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Huntin' With Jacob Inaugural Cobia Tournament

-Inaugural-
COBIA TOURNAMENT

September 12-13, 2026
Chesapeake Bay - Maryland Waters

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WIN

$5,000

OVERALL COBIA
GRAND PRIZE

WIN

$2,000

OVERALL REDFISH
RELEASE DIVISION

  • COBIA DIVISION

OVERALL GRAND PRIZE

$5,000

SATURDAY COBIA

1ST PLACE $1,000

2ND PLACE $500

3RD PLACE $250

SUNDAY COBIA

1ST PLACE $1,000

2ND PLACE $500

3RD PLACE $250

BLUEFISH DIVISION

3-FISH STRINGER OVERALL

$750

SPANISH MACKERAL DIVISION

3-FISH STRINGER OVERALL

$750

  • REDFISH RELEASE DIVISION

OVERALL GRAND PRIZE

$5,000

ALL REDFISH ENTERED MUST BE RELEASED ALIVE AND MEASURED BY LENGTH. PHOTOS REQUIRED ON AN APPROVED MEASURING DEVICE.

CAPTAIN'S MEETING

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2026
5:30 PM - 8:30 PM

REGISTRATION CLOSES

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2026
7:00 PM

ENTRY FEES

$500 TWO-DAY ENTRY
$300 SINGLE-DAY ENTRY

  • MARYLAND WATERS ONLY
  • HOOK & LINE ONLY
  • VHF CHANNEL 72
  • TWO COBIA PER BOAT PER DAY
  1. Entrants must register by 7:00 PM on Friday, September 11, 2026. Last-minute entries will be accepted at the discretion of the Rules Committee.
  2. Entry fees will be $500.00 for both days.
  3. The MANDATORY Captain’s Meeting will be held on Friday, September 11, 2026, from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM. If the Captain is unable to attend, he or she may send a crew member in his/her place. Registration Tickets (emailed upon registration completion) must be presented upon entry to the Captain’s Meeting. The Ticket will be scanned and Captain Packages will be presented.
  4. Each boat will prominently display a placard (issued by the Rules Committee and included in the Captain Packages). This placard must be displayed at all times during the tournament.
  5. Tournament will be two days: Saturday, September 12, 2026 and Sunday, September 13, 2026. Participants shall monitor VHF Channel 72. Any cancellations or announcements will be posted through official tournament communications.
  6. Any boat may be boarded by tournament representatives for a thorough inspection of fish boxes, bilges, containers, and compartments at any time.
  7. At no time after the start of the tournament is any boat permitted to approach another boat, structure, or land. Verified emergencies may be excused from this rule. A charter boat may exchange fishing parties as long as the captain gets approval by tournament officials. Otherwise, if this rule is broken, the entrant will be disqualified and the entry forfeited.
  8. Recorded weights at the time of measurement are final. Fish must be weighed in by 5:00 PM each day. If you are standing in line (inside Molly’s leg and contacted tournament officials on channel 72), your fish will be weighed. You are only allowed to check in two (2) cobia per boat per day. Cobia must meet Maryland’s legal minimum size requirements to be eligible for weigh-in. Scales open at noon each day. NO FISH BY VEHICLE
  9. No lines in the water before 6:00 AM each day, Lines out 3:00PM.
  10. Boundaries: Maryland waters of the Chesapeake Bay (no tributaries). Boundaries are subject to enforcement by committee boats, aerial surveillance, and fellow participants. Out of bounds will result in disqualification without refund.
  11. All fish entered in this tournament must be caught by hook and line.
  12. Upon return to port, each boat must go directly to the weigh station first. Verified emergencies may be excused from this rule.
  13. All fish entered will be subject to such examination, externally and internally, as the judges deem necessary. Judges reserve the right to delay any award should the fish go to a laboratory for extensive testing to determine the legality of the fish. In case of fraud, the entrant will be subject to prosecution. All persons on any boat registering a fish will be subject to a polygraph examination if the judges deem necessary or if a protest is filed. All protests shall be made in writing to the judges no later than one hour after the last fish has been weighed. Any fish entered in the tournament is subject to disqualification if the judges decide it bears suspicious marks or characteristics. All decisions by the judges are final.
  14. An individual fish may only win one (1) prize in the Main Tournament. All prizes are awarded by weight, Except the Red Fish release category will be by length (WHICH WILL BE VERIFIED IN REEL TIME APP WITH PICTURE OF FISH WITH RULER)
  15. No refunds. Prizes without qualifying fish will be rolled into the next most valuable category in this order: Cobia,Release Redfish, Bluefish Stringer, Mackerel Stringer. The Daily Prizes not filled for cobia will be added to the Release Redfish Grand Prize.
  16. All communications between judges and fishermen will be monitored on VHF Channel 72.
  17. Entry fee must accompany application. Payment is required upon completion of the registration form.
  18. As participants in the Huntin’ With Jacob Inaugural Cobia Tournament, knowing the risks and dangers involved in such activities and any unanticipated dangers that may develop, participants agree to hold harmless and discharge Huntin’ With Jacob, all event sponsors, their assigns, lessees, agents, employees, volunteers, and directors from any and all damages, demands, actions, costs, and/or expenses arising from personal injury, property damage, or accidents incurred while participating in the tournament.
  19. Entrants are strongly encouraged to release all fish not intended for personal consumption. Please help conserve our precious resource and follow all Maryland fisheries regulations.
  20. By registering to participate in the tournament, all persons consent to the use, without payment or restriction, of any photographs and their names in which the captain, crew, and/or boat appear for promotional purposes.
  21. Tournament Within Tournament: Prize money increases and decreases proportionately to the number of boats entered. To be eligible, boats must be entered in the Main Tournament and abide by all Tournament Rules. Participation is optional.
  22. MUST HAVE ALL APPROPRIATE FISHING LICENSES.
  23. ANY RULES MADE AT CAPTAINS MEETING SUPERSEDE RULES HERE
  24. MUST HAVE 30 BOATS FOR TOURNAMENT TO GO.

TOURNAMENT PRIZES (BY WEIGHT)

GRAND PRIZE COBIA
$5,000

DAILY PRIZES

Saturday COBIA
1st Place – $1,000
2nd Place – $500
3rd Place – $250

Sunday COBIA
1st Place – $1,000
2nd Place – $500
3rd Place – $250

Bluefish – 3 Fish Stringer Overall
$750

Spanish Mackerel – 3 Fish Stringer Overall
$750

Release Red Fish Category

$2000 Grand Prize

Top Junior Angler

By Release Points

Top Lady Angler

By Release Points

TOURNAMENT WITHIN TOURNAMENT (Tournament retains 10% of all calcutta entry fees)

Private Boat Category (No Licensed Fishing Guide on the Boat)

$300 (50%,30%,20%)

Cobia Calcutta (50% 30% 20%)
$500 Level
$200 Level

Redfish Calcutta (50% 30% 20%)

$500 level

$200 level

Cobia Winner Take All (less 10%administrative fees)
$250 

Redfish Winner Take All (less 10% administrative fees)

$250

Bluefish Winner Take All (Less 10% Administrative Fees)
$200 (3-fish stringer by weight)

Combined Stringer Winner Take All (less 10% administrative fees)
$250
Up to 2 Cobia + Up to 3 Bluefish + Up to 3 Spanish Mackerel by combined weight.

Most Release Points

$100 dollar entry (less 10% Administrative Fees)(50%,30%,20%)

5 points per Cobia Released, 5 points per Red Fish

Lady Angler

$250 biggest fish by length Cobia or Redfish

Any Calcuttas without a qualifying fish will be refunded less than 10% for administrative fee.