Registration & Tournament Details
Registration Period: July 27, 2026 – August 9, 2026
In-Person Registration: Paradise Marina Building, July 27th – Aug. 9th
Online Registration: www.paradisepounder.com, July 27th – Aug. 9th
Tournament Type: Flounder Only Team Tournament (by boat)
Tournament Format: 5-day tournament — choose 3 days to fish
Team Registration Fee: $300/team (July 27 – Aug. 2) | $325/team (Aug. 3 – 9) — Team fee does not include Captain
Individual Angler Fee: $150/angler (July 27 – Aug. 2) | $175/angler (Aug. 3 – 9)
Payment: Cash or credit in person (3.5% fee applies to credit card payments). A 3.5% fee also applies to online payments at www.paradisepounder.com.
Boundary Rules — IMPORTANT
You may ONLY fish within 50 nautical miles from the Indian River Inlet Green Buoy #1.
Fishing is permitted in both Delaware and Federal waters within this boundary.
Any fish caught outside 50 nautical miles will result in immediate disqualification.
Team & Boat Requirements
- Team Size: Up to 8 registered anglers per boat, including 1 Captain
- Registration Rule: Everyone on the boat must be registered — no exceptions!
- Team Changes: Once an angler is registered on your team, they cannot be removed or replaced by a new angler. Once registered, that is final.
- Captain Changes: Captains may be switched with another registered angler on your boat. You must update your registration form at the Paradise Marina prior to the tournament.
- Individual Limit: Each angler may only be registered on 1 team.
Daily Schedule & Lay Day Rules
- Tournament Days: Choose any 3 days from the 5-day tournament period.
- Lay Day Check-in: A registered angler from your team is required to check in before 7:00 AM on days you are NOT fishing.
- Check-in Options:
- In person: Paradise Marina Building, 6:00 AM – 7:00 AM each tournament day
- Email: Layday@paradisepounder.com — after 7:00 PM the day prior OR before 7:00 AM day of lay day. Once the email is sent, it is final — there is no going back.
- Email Requirements: Must include team number, team name, and the word “LAYDAY”.
- Lay Day Fishing: After your lay day is reported, you may fish for pleasure only. No fish caught on a lay day may be weighed any day during the tournament.
- Final Days Exception: If you fish Wednesday Aug. 13th, Thursday Aug. 14th, and Friday Aug. 15th, you are not required to report your lay day on Saturday Aug. 16th or Sunday Aug. 17th.
Daily Fishing & Weigh-In Rules
- Fish Limit: Each captain is eligible to weigh 1 flounder per day.
- Same-day Rule: Flounder must be weighed the day it is caught.
- Captain’s Responsibility: Bring the heaviest flounder to weigh-ins.
- Weigh-in Procedure: The captain is the only one permitted on stage during weigh-in. The scale master will verify the length with you on stage.
- Final Deadline: Must be in the Paradise Lagoon Bar by 6:00 PM.
- Measurement Final: Once the Captain leaves the scales, the weight and measurement of the fish are final.
Fishing Method Requirements
- Equipment: Rod and reel, hook and line only.
- Personal Catch: You must hook, fight, and land your own fish.
- Netting: Another angler may net your fish — no gaffing permitted. Must use net.
- Multiple Rods: Allowed during the tournament.
- Legal Compliance: Must comply with all Federal and State of Delaware laws regarding flounder size and limits. The Dept. of Natural Resources sets the minimum size requirements for recreational summer flounder each year in Delaware.
Fish Transportation & Flexibility
- Transportation Options: Once caught, a team may use any means to get their fish to the scales — including switching the fish to another boat, being towed by another boat, or trucking the fish to the scales.
- Deadline: Must be in the Paradise Lagoon Bar by 6:00 PM.
- Fishing Restriction: Once a fish switch has been made, no team member may fish the remainder of that day.
Optional Daily Calcutta Division
Entry Fee: $300 (July 27 – Aug. 2) | $325 (Aug. 3 – 9) — covers all 3 days you fish
Eligibility: Open to all registered captains
1st Place Requirement: Fish must weigh a minimum of 5 pounds to qualify for the 1st Place Calcutta prize. (Applies only to the Calcutta Division and only for 1st Place.)
Under 5 lbs: Eligible for 2nd – 7th place in the Calcutta Division.
Prize Eligibility: Each team is eligible to win one prize per day in the daily Calcutta for each of the 3 days they fish, if registered.
Scoring & Prizes
- Winner Determination: By weight — length breaks ties.
- Tie Rules — Overall Division: Equal weight and length = prize combined with next place down, split between the 2 teams. If 2 teams tie for 16th place, they split the 16th place prize only.
- Tie Rules — Calcutta Division: Same as overall, except if 2 teams tie for 7th place, they split the 7th place prize only.
- Prize Eligibility — Overall: Each team is eligible for one prize in the overall division.
- Prize Eligibility — Calcutta: Each team is eligible for one prize per day for each of the 3 days they fish, if registered in the Calcutta.
Tournament Supplies & Requirements
- T-Shirts: Available at the T-shirt shop following the captains’ meeting and each day of the tournament from 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM.
- T-Shirt Guarantee: Only guaranteed for teams registering July 27th – August 2nd.
- Delaware License: Required for compliance with all state fishing laws.
Tournament Integrity & Legal
- Fish Examination: All fish entered are subject to any examinations judges feel appropriate for the integrity of the tournament.
- Rule Violations: Constitute grounds for disqualification. Judges shall rule on any violation. The decision of the judges shall be final.
- Liability Release: All participants, by their entry in this tournament, release Paradise Marina from any and all liability, losses for liable, slander, damage, negligence, injury or death suffered by any entrant, participant, companion, crew, guest or family member that may result from any tournament activity on land or sea.
- Rule Agreement: The Captain certifies that all flounder caught during tournament hours will be in accordance with all rules of the Paradise Flounder Pounder Open. I understand and agree to abide by the rules of the Paradise Flounder Pounder Open Tournament.
Registration & Contact
Online Registration: www.paradisepounder.com
Lay Day Email: Layday@paradisepounder.com
