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SOUTHERN OPEN DERBY RULES

Safety First!

 

This is a recreational event, we do this for fun. The primary goal is to enjoy each other’s company. Do not push your training limits or violate safe practices.

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No participant may dive deeper than the recreational depth limit of 130 feet during tournament hours. Tournament officials reserve the right to review any diver's dive computer if a depth violation is suspected or questioned.

 

Any diver found to have exceeded 130 feet or harvested fish in violation of applicable recreational regulations will be subject to disqualification from the tournament. Participation in this event constitutes consent to the inspection of dive computers and catch by tournament officials for the purpose of rule enforcement.

Events:

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The 2026 Southern Open Derby features the FSDA State of Florida Spearfishing Championship, Diver of the Day Competition, Largest Fish Competition, Lionfish Eradication and Conservation Competition

When:

 

Captain’s meeting on Friday July 10th, 2026, 7:00 PM (Sunset Cove NPR)

ATTENDANCE IS REQUIRED FOR ONE MEMBER FROM EACH BOAT

  • Shoot fish on Saturday July 11th, 2026 Sun-up -> Sundown

  • - Attended cooler with fish must be in weigh-in line by 12pm on July 12th

  • Awards presentation on Sunday July 12th Following Weigh-in

  • - Rain Dates July 17th-19th, 2025, same schedule of events

Where:

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Sunset Cove 4927 US-19, New Port Richey, FL 34652 ​

Gear:

 

SCUBA or Freediving. Rebreathers are prohibited. No power-heads may be used. Scooters will not be allowed in the process of harvesting fish unless medically necessary.

Weigh-in Time:

 

The weigh-in line will open at 11am and close at 12pm on July 12th

 NO Exceptions

FISH NEED TO BE GUTTED PRIOR TO ARRIVAL AT THE VENUE!!!

Any fish presented not gutted will be forfeited!​

Any participant caught gutting fish at the venue will be disqualified, no questions asked.

Please allow 25 minutes if traveling on boat through the channel due to NO WAKE

Cost:

 

— Early Registration $89 per diver until 5PM June 25th, 2026

— Late Registration $109 per diver until the captain’s meeting July 10th, 2026

— $20 FSDA dues for FSDA Non-Members where applicable,

FSDA membership, where applicable, required for tournament entry.

ALL Divers under age of 18: Must submit a written waiver signed by parent or guardian in addition to online registration

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NO REFUNDS WILL BE ISSUED FOR ANY REASON A lottery for prizes will be announced if both dates are canceled

 

Updates: Tournament updates and notifications will be by entry email address & social media

Catch:

 

Fish must be conservatively harvested and must be freshly iced when presented at weigh-in (GUTTED). Each fish or competition entry must be brought to the boat or shoreline by individual effort. Divers will make every reasonable effort not to interfere or assist with another diver’s catch. All fish will be returned to the presenting diver/shooter after weighing or counting

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All participants must comply with applicable recreational fishing regulations, including all size, season, bag, and harvest limits established by state and federal authorities.

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Any fish deemed not sufficiently gutted will be reviewed by a committee of 3. If the vote passes, you will lose that fish and your largest fish.

Scoring:

 

Each diver may turn in as many fish as allowed for each category, per stringer. Diver must declare their largest fish in each category to be weighed separately. One point per qualified pound will count toward the individual diver’s aggregate score, up to twenty pounds per fish maximum and five points per fish. Exception: Lionfish—5 points per fish, 3 fish maximum (15 points) to the aggregate score--largest LionFish by LENGTH is declared at Reef Monitoring Weigh Station.

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Examples: A 19.54 lb hogfish is worth 24.54 points and a 21 lb hogfish is worth an even 25 points.

Individual honors Diver of the Day:

 

Points will be totaled during and up to the end of weigh in and are considered final at that time. Trophies are given to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place highest aggregate score shooters in the scuba category and an award for top aggregate freediver, sponsored by the Drake Sweet Foundation.

Largest Fish:

 

A trophy will be awarded to the contestant with the largest fish, by weight for the tournament in each category, Lionfish will be an award for the largest in length by Reef Monitoring.

Categories:

 

1) Pelagic ( 1 Per Stringer)

  • Cobia (36” to fork max 2 per boat)

  • Kingfish (24” to fork)

  • Permit (22” to fork max 2 per boat)

  • African Pompano (24” to fork max 2 per boat)

  • Barracuda (28” overall)

  • Jack Crevalle (16" to the fork) 

  • Almaco Jack (12" to the fork)

  • Yellow Jack (16" to the fork)

 

2) Grouper ( limit 2 per stringer, any combo of listed species)

  • Black (24” overall)

  • Scamp (16” overall)

  • Rock Hind/Strawberry (No Size Limit)

  • Red (20" overall)

 

3) Snapper (Limit 3 per stringer, any combo of the listed species)

  • Cubera and mangrove (12” overall Cubera Max 2 over 30” per boat)

  • Mutton (18” overall)

  • Red Snapper (16” total length)

  • Yellowtail and Dog (12" overall)

  • Lane (8" Overall)

 

4) Hogfish (Limit 3 per stringer) (14” to fork)

 

5) Smaller fish (Limit 3 per stringer, any combo of listed)

  • Porgy (10” overall)

  • Sheepshead (12” overall)

  • Grunt (10" overall)

   

   6) Lionfish DESPINED (Limit 3 per stringer, no size Limits)

  • First Place will be awarded to the shooter with the largest lionfish by LENGTH. Award will be donated by Reef Monitoring.

  • 5 points per fish for a maximum score of 15 points will be added to aggregate score excluding weight.

 

 

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Ties:

 

A tie for largest fish within a group or final score will be broken on the basis of whoever has the next largest fish weight. If there still is a tie, then the honors go to the shooter who weighed in first.

Disqualification:

 

If a diver submits a short fish per tournament rules to the weigh-in, the diver will lose that fish AND their largest fish for the day, no questions asked. Divers are personally responsible for understanding and operating within all state and federal regulations. In the event a diver is found to be in violation of state/federal law, the result will be disqualification for the individual tournament. If a species is closed in Federal waters, then the species will not be allowed in the tournament. https://myfwc.com/media/20441/quickchart.pdf

Prizes:

 

Prize Table picks will be distributed in descending order of total aggregate score from first place until all designated prizes have awarded. Random raffles will be interspersed in the distribution at least once every 10 picks. 

Purpose:

 

The purposes for this Tournament are to establish, maintain, and administer spearhunting and diving activities and events which will raise funds for educational, research, environmental and civic projects conducted by the Sponsors and from time to time in partnership with other nonprofit organizations, educational and research institutions and conservation organizations to: protect the sustainability of marine fisheries, help alleviate or correct problems caused by over utilization or mismanagement of marine resources, provide more reliable scientific analysis of marine fisheries, increase the general public's knowledge of and awareness of fishery populations, reduce or alleviate environmental damage, and, where necessary, promote reasonable and effective private, recreational, commercial and governmental fisheries management policies through direct participation, and fundraising, education, involvement, activism.

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