Clayton Kloesel Memorial Fishing Tournament
2026 Rules and Regulations
The following are the Official Rules for the 2026 Clayton Kloesel Memorial Fishing
Tournament. It is the contestants' responsibility to read, understand, and comply
with all the rules outlined below. Non-compliance will be grounds for disqualification from the tournament. By registering for and participating in the Clayton Kloesel Memorial Fishing Tournament, each team and participant agrees to be bound by these Official Rules.
1} Federal, State & Local laws shall be obeyed by contestants at all times. Any game violation of any federal, state or local law will result in immediate disqualification of the individual and his/ her team from the tournament.
2} The event staff reserves the right to refuse entry into the competition to any team or individual competitor, with or without cause, at its sole discretion.
3} Contestants under the age of 18 must fish with legal guardian/parent.
4} Tournament participants are expected to follow the highest standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety, conservation, and ethics. Unethical conduct will result in disqualification from the tournament.
5} The tournament will not issue any liability coverage for this event. By signing this entry form the participant agrees that the tournament officials, participants, and sponsors are absolved of any responsibility for damage or injury sustained due to their participation in the event or any related activities.
6} Teams must be pre-registered to participate no later than May 22nd at 12am. Pre registered participants will be eligible for meal tickets, which ARE INCLUDED in tournament entry. $500 entry fee includes the Categories - Heavy Stringer, Heavy Red, and Heavy Trout. There will be a additional side pot at registration of $50 for a mystery fish drawn at captains meeting.
7} Late entries will be accepted until Friday May 29th prior to captains meeting, with a $150 late fee. Limited meal tickets will be sold at the door for those wanting to buy meals (first come first serve, until tickets run out).
8} This is a team tournament. Each team shall consist of no more than four anglers. A team entry can consist of one or two or three anglers’ but will compete against all the other full teams. There will be a Guided division and a Non-Guided division.
9} Teams may hire a licensed fishing guide if they chose to do so, but must be entered in the Guided Division. Guides may fish as long as he/she is listed on registration.
10} Guided division consists of someone fishing with a licensed guide or someone who fishes professionally or has been given sponsor money in the last 24 months. (There will be a polygraph given to the winning teams In each division). Guides
must be current on Merchant mariner credentials and TPWD license must be current. It is YOUR responsibility to make sure your guide is up to date. POLYGRAPH will be given.......
11} Winners in each division will be mandated to take a polygraph. Failure to do so, will disqualify the whole team. ( One person off each team will be polygraphed).
12} NO airboats or mud boats allowed. Kayaks are allowed. Kayak teams must stay within eye sight of all team members. (Polygraph will be given). Anglers are also allowed to wade fish and must also stay within sight distance of each other and vessel at all times. No dropping off waders in different locations not within sight distance.
13} At least one member of each team must be present at the captain’s meeting. All other participants are welcome to join as well! Captains and attendees can stop by at any time between 6:00pm and 7:30pm. Captains meeting will start at 7:30pm. Team member(s) can enter side pots, enter raffles, enjoy beverages, and review tournament
rules. Weighmaster will be onsite to go over tournament rules, explain the measuring stick procedures, and answer questions during captains meeting.
14} Boat calcutta will take place at captains meeting. Teams will have the option to buy their own boat for $150 if you haven’t pre-registered. Calcutta will pay 100% back to first place stringer for guided and non guided.**This must be paid by close of
registration **
15} Entrants must be present to win the door prize giveaways.
16} Fishing is allowed only in Texas State waters. There are no bay boundary lines. Anglers must not break the plane of any jetty system. Period. Example: you may fish the rocks inside the jetties, but you may not pass the end of jetties. Polygraph
will be given.
17} All fish shall be taken by rod and reel with live, dead or artificial baits.
18} First cast will be determined at captains meeting. Weigh in times will be from 2-4 pm. All teams must be in line with fish in hand by 4pm for weigh in. There will be someone from the Tournament Committee standing in the back of the line at 4pm to ensure nobody gets in line after 4pm. Weigh in will be in parking lot of the Aransas Pass Civic Center 700 W. Wheeler Aransas Pass, TX 78336.
19} Culling of fish in line will not be allowed. Please have your fish marked with the tags that will be provided to you at captains meeting. Again, please have your fish tagged and ready to weigh in. Weighmaster will mark entries to ensure there will be no shared fish. The idea is to have you weigh in your fish, go get cleaned up, and return for awards and raffle starting at 6pm.
20} The winning fish in weight categories will be the heaviest fish by weight in decimal pounds as determined by the tournament weighmaster. Tournament anglers must bring in stringer (2 Redfish, 2 Speckled Trout) and separate fish for side pots, (1 Redfish & One Speckled Trout). Separate colored tags will be given to you at captains
meeting to identify your fish.
21} Only bring the fish to be weighed into the tournament to the Weighmaster. If a fish is kicked or disqualified it cannot be replaced with another fish in its place. Weighmaster will not select your fish for you. The fish you pick is the fish you enter.
22} The tournament weighmaster will be Gulf Coast Weighmaster Services. If, in his/her opinion, any fish entered in the tournament was caught outside Tournament Fishing Times or was caught by means other than rod and reel or was tampered with in order to alter weight or length, the team entering the fish in question is subject to disqualification at the discretion of the tournament director. All decisions by the weighmaster and tournament director are final. (There will be a polygraph).
23} All fish will be inspected for alterations in size, length, and weight. No altered fish will be accepted. Applicable fish can be gutted at Weighmaster's discretion. Any mutilated/altered fish will result in disqualification of the team weighing in the fish.
24} No outside alcohol, food or yeti cups are allowed inside the event venue. Per TABC. There will be police officers at the door.
25} By entering the Clayton Kloesel Memorial Fishing Tournament, we hereby waive all liability claims against all parties associated with said tournament. We agree to abide by all federal, state, and tournament rules and realize our immediate
disqualification for infractions of tournament rules without refund. We also agree to abide by tournament official rulings.
Tournament Categories
Guided/Non-Guided Divisions
Heavy Stringer - will consist of (2) slot Redfish 20-28” and (2) slot Speckled Trout 15-20”. You do not have to have a full stringer to weigh in.
Heavy Redfish - Must be a separate fish from your Heavy Stringer fish. (20-28")
Heavy Speckled Trout - Must be a separate fish from your Heavy Stringer fish. (15-20")
Side Pot
Mystery Fish - TBD at Captain's Meeting
Youth Division
Heavy Stringer - 1 Redfish (20-28”) and 1 Speckled Trout (15-20”) (These fish will be properly tagged with a different color band at weigh in. Youth division fish cannot use fish caught by someone else. The youth has to catch their own fish. Polygraph question.
Prizes
Heavy Stringer
1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each division
Heavy Redfish
1st and 2nd in each division
Heavy Speckled Trout
1st and 2nd in each division
Mystery Fish
1st place overall
There will be a fish cleaning service onsite if you wish to have your fish cleaned and bagged. You can pick up your fillets starting at 6pm. You will be responsible for the payment to the fish cleaner.
Thank you for participating in the Clayton Kloesel Memorial Fishing Tournament
