2027 NRL Divisional Rules

  

Membership Rules:

There is a $100.00 annual National Redfish League membership required per angler (not team). Membership is required to participate in all NRL events. Kids 15 and under receive a free membership.  

Regular Season Tournament Entry Fees-

Entry fees for Teams will be $500.00 per tournament. 

The optional $150 Bonus Bucks side pot will pay out to the top three finishing anglers enrolled at 50%,30%,20%. 

There will be a 3.5% convenience fee charged at checkout to cover credit card processing fees plus Fishing Chaos Fees.

Redfish World Championship Qualifications. 

All Teams that enter and fish all 4 regular season events in a division and finish in the top 10 in points in said division will qualify for the 2028 Redfish World Championship. Divisional Champions will be determined by points accumulated in all 4 divisional tournaments.

Team of the Year:

The team of the year will be determined by a team's highest finish in all 4 divisions; the team of the year must fish at least one tournament in each division to be eligible for the TOY. 

TOY points will also include points awarded at the RWC.

 

Series Points System

100 points will be awarded to the winning team of each tournament; each place thereafter will be a 1-point difference all the way down through teams weighing fish (99 points to 2nd, 98 points to 3rd, etc.). Teams that zero will be receive 10 points less than the lowest points awarded to a team weighing fish, (i.e. if the last team that weighs fish receives 80 points than every team after them who zeroed will receive 70 points). Team points remain with the Team Name/Captain in case of a team break up or partner substitution. 

Points Tie Breakers: 

In the event of a tie in points for the Divisional Championships or Team of the year the tie breaker will be determined by,

1: Highest finish in the trail if a divisional tie breaker, if for TOY highest finish in the series.

2: Second highest finish in the trail if a divisional tie breaker, if for TOY the tie breaker will continue with 2nd highest finish, 3rd highest finish etc. until a winner is determined. 

3: Total weight in the trail, if for TOY total weight for the season.

Substitutions:

Substitution of partners are allowed with the approval of the Tournament Director; however, a team is only allowed to use a substitute in a maximum of 1 tournament during the regular season. 

3. Tournament days will begin at safe daylight, as determined by the Tournament Director. Anglers may launch their boats before safe daylight, but no team may leave the designated launch area until released by the tournament director or officials. Safe daylight is defined as 30 minutes before sunrise. This time will be posted on Facebook, Instagram, Fishing Chaos and mentioned at the Friday night captains meeting before the tournament, any team that leaves the designated launch area before the designated time will be disqualified. 

4. Teams will launch according to computer generated random draw.

5. Check-in times will begin at 3:00pm for flight 1, 3:15pm for flight 2, 3:30pm for flight 3,  3:45pm for flight 4 and 4:00pm for flight 5. Failing to return to official check point and checking in with the RWC time official by the appointed time will result in a .50lb penalty per min, after 15min it will result in disqualification for that day, and a zero-weight recorded. The scales will officially open at 2pm.

6. No Information 14-Days Prior to the Day of the tournament or on tournament day: 

Tournament anglers are prohibited from soliciting or intentionally receiving assistance, advice, or information from anyone outside of a registered NRL angler for the purpose of locating or catching Redfish.

Additionally:

• Anglers may not enter tournament waters accompanied by any individual who, in the sole discretion of the Tournament Director, qualifies as an expert on those waters.
• This includes, but is not limited to: 
  • Professional fishing guides
  • Employees of state or federal wildlife agencies
  • Individuals possessing specialized knowledge of the tournament area

Engine Rules:

Engine regulations for all outboards used in tournament competitions are a single outboard engine per vessel and that engine SHALL NOT EXCEED 500HP. No vessel shall exceed the horsepower limitations as set by the U.S. Coast Guard horsepower rating plate attached to the boat by the manufacturer. By registering to participate in an event, each contestant agrees to submit his or her boat and/or motor to an inspection by the tournament director. 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 future ineligibility to enter and NRL Divisional Tournament, NRL Opens or any future Redfish World Championships.

