Tagged Redfish and Dolphin Partners

For the Tagged Redfish Division, CCA Florida STAR partnered with Duke Energy who generously provided hatchery reared redfish for tagging and release on the west coast. Flagler Sportfishing Club, captains and volunteers also provide wild caught fish for tagging and release on the east coast.  Together with the approval from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) CCA staff and volunteers will release over 160 tagged redfish in advance of the competitions starting date on May 25, 2024. Each coastal county from Pensacola to the southern border of the Everglades National Park and from the Georgia/Florida border to Homestead and the Keys will receive on average 4 tagged redfish per county. There are two (2) Destination Counties and each has eight (8) tagged redfish and they are Citrus and Charlotte Counties.

CCA membership AND registration in STAR prior to hooking and landing a tagged redfish, report time, time and date of catch, submitted, photo of tagged fish on official measuring device, verification of tagged redfish and results of a polygraph will determine the prize winners in the Tagged Redfish Division.

For the Tigress Outrigger & Gear Tagged Dolphin/Mahi Mahi Division, CCA Florida STAR partnered with Key’s captains and had staff and volunteers tag and release 20 plus Mahi Mahi in the waters of South Florida in advance of the competition.

About This Year’s Tag

This year’s STAR tag is Red.  Printed on the tag is the year 2024 and a tag number beginning with FL followed by CCA Florida STAR and the phone number 844-387-STAR (7827).

Winner Eligibility for the Tagged Redfish and Tigress Outrigger & Gear Tagged Dolphin

Winners will be determined by time of catch. To be eligible to win, participant must be a current CCA member and registered for the competition before hooking & landing a tagged fish. Each STAR-tagged redfish and the first Tigress STAR-tagged dolphin must be reported to the phone number on the tag within two (2) hours of landing the fish. The fish with the tag still attached to the fish, must be digitally photographed on the 2024 Official STAR measuring device, and electronically submitted via the STAR tournament app. The entire fish must be clearly seen with its nose on the zero line, providing visibility of total length of the fish and STAR tag. Electronic submission of all competition entries must also include the competition division, species, length, time, date and name of angler.

Once the photo is entered, please call the phone number on the tag. Any caught STAR-tagged redfish or dolphin must be called to the Director within (2) hours after landing the fish.

During the call the Director will instruct the angler to take the proper photos and then clip the STAR tag nearest to the fish as possible, allowing the angler to keep the red portion of the tag. The participant will be instructed to release the fish. Anglers may choose to harvest the fish if it meets FWC requirements and the season is open. Some tagged redfish may not be within the slot. Verification of the tag and fish may be required and if so the angler will be instructed to take the tag and or fish to the nearest distribution location of the angler’s choice to be authenticated by the Director or an official representative of the competition committee. This must occur within 72 hours of catching the tagged redfish or dolphin or the tagged fish will be disqualified.

The Tagged Redfish and Tigress Tagged Dolphin Divisions do NOT require a STAR-tagged fish to be harvested unless deemed necessary by the Director. Some STAR-tagged redfish may not be within the 18 to 27-inch slot. All tagged dolphins will be a minimum of 20 inches.

After the tag and or tagged fish has been verified the angler will be provided a scheduled time and location within the following 72 hours to take a mandatory polygraph examination.

Each participant shall be eligible to win only one prize for a STAR-tagged redfish or dolphin.

Release Locations for Tagged Redfish:

All coastal counties of Florida have on average four (4) tagged redfish that have been released in areas where anglers are known to catch redfish.
 
Where can you have the best opportunity to catch one of these prize-winning tagged redfish?

Citrus and Charlotte Counties.

About STAR 2024 Destination Counties

 

Discover Crystal River is once again a West Coast Destination Partner for the CCA Florida STAR 2024 competition presented by Yamaha and the host county for the STAR Awards Ceremony.  Citrus County encompasses the waters from Chazawitzka (2020 STAR Tagged Redfish Youth winner caught his fish in Chazawitzka) to just south of Yankeetown, Ozello, Crystal River and Homosassa (one of the 2017 winning STAR tagged redfish was caught in Homosassa) Citrus County has 8 tagged redfish released in their waters and every year has had at least one tagged redfish recaptured by anglers who were not in the competition.  Compare this to the four tagged fish in other counties and it only makes sense to fish Citrus county this summer. Having more tagged fish and the ability to land all the inshore and offshore species in the other Divisions presents anglers with a greater opportunity to win their share of prizes and scholarships. http://www.discovercrystalriverfl.com/

 

Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach, is once again a West Coast Destination Partner of CCA Florida STAR 2024 competition. Presented by Yamaha.   Charlotte Harbor, the central asset of their destination, is the 2nd largest estuary in the State of Florida formed by the convergence of the Peace and Myakka Rivers. The majority of the harbor’s shoreline is natural preserve bordered by miles of mangroves, offering an ideal habitat for redfish along with many other species of fish and marine life. While Charlotte Harbor is expansive, due to its shallow nature, there are no large commercial vessels utilizing the inshore waters of the area, which includes Lemon Bay, Gasparilla Sound, Coral Creek and Turtle Bay. Over the years, various professional redfish tournaments have utilized the harbor as its base of operations recognizing the health, beauty and pristine nature of the Charlotte Harbor Gulf Island Coast. As a Destination Partner, Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach will have 8 tagged redfish released in their waters providing a significantly greater opportunity to catch a tagged redfish. In 2019 two winning tagged redfish were caught in Charlotte County waters and in 2021 another winner caught a tagged redfish in Charlotte County. This makes Charlotte County a super fishing destination for catching a STAR tagged Redfish or for landing other species to win one of the outstanding prizes, make your summer vacation plans to experience the wonder of fishing one of the best aquatic playgrounds in the United States. www.pureflorida.com