Our Tournament
2027 marks the tournament’s 50th year.
Kick Off: June 14, 2027
Fishing: June 15–17, 2027
The Ladies Tarpon Fly Tournament represents a rich history of women who love the sport of salt water fly fishing. Since 1977, female anglers have come from all over the world to fish for tarpon in the shallow waters off Islamorada and Florida Bay during their famous migration. The Ladies Tarpon Fly Tournament is a fly fishing invitational tournament that has attracted a host of premier female fly anglers and guides throughout its history. Whether your favorite species is tarpon or you are looking to put another feather in your cap, the tournament participants range from the expert to the novice. 2027 will mark the tournament’s 50th anniversary. The tournament will be held June 14-17, 2027 with a kickoff event the evening of the 14th. Entry fee of $2,000 includes, for you and your guide, the kick off event, daily breakfasts, afternoon hor d’oeuvres, a social event and awards banquet. Awards will be given for various categories including Grand Champion and Best New Angler and will consist of artwork by notable wildlife artists, as well as well as the latest fishing tackle and gear from the best brands in the industry. The angler is responsible for paying her guide. This is a competition that connects women in the sport, forms new friendships and creates lasting memories all while pursuing one of the world’s greatest fighting fish – the silver king!
Space is limited and this tournament will be full. If you are interested in a fun, challenging tournament in the beautiful Florida Keys, please complete the form on our contact page.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS | TOURNAMENT RULES | ANGLER/GUIDE LIST
2027 Schedule of Events
Coming soon
2027 Tournament Rules
Rules amended June 10, 2026, as revised for the 2027 Tournament.
1. Territory, Start & Time
• All team entries are by invitation only.
• Official headquarters: Islamorada Fishing Club (IFC).
• Each angler must sign her own name on the Start Ledger at the Lorelei each morning.
• All boats must depart from and return to the Lorelei. No trailering to another launch site is permitted.
• The tournament establishes flight times. Anglers may leave the Lorelei only when their assigned flight time arrives. Current flight times are.
– First flight: 6:00 AM
– Second flight: 6:15 AM
– Third flight: 6:17 AM
• Guides are responsible for the safety of their anglers, themselves, and equipment. If it is too dark to safely depart, the guide shall delay departure. Boats without running lights may not depart before 6:15 AM.
• Running lights must remain on until 6:30 AM, whether the boat is moving or stationary.
• Lines out is 3:00 PM. A fish hooked before 3:00 PM may be fought until released or lost. Any boat fishing after lines out must notify the Lorelei and/or Chairwoman; notice may be relayed through another person.
• All boats must check in with the scorekeeper at IFC by 5:00 PM each fishing day.
• The Chairwoman/Tournament Committee may delay the start because of imminent or dangerous weather. In severe weather, including a tropical storm, the Tournament Committee may shorten the tournament.
2. Measuring & Scoring
• Release: 100 points.
• Caught Fish: 300 points.
• Fish must be at least 48 inches to qualify for release or caught-fish points.
• A qualifying Weight Fish must weigh at least 70 pounds.
• General fish length is measured from the tip of the bottom jaw to the tip of the tail.
• To constitute a legal release, the knot connecting the fly line to the leader must enter the rod tip. The boat need not be in neutral. The fish may then be broken off or fought.
• For a Caught Fish, the angler must fight the fish to the boat and the guide must disengage the hook. A digital photograph must clearly show the angler or guide maintaining complete hand control of the fish. The photograph should show as much of the fish as possible.
• If necessary, length may be verified with the four-foot stick, measured along the side of the fish from the tip of the bottom jaw to the tip of the tail.
• An angler and guide may elect to strap a fish as a Weight Fish based only on visual judgment of its size in the water. Partially lifting a fish to estimate its weight or using a measuring tape to estimate weight before committing to the strap is prohibited.
• Each angler may submit no more than one Weight Fish during the tournament.
• A potential Weight Fish that measures less than 70 pounds receives the applicable Caught Fish points if it otherwise qualifies as a Caught Fish, but it counts against the angler’s one-Weight-Fish limit and the strap is forfeited.
• To score a Weight Fish, the angler and guide must complete the following as quickly as possible:
1. Measure length along the lateral line from the tip of the lower jaw to the center of the fork of the tail.
2. Measure girth with the zip-tie strap.
3. Take a digital photograph showing the strap on the fish.
4. Remove and secure the strap with sticky tape.
• The official Weight Fish weight will be calculated by the Tournament Scorekeeper using the BTT online tarpon weight calculator.
