STAR Rules
Participation:
1. All State-wide Tournament Anglers Rodeo (“STAR”) entrants participate at their own risk. Only members in good standing of Coastal Conservation Association, youth organization, New Tide, who are registered for the 2026 State-wide Tournament Anglers Rodeo, are eligible to participate. To be eligible to win prizes in STAR, all participants must be a current CCA member and registered for the STAR competition before they hook and land any fish entered in the competition. All participants must be a New Tide member, must be at least 6 years old the day before making an entry in the tournament and must be no more than seventeen (17) years old as of May 23, 2026 in order to be eligible to win in the STAR Scholarship Youth Competition. New Tide members are required to pay a $20.00 entry fee for STAR which will include a CCA New Tide membership valued at $10.00. For the purposes of STAR, immediate family is defined as father, mother, spouse, children under 18, or relative or domestic partner living in the same household.
2. The entire responsibility for valid member status and correctness of any official entry form rests solely on the entrant. The STAR Committee reserves the right to change dates and times of the tournament. All decisions of the STAR Committee are final and not subject to challenge.
3. Participants must comply with State of Florida Rules and Regulations and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) saltwater fishing regulations. All FWC rules and regulations governing the recreational harvest of fish must be followed unless otherwise modified in these rules. If a STAR registrant is required to be a recreational saltwater license holder, their license must be current to be eligible for any STAR tournament prizes, and their license must be effective no later than the time of entry into the tournament. All participants agree to be bound by the terms of these STAR Rules, and the Release and Indemnity Agreement.
4. Persons who currently, or at any time during the (3) years ending on May 23, 2026, are or were licensed commercial fisherman, commercial fin-fisherman, bay shrimpers, bait shrimpers, gulf shrimpers, or bait shrimp dealers, as those terms are defined by The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission rule 68B – 2.001, or those persons who have held licenses issued pursuant to those chapters or pursuant to any federal law as of May 23, 2026, are only eligible to participate in the Trash Division of the STAR Competition.
5. Salaried employees of the Coastal Conservation Association and their immediate family are ineligible to participate in the STAR competition. CCA Florida Officers, members of the STAR Committee, STAR sponsor owners or principals may not participate in the STAR competition. Members of their immediate families, may participate in the STAR competition. For the purposes of STAR, immediate family is defined as father, mother, spouse, children under 18, or relative or domestic partner living in the same household.
6. Any person who has at any time committed an act which would be considered fraudulent during any fishing tournament/competition or has been banned or disqualified from participating in a tournament/competition is not eligible to fish in STAR. Any person who fails to pass the required STAR polygraph examination will be banned and disqualified from the remainder of the competition and any future STAR competitions.
Competition Dates and Times:
7. The Competition will begin at the posted sunrise on Saturday, May 23, 2026, and end at posted sunset on Monday, September 7, 2026.
Fishing Methods:
8. Fish entered into STAR competition must be entered by participants who are a current CCA member and registered for the STAR competition BEFORE they hook and land any fish. All fish entered into competition for prizes must have been hooked and landed by the contestant on rod, reel, hook, and line. Fish caught on artificial, live baits, or dead natural baits are eligible. There are no line test restrictions in the tournament. Casting the bait on behalf of a registered angler is permitted, as is the netting of a fish by another person when landing a fish. When fishing from a boat, trolling, drifting, and anchoring are permitted. Fishing is also permitted from docks, piers, seawalls, tributaries, shorelines, and bridges, as is wade fishing. While trolling, drifting or still fishing, a rod secured in a rod holder may hook a fish; however, the angler who initially touches or removes the rod from the rod holder must thereafter continuously fight and land the fish without assistance from any other person. Assistance from any other person is limited to casting a line to position a bait, leadering the fish, and/or netting the fish caught by the participating angler.
Competition Boundaries:
9. STAR boundaries are the territorial waters of the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean, and Florida Bay for the State of Florida and U.S. federal waters, from the boundary waters of the Florida/Alabama border extending seaward, eastward and then southward along the Florida gulf coast, to the waters of the Florida Keys, and then northward to the common boundary waters of the Florida/Georgia border extending seaward in the South Atlantic. All of the waters of Everglades National Park, as defined by the National Park Service, are included in the competition boundaries, as are all west and east coast bodies of water, including bays, harbors and tributaries. Fish taken outside of competition boundaries, from private impoundments or other waters not legally accessible to the general public, will not be eligible for entry. Anglers are prohibited from fishing in Bahamian, Cuban, or other non-U.S. waters.
