Summer of Drum Kayak Fishing Tournament

1. Participation and Eligibility

• • All anglers regardless of skill, ability, or gender are welcome to participate. 
  • Anglers under the age of 18 must have a release of liability signed by their legal guardians.  
  • A release of liability for minor form must be presented to organizers on or before the safety meeting for the minor to participate. Minors without the form completed by the event start date will be disqualified. 
  • All minors (under the age of 18) must be accompanied by an adult while fishing.  

2. Registration and Captains Meeting 

• • To register for the event, first pay by (1) going to the Kitty Hawk Kites website, (2) by stopping at Kitty Hawk Surf Co (Nags Head), or (3) by calling 252-441-4124. Once paid you will receive a code to register for the event on the iAngler app, which can be downloaded for free.   
  • All competitors must attend an on-site Captains Meeting or view a recorded “Virtual” Captains Meeting. The onsite captains meeting will be recorded and posted to Facebook afterward.  All competitors are to leave a comment to let us know you watched the video. Failure to view a Virtual Captains Meeting or attend an on-site Captains Meeting results in a competitor’s disqualification from the event. 
  • No refunds.  

3. Safety

• • During competition, all Competitors must comply with US Coast Guard requirements, including having a light source, whistle or other audible signal devices, and life preserver [PFD]. 
  • PFDs must be worn at all times during Kitty Hawk Surf Co’s events. Competitors that are not wearing a PFD during the tournament will be disqualified.  
  • Event organizers hold the right to prematurely end a tournament should a safety concern arise. Competitors will be notified of event cancellation via social media or email. 

4. Sportsmanship

• • All anglers must adhere to a high standard of sportsmanship that portrays our sport in a positive light. Tournament Directors and moderators reserve the right to disqualify any participant for aggressive behavior including disrespectful comments, unsportsmanlike conduct, and/or bullying. Any negative or disrespectful comments whether said in person or online may result in disqualification and a ban from participating in future events.  
  • The possession or use of alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs during events is prohibited.  
  • Participants and members suspected of, or found guilty of, falsifying submission(s) (whether intentional or non-intentional) are subject to being disqualified and subject to a lifetime ban from all future KH Surf Co events at the sole discretion of the tournament director. 
  • Participants and members banned for unsportsmanlike conduct will be subject to having their entry fees, pending winnings, and applicable membership dues forfeited. 

5. Event Format and Fish Eligibility

• • For this event, “Red drum” are the only fish eligible for scoring. 
  • Tournament commences at sunrise on July 1st, 2021 and concludes at sunset on July 31st, 2021. Night fishing is permitted. 
  • The tournament is a red drum only event with (3) “Slot” red drum 18” to 27” and (1) “Overslot” red drum over 27” that can be submitted.  
  • This is a catch, photo, release format tournament. All fish must be measured on an approved measuring device (see below). 

6. Approved Measuring Devices 

• • The following 3 measuring devices (available for purchase at Kitty Hawk Surf Co and Kitty Hawk Kites – Whalebone at 20% discount to tournament participants) are the ONLY accepted measuring boards:  
    • Hobie Hawg Trough Board (carried at Kitty Hawk Kites Whalebone & Kitty Hawk Surf Co. Nags Head) 
    • Ketch Boards  
    • YakGear Check-it Stik 
  • A crack that does not separate the measuring board into pieces and does not affect the measuring board’s accuracy or obstruct visual review may be repaired and reinforced for use. Damage to the board received during the event that affects the accuracy of submissions may result in submission disqualification. 
  • A slight flex in a measuring board resulting from a fish’s weight is allowed; however, Competitors are prohibited from deliberately flexing or deforming a measuring board by exerting pressure or reshaping the board. Excessive flex may result in disqualification of submission at the sole discretion of the Tournament Director. 
  • Any item, ID holder, tape, or add-on not part of the original board, that touches the tail of fish, will result in submission disqualification. 

7. Scoring

• • A competitor’s final score is comprised of the aggregate length of (3) “Slot” red drum 18” to 27” and (1) “Overslot” red drum over 27.” A total of (4) eligible fish can be submitted for scoring. 
  • The minimum length for submitted fish is 18-inches. Fish under 18 inches will not be accepted. 
  • Fish length is determined by its caudal fin (tail fin) touching or crossing the measuring board’s quarter-inch mark. If it falls short of a 1/4-inch mark, the length is rounded down to the next lower 1/4-inch mark that the fish’s caudal fin touches or crosses. For example, a 24.7” fish would be scored as 24.5” and a 22.8” fish would be scored as 22.75.” 
  • The maximum scorable length for a “slot” fish is 26.75”. Any fish that touches or crosses the 27” mark on the board will be counted as an “overslot.” 
  • The top tip of the tail must appear on the board for measurement purposes. 
  • If any portion of a fish’s caudal (tail) fin extends off the right-side end of a Measuring Board, the submission automatically counts as the max length of the board.  
  • Any angler that submits (4) eligible fish will automatically place higher than any competitor who submits only (3) eligible fish, regardless of total inches. The same applies for any competitor that catches (3) fish will beat any competitor who submits only (2) fish, regardless of the total inches. 
  • In the event of a tie, the tie breaks in favor of the competitor with the longest (highest scoring) fish. If the longest fish are equal, the second-longest fish are compared and determine which competitor wins the tie. If the second-longest are identical, the process repeats for each of the remaining fish. If all the tied competitors’ highest scoring fish are identical, then the tie breaks in favor of the competitor whose last Leader Board photo was uploaded earliest. 
  • Submitted fish measuring the same length will be evaluated for distinct differences in appearance, timestamp, and location caught. Anglers suspected or identified as intentionally submitting the same fish multiple times during the same tournament may be subject to disqualification as per the sole discretion of the tournament director. 
  • Obstruction of the eye in photographs and/or items, hands, or fingers placed underneath the gill slit may result in submission disqualification.  