• The Tournament Grand Champion is the angler with the most points over the three fishing days. Other individual awards may be based on points or fish caught.
• The Largest Tarpon Award goes to the angler with the largest qualifying Weight Fish.
• By 5:00 PM each fishing day, the angler and guide must submit a signed Catch and Release Form and all required strap photographs. Failure to submit by 5:00 PM results in no points for that day, subject to tournament judges’ waiver for breakdowns or unusual circumstances.
• Each angler and guide will receive a measuring packet containing a four-foot stick, measuring tape, one zip-tie strap, sticky tape, and three Catch and Release forms. The angler or guide must provide a digital camera.
3. Penalties
• Failure to sign in before departure: 100-point penalty.
• Failure to submit a score sheet by 5:00 PM: 100-point penalty per infraction.
• Failure of one team member to attend the Captains Meeting: 100-point penalty.
• Missing the midweek Anglers Meeting: 100-point penalty.
• Knowingly or willfully violating tournament rules may result in loss of future invitations.
4. Tackle Specifications
• Only one-handed fly rods and single-action reels designed for fly casting are permitted.
• Rod butt may extend no more than four inches below the reel seat and may not be altered after a fish is hooked.
• Leaders must meet IGFA standards.
• Only tournament-supplied tippet may be used.
• Only artificial lures with a single hook are permitted. Hook length may not exceed 2 3/4 inches overall.
• Leaders may not exceed 15 feet and must contain at least 15 inches of tournament-supplied tippet.
• Shock tippet may not exceed 12 inches, including knots.
• Release gaffs and lip gaffs are prohibited.
5. General Rules
• Only fly casting is permitted.
• The angler must cast, set the hook, fight, and bring the fish to the leader without assistance. Any other person touching the rod, reel, or line disqualifies the entry.
• Unnecessary handling of a fish disqualifies the entry.
• A rod broken above the reel seat does not disqualify the entry.
• Trolling and chumming are prohibited.
• Fishing in residential canals, behind homes, or marinas for “pet” tarpon is prohibited.
• Trolling motors are prohibited.
• All electronic scanning and fish-detection devices are prohibited.
• The Tournament Committee may inspect tackle at any time.
• The Angler Meeting is mandatory.
• Each angler must have a non-relative, USCG-licensed guide with all required permits. Guides must provide a Certificate of Insurance.
• All IGFA, FFW, federal, and state rules apply unless superseded by these Tournament Rules.
• No ladder or heightening device may extend more than four feet above the gunwale.
• The angler and guide must remain in the boat unless pulled overboard.
• Only polable flats skiffs are permitted; bay boats are prohibited.
• Grievances must be written, signed, and submitted by 5:00 PM the same day.
• In a tie, the earliest scoring event wins.
• One non-assisting passenger is permitted with prior approval.
• All participants must observe courtesy and sportsmanship.
• The first skiff to a spot is entitled to fish it. Saving spots is unsportsmanlike and a rules violation.
• Drones are prohibited during tournament days.
• No scouting by aircraft during tournament days.
• No fish scanning devices or other electronic fish-detection devices may be used.
• No fishing after lines out, except for a fish hooked before 3:00 PM.
• Cell phones may not be used to gather or share fishing information during lines-in hours.
• Nothing in these Tournament Rules authorizes conduct prohibited by applicable Florida or other law.
6. Governance & Disputes
• The Tournament is conducted by the Chairperson and volunteer committees.
• Standing committees are the Tournament Committee, Guides Committee, and Arbitration Committee.
• The Kick-Off Event and Captains Meeting are held at 6:00 PM Monday before the tournament.
• The Annual Anglers Meeting is held Wednesday after fishing.
• Rule changes require a two-thirds vote of the Anglers and a two-thirds vote of the tournament committee.
• The Guides Committee organizes meetings to clarify rules and procedures.
• Arbitration Committee: Leslie Duncan, Betsy Bullard, and Rob Fordyce.
Sponsors
The tournament is so fortunate to feature Florida Keys Outfitters as our title sponsor. Visit
floridakeysoutfitters.com for all of your fly fishing needs.
Please support all of our generous sponsors.
2027 Angler & Guide List
Coming soon