Pleasure Island Fall Surf Challenge Rules

October 17 – 19, 2025

2025 PLEASURE ISLAND FALL SURF FISHING CHALLENGE RULES

Click here for a printable version of the rules: 2024 Pleasure Island Fall Surf Rules

The tournament’s entry fee places you in all five categories—trout (gray and speckled), bluefish, black drum, pompano, and sea mullet. The entry fee does not place you in the Slot Red Drum TWT.
All participants must be registered by 11:00 pm on Friday, October 17. Registration is on Friday, October 17, from 3:00 pm until 11:00 pm. You may pre-register by mailing in the entry form in our tournament booklet, on our website at www.FishermansPost.com (click on “Tournaments” and then “Pleasure Island Fall Surf Fishing Challenge”), or in person at Island Tackle & Hardware, Tex’s Tackle, or Intracoastal Angler (you may only pre-register at these locations up until 8:00 pm on Thursday, October 16; afterwards, you must register in person on Friday, October 17, at Tournament HQ).
The tournament fishing time starts 11:59 pm on Friday, October 17, and lasts around the clock until 12:00 noon on Sunday, October 19.
There are three weigh stations: (1) North End—Freeman Park just past the start of beach driving and midway between beach and dunes; (2) Island Tackle & Hardware; and (3) Fort Fisher State Recreational Area drive-on beach at Crossover 1.
The three weigh stations will be open around the clock from 11:59 pm on Friday, October 17, through 12:00 noon on Sunday, October 19. All fish must be in the weigh station line by 12:00 noon on Sunday, October 19.
All participants must fish from the Pleasure Island surf. No boats. No sound or pier fishing. The North End boundary is 500 yards beyond the No Driving sign (and marked with a Fish Post flag). The South End boundary is the “No driving past this point” signs.
No fishing is permitted within 100 yards of Carolina Beach or Kure Beach fishing piers. No fishing is permitted while standing on the pipe or its structure located near the Oceaneer Motel.
All fish weighed must have been caught by the individual bringing them to a weigh station. All fish must be caught on hook and line.
Each participant may not fish more than two rods at a time.
No kites, balloon rigs, paddling out baits, bait cannons, or drones. No chumming or chum pots. No gaffing or netting fish.
The tournament will fish rain or shine—no makeup dates are scheduled.
Each participant must physically attend Registration on Friday, October 17, between 3:00 pm to 11:00 pm to receive the tournament wristband—no exceptions. All participants must then display the tournament wristband while fishing. No fish can be weighed in by an angler not displaying the tournament wristband.
All fish must adhere to North Carolina state size regulations.
No cut or mutilated fish will be accepted.
Any fish weighed in may become the property of the Pleasure Island Fall Surf Fishing Challenge.
The Slot Red Drum TWT (tournament within a tournament) is voluntary for tournament anglers. It is offered as another way to win money. It has a payout ratio of 1st—50%, 2nd—30%, and 3rd—20%.
All red drum weighed in must be in the slot, and red drum will be measured with belly facing the weigh master and a uniform pinch of the tail.
Prizes are awarded solely based on fish weight. In the event of identical weights, the first fish weighed shall be declared the winner. In the event of identical weights and times, any prize money for one or both places on the leaderboard will be divided equally between the two participants.
A participant may not place more than once in any one category, but a participant may place in multiple categories (for example, a participant can’t place twice in the Bluefish category, but a participant can place once in Bluefish, once in Pompano, etc.). A participant may only place once in the Slot Red Drum TWT.
Slot red drum do not count towards the Junior Angler, Lady Angler, and Senior Angler prizes.
The Junior Angler must be 14-years-old or younger (as of October 17, 2025).
The Lady Angler must be female and 15-years-old or older (as of October 17, 2025).
The Senior Angler must be male and 60-years-old or older (as of October 17, 2025).
By signing the entry form, the participant consents that the Pleasure Island Fall Surf Fishing Challenge may use without payment or restrictions any photographs in which he or she appears for any purpose whatsoever, including but not limited to resale, advertising, commercial, or promotional material.
Anglers that appear to be in first or second place on Sunday morning in any category (including the TWT) must make it to Tournament HQ (the location of Awards) by 12:30 pm to be available for a polygraph test. Showing up late or not showing up at all may postpone and/or cancel the reception of any tournament winnings.
Any angler, if directed by the tournament committee, must submit to a polygraph test within 72 hours after the last fish has been weighed. This decision is at the sole discretion of the tournament committee. Should the test be failed or if the angler fails to participate in the polygraph test within the 72 hours, the tournament committee reserves the right to forfeit all winnings awarded to the winner in question.
All protests made to the tournament committee shall be accompanied by a $350 cash deposit. All protests shall be made no later than one hour after the last fish has been weighed. The $350 cash deposit will be returned if the tournament committee upholds the protest. The $350 cash deposit will become the property of the Pleasure Island Fall Surf Fishing Challenge if the protest is not upheld. All decisions of the tournament committee shall be final.
The tournament committee has the right to refuse entry from any applicant. If an entry is refused, then 100% of the applicant’s entry fee will be returned.
All participants are responsible for reading and following all rules and regulations set forth by the Pleasure Island Fall Surf Fishing Challenge.

Questions? Contact Fisherman’s Post at (910) 452-6378 or surf@fishermanspost.com.