No Airboats, surface drives or mud-motors will be allowed during the official practice period or during and NRL Divisional or NRL Opens; all boats must be a minimum of 15 feet in length. Each boat must have all required U.S. Coast Guard safety equipment. In addition, it must have a functional bilge pump and live well space, properly aerated to adequately maintain a live limit catch of Redfish by both contestants, a minimum of 18 gallon live well is required. 

 

The National Redfish League (NRL), and Redfish World Championship (RWC) are committed to protecting shallow-water habitats and promoting responsible boating practices. Any angler or team reported for intentionally “burning the flats,” causing unnecessary damage to seagrass beds, marsh habitat, or other sensitive fisheries resources may be subject to immediate investigation.

Burning The Flats is Strictly Prohibited:

Any Florida Redfish Series participants caught burning the flats 14 days or less prior to or during an event will be disqualified from said event and could face a suspension or outright banned from the series.

Burning is defined by: Burning the flats is running at speed on plane in shallow water to spook concentrations of Redfish in an attempt to locate and mark fish with the intentions of retuning and fishing these areas on tournament day. This practice damages the sea grass and schools of fish. We are very conservation friendly which is why we are a no kill tournament and enjoy knowing we return all the fish caught in a tournament to the same waters they were taken from and knowing they’ll continue to grow the population for future anglers to enjoy. 

Reporting and Investigation:
Any competitor, tournament official, local guide or captain, law enforcement officer, or credible witness may submit a report alleging that a team has burned the flats or otherwise damaged protected habitat. This allegation must be supported by video and or photographic evidence.
Tournament officials reserve the right to investigate all reports and review any available evidence, including but not limited to photographs, videos, eyewitness statements, GPS tracks, current social media content related to the incident, polygraph results and other relevant information.
Any team that is the subject of a credible report shall be required to submit to a polygraph examination before being eligible to compete in the upcoming tournament.
Refusal to submit to a polygraph examination, failure to appear for a scheduled examination, or any attempt to interfere with the examination process shall be considered a failed polygraph examination.

Eligibility to Compete:
Teams that successfully pass the required polygraph examination shall remain eligible to compete unless additional evidence establishes a rules violation.
Teams that fail the polygraph examination can be deemed in violation of this policy and subject to the disciplinary actions outlined below.

Disciplinary Actions:

First Offense
Immediate disqualification from the upcoming tournament.
Suspension from the next scheduled NRL, or RWC qualifying event in which the angler or team would otherwise be eligible to compete.
Loss of any entry fees associated with the disqualified event.

Second Offense
Immediate disqualification from the upcoming tournament.
One (1) year suspension from all National Redfish League (NRL), and Redfish World Championship (RWC) events.
Ineligibility to earn points, qualifications, invitations, contingency awards, or championship berths during the suspension period.
Loss of any entry fees associated with the disqualified event.

Third Offense
Immediate disqualification from the tournament.
Permanent lifetime ban from participation in any National Redfish League (NRL), and Redfish World Championship (RWC) event, including all future tournaments, championships, invitationals, and affiliated competitions.
Permanent forfeiture of all eligibility for qualifications, invitations, points races, awards, and championship participation.
Loss of any entry fees associated with the disqualified event.

Penalties will apply regardless of withdrawal or forfeiture.

Tournament Director Authority:
The Tournament Director and designated rules committee shall have final authority regarding investigations, interpretation of evidence, administration of polygraph examinations, and enforcement of penalties under this policy. The decision of tournament officials shall be final and not subject to appeal.

Responsibility of Team Members:
For purposes of this rule, all members of a team are jointly responsible for violations occurring while competing as a team. Penalties assessed under this policy will be applied to all team members involved in the reported incident.

The protection of fisheries habitat is a core value of the FRS, NRL, and RWC. Competitors are expected to operate their vessels in a safe, ethical, and environmentally responsible manner at all times.

Anglers Must Remain in the Vessel:

1. Contestants may not exit their vessel to fish, NO WADE FISHING. In the event that the anglers have to exit their boat to push their vessel off of a bar then all fishing must stop. In the event that you must stop to refuel anglers may exit the vessel for refueling purposes only at a marina or refueling dock that is open to the general public, all fishing must stop.

