Port Royal Sound Inshore Slam Fishing Tournament 

South Carolina event

September 27 - October 6, 2024

Official Rules

Tournament Team – Organizer: MyCatch Mobile App

Host: Port Royal Sound Foundation

Registration: Angler’s Atlas

Participants and Anglers are those who have registered to participate in the 2024 Port Royal Sound Inshore Slam Fishing Tournament.

1.  General Information

1. This is a Catch, Photo, Record fishing tournament being held in the Port Royal Sound area of South Carolina, where it is legal to fish. Refer to the map attached to this event for the official boundaries.  

2. The tournament will be run using the MyCatch mobile app, which is a property of Angler’s Atlas. Anglers will use the MyCatch app to photograph and record lengths of ALL fish caught during the tournament.  This data will help researchers to better understand and conserve the Port Royal Sound fishery.

3. Registration is $100/adult and $50/youth (15 years & younger). Register by August 15 @ 5:00 PM, EDT, 2024 to receive a 20% discount. 

• The first 250 anglers who register by September 15th will receive a 2024 Inshore Slam Angler’s 5-gallon bucket.

• The first 50 anglers who register by September 15th will receive a 2024 Inshore Slam moisture wik hooded long sleeve shirt. 

• Remaining anglers who register by September 15th will receive a 2024 Inshore Slam moisture wik short sleeve shirt

4. The 2024 Port Royal Sound Inshore Slam Fishing Tournament is open to all skill levels and all ages.

5. It is recommended that anglers 15 and younger fish with an adult. 

6. Anglers 16 years and older must have a valid South Carolina Saltwater fishing license or otherwise be exempt from needing one.

7. Anglers may record fish from 6:00 am EDT on Friday, September 27, 2024, to 6:00 pm EDT on Sunday, October 6, 2024.   

8. For up-to-date regulations and identification of South Carolina saltwater fish, use the Fish Rules App http://fishrulesapp.com. You can also find SCDNR’s saltwater fishing regulations at https://www.eregulations.com/southcarolina/fishing/finfish-size-catch-limits. 

9. Anglers must keep mobile phones on throughout the tournament to receive communication from the Tournament Organizer in the event of postponement or cancellation.

10. Due to the nature of tournament fishing, no refunds will be issued, no exceptions. This is at the discretion of the Tournament Organizer.

11. By participating in this event, your name, photos and or videos may be publicly visible.

12. Protecting anglers’ privacy is a priority, and any location data collected during the event will not be released to the public. Our promise to anglers is “Secret Fishing Spots Stay Secret”. See Section 8 for details.

2. Getting Started - Registration

1. To register, each individual angler must first create an Angler’s Atlas account by completing the following sign-up: https://www.anglersatlas.com/sign-up.

2. Next, anglers must register for the Port Royal Sound Inshore Slam Fishing Tournament and pay the entry fee for the tournament online HERE using a credit card or PayPal. Your spot is not reserved until payment has been received. If you need help with the registration process, please watch this short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o3PzcIoGo4.  

3. You will receive an automatic email confirming that you have entered the event and that your payment has been received.

4. Anglers will then need to download on your cell phone the free MyCatch mobile app (available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store) which will be used to submit fish entries during the tournament. Next, set up an account on the MyCatch app using the same login email and password that you used to set up your Angler’s Atlas account. If you already have the MyCatch app, we suggest checking for any updates or simply reload the app and make sure the login email and password match with Angler’s Atlas.

5. Each individual angler must have their own Angler’s Atlas and MyCatch accounts. For those participants sharing a cell phone during the tournament, each must have their own account and login to their own account to submit their catches through the ‘manage accounts’ feature.

6. It may take up to six hours for a new account to be activated, during which time anglers may not be able to submit their fish for entry, so be sure to register before September 27, 2024.

