Online Freshwater Spearfishing Tournament

REGISTER HERE

Entry Fee - FREE for NFSA members! Join the tournament and automatically become a member.
Juniors – Free!! (Under 18yrs by May 1st)
Starting Date – May 1st
Ending Date - October 31st
No entry deadline but must be registered prior to shooting eligible fish

 

Contact Information
Email - info@nationalfreshwaterspearfishing.org
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/nationalfreshwaterspearfishingassociation
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/nationalfreshwaterspearfishing
Facebook Handle: @nationalfreshwaterspearfishingassociation
Instagram: @nationalfreshwaterspearfishing

Tournament Director - Greg Hall
Assistant Tournament Director - Ryan Peterson
Assistant Tournament Director - Steve Gottfredson

OFST Committee:

  • Cameron Julita (Washington)
  • PENDING ACCEPTANCE
  • PENDING ACCEPTANCE
  • PENDING ACCEPTANCE
  • PENDING ACCEPTANCE

A general outline of responsibilities for the OFST Committee are as follows:

  • Review submissions for any competitor submitting a fish that will take over as category leader.
  • Review submissions for tournament directors.
  • Address and resolve and competitor submission disputes.
  • Review and resolve questionable submissions.


TOURNAMENT FORMAT AND RULES

Format

This is an online tournament consisting of Freediving and Scuba Diving. Your choice!

This year we are using an app called “Fishing Chaos”. Every diver will submit and log fish and see live tournament standings through this app. Search for it on the iOS and Google Play App store. It should be titled "Fishing Chaos" and will have an icon like below:

 


The longest fish in each individual category at the end of the tournament wins OFST for that category. At the end of the tournament there will also be a winner dubbed “The King of Freshwater" (or Queen). The King of Freshwater will be determined by adding up the total length of each individual competitor’s longest fish in each category. You will want to enter a fish in as many categories as possible. Just because your big fish didn’t win you the OFST for the category, it will help you add up overall inches and increase your chance for being crowned “The King of Freshwater" (or Queen). 

There will be 2 divisions in the tournament. Adult and Juniors. There will be 3 prizes for the Junior division, which will be for the 3 longest fish, however the 3 winning fish must be different fish species. The fish species must be one of our category species in the tournament. Junior Division fish submitted are eligible to win an OFST Fish Category. Parents, no shooting fish for your kids! If you are making a submission for the Juniors division, the rules are still the same, but you must submit it as a Juniors Division entry. 

OFST can change tournament rules at any time. You must comply with the rules at all times. If we make changes due to some unforeseen reason, we will update you on the OFST Private Facebook as well as email and/or text.  Be sure to have the notifications turned on for the page to alert you of any updates. As always, safety is of the utmost importance. Remember there is no fish worth of your life! Always dive with a buddy and remember 1 up and 1 down and use your dive flag on every trip. From all of us at NFSA, we would like to wish you all the best of luck!
 

RULES

  • All submitted fish must be speared with a rubber/pneumatic gun or pole spear.
  • All fish must be taken in NAMED PUBLIC WATERS
  • Tournament waters restricted to all freshwater bodies of water within the United States/Canada where state/federal regulations allow it.
  • Channel Catfish, due to the nature of its body configuration, will be measured by laying the fish flat on its belly on top of the 1 inch metal measuring tape. The measuring will start from the top of the mouth to the tip of the tail.
  • All entries must be submitted within 3 days of being taken.
  • In the event of a 2-person tie for "The King of Freshwater", the tie breaker will be the total length of each person's 2 longest fish.
  • All participants must follow all state/federal laws in the areas they are spearfishing. Any violation or suspected violation, of any of the laws and/or tournament rules, will result in disqualification from the tournament and possible disqualification from all future tournaments.
  • Any participant who gets caught cheating or is suspected of cheating after review from the board at OFST, will be disqualified and will automatically be barred from ever being allowed to participate in future tournaments. Be honest!

 

HOW TO DOCUMENT AND LOG A FISH

All entries to be submitted through the Fishing Chaos app. Log your fish by entering the appropriate details and uploading pictures through the app that clearly show the length of the fish AND a picture of you holding up your fish for bragging rights! You are also required to video your measurement process that clearly shows the length of your fish. You are required to KEEP THE VIDEO until your submission is approved. Once your submission has been approved, you may delete the video.

Timestamp verification is provided by the Fishing Chaos app. You MUST allow the app all permissions in order for Fishing Chaos to properly timestamp your photo for your submission. Any submissions with a picture that is not timestamped will be rejected.