8. Photo Submission Rules 

• • Photos of eligible fish will be submitted through the iAngler app.  
  • All photos must include the (1) fish, (2) watercraft, and (3) tournament identifier.  
  • The tournament identifier must be present in the photo. May be written on the back of hand or identifier card. More than one identifier may be used if in multiple tournaments at once.  
  • Fish must be displayed with the head facing to the left and the dorsal fin up. The nose must rest against the fence of the measuring board.  
  • The fish must lay natural on the board. NO PINCHED TAILS OR TOUCHING THE FISH.  
  • Photo should be centered above on the fish to display for optimal viewing angle for the judge. If it cannot be determined whether a tail crosses a hash mark on the measuring board, the judge will err on the side of caution. Check your photos before releasing your fish. 
  • Fish securing devices (fish grips, boga grips, etc) must be removed before photographing. 
  • Tournament identifiers that are obstructed, blurry, or impartial off may result in submission disqualification. 
  • Photos with obstructed fences or ends may result in submission disqualification. 
  • Blurry photos and/or measurement lines or numbers may result in submission disqualification

The image below is an example of how to submit an eligible fish:

9. Fishing Boundaries and Launches

• • Fishing during the event is allowed only on publicly accessible waters within the geographic area designated below as “Eligible Water”. Photos of fish caught outside of eligible water boundaries will be denied.
  • 
• • Competitors may launch from any public-access shore directly onto Eligible Water or may launch and then paddle or portage to Eligible Water. Crossing restricted property to reach Eligible Water is not permitted. 
  • Competitors must land and photograph their catch within the designated timeframe specified by event organizers. 
  • Participants found to be in violation of rules listed herein may be subject to a warning, penalty, or disqualification pending the severity of the infraction. 

10. Fishing Methods

• • All fish must be caught, photographed, and released alive. Participants can only utilize equipment and legal methods that comply with all sportfishing statutes and regulations of the body of water in which they are taken.  
  • Only two rods can be actively utilized at a time 
  • Snatching or snagging fish is not permitted.  
  • All fish must be caught by the competitor on rod, reel, line, and hook using artificial lures or live/dead bait. No traps, snares, set lines, or other methods of fishing other than rod, reel, and line are permissible. 
  • Fly fishing and trolling are permitted. 
  • Wade fishing is permitted. The kayak must be tethered to the angler with no more than 10ft of rope.   

11. Watercraft and Propulsion

• • Watercraft acceptable for use in the competition are those manufactured and marketed as canoes, kayaks, or SUPs for which paddling / pedaling is the primary means of propulsion.  
  • Towing, transport, or relocation assistance from another watercraft, including “mothershipping,” is NOT permitted except in cases of emergency, as when pulling a kayak from a danger zone or restricted area. Once the emergency has ended, the competitor may resume fishing. Violation will result in disqualification from the event. 
  • The use of electric motors is prohibited. 
  • Electric Motor Exemption – Electric motors may be utilized if a physical impairment has been documented and presented to event organizers for review. 

12. Payout Structure

• • Kitty Hawk Surf Co will utilize $5 from every entry to cover insurance and operating costs, etc. 
  • The remaining entry fees are combined with applicable donated sponsor money to form the total disbursement amount. 

Example: Twenty angler event with $25 entry fees.
Entry $25 – $2 (Svc Fee) – $5 (op fees) = $18 per angler for disbursement (rounded)
20 Anglers x $18 = $360 total disbursement
$360 / 6 = $60 (3x for 1st, 2x for 2nd, and 1x for 3rd)
$60 x 3 = $180 1st place
$60 x 2 = $120 2nd place
$60 x 1 = $60 3rd place 

13. Release of Liability Waiver

• • All anglers who compete in Kitty Hawk Surf Co events will be required to sign a release of liability waiver noting that Kitty Hawk Surf Co nor any of its sponsors/directors/affiliates are held liable for any damages or injuries that may occur during the events.