7. Practice using the MyCatch app ahead of time:        

• Watch all three videos available at this link to familiarize yourself with the app: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1Yp9OqZ6saBgaKklT5jh6DkuTbai3NeJ

• Test the app before the tournament (note: the MyCatch app allows you to record fish for your own personal logbook while not in an active event. Some features will appear slightly different when you are not in an active event, so please make sure you watch the YouTube videos at the link above).

3. Catch Reporting Rules

1. This is a Catch, Photo, Record event. The Slam species are Red Drum (redfish), Sea Trout, and Flounder, but there are prize categories that include ALL fish species. We encourage catch and release, but it is not mandatory.

2. For collecting accurate data, we ask that you submit pictures/ lengths of all fish caught. However, redfish over 32” will not be eligible for “slam” and “longest” prizes. We would rather have anglers target inshore fish and not large adults that are spawning in our Sound and inlets during September.

3. For the best chance to win prizes and provide the most helpful fishery data, record ALL fish caught in the MyCatch app. Each fish must be entered only once.

4. For each catch to qualify, a measurement photograph of the fish with an acceptable measuring device (described below) must be taken using the MyCatch app. Photos cannot be uploaded from a photo gallery or other source. The MyCatch app tags each entry with a unique, identifiable QR code.

5. All anglers must have GPS/ location services enabled on their cell phone for their catches to qualify. Location data will be protected. For more information, see Section 8.

6. Fish must be recorded in the MyCatch app as soon as possible after the fish is caught at the fishing site. Geotagged locations will NOT be made publicly available (see Section 8).

7. All fish must be measured with the right side of the fish facing down or touching the surface, and the left side of the fish facing up. Photo entries must be taken from a birds-eye view looking down on the fish.

8. This is a total length measurement tournament; NOT fork length.  See picture below for reference.  The total length of a fish is measured from the tip of the snout or jaw of the fish with the mouth preferably closed, to the tip of the tail with the tail preferably pinched (excluding any filaments).  For SC DNR fish measuring instructions, visit www.dnr.sc.gov/fish/measure.html

9. All catches will be approved to the last physical line on a measuring device/ bump board. If the fish extends past the measuring device and there are no physical lines to confirm the true length, the last measurement line it crosses will be used. If a fish is longer than the angler's measuring device/ bump board, the longest measurement on the board will be counted.

10. The nose or jaw of the fish must be at the start or 0” mark on all measuring devices and the total length is taken where the longest length of the tail crosses the measurement line on the measuring device. It is recommended that you place a solid edge or "bump" lined up with the 0" mark on the ruler so that it is clear that the measurement begins at 0”.

11. When taking the measurement photo, your fingers or equipment (like lip grabbers) cannot be in the gills or mouth of the fish. Anything in the gills or mouth of the fish will disqualify that fish. 

12. It is recommended that you use a commercially sold ‘bump board’ that clearly shows the length of the fish. You can also use a SC DNR 37” fish ruler sticker adhered to a flat surface with a solid edge or "bump" lined up with the 0" mark on the ruler. SCDNR fish ruler stickers and measurement instructions will be available at the Captain's Meeting.  Measurement rules for both options are as follows:

• the mouth is preferably closed, with the snout or jaw of the fish visibly touching the bump

• the fish must be placed on top of the board/surface

• the fish tail is preferable pinched, and the head and tail are visible in the measurement photo

• the photo should show beyond the head and tail in the photo - do not cut them off in the photo.

13. If you measure your fish using a metal tape measure, the measurement rules are the same as above, except the tape measure must be beside the fish and not under or on top of the fish.

14. See the Angler’s Atlas ‘Event Readiness Checklist’ for pictures.  Complete measurement instructions will be available at the Captain’s Meeting. 
    

15. Soft/Flexible/Fabric measuring tapes and Sliding/Expandable Bump boards are not allowed for this event.(except if fish measured on the sliding boards are under 19” or at the point where the device is to be slid out for longer measurements. Credit for over sized fish will only be given to 19 inches)

16. If a measurement rule is not followed for an entry, such as the nose not touching the bump or at the 0” mark, the fish may still be approved, but a length penalty will be applied. The penalty will apply to the observable length of the fish at the discretion of the Tournament Organizer. The standard length penalty is 2”. It is also possible that the entry may be rejected.

