not count.

 

Deadlines:

  • Week 1: Nov. 8 (12:00pm ET)
  • Week 2: Nov. 15 (12:00pm ET)
  • Week 3: Nov. 22 (12:00pm ET)
  • Week 4: Dec. 1 (12:00pm ET)

Overall Event: Grand Slam / Grand Champion –

  • 12:00pm ET, Monday December 1st, 2025.

 

APP USE IN AREAS WITH POOR OR NO CELL SERVICE

The eTournament Fishing app will record your catch with or without cellular data or Wi-Fi connection. If you are in an area with poor or no cellular service, the app will automatically go into offline mode and allow you to submit fish. Once you return to an area with good cellular service it will automatically return to online mode. Open your app to the event’s submissions list page, and your fish submissions will automatically upload. You may need to “pull page down to refresh” or tap the reload icon (circular arrow) to see your virtual LiveWell submissions status.

 

SAFETY

  • Safe boating must be observed at all times.• Boaters are REQUIRED to wear a fastened U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device while the combustion engine is in operation. PFD must be visible and worn outside of your clothing.
  • Kayakers are REQUIRED to wear a fastened U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device while fishing from or maneuvering their kayak during tournament hours. Inflatable belt PFDs are not considered satisfactory. PFD
  • must be visible and worn outside of your clothing.
  • All Kayaks must be equipped with emergency equipment as required by all Federal, State, and Local laws. This often includes a safety whistle and 360-degree light. Additionally, a high-visibility flag flown on the kayak is recommended.
  • At the discretion of the Tournament Director, tournament days may be shortened, postponed or canceled due to unsafe weather or water conditions.
  • Participants may leave their boat and seek shelter in bad weather or when danger is eminent.
  • Participants are expected to use sound judgement and are accountable for his/her own actions when faced with a potentially dangerous situation. (i.e.
  • Lightning, excessive wind, pleasure boaters, hunters, etc.) In the event of an equipment failure or emergency, the Tournament Director(s) must be notified as soon as it is safe to do so. Always contact 911 first, then contact Tournament Officials after reaching safety.

 

SPORTSMANSHIP

  • All Participants are required to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy and conservation and to conduct themselves in a manner that will be a credit to themselves, angler’s sponsors, tournament sponsors, the sport of fishing. Conduct not complying with these standards includes, but is not limited to, the following:
    • Violation of or failure to comply with event or state rules.
    • Consumption and/or possession of alcoholic beverages or any kind of mind-altering substance during tournament hours.
    • Suspension/disqualification, probation or ban from any tournament or fishing organization.
  • Verbal or physical abuse towards fellow Participants and Tournament Directors on or off the water from 6:00pm on October 31, 2025, through the conclusion of the tournament.
  • Blocking navigable waters from fellow Participants to pass through, but not limited to, boat positioning and cast placement.
  • Working with a non-Participant to block other Participants or hold spots before or during tournament hours.
  • Any words, conduct or actions reflecting unfavorably upon efforts to promote safety, sportsmanship, fair competition and compliance with tournament rules, or which fail to comply with the standards set forth in these rules.
  • Smoking is not allowed in the stage area. Smoking must be done away from Tournament Directors and large groups of anglers. Please be respectful of others.
  • Entry fees will be forfeited for any Participants disqualified for any rule or conduct violation.

 

BOAT AND MOTOR SPECIFICATIONS and SAFETY

  • All boats must be a minimum of 12 feet in length.
  • Each Boat must meet the State of Florida regulation requirements and have all required U.S. Coast Guard safety equipment before launch (including but not limited to fire extinguishers, sound making devices, floatation devices, and all other items required by law).
  • All boats MUST be equipped with an OPERATIONAL shut-off device (Kill Switch). This Kill Switch must be attached to the driver’s body anytime the combustion engine is operating.

 

HORSEPOWER REGULATIONS for BOATERS and SAFETY

  • Maximum horsepower for all outboards used in tournament competition will not. exceed the horsepower limitations as set by the U.S. Coast Guard horsepower rating plate attached to the boat by the manufacturer.
  • Each Participant agrees to submit his or her boat and/or motor to an inspection by an inspector upon request of the Tournament Officials.
  • Falsifying information on entry forms or altering the horsepower numbers on the motor or rating plate will be cause for disqualification from the tournament and may result in ineligibility to enter future tournaments.

