1. TOURNAMENT OVERVIEW

The Reel Coastal Winter Wahoo Open is an over 2 month long wahoo tournament created to provide anglers with a competitive, flexible, and enjoyable fishing experience during the peak winter wahoo season.

Unlike traditional one-day tournaments, competitors have the flexibility to choose the best weather and fishing conditions by selecting three declared fishing days during the tournament season.

The tournament welcomes anglers from throughout the Southeast while maintaining the official weigh-in location in Shellman Bluff, Georgia.

Our goal is to build a tournament founded on integrity, sportsmanship, conservation, and fair competition while creating an event that anglers are proud to fish year after year.

2. TOURNAMENT INFORMATION

Tournament Season

January 11th – March 24th

Tournament Boundaries

Tournament fishing boundaries extend from 32°40.700′ N latitude (Charleston Harbor, South Carolina) to 29°04.700′ N latitude (Ponce de Leon Inlet, Florida). Teams may not fish north of 32°40.700′ N or south of 29°04.700′ N. Teams must depart from an inlet located within these northern and southern boundaries.

There is no eastern/offshore boundary. Teams may fish any distance offshore provided they remain between the tournament's northern boundary of 32°40.700′ N and southern boundary of 29°04.700′ N and comply with all applicable state and federal fishing regulations. All tournament fish must be caught in United States waters. Fishing in Bahamian or any other foreign waters is strictly prohibited.

Captain's Meeting

A Captain's Meeting will be held prior to the start of the tournament at Sapelo Saltwater Fishing Club on 01/09/27

A live Zoom option will also be available.

Teams attending in person will receive:

  • Official Boat Number

  • Tournament information

  • Sponsor Gift Bucket

  • Food/Drinks 

  • Optional Raffle + Games + Apparel 

Teams attending virtually may have their tournament package (Shirts, Boat Number, Tournament Info) shipped for a $10 shipping fee.

Sponsor gift buckets will ONLY be distributed to teams attending the Captain's Meeting in person.

Raffle Tickets and Apparel will be available to purchase to those who are attending via Zoom 

Awards Ceremony

Awards will be presented following the conclusion of the tournament season.

 Will be on 03/27/27 at Sapelo Saltwater Fishing Club

3. REGISTRATION & ELIGIBILITY

Each registered team shall compete under one registered Team Name and Boat Number.

Anglers may fish on two teams, but must confirm with the tournament director beforehand. Though, a fish may only be credited to the registered team/boat aboard which it was caught and may never be transferred between teams.

Boat Substitutions

A registered team may substitute boat one (1) time during the tournament due to:

  • Mechanical failure

  • Sale of the registered vessel

  • Other unforeseen circumstances approved by the Tournament Director

The substitute vessel may not already be registered in the tournament.

If the original vessel is permanently unavailable, the substitute vessel must be used for the remainder of the tournament.

Chartering a vessel is not permitted.

Lady Angler Division

To qualify, the Lady Angler must:

  • Be listed on the official registration.

  • Hook, fight, and reel in the fish.

Junior Angler Division

To qualify, the Junior Angler must:

  • Be 17 years old or younger on January 1 of the tournament year.

  • Be listed on the official registration.

  • Hook, fight, and reel in the fish.

Senior Angler Division

To qualify, the Senior Angler must:

  • Be 55 years old or older on January 1 of the tournament year.

  • Be listed on the official registration.

  • Hook, fight, and reel in the fish.

Compliance with Laws

All teams and participants must comply with all applicable state and federal laws including:

  • Fishing licenses

  • Vessel registrations

  • Safety equipment requirements

  • Fisheries regulations

Failure to comply may result in disqualification.

Liability

Each vessel owner is solely responsible for maintaining adequate liability insurance for the vessel, crew, and guests.

The Reel Coastal Winter Wahoo Open and its organizers assume no responsibility for accidents, injuries, property damage, or losses occurring before, during, or after the tournament.