17.  In the event of an unclear measurement, the Tournament Organizer reserves the right to adjust entries and to ask for a picture of your measuring device to confirm an accurate measurement.

18. A photo that does not clearly show the overall length of the fish as described WILL NOT BE SCORED. More than one attempt to get a valid scoring photo is allowed. The app will prompt you to either accept or retake each photo.

19. You MUST also record if you released or kept the fish in the entry procedure. This will be prompted near the bottom of the entry screen and will be titled “Released   Yes  No”. To complete this, simply click on the appropriate Yes or No field. 

20. Hero Shot: During the entry process, a 2nd photo often called the ‘Hero Shot’ consisting of the angler holding or releasing the fish using proper handling techniques, will be prompted. The Hero Shot is optional but there is an associated prize category.  Photos are encouraged for the Tournament Organizer and Host to share on social media.

21. Video Release: You will be prompted with a 3rd option which is a video of the release of your fish. This is also optional, but there is a related prize category. The video must show the fish being safely released using proper handling techniques and swimming away. 

22. During the event, the app will work without WiFi or cell service. If you submit a fish without any or strong enough service, the app will tell you that the fish has been recorded and that it will sync up to the server once you return to service. Every fish you log (whether in good service or not) will appear in your app’s Log View (2nd icon from the left at the bottom). If you have fish “awaiting sync,” it will indicate this here. The submissions will come through on their own once you return to service, but you can help speed up the process by “manually syncing” those pending logs once you’re within service (see how here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YU-AwLc8OLY). The logs are time, date, and location stamped to the moment they are taken, so even if the submission is delayed, the time on that submission will still be accurate. All catches must be synced no later than Sunday, October 6, 2024, at 6pm EDT.

23. Fish DO NOT show up on the leaderboards until they have been approved by the Organizer, so don’t expect to see them reflected on the leaderboard immediately. If you want to ensure that your fish was recorded successfully, check the Log View of your app (2nd icon from the left at the bottom). If your fish is there, it logged successfully.

24. Anglers can only submit catches they have caught themselves. This is an individual tournament, so you cannot enter as a partnership or team, and under no circumstances can you share fish with any other angler. Anglers are free to fish alone or with other tournament or non-tournament anglers, but each registered angler may only enter their own fish on their own app.

25. IMPORTANT: Arguing against or trying to attribute reason as to why any of the above rules could not be followed will have ZERO bearing on the ruling of a rejected fish. NO exceptions will be made. It is the responsibility of the angler to review their photo thoroughly and submit an acceptable photo based on the above rules.

26. A great resource on how to complete an entry is this MyCatch video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS65wMakQHA

4. Tournament Location and Times

1. Tournament water body boundaries are within the water confines of the Port Royal Sound (South Carolina) Area. See the map attached for boundaries.

2. The tournament runs from: Friday, September 27, 2024, at 6am EDT through Sunday, October 6, 2024 at 6pm EDT.

3. All catches recorded between the start and end times must be synchronized with the Angler’s Atlas server within the event times to qualify. Any fish synced to the app after the conclusion of the event will not be judged. It is the applicant’s duty to ensure they have full cell service, and that all fish are synced before the deadline.

4. Once the tournament concludes, a full review process will begin between the Organizer and the Tournament Team. Following this review process, the results will be final. Results will be announced on October 8, 2024, at the Awards Dinner.

5. At the discretion of the Organizer, tournament days may be shortened, postponed, or canceled due to unsafe weather or water conditions.

5. Awards & Prizes

1. Prizes - Prizes will be distributed following the prizing categories A-H listed below.  A full explanation of prizes will be provided at the Captain’s Meeting.