2. Angler(s) may leave the boat and seek safe shelter in during extreme weather when danger may be imminent but must continue to follow all tournament rules and procedures during this period. All fishing must stop.

3. Anglers may leave their boat to pull it out of an area where tides have gone out but cannot leave their boat to gain access to any area. 

4. No jumping or running over berms, dykes, land masses or any object blocking entrance to any waterway, either man made or natural. 

5. All teams are expected to complete the tournament day in the same boat they launched in, there will be no substitution or vessel swapping allowed once the tournament day has begun. However, if you experience mechanical issues on day one or two you may use a backup boat during the remaining days left in the tournament, but the swap must first be approved by the tournament director and meet all safety and rule requirements. If the replacement vessel is not owned by someone on the team all electronics must have all its waypoints and trails erased/deleted and verified by the tournament director or NRL Staff Member, then the team can transfer their personal weigh points and trails to the replacement vessel.

6. If you're unable to return to the weigh in due to mechanical issues, contact the tournament directors immediately 850-591-0575 or 850-508-1615. Then you may either A: be towed in by another team or towing service, or B: the team will be permitted to contact a competitor and one angler will be allowed to transfer your fish to their vessel providing you are able to clearly Identify your catch by the use of a culling system, color zip ties or other identifying system. Once the angler and fish have been transferred then no fishing is allowed by either team and they must immediately return to the weigh in area.

Artificial Lures Only:

1. Teams are only allowed to use artificial lures; "no live bait” or “prepared bait” will be permitted Only commercially sold scents, etc. Only ONE casting, spin casting, spinning rod and reel may be used at any one time per angler. 

 2. Any bait attractants used must be artificially produced and commercially available.

Equipment and Tactics:

1. Trolling is prohibited. All fish must be caught by the act of casting, flipping, or pitching a lure. Any method of capture outside of these techniques is strictly prohibited. 

2.  Anglers are prohibited from intentionally snagging fish. Additionally, the retrieval of distressed, unhooked fish from the surface by means of netting, scooping, or similar methods is not permitted. 

3. No multi-lure rigs allowed, no umbrella, no A-Rigs, Alabama rigs or tandem rigs.

4. Only fish taken by hook and line are eligible for weigh in.  Electric driven reels on freestanding rods (Electra mates) are not acceptable. Mounted winch devices (one armed bandits), motor driven long lines, spearing, Gigging, netting, shooting (including bang sticks), or any method of catching fish in violation of State, Local and U.S. laws are prohibited. Use of any illegal method for catching fish will result in disqualification from the tournament of all entrants on the violating team. 

Private Waters and Prohibited Activates:

Anglers MAY NOT engage in the following to navigate, fish, practice, or compete in these areas:

• Accessing Restricted Areas:
  Do not lift, unlock, or pass through gates, chains, booms, or other barriers (excluding public lock systems) that restrict boat traffic in areas known or reasonably assumed to be private and not equally accessible to all competitors.
   
• Obstructing Waterways:
  Do not cause any navigable waterway to be obstructed in a way that could prevent access by other anglers.
   
• Private Property Requests:
  If asked to leave a body of water by a property owner or authorized representative, you must comply immediately and refrain from returning during practice or competition.
   
• Membership-Restricted Waters:
  Fishing or navigating in waters that require a membership, lease, or agreement is strictly prohibited.
   

Fishing Proximity Rule:

Anglers must maintain a minimum distance of 50 yards from any competitor’s anchored boat in the same body of water (unless they are separated by a land mass) unless under mutual agreement by both teams.

• A boat is considered anchored if it is held in place by a power-pole, anchor, or similar hydraulic anchor device or trolling motor GPS anchor system.

Measuring and Weighing: 

All weights are final. Fish will not be weighed more than once. Re-weighs of a limit of fish are executed exclusively by the weigh master (not at the request of any angler) and based solely on his judgment of conditions when the automatic scales rendered their final, computer-controlled weight.