4. DECLARED FISHING DAYS

Each team is permitted three (3) declared fishing days during the tournament season.

Fishing days may be selected at any time between January 11th and March 24th.

Fishing days do not need to be consecutive.

You will receive a code word each time you declare a fishing day, and the word will need to be said in the video you take measuring your fish.

Declaring a Fishing Day

Fishing days must be declared by emailing:

reelcoastalevents@gmail.com

By 6pm the night before declared fishing day

The declaration must include:

  • Team Name

  • Boat Number

  • Declared Fishing Date

Weather Policy

Safety is always the highest priority.

If weather conditions significantly change after a fishing day has been declared and become unsafe, the declared day may be cancelled without penalty.

To qualify for a weather exemption:

  • Email reelcoastalevents@gmail.com

  • Must be received no later than 7:00 AM on the declared fishing day.

  • State that the team is cancelling due to unsafe weather.

  • No lines have entered the water.

If approved, the declared fishing day will not count toward the team's three allotted fishing days.

The Tournament Director reserves the right to approve or deny weather exemption requests.

5. TOURNAMENT RULES

Fish Catch Requirements

All tournament fish must be legally caught using a manually operated rod and reel. 

The use of spearguns, harpoons, or any other harvesting methods is prohibited.

Electric Reels: All Wahoo entered into the tournament must be caught using a manually operated rod and reel. Electric reels may not be used to fight or retrieve a hooked fish. Electric reels may be used for kite fishing and hookless teasers only.

Fishing Hours

You can fish from 7AM to 5PM

Teams may depart any inlet within boundaries at any time; however, no fishing lines may be placed in the water before 7:00 AM. All teams must comply with the Leaving Inlet GPS Verification requirements.

Fish hooked before or after are not eligible to count towards the tournament.

Fish Hooked Near Lines Out:  If a fish is hooked immediately prior to the 5:00 PM lines-out deadline and the fight continues beyond 5:00 PM, the team must begin recording video before 5:00 PM and continue recording sufficiently to verify that the fish was hooked prior to the deadline. The video must clearly show a verifiable timestamp. If Tournament Officials cannot verify that the fish was hooked before 5:00 PM, the fish will not be eligible.

Fish Limit

Each team may weigh a maximum of three (3) wahoo during the tournament.

Teams may weigh:

  • Three fish on one day

  • Two fish one day and one another day

  • One fish on each of three declared days

Once three fish have been weighed, that team's tournament is complete.

Catch Verification

Immediately after landing a tournament fish, and before it is iced or placed in the fish box, teams must take photographs/videos. 

Each video must clearly show:

  • Tournament fish

  • Official Tournament Boat Number

  • Registered Lady, Junior, or Senior Angler claiming the catch (if applicable)

  • Measurement of fish with provided tape measure

  • Say the code word given the night before you fish

Fish videoed only after being placed in the fish box will not satisfy this requirement.

These photographs/videos must be submitted as part of the team's weigh-in notification.

A video of the fish being gaffed and hitting the deck with a visible timestamp and boat number is preferred.

Leaving Inlet GPS Verification

Before departing the inlet on each declared fishing day, teams must video the vessel's GPS screen, boat number, and boat leaving the inlet.

The screen must clearly display:

  • Date

  • Time

  • GPS Coordinates

The GPS video must be submitted with the team's weigh-in notification.

Boat Separation

Registered tournament boats may not come together or transfer fish during tournament fishing hours except during a legitimate emergency.

Boat Inspections

Random boat inspections may be conducted before departure or after returning from a declared fishing day.

Refusal to permit an inspection may result in disqualification.

GPS Track Retention

Teams must retain the GPS track from every declared fishing day until 12 PM the following day.

Failure to provide the GPS track upon request may result in penalties or disqualification.

No Culling

Once a tournament fish has been retained, no culling of dead wahoo is permitted.

Fish Condition

Fish must be presented in fresh condition.

Fish may:

  • be placed on ice or in an ice/saltwater brine for the purpose of chilling and preserving the catch.