Measuring Methods and Fish Entry:
10. All entries must be electronically submitted using the required competition protocols, either by a direct upload using iAngler Tournament App or by using the iAngler tournament’s website, within 24 hours of each catch. Each entry must include digital photographs of the fish with the 2026 STAR Official Identifier in the photo. The entire fish must be clearly seen in the photo, providing visibility of total length, it is not necessary for the fish to be placed on a measuring board, and it is not necessary to measure the full length of the fish. The only exceptions are Tarpon and Bonefish they must be digitally photographed in the water with the 2026 Official STAR Identifier in full view, regardless of size. If either fish is photographed out of the water it will be disqualified. Anglers are allowed to grab Tarpon by the lip for the photograph with their hand only. If any type of lip-attachment device is used to hold the Tarpon, the entry will be disqualified. Tarpon entries will also be disqualified if an angler reaches through the fish’s gills at any time, or brings the Tarpon over the gunwale of the boat. Each Tarpon entry must also demonstrate the fish was legitimately caught. Leader releases of Tarpon are encouraged, provided all other aspects of the rules are strictly followed. The STAR competition strongly suggests all anglers land Tarpon and Bonefish as quickly as possible and STAR rules require Tarpon and Bonefish resuscitation before release. Photographic entries of a Tarpon jumping away from the boat will be disqualified.
For the Trash Division, there must be at least a full five-gallon bucket of trash with the 2026 STAR Official Identifier in the photo and there may be more than one submission per day in the Trash Division. Electronic submission of all competition entries must also include the species, time, date and name of angler. Any size of Every Saltwater species of fish can be submitted in the STAR Youth Scholarship Competition. Failure to properly complete an electronic entry will result in entry disqualification. All fish entered shall be photographed and entered only once. Only one fish per species will count in the Youth Scholarship drawings and Teen Challenge. All fish entries will count for the most fish winner. The Trash Division allows for unlimited entries per day. Winning entries must be verified by a STAR employee, CCA Florida employee, and/or a member of the STAR committee. Participants may be required to provide additional information if requested by the STAR Director or committee (including, but not limited to, additional images from the same camera that was used for competition photos). CCA Florida, the STAR Director, and the STAR committee reserve the right to reject any entry. Any intentional falsification of information provided by the registered participant will lead to immediate disqualification of the entry, and the angler will be disqualified for the remainder of the 2026 competition and all future STAR competitions. Failure to comply with these rules will result in the forfeiture of any and all prizes. All committee decisions will be final. Additionally, violators of competition rules may be subject to prosecution under local, state, and federal laws.
All winning fish for all competition prizes (except 2026 Most Fish) shall be determined by a random drawing. The random drawings will be made from all verified entries made during STAR. All competition participants must use the 2026 STAR Official Identifier when submitting any entry.
Information from competition entries will be processed by the STAR Director. Participant will receive an automated email reply after each entry is submitted, confirming the entry has been received by the STAR competition.
11. No transfer of fish among Competition participants shall be allowed.
12. No frozen, spoiled, gutted, or altered fish will be eligible for entry. Mutilated fish are not eligible for entry.
STAR Youth Scholarship Competition Rules:
13. New Tide competition registrants are eligible to participate in the CCA Florida STAR Youth Scholarship Competition, Most Fish, Teen Challenge and the Trash category. No other CCA members are eligible for the Youth Scholarship Competition.
Competition participants may enter any Saltwater species of fish in the competition. Unlimited species per day may be entered in the competition. Scholarships winner’s eligible entries will be one fish per species per day to win by random draw for one of two $25,000 scholarships and ten $5,000 scholarships. Teen Challenge winner’s eligible entries will be one fish per species per day to win by random drawing. Prize to be determined. Most Fish prize will be determined by the most fish entered by a youth participant no matter their age. All entries must be submitted consistent with the provisions of Rule 10.