 

KAYAK REGULATION and SAFETY

  • Watercraft propulsion is restricted to paddle, pedal, or pole.
  • Each Kayak must meet the State of Florida regulation requirement and have all required U.S. Coast Guard safety equipment before launch (including but not navigation lights, sound making devices, PFD, and all other items required by law).
  • Competitors must comply with all boating regulations pertaining to watercraft registration, use and operating restrictions for the designated fishing area.
  • Vessels must be 9 feet minimum and shorter than 18 feet.
  • Vessel that the manufacturer identifies and sells as a kayak, including inflatable kayaks and modular kayaks, stand-up paddle boards (SUP) and canoes.
  • Catamaran-style personal fishing vessels complying with all other regulations will be eligible.
  • No “homemade” kayaks, sailboats, johnboats, pirogues, coracles, rowboats, dinghies, skiffs, float tubes, inflatable rafts or rigid inflatable boats (e.g., Zodiac), pontoon boats, pontoon-style pond boats, twin-hull watercraft or similar.
  • The use of a manual or motorized anchor system is permitted.
  • Mother shipping, tethering/holding or any transportation coordination with a noncompetitor is strictly prohibited unless approved by Tournament Officials due to an emergency.
  • By officially entering, Participants agree to submit their kayak to an inspection by Tournament Officials, upon request.

 

PERMITTED FISHING METHODS

  • Fishing in the event shall only be done by conventional rod and reel. Participants must follow all State fishing regulations.
  • All fish must be caught alive in a conventional sporting manner by the participating angler.
  • All legal angling methods and bait per State and Florida Wildlife Commission regulations are allowed.
  • Trolling is allowed.
  • No fish are to be kept on stringers. Non-penetrating fish gripping devices are acceptable to temporarily hold fish in the water.
  • An angler’s catch must be safely released before casting or fishing may resume.

 

PERMITTED FISHING LOCATIONS

  • Restrictions, designated launch points, official tournament waters, and other location mandates may be issued for individual events.
  • Event boundary and geo-fence information is available in the eTournament Fishing app for reference. (See attached boundary map)
  • Contestants may fish anywhere on tournament waters available to the public and accessible by boat/kayak except areas posted or otherwise designated as “off- limits,” “no boats,” “keep out,” “restricted,” “no trespassing,” “no fishing,” or similar language or markings intended to restrict public access by commercial property owners and/or local, state or federal officials.
  • Participants may fish anywhere on tournament waters available to the public and accessible by boat/kayak except areas posted or otherwise designated as “off- limits,” “no boats,” “keep out,” “restricted,” “no trespassing,” “no fishing,” or similar language or markings intended to restrict public access by commercial property owners and/or local, state or federal officials.
  • Boats/kayaks may never be tethered to on-water markers like buoys or safety signs.

 

OFFICIAL TOURNAMENT MEASURING BOARD

  • An Official Measuring Board is considered any commercially manufactured board.
  • Anglers may also pick up a complementary Measuring Board at any participating Bass Pro shop in Florida while they last.

TIES AND TIEBREAKERS

  • Weekly species winner ties – will be broken and determined by which Participant caught the longest event species fish first.
  • Grand Slam and Grand Champion ties will be broken by which Participant caught the longest event species fish first.
  • Any other ties and tiebreakers will be determined by Tournament Officials using the next biggest fish and time stamp method.

TRUTH VERIFICATION TEST

  • Each Participant agrees to submit, by registering for this tournament, to a polygraph or voice stress analysis examination and to abide by its conclusion.• Consumption of alcohol or any mind-altering substance is strictly prohibited prior to a truth verification test.
  • Refusal to participate in the polygraph or voice stress analysis examination will result in disqualification from the tournament.
  • Failure to pass an examination, if administered, will result in disqualification from the tournament.
  • Truth verification tests will be used at the Tournament Officials sole discretion, and the determination of the meaning of the results will be made solely by the Tournament Officials

PROTESTS AND REPORTING PROCEDURES

All protests must be submitted in writing to Tournament Officials, along with a $150 cash deposit, No later than 12:00pm ET, Monday December 1st, 2025 to the Tournament Director(s) or designated Tournament Official. The protester also agrees that if there is a question of verifying the charge of a protest that he or she also may be subject to take a polygraph and agree to testify in a court of law if necessary. If the Tournament Director, or polygraph, upholds the protest, the cash deposit shall be returned to the Participant submitting the protest.

 

MEDIA COVERAGE

Participants are required to comply with all Tournament Official’s requests (including but not limited to video, still camera, access to boat or kayak and access to fishing area) made by Tournament Officials or official tournament film crew throughout events.

Official tournament camera or film crews are the same as Tournament Officials. Participants will treat them as such. Tournament camera crews are allowed to move in and out of your boats at anytime, track you via GPS, etc. Failure to coordinate with and accommodate the official tournament film crew needs will result in disqualification of this and possibly future events.

 

IFA 2025 Tournament Boundary Map

(Florida State boundary – North/West and includes Keys)

(*Map below is for general reference. ET Fishing App contains official event boundaries, including Keys)IFA 2025 Payout Schedule