Fish may not:

  • be injected, stuffed, altered, chemically preserved, or otherwise manipulated in any manner for the purpose of artificially increasing the fish’s weight.

Violation may result in immediate disqualification.

6. WEIGH-IN PROCEDURES

Teams intending to weigh fish must notify the Tournament Director by text message no later than 6 PM on their declared fishing day. 954-854-0322. There will be a VHF channel as a backup for last case scenario situations. Channel will be written on your boat number paper. 

Notification must include:

  • Team Name

  • Boat Number

  • Number of fish being weighed

Failure to notify the Tournament Director by 6 PM may result in the team being ineligible to weigh fish that day.

Fish may be transported to the weigh-in by:

  • Boat

  • Vehicle

There will be two weigh-in locations, one to weigh by boat and one to weigh by vehicle.

Weigh-in will remain open until 7pm (unless there are multiple boats waiting and they all have checked in)

You may also weigh fish between 8am and 10am the next morning if the tournament director is notified by 6pm the day before. The fish must remain unaltered and properly preserved, and that the Tournament Director may inspect it for tampering.

WEIGH-IN SLIPS FROM OTHER TOURNAMENTS

Teams participating in another recognized fishing tournament during the Reel Coastal Winter Wahoo Open may use an official Winter Wahoo Open weigh-in slip provided by the Tournament Director in lieu of physically presenting the fish at the Winter Wahoo Open official weigh-in location.

To be eligible:

  • The fishing day must have been properly declared with the Winter Wahoo Open by 6:00 PM the night before the declared fishing day, in accordance with the tournament's Declared Fishing Day rules.
  • Teams wishing to utilize another recognized tournament's weigh-in must obtain the official Winter Wahoo Open weigh-in slip directly from the Tournament Director of the Winter Wahoo Open prior to their declared fishing day.
  • The official Winter Wahoo Open weigh-in slip must be completed by the captain of the registered boat and submitted as required by Tournament Officials.
  • The fish must be legally caught during the team's declared fishing day and within the Winter Wahoo Open tournament boundaries.
  • The fish must comply with ALL Winter Wahoo Open rules and verification requirements, including, but not limited to:
    • Leaving Inlet Verification
    • Catch Verification
    • Check-In Verification – Teams must still notify Tournament Officials by 6:00 PM that they are submitting a fish through an outside tournament weigh-in.
    • GPS Track Retention
  • The completed Winter Wahoo Open weigh-in slip must document the fish's official weight from the recognized tournament and be submitted to the Tournament Director along with all required catch verification, including photographs, GPS documentation, and any other information requested by Tournament Officials.
  • The official weight documented on the approved weigh-in slip will serve as the team's official Winter Wahoo Open weight.
  • Fish weighed through another recognized tournament count toward the team's maximum of three (3) weighed fish.

The Winter Wahoo Open weigh-in slip serves only as verification of the fish's official weight and does not replace any other Winter Wahoo Open rule, check-in, documentation, or verification requirement.

The Tournament Director reserves the right to request additional documentation and/or deny any submitted weight that cannot be adequately verified or does not comply with Winter Wahoo Open rules.

7. SCORING & AWARDS

Overall Champion

Determined by the team's Best Two-Fish Aggregate.

If three fish are weighed:

  • The two heaviest fish count.

  • The lightest fish is dropped.

The dropped fish remains eligible for qualifying Calcuttas.

Tie Breaker

If teams finish with identical aggregate weights, the team with the heaviest fish wins. If the weight is still identical then the earliest official weigh-in time determines the winner.

Tournament Awards

  • Overall Champion

    • Team with highest 2 fish aggregate weight

  • Lady Angler Champion

    • Female angler that catches the heaviest wahoo

  • Junior Angler Champion

    • Junior angler that catches the heaviest wahoo

  • Senior Anger Champion
    • Senior angler that catches the heaviest wahoo

Awards will be presented following the completion of the tournament season.