14. The STAR Youth Competition participant must have a parent, guardian, or adult sponsor. Upon STAR entry (either on the STAR website or the STAR APP), the parent, guardian, or adult sponsor of every Youth entrant agrees to abide by all STAR rules, including STAR polygraph testing requirements. All Youth winners must agree to abide by STAR scholarship rules and requirements. Parents, guardians, and adult sponsors are not required to be CCA members. However, if any parent, guardian, or adult sponsor wants to become a member it is welcomed.
Scholarship Winner Rules:
15. All New Tide CCA members who are 6 years of age to 17 years of age as of May 23, 2026 and registered in the competition may enter all fish caught daily of any saltwater species caught but eligible entries will be one fish per species per day to win by random draw for one of two $25,000 scholarships and ten $5,000 scholarships.
Most Fish Prize Rules:
16. All New Tide CCA members who are 6 years of age to 17 years of age as of May 23, 2026 and registered in the competition may enter all fish caught daily of any saltwater species caught for the Most Fish. Winner to be determined by the most fish entered by a registered participant. Prize to be determined. All fish must be entered in accordance with Rule 10.
Teen Challenge Prize Rules:
17. New Tide CCA member who is 13 years of age to 17 years of age as of May 23, 2026 and registered in the competition may enter a qualifying catch of all saltwater fish caught daily but only one fish per species will be eligible (one fish per species) in the competition to win the Teen Challenge. Winner will be randomly drawn and prize to be determined. All fish must be entered in accordance with Rule 10.
Trash Rules:
18. 2026 STAR Youth participants who gather trash while on the water and submit a photo entry of a full 5-gallon bucket of trash with the 2026 Official STAR Identifier in their entry are eligible. Trash MUST be properly disposed of. Larger amounts of trash may be collected and submitted with the 2026 Official STAR Identifier in the photo submission. If trash objects are too large to be removed, STAR participant should take a photo of debris with the 2026 Official STAR Identifier and include the latitude and longitude of the object in the entry. Authorities will be notified and the debris will be removed. All eligible entries will be included in a random drawing at the end of STAR for three prizes.
19. Each five-gallon bucket of trash submitted by STAR Youth participant will equate to 30 minutes of community service hours. Parent or sponsor of Youth participant may email the youths community service log after September 7, 2026 to lfitzgerald@ccaflorida.org and the hours will be determined by Trash entries submitted in the iAngler app and log will be completed and returned with signature.
Other Rules:
20. Each Youth entering the 2026 STAR competition agrees to have a parent or sponsor submit to a polygraph examination. The STAR Committee reserves the right to select polygraph examiners to administer polygraph tests. All polygraph examinations required shall be taken at the time, place, and by the examiners designated by the STAR Committee. Each contestant agrees by his/her signature on the official CCA 2026 STAR entry form or entry into the competition electronically to have their parent or sponsor submit to a polygraph examination if required by the STAR committee and abide by its conclusion. All travel expenses are to be paid by entrant. Failure to submit to or pass the required polygraph examination shall result in angler disqualification for current and all future STAR competitions.
21. Any protests must be submitted in writing to: Leiza Fitzgerald, STAR Director, P.O. Box 568886 Orlando, FL, 32856.
22. The decision of the STAR Committee, in its sole discretion, shall be final on any and all competition matters and are not subject to appeal.
23. In the event of litigation or arbitration between a participant and CCA Florida arising out of any aspect whatsoever of the STAR competition, the losing party in said litigation or arbitration shall be bound to pay reasonable attorney’s fees, expenses of litigation, court costs, and other costs incurred by the winning party in said litigation or arbitration.
24. By participating in STAR, anglers agree to the use of their name, likeness, photograph, video, or other identifying information by CCA Florida in promotional, advertising, educational, or research materials in whatever form CCA Florida chooses in its sole discretion.
Prizes:
25. All prizes for 2026 CCA Florida STAR Youth Scholarship Competition shall be awarded at the discretion of the STAR Committee. Specific prizes for each competition category shall be chosen and awarded by the STAR committee. Participants shall be eligible to win only one prize or scholarship in the 2026 competition with the exception of the Trash Division. Winners of the Trash prizes may also win a prize in another category, provided they follow all rules pertaining to the competition. Any youth or child can win only one (1) $25,000.00 scholarship or may win no more than five (5) $5,000 scholarships or no more than a total of $25,000 in scholarships in this competition during their lifetime. If they have won a $5,000 scholarship in the past, they are not eligible to win the $25,000 scholarship, only additional $5,000 scholarships. Once a youth angler has won (1) $25,000 scholarship or a total of $25,000.00 they are no longer eligible to win in the Youth Scholarship category during their lifetime, they are eligible to participate in the Most Fish, Teen and Trash portion of STAR.