Fish must be laying on a FLAT surface! Fish are measured from under their body with a 1” wide easy to read steel tape measure. Any submissions where the measurement cannot be undoubtedly seen will not be accepted. All measurements shall be made from the tip of the tail to the tip of the mouth. The mouth of the fish must be closed and not open.

Here is a step by step explanation of how to measure a fish:

  • Begin video of your entry.
  • Be sure to video the measuring device of your choice (Steel Measure Tape or Official Bump Board) showing it unaltered.
  • Bump 1 inch wide metal tape or bump board against hard flat surface
  • Lay fish on top of steel measure tape or bump board and bump nose of fish against the same hard surface
  • State your name and species of fish.
  • Video tape down length of the fish showing the nose of the fish bumped against the hard flat surface all the way down to the tail.
  • Pinch tail and show clear visual of steel tape measurement.
  • Zoom out and show that the fish has maintained stable position during measuring process and that the tape measure has not moved.
  • Take multiple pictures and videos of your submission. In case of a challenge, the burden of proof rests upon the submitter.

You may submit as many fish throughout the tournament for every category as you wish. Meaning, if you submitted a fish today and went out tomorrow and shot a bigger fish, you can upgrade your smaller fish by submitting your bigger fish. This will play a key role in becoming “The King of Freshwater”.

For all species other than Panfish, measurements go to the closest 1/4 inch. To take over the leaderboard you must beat the previous leading fish by 1/4 of an inch! Measurements for Panfish will go to the closest 1/8 of an inch. To take over the leaderboard for Panfish, you must beat the previous leading fish by 1/8 of an inch. All fish competing for a leaderboard position within 4/8 of an inch (1/2 inch) are subject to review by the OFST Committee.

If the fish is not measured correctly or clearly documented in the video, the OFST Committee will determine whether to disqualify the fish or reduce the reported length. OFST reserves the right to challenge any submission. Proof must be provided from the person submitting the entry if additional information is asked for. Anyone has the right to challenge another submission. If your submission is challenged, you will be notified of the challenge, and then notified of the decision once the OFST Committee reviews your submission.

TOURNAMENT

We have selected 5 fish categories that will contribute directly to the OFST tournament and the “King of Freshwater”. We have also selected 5 "Buy-In" fish categories that will not be related to the tournament in any way but will provide spearos who don't have access to all the OFST species to still compete with others in the same elective species category. No duplicate categories allowed (main event or buy-in). Must be registered in the OFST main event to participate in ”buy-in” categories.

Official OFST Categories

  1. Common Carp – 1st, 2nd, 3rd
  2. Walleye - 1st, 2nd
  3. Sucker / Gizzard Shad - 1st, 2nd
  4. Channel Catfish - 1st, 2nd
  5. Striper - 1st

“Buy-In” Categories

  • Panfish - winner is sum of all subcategories ($10 buy-in)
    • Perch
    • Bluegill
    • Sunfish
    • Crappie
  • Trout - winner is sum of all subcategories ($10 buy-in)
    • Rainbow Trout
    • Cutthroat
    • Lake Trout
    • Splake
    • Brown Trout
    • Tiger Trout
  • Northern Pike/Tiger Muskie ($5 buy-in)
  • Drum ($5 buy-in)
  • Smallmouth Bass ($5 buy-in)
  • Multi-Species Carp ($10 buy-in)

We encourage divers to create their own "buy-in" categories and promote it in their own circles. Cut off date is June 30th. Reach out to us at info@nationalfreshwaterspearfishing.org!

PRIZES
Main Event

Selection from a virtual prize table and will be awarded in order by category and by placement in each category. For example, all those who won first place will pick first in order by category rank. Then all those who placed 2nd will pick in order by category rank, etc. Win a maximum of 2 categories per diver of the main OFST categories. No restrictions on buy-in categories.

Juniors will have 3 prizes from our sponsors and each winner will receive a prize! The Juniors winner with the longest fish gets to pick their prize first.

The award for “The King of Freshwater” will be a Trophy, Competition T-Shirt, and bragging rights for the next year!

Be sure to thank the sponsors by getting more divers involved and sharing the OFST tournament with your friends on Facebook or Instagram! Sign a Junior diver up with you and get them out on your next spearfishing adventure!

Buy-In Categories
Category winners will split the cash value of category entry fees with NFSA. 25% of entry fees will go to NFSA and 75% of entry fees will go to category winner.

 

Disclaimer
OFST, NFSA, or any of its people cannot, and will not, be held liable for any death or injuries to any participants by them or their families partaking in the tournament. By signing up for the tournament, you acknowledge this and can not hold OFST and any of its people liable.