_____________________________________________________________________________

8. OPTIONAL CALCUTTAS

Participation is optional.

Biggest Wahoo Overall

Largest qualifying wahoo.

Biggest Wahoo Day 1

Largest qualifying wahoo caught on a team's declared Day 1 of fishing

Biggest Wahoo Day 2

Largest qualifying wahoo caught on a team's declared Day 2 of fishing

Biggest Wahoo Day 3

Largest qualifying wahoo caught on a team's declared Day 3 of fishing

Biggest Wahoo – Live Bait

Largest qualifying wahoo caught on live bait. 

Short video of fish being reeled in and gaffed clearly showing the use of live bait is required.

Biggest Wahoo – Artificial Lure

Largest qualifying wahoo caught on artificial lures.

Short video of fish being reeled in and gaffed clearly showing the use of an artificial lure is required.

HIGH ROLLER DIVISION

The High Roller Division is an optional $850 Calcutta available to registered tournament teams competing for an additional purse based on the single heaviest wahoo weighed during the tournament.

  • Entry Fee: $850 per team 

  • Payback: 100% of all High Roller entry fees collected

  • 1st Place – 60%

  • 2nd Place – 25%

  • 3rd Place – 15%

  • Placements will be determined by the single heaviest qualifying wahoo weighed by each participating High Roller team.

  • Only teams that have officially entered and paid the High Roller entry fee are eligible for the High Roller purse.

  • Teams must enter and pay the High Roller Division entry fee prior to beginning tournament competition. No late or retroactive entries will be accepted.

  • All standard tournament fishing, declaration, weigh-in, verification, protest, and polygraph rules apply.

  • A team may place in both the Main Tournament and High Roller Division.

  • In the event of a tie, the tournament's official tie-breaking procedure will apply.

Example: With 20 High Roller entries, the total purse would be $17,000 — $10,200 to 1st, $4,250 to 2nd, and $2,550 to 3rd.

9. PROTESTS

Only the registered Team Captain may file an official protest.

All protests must be submitted directly to the Tournament Director.

The Tournament Director's decision shall be final.

10. POLYGRAPH POLICY

By entering the Reel Coastal Winter Wahoo Open, all participants agree to submit to a polygraph examination if requested by the Tournament Director.

Refusal to submit to a requested polygraph examination may result in immediate disqualification and forfeiture of all prizes, awards, and winnings.

The Tournament Director reserves the right to require a polygraph examination of any participant.

11. CODE OF SPORTSMANSHIP

The Reel Coastal Winter Wahoo Open is built on honesty, integrity, respect, conservation, and fair competition.

Participants are expected to compete ethically, obey tournament rules, follow all applicable laws, and treat fellow competitors, tournament staff, sponsors, and the marine environment with respect.

Unsportsmanlike conduct, intentional rule violations, or actions that negatively affect the tournament may result in penalties or disqualification at the discretion of the Tournament Director.

Our goal is to create a professional tournament that anglers are proud to fish year after year while promoting safety, sportsmanship, and conservation.

12. PAYOUTS & TAX REPORTING

All winners must provide Reel Coastal Events with a completed IRS Form W-9 before any winnings will be released. The W-9 must be completed by the individual or business entity receiving the prize payment.

Prize winnings may be subject to federal and/or state income tax reporting. Reel Coastal Events will issue applicable tax forms, including Form 1099-MISC when required by law. Each winner is solely responsible for any taxes associated with tournament winnings.

Failure to provide the required tax information may result in a delay or withholding of prize payment until all required documentation has been received.

Reel Coastal Events is not responsible for how prize money is divided among team members. Payment will be made to the individual or entity designated by the winning team, and that recipient will be responsible for any distribution of funds to other team members.

13. Refund Policy

All tournament entry fees, optional division entries, and Calcutta entries are non-refundable once payment has been submitted, except in the event the tournament is canceled by Reel Coastal Events. Entries may not be transferred to another team without prior approval from tournament officials.