NRL officials reserve the right to refuse any redfish deemed to have been altered, (accidentally or intentionally) and/or damaged sufficiently to make determining the exact length of the fish inconclusive. Fish will not be disqualified due to the condition or shape of its tail. However, intentionally altering the shape or length of the tail or any other part of the fish in any way is absolutely forbidden and will result in failure of the polygraph along with a permanent ban from all NRL sponsored events and the Redfish World Championship.

Creel Limit, Size, and Possession:

1. All fish accepted for weighing at NRL events held in the Longhorn, Bayou, Sunshine Divisions, and North Carolina in the Blueridge Division must be a minimum of 18 inches and may not exceed the maximum slot length set by the state the event is being held in.  All measurements will be done using a Check It Stick 6" slant board utilizing the Large 3 1/4" perfect pinch, all measurements for upper slot fish will be done by sliding the perfect pinch to the 26” mark and taking the length at the longest point of the tail.  

2. All fish accepted for weighing at NRL events held in South Carolina in the Blueridge Divisions must be a minimum of 15 inches and may not exceed 25 inches in length.

All measurements will be done using a Check It Stick 6" slant board utilizing the Small 3" perfect pinch, all measurements for upper slot fish will be done by sliding the perfect pinch to the 24” mark and taking the length at the longest point of the tail. 

3. If a fish dies while in captivity, whether on your boat or in your possession then it cannot be returned to the water or culled.

• Any fish that expires must be retained and counted toward your final weigh-in.
• Attempting to return a dead fish to the water for the purpose of culling is a violation of tournament rules and may result in disqualification or other penalties.

4. Anglers must possess ONLY the creel limit set by the tournament director for said event. Any team with more fish on board than the number specified for that day will have that day’s total weight disqualified. 

 

Tie Breakers:

In the event of a tie, the tie will be broken by the weight of the teams’ largest fish for that day.  If still tied it will go to the second largest fish of the day and if it remains tied the team who registered for the tournament first will be declared the winner.

Safety 

Safe boating will be observed at all times. Each contestant is required to wear a fastened, U.S. Coast Guard approved, personal floatation device anytime the combustion engine is in operation.  All running lights must be in place and working at time of launch.  

For the safety of all contestants, boats are required to have some type of Shut Off Device or Kill Switch. This ignition shut off device must be attached to the driver’s body anytime the boat is on plane or at displacement speed.

All bladder tanks and any other type of auxiliary gas tanks that are not installed by the boat manufacturer are prohibited. Fuel may be carried only in factory installed fuel tanks. Any additional fuel used during the tournament day must be purchased from a retail facility open to the public. If participating boat was not factory equipped with a built-in fuel tank, then participant may use no more than two of the standard US Coast Guard approved portable tanks mounted at the stern in designated areas by the motor. 

At NO time should an angler be on the casting platform or any other raised platforms while the combustion engine is running and is gear.

Mandatory Polygraphs:

First Place Mandatory Polygraphy and up to two random polygraphs in the top 20 will be administered at the conclusion of day three of the tournament. 

Polygraph:

Each competitor who fishes in a National Redfish League Event agrees to submit to a random polygraph examination at any time, for any reason during or following the conclusion of the tournament at a location determined by the Tournament Director and agrees to abide by its conclusion. Failure to take or pass a polygraph will result in disqualification.

Alcohol and Drugs Policy During Tournament Hours:

The consumption or transportation of alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs (excluding prescription or over-the-counter medications) is strictly prohibited on any tournament angler’s vessel during official tournament hours.

• Official tournament hours begin at safe light and will end at 5:00 PM local time, or upon completion of the polygraph test for said event.
• Any angler found in violation of this rule will be: 
  • Disqualified from the current tournament.
  • Subject to disqualification from future tournaments at the discretion of the tournament committee.
• Alcohol Consumption Prohibited Before Polygraph: If an angler drinks any alcohol on the day of the polygraph test before the test is administered, they will be: 
  • Disqualified from the tournament.
  • Forfeit all winnings, including any expected prizes.

