VSSA Tournament
New Format for 2022. We are going to a new format for 2022. We are offering monthly cash prizes from January 2022 to December 2022 for the longest length (released or kept) for 10 different species. Your fish does not have to be a citation fish so any size can win a monthly prize. We are going to use FishDonkey as our platform for submitting entries. If you are releasing fish please use accepted release practices and get your measurements / pictures as fast as possible to return the fish back to the water. You must be a member or affiliate club member to participate. Check out FishDonkey for more details. To join VSSA click here.
Tournament Overview. Welcome to the Virginia Saltwater Sportfishing Association (VSSA) Fishing Tournament. This event is for VSSA Members Only.
A CASH prize of $50 will be given each month to the longest fish for each of the 10 fish listed below:
1. Sheepshead
2. Spanish Mackerel
3. Flounder
4. Red Drum
5. Black Drum
6. Cobia
7. Croaker
8. Spot
9. Striped Bass
10. Speckled Trout
This is a monthly tournament anglers may fish any saltwater body in Virginia, Chesapeake Bay, Rivers, Tributary or offshore waters. Anglers fishing by boat must leave and return to a Virginia port. Fish may be released or kept. A member may only win up to 3 months total in the year of any given species. All paid members of VSSA are eligible to participate. To join VSSA visit:
Virginia Saltwater Sportfishing Association (joinvssa.org)
All fish entered in the tournament will be photographed, measured, and recorded with the FishDonkey app. You do not have to purchase a measuring tape or board you may use any commercially bought ruler or tape measure you have on the boat. How to Enter a Fish.
How to properly Measure a Fish video. Awards are presented on the basis of length as determined through the mobile app and verified by tournament judges. The categories, species, and official rules can be found in the FishDonkey app. Measurements………………..Size limits are in total length. Total length means the length of a fish measured from the most forward projection of the snout, with the mouth closed, to the tip of the longer lobe of the tail (caudal) fin, measured with the tail compressed along the midline, using a straight-line measure, not measured over the curve of the body. Snout means the most forward projection from a fish’s head that includes the upper and lower jaw.
Have fun and FISH ON!
2021 Tournament Details
The 1st Annual VSSA fishing tournament begins January 1, 2021 and ends December 31, 2021. The tournament entry fee is $25, which gets you into the tournament + gives you a 1-year’s membership in VSSA. $20 of your $25 entry fee will go into the prize money pot; the remaining $5 goes to support VSSA. The more VSSA can increase its membership, the bigger the prize pots will be.
To sweeten the pots of prize money, VSSA will contribute $2000; 50% will be split between the Monthly Winners, and the remaining 50% will go to End of Year Winners. Prize money will be awarded monthly for the top 3 fish for each of the Monthly Winners and in December, for the top 5 fish for The End of Year Winners. Check the Tournament Standings Here.
Each citation fish – whether weight citation or release citation – will count as 1 point. All fish are therefore weighted equally so that inshore anglers, offshore anglers, as well as pier/surf anglers have equal chances at winning prize money.
All fish must be a weight citation or release citation per the rules of the VMRC Saltwater Sportfishing Tournament and caught in a sportsman like manner.
Monthly Prize Money
1st Place: 50%
2nd Place: 30%
3rd Place: 20%
End of Year Prize Money
1st Place: 30%
2nd Place: 25%
3rd Place: 20%
4th Place: 15%
5th Place: 10%
To enter the tournament and become a VSSA member for $25 click below:
Once you have your citation yellow copy of the citation go here to submit your entry. Entries will be cross walked with VMRC to preclude forged forms.
VSSA Tournament Rules
- All VSSA current 2021 members are eligible for tournament.
- 50% of prize money goes towards Monthly Winners
- Other 50% of prize money goes to End of Year Winners.
- Top 3 fish each month win their share of prize money (points resets to zero each month).
- Top 5 fish at End of Year win their share of prize money (total for year points).
- No more than 3 submissions per species per quarter are allowed.
- All entries must follow citation program rules.
- Citation form will be verified with VMRC.
ELIGIBLE SPECIES AND MINIMUM WEIGHTS FOR CITATIONS
Fish must be weighed and registered at official weigh stations.
Fish – Citation
Swordfish – 100 lbs.
Tuna, Bluefin – 100 lbs.
Black Drum – 80 lbs.
Tuna, Yellowfin or Bigeye – 70 lbs
Cobia – 55 lbs.
Tuna, True Albacore (Longfin Tuna) – 40 lbs.
Striped Bass – 40 lbs.
Wahoo – 35 lbs
Golden Tilefish – 30 lbs
Dolphin – 25 lbs.
King Mackerel – 20 lbs.
Bluefish – 16 lbs.
Sheepshead – 10 lbs.
Blueline Tilefish – 10 lbs.
Gray Trout – 9 lbs.
Spadefish – 8 lbs.
Tautog – 9 lbs.
Flounder – 6 lbs.
Black Sea Bass – 5 lbs.
Speckled Trout – 5 lbs.
Spanish Mackerel – 4 lbs.
Gray Triggerfish -4 lbs.
Croaker – 3 lbs.
Kingfish (Roundhead) – 1 lb. 8 oz.
Pompano – 1 lb. 8 oz.
Spot – 1 lb.
ELIGIBLE SPECIES AND REQUIREMENTS FOR RELEASE CITATIONS
Actual measured lengths required for all species except for those marked with asterisk (*). Estimated length may be used for species marked with asterisk. Length measurements for live releases only
Fish – Release Citation
Billfish* – No Required Minimum Length
(Marlin, Sailfish, Spearfish, Swordfish)
Sharks (any)* – 72 inches
Tuna, Bluefin* – 60 inches
Cobia – 50 inches
Amberjack – 50 inches
Drum, Black or Red – 46 inches
Striped Bass – 44 inches
Crevalle Jack – 40 inches
Bluefish – 36 inches
Tarpon* – 36 inches
False Albacore – 32 inches
Gray Trout – 30 inches
Flounder – 26 inches
Spanish Mackerel – 26 inches
Speckled Trout – 24 inches
Sheepshead – 24 inches
Tautog – 23 inches
Spadefish – 22 inches
Gray Triggerfish – 20 inches
Croaker – 20 inches
Kingfish (Roundhead) – 16 inches
Pompano – 16 inches
Spot – 13 inches
