TSR FISHING RULES

1) Read the rules!!! It is the responsibility of all participants in the Texas Shark Rodeo to read, understand, and comply with all of the fishing, photo, & tagging rules and requirements of the tournament. If you have a question, do not hesitate to contact us via the CONTACT US TAB

2) Each Participant will be required to agree to a waiver of liability in order to participate . Anyone 17 and under will need a parent or guardian to complete the waiver. The waiver is located on the TSR website and each participant must create a login and agree to the waiver prior to any catches being accepted from that participant.

3) This tournament is for sharks only caught within the state of Texas. Land based fishing from coastal waters only, must be caught from beach, jetty, or channel. Catches from piers or fishing from boats of any kind will not be allowed.

4) All catches must comply with all requirements set forth by TSR regarding fishing rules, photo rules, & submission requirements in order to be considered a valid catch and have points awarded. 

5) Bait deployment & assistance rules: Bait deployment can only be done by a participant entered in the Texas Shark Rodeo, they do not have to be on your team. Non-participants cannot deploy a bait for a TSR entrant. The act of setting the hook and the actual battle of the shark via rod and reel until the landing/leadering process begins, can only involve members of the team. Anyone entered in TSR can take your bait out, but only teammates can assist in the act of reeling in a fish. Bait deployment has no restrictions on technique as long as it is legal for the area being fished. Motorized craft can be used for deployment as long as it conforms to the regulations of the location. Bait deployment is defined as whatever method is used to place the bait within the water, be it kayak, casting, wading, or any other method allowed for the area you are fishing.

The use of drones to deploy a bait for shark fishing is currently classified as illegal on all Texas beaches on a federal level and therefore not allowed in the Texas Shark Rodeo.
Information below on the exact regulation deeming drone use illegal for deploying baits.

Title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) ? 19.11, also known as the 1956 Federal Airborne Hunting Act (AHA) states that 50 CFR ? 19.11 (b)(2) prohibits the use of aircraft, which includes UAS or drones, to take or attempt to take wildlife, or aid in the act of fishing.
Definitions as defined in 50 CFR?10.12 that apply to 50 CFR ? 19.11:
Aircraft means any contrivance (device) used for flight in the air.
Fish or wildlife means any wild animal, whether alive or dead, including without limitation any wild mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, fish, mollusk, crustacean, arthropod, coelenterate, or other invertebrate, whether or not bred, hatched, or born in captivity, and including any part, product, egg, or offspring thereof.
Take means to pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or attempt to pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect. (With reference to marine mammals, see Part 18 of this subchapter.)
Wildlife means the same as fish or wildlife.

Until this seemingly misunderstood use of drones to deploy a bait is addressed and clarified within the federal government, Texas Shark Rodeo must comply with the federal laws and cannot allow the use of such drones within the tournament.
Please contact your elected officials like your local congressman and senator, and voice your opinion to them regarding this issue, as they are the only current avenue that could accomplish a change to this determination.

This will depend on the current regulations, but in our area, the following would be the representatives: 
•    HOUSE OF REP
•    District 1: Nathaniel Moran (R)
•    District 2: Dan Crenshaw (R)
•    District 3: Keith Self (R)
•    District 4:  Pat Fallon (R)
•    District 5: Lance Gooden (R)
•    District 6: Jake Ellzey (R)
•    District 12: Craig Goldman (R)
•    District 18: Christian Menefee (D)

•    SENATE
•    John Cornyn: Senior Senator.
•    Ted Cruz: Senator.

6) Non-participants are only allowed to help in the following ways: It is understood that any person may maintain a rod & reel on land or jetty while a bait is being deployed. The act of landing/leadering, tagging, data gathering, photo process, and release of a shark can utilize anyone for assistance, the successful, healthy release of the shark is the most important aspect of the tournament. Bait may be caught for or provided to any TSR participant by anyone. Anyone can be in your camp and or immediate area while fishing. Non-participants cannot deploy a bait or assist in the fight of the fish until the landing/leadering process begins.

7) It is the responsibility of the participants to adhere to TPWD rules and regulations while fishing.

8) Anyone not utilizing and or not returning unused tags/vials issued to them from a previous year will not be allowed to participate in any of the events that Sharkathon hosts. This includes Sharkathon and the Texas Shark Rodeo, please contact TSR using the CONTACT US TAB for information on how to return tags/vials or activate tags/vials that your team may still possess. The tags/vials cost a lot of money and if they are not going to be used they must be returned to TSR.

9) Unsportsmanlike conduct before, during and after the event can result in disqualification and possibly being banned from future events that Sharkathon hosts. This includes Sharkathon and the Texas Shark Rodeo. Disputes or grievances will be handled with TSR in private. Publicly acting in an unsportsmanlike manner will not be tolerated. 

10) TSR is a non-profit entity and while TSR will do what it can to obtain prizes nothing is implied or guaranteed. TSR will be keeping with the traditions of the original rodeo and create unique and handcrafted trophies for each of the winners.

11) PROTEST POLICY: It is our policy that the protesting party must satisfy the burden of proof prior to any further steps taken by TSR other than a review of data submitted to check for any errors. Until evidence is submitted that shows the party in question has falsified information submitted to TSR, or violated rules, we will not pursue any investigation, contact the party in question, nor change the submitted data on TSR. TSR will not harbor suspicion against any submission based on rumors or unsubstantiated information. All protests and subsequent conversations between all parties will remain private during any investigation.

All rules and requirements are subject to review, edit, or change during the tournament.  Please review all rules and requirements by clicking the various links located under the "Rules & Info" tab. It is understood that a catch prior to an update of these rules is exempt.

Correct method of using  120” ruler to measure sharks

·  Hold ruler tight just above body of shark in a straight line, do not follow contours of shark.

·  Total length is measured in a straight line from the tip of snout to the longest length of tail.

·  Fork length is measured in a straight line from the tip of snout to the inside of tail as shown above.

·  Girth is measured around the thickest part of the shark between pectoral and dorsal fins.