Implications:

• Even a small amount of alcohol (e.g., a single beer) could lead to disqualification.
• This rule exists to ensure the integrity and accuracy of the polygraph test.
• Teams should avoid alcohol entirely on the day of the test to avoid any risk.

Weather:

Tournament days may be shortened or canceled due to unsafe weather or water conditions. The decision to shorten or to cancel will be left totally to the discretion of the Tournament Director. A 4-hour period shall constitute a full day of fishing. 

Extreme Weather:

1. In case of severe weather, the start of any or all days of the NRL event may be delayed and tournament hours lengthened or shortened at the NRL official(s) discretion. Launch decisions will be made by NRL officials with the best information available at the time and with the safety of the competitors at the forefront of all decisions.

2. Should any day or days of a NRL Open two-day event be cancelled due to extreme weather or the threat of extreme weather, the remedy for the day(s) cancellation will be the following or a variation thereof:

On The Water Communication:

 A VHF radio is recommended for all tournament vessels. The VHF may be mounted or portable. The use of mobile communication devices such as cell phones, marine radios, walkie-talkies, or CBs, or any electronic device to communicatde fishing information or contact anyone outside of teams and anglers in the tournament during tournament hours is strictly prohibited unless approved by the tournament director or NRL staff in emergency situations only. Medical emergency calls may be made and then a tournament officials should be contacted. Social media posting is encouraged during the tournament to support the tournament and its sponsors. 

Drones:

Absolutely NO drones are allowed 14 Days prior, during the official practice time or during the fishing tournament! No aerial surveillance of any kind. We encourage the use of Go Pros or similar recording devices to capture your day and would love to use them to add to our video if you send us footage. 

Official Check Points

There will be only one official checkpoint for boat check in the morning and one official check-in point in the afternoon. Failure to go through boat check and checkout in the morning will result in disqualification. All fishing must cease upon check-in. Teams that experience equipment failures may have them repaired and check out late for an event, but you must contact the Tournament Director to do so. It is then the team’s responsibility to find and notify the tournament director or tournament official in order to check out before being released.

Angler Code of Conduct:

 In alignment with the values of the NRL and the integrity of professional competitive red fishing, all anglers are expected to conduct themselves professionally—both on and off the water. This includes maintaining ethical conduct, sportsmanship, and integrity throughout all phases of the event, including interactions on social media and within local community establishments. 

Protesting & Reporting Procedures:

All protests must verbally initiate then submitted in writing, along with a $250 cash deposit, within thirty (30) minutes of the closing of the scales and be turned into the tournament director or 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 Rules and Protest Committee, or polygraph, upholds the protest, the cash deposit shall be returned to the contestant submitting the protest, if they do not uphold the protest the money is forfeited. Each competitor agrees to report any rule violation to the tournament director immediately upon discovery of the violation. 

Insurance and Registration:

Each participant in the NRL shall maintain current liability insurance and valid boat registration. Compliance with all applicable state, federal, and local laws governing vessel equipment, registration numbers, decals, and their proper display is mandatory. Any vessel found to be noncompliant—whether knowingly or inadvertently—shall render the angler’s catch for the affected day(s) ineligible for weigh-in and subject to disqualification. 

General Rules:

Entry fees are non-refundable. The only exception to this is in the event that a tournament is postponed or cancelled by the Tournament Director. 

In the event a tournament is cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances, it may be rescheduled by the Tournament Director.

The Tournament Director reserves the right to make all decisions regarding the safe operation of a tournament.

Each captain is responsible for the safe operation of his or her vessel and must comply with all federal and state regulations governing such operation.

All participants must possess a valid Fishing License when applicable to State Law and or all tournament waters that apply. Please be prepared to show your current, valid fishing license during registration, before receiving a check or any other requested time the tournament series may request to view your current fishing license.

The Tournament Director may implement additional tournament specific rules and restrictions for individual tournaments. Entrants are responsible for understanding rules for each tournament. Tournament Director will have final say in all Sportsmanship and Conduct matters.