*For the purpose of collecting accurate data, we ask that you submit pictures/lengths of all fish caught. However, redfish over 32” will not be eligible for “slam” and “longest” prizes. We would rather have anglers target inshore fish and not those large adults that are spawning in our Sound and inlets during September.

B. Cash prize amounts are based on a full field of 250 anglers. If the tournament doesn’t fill, the payout percentages for each paid prize position will remain the same and will be adjusted accordingly.
C. Cash prizes will be awarded via check to the tournament registration name. Winners who are awarded $600 or more will be required to provide a W-9 to the Port Royal Sound Foundation and will receive a 1099 in January 2025.
D. A participant can only win one prize per category (A-H).
E. Awards will be announced on or by Tuesday, October 8, 2024, at the Awards Dinner. Anglers who do not attend the Awards Dinner will be contacted directly using the contact information provided in the tournament registration process.
F. Anglers have until November 8, 2024, to claim their prize. Anglers who do not claim their prize by this deadline will forfeit their prize.
G. In the case of a tie, the tie break will go to the person who entered the tied fish first. If a tie still exists, the tie break will go to the angler with the next largest catch size in the category.

6. General Rules

1. By registering and participating in the 2024 Port Royal Sound Inshore Slam Fishing Tournament, all participants agree to abide by the rules and regulations they have received as set out in these tournament event rules.

2. Catch and Release fishing is encouraged but is not mandatory for this tournament.

3. Anglers must follow all South Carolina fishing rules and regulations including those that pertain to possession and bag limits at all times.

4. All participants must follow all South Carolina boating safety regulations.

5. All fish entered for this event must be caught via angling methods using hook, line, rod and reel, live, or artificial bait. At no time will fish caught by non-angling methods (i.e. use of traps, trap nets, or cages) be allowed to be entered. Fish cannot be snagged, netted, gigged, speared, etc. Usage of a landing net to land a hooked fish is allowed.

6. Eligible anglers must have in their possession a valid South Carolina Saltwater fishing license.

7. All federal, state, and local laws must be followed.

8. The Tournament Team, hosts, promoters, sponsors, and organizers assisting in the tournament operation are not responsible for the death, injury, damage, liability, theft, fire, or any loss to any contestants/anglers entered in the 2024 Port Royal Sound Inshore Slam Fishing Tournament. 

9. All questions or concerns relating to the rules of this tournament are to be referred to the Tournament Organizer or their designated committee. Their decision will be final in all cases. No other person can be considered a spokesperson for the rules during the tournament. The contact for this event is The MyCatch Approval team which can be reached by email at [email protected] (please include the name of the event in your email).

10. The interpretation and enforcement of the rules is at the sole discretion of the Tournament Organizer. The Tournament Organizer may change rules up to the start of the event - once it is live, no rules will be altered or added. The Organizer may impose sanctions as they deem appropriate, including but not limited to disqualifications, forfeiture of prizes, and prohibition from competing in future tournaments. All decisions made by the Tournament Organizer are final.

11. Abuse of tournament officials and volunteers will not be tolerated.

12. Any angler found to be cheating, breaking the law, or disobeying the rules will be disqualified from the tournament. Failure to comply with any tournament rules may subject participants to disqualification and removal from the tournament, as determined by the tournament officials. The right to refuse sale and/or revoke a competition entry to anyone is hereby reserved. Angler’s Atlas also reserves the right to ban anglers from competing in future events.

13.  Any angler has the right to make a protest against another angler by contacting the Tournament Organizer through email and must be completed and presented within 1 hour of the close of the tournament. The Tournament Organizer’s decision will be final in all cases. A $100.00 protest fee must accompany the protest. The fee will be returned if the protest is found to be valid.

14. In the event of disqualification, any paid entry fees will be forfeited and not refunded.

15.  Our intention is to provide an honest sportsmanlike tournament. In the interest of good sportsmanship, anglers are reminded the spirit of the rule will prevail in all judgments.