Youth Scholarship winners will be required to attend the STAR Awards Ceremony on October 10, 2026 to receive their prizes. The STAR Committee retains sole discretion to award all STAR prizes.
26. All prizes will be presented “as is” to each winner (or winner’s designee) after the Competition at the STAR Awards Banquet. The STAR Committee may replace or substitute alternative prizes for any advertised prizes at its sole discretion.
27. All prize winners are solely responsible for payment of any applicable taxes, fees, and costs associated with the prize. The STAR Committee will issue all required tax documents to the appropriate competition winners. Tournament winners must complete and return all documentation before receiving their prizes.
28. All prize winners are responsible for processing, registration, and tax documentation in a timely fashion at specified sporting goods/marine/automotive dealerships.
RELEASE, HOLD HARMLESS AND INDEMNITY:
29. ALL STAR ENTRANTS PARTICIPATE AT THEIR OWN RISK. PARTICIPANTS RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE INHERENT RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SPORT OF FISHING INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, INJURY OR DEATH DUE TO DANGEROUS WEATHER CONDITIONS; WATER CONDITIONS; TRAILERING, OPERATING, MAINTAINING, DOCKING OR OTHERWISE HANDLING BOATS; EQUIPMENT SUCH AS KNIVES, HOOKS, CLUBS, GAFFS, ANCHORS, LINES; HANDLING FISH AND THE INHERENT DANGERS OF BEING IN THE WILD OUTDOORS SUCH AS DANGEROUS ANIMALS, FISH, STRUCTURE OR OTHER FISHERMEN. IN CONSIDERATION FOR BEING ALLOWED TO ENTER THE STAR COMPETITION, EACH PERSON AGREES AND CONTRACTS TO RELEASE, INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS COASTAL CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION FLORIDA, ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, REPRESENTATIVES, THE STAR DIRECTOR AND ALL COMMITTEE PERSONS, THE COMPETITION SPONSORS AND VERIFICATION STATION OWNERS AND THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM ANY AND ALL LIABILITY, CLAIMS OR DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY MANNER WHATSOEVER CONNECTED WITH THE COMPETITION INCLUDING ITS PLANNING, OPERATION OR CONDUCT AND INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO CLAIMS FOR PERSONAL INJURY, WRONGFUL DEATH, SURVIVAL DAMAGES, ECONOMIC LOSS, PROPERTY DAMAGES OR CLAIMS RELATING IN ANY WAY TO THE TOURNAMENT. IT IS THE EXPRESS INTENTION OF THIS AGREEMENT THAT EACH ENTRANT IS INDEMNIFYING EACH OF THE FOREGOING RELEASED AND INDEMNIFIED PARTIES FROM THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR OWN NEGLIGENT CONDUCT, WHETHER SOLE NEGLIGENCE OR CONTRIBUTING NEGLIGENCE, GROSS NEGLIGENCE, OUTRAGEOUS MISCONDUCT, STRICT LIABILITY, COMMISSION OF TORT, BREACH OF CONTRACT, AND BREACH OF WARRANTY. THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN OF ANY MINOR ENTERING IN, REGISTERING FOR OR FISHING IN THE COMPETITION DOES FURTHER CONTRACT AND AGREE THAT THIS RELEASE AND HOLD HARMLESS AGREEMENT SHALL BE BINDING UPON ANY MINOR ENTERING THE TOURNAMENT. WINNER WILL BE REQUIRED TO EXECUTE AN ADDITIONAL RELEASE, INDEMNITY AND HOLD HARMLESS UPON RECEIPT OF PRIZE. ANY CONTROVERSY OR CLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE COMPETITION SHALL BE SETTLED BY BINDING ARBITRATION CONDUCTED IN PALM BEACH, FL, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COMMERCIAL ARBITRATION RULES OF THE AMERICAN ARBITRATION ASSOCIATON AND JUDGMENT UPON THE AWARD RENDERED MAY BE ENTERED IN ANY COURT HAVING JURISDICTION THEREOF.
File Confirmation: February 16, 2026 LAF March 4, 2026