16. All participants are expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety, and conservation. Any participant who displays poor sportsmanship, violates these rules, or brings unfavorable publicity to the Port Royal Sound Inshore Slam Fishing Tournament, its Tournament Team, host, organizer, volunteers, sponsors, and/or the sport of fishing, could be disqualified.

17. Participants are responsible for their own safety, actions, and property at all times.

18. All photo and video submissions may be used by MyCatch, Angler's Atlas, and the Port Royal Sound Foundation. 

19. Port Royal Sound Foundation employees are not eligible to participate in this tournament.
    
    
    

• In consideration of the acceptance of this registration, I, the undersigned by virtue of agreeing, assume full responsibility for any damage, injury or accident that may occur during or related to the event, and I hereby release, hold harmless, and indemnify Angler's Atlas, Port Royal Sound Foundation, and all sponsors, promoters, or other persons and entities associated with the event from all claims, loss, injury, damage, action, or demands. Further, I hereby grant full permission to any and all of the foregoing photographs, videotapes or other record of this event.  I acknowledge that I have read and voluntarily sign/agree to this statement.

7. ​Proper Fish Handling

The following are not rules but suggestions for proper fish handling.

1. We highly encourage conservation and the proper handling of all fish caught. To ensure the best chances of survival for all released fish, all participants are to handle fish safely.

2. Whenever feasible, keep the fish in the water while handling.

3. If a swallowed hook cannot be easily removed, cut the line as close to the hook as possible.

4. Have the camera ready before landing the fish to minimize air exposure.

5. Hold large fish horizontally and support its body to avoid damage to the internal organs

6. Do not hold or support the fish by its gills, gill covers, or eyes.

7. Use wet hands when handling a fish. Handle the fish quickly and as little as possible.

8. When releasing a fish, never throw it into the water. Set it in the water and let it swim away under its own power.

9. For more information about proper fish handling, visit SCDNR’s guide at https://www.dnr.sc.gov/marine/tagfish/pdf/catchandreleasebrochure.pdf.

8. Data Privacy and Fisheries Research

“Secret Fishing Spots Stay Secret” — This is our primary commitment to anglers who report their catches through MyCatch. So, what does this mean in practice?

1. Angler’s Atlas does not release MyCatch GPS data to the public. It is treated as confidential and is provided to fisheries researchers under strict conditions.

2. Every research team we work with must sign a data-sharing agreement that sets the terms of use for the data.

3. Data is anonymized before it is provided to the researcher.

4. Researchers agree not to share the data with anyone else.

5. Researchers cannot use the data for any purpose other than the research specified in the agreement.

6. Exact location data cannot be published as part of scientific research. Instead, it must be generalized to a larger region so the location cannot be reverse-engineered.

7. Angler’s Atlas may release data to a law enforcement agency if compelled to do so under court order.

These data privacy rules are designed to protect our anglers’ private data, conserve the fisheries, and make sure we maintain a trusting relationship with our anglers into the future. If anyone has any questions, please feel free to reach out to Angler’s Atlas President directly by email ([email protected]).

Map:

This tournament is being held in the Port Royal Sound area of South Carolina, where it is legal to fish. Refer to the map attached to this event for the official boundaries. Rivers and creeks listed below are WITHIN the boundaries unless mentioned otherwise

• Northern boundary - Dawson’s Landing in the Coosawhatchie River across to the northern end of Bray’s Island, Huspah Creek to the creek fork at and the southern end of Bull Point

• Western boundary – includes Knowles Branches, Coles Creek, Euhaw Creek, Hazards Creek, Okatie River, and May River

• Southwest boundary — western end of Daufuskie Island; the saltwater section of the New River

• Southeastern boundary - up to one mile off the shores of Hilton Head, Bay Point, Pritchards, Fripp, Hunting, and Harbor Islands 

• Northeastern boundary - includes Whale Beach and the Coosaw River up to Parrot Creek, including Morgan Island, along St. Helena Island, and just outside of Harbor River. St Helena Sound is NOT within the tournament boundary.