Fishing Tournaments in St. Augustine

St. Augustine's exceptional fishing opportunities lure anglers from around the world. With a variety of thrilling tournaments, the Oldest City caters to seasoned professionals and amateurs alike. These popular events enable anglers to enjoy saltwater inshore and offshore fishing and compete for various prizes. Whether you're enticed by the adrenaline of offshore fishing or prefer the calmer inshore waters, St. Augustine offers tournaments tailored to your fishing style.

Want to fish during your St. Augustine stay but don't want to participate in a tournament? Learn more about salt and freshwater fishing in St. Augustine, and make sure you check out the fishing charters available in and around town.

Types of Fishing Tournaments

St. Augustine hosts a variety of fishing tournaments, each catering to different fishing styles and skill levels. 

Offshore

Offshore tournaments are popular among anglers who enjoy the thrill of deep-sea fishing, targeting large pelagic species. These events often span multiple days or months, enabling participants to choose their fishing dates.

Inshore

Inshore tournaments focus on the calmer, coastal, and Intracoastal waters. Inshore tournaments often have categories for both adult and junior anglers, making them accessible to a wider range of participants.

Surf

Surf fishing tournaments are another option, where anglers fish from the shore. They offer a unique fishing tournament experience that doesn't require a boat. Some include fishing on docks, as well as in the surf.

Open & Closed Tournaments

Additionally, there are open tournaments, which allow anglers to choose their fishing days within a specified time frame, and closed tournaments, which have set dates and times for competition. These formats provide flexibility for participants and ensure a variety of competitive opportunities throughout the year. 

Common Target Fish

St. Augustine's fishing tournaments target various fish species. Area offshore fishing tournaments often focus on large, powerful species, such as wahoo, known for their speed and agility, and mahi mahi, known for their vibrant colors and acrobatic leaps. Other common target species include the blue marlin and king mackerel; these fish are known for their intense battles, providing a true test of an angler's skill and endurance.

Inshore fishing tournaments, on the other hand, focus on species that inhabit the calmer waters closer to shore. Redfish, with their distinctive copper-bronze color, are a primary target in St. Augustine's tournaments. Anglers in these tournaments often compete for the biggest flounder and trout catches as well. 

Fishing Tournaments 2026

Note: We encourage anglers to carefully review the rules and details of each tournament before registering. We update fishing tournament information for upcoming dates and times as they become available. 

Series Tournaments

NEFMA Tournament Series Championship

The Northeast Florida Marlin Association's (NEFMA) Tournament Series Championship is an exclusive, year-long competition for NEFMA members, offering a spectacular grand prize. Members accumulate points while competing in four NEFMA series tournaments: Mahi Mania in April, the Salt Life Bluewater in May, the El Pescado in November, and the Don Combs Wahoo Roundup. To qualify for the championship, each boat must participate in four of the five qualifying tournaments. (The Salt Life Bluewater offers two tournaments in one: Billfish or Game Fish. Either qualifies as one of the four tournaments required in the series.)

• Date: The tournament is a year-long members' tournament.
• Location: Location changes for each leg of the series.
• Target Fish: Billfish, Gamefish, Wahoo, Mahi
• Tournament Type: Open Tournament Series
• Organizer: Northeast Florida Marlin Association
• Registration: Membership in NEFMA is required.

Open Tournaments

Northeast Florida Wahoo Shootout—February and March

The Northeast Florida Wahoo Shootout is the world's largest wahoo fishing tournament. Its open tournament format enables this event to run for two months, so participants can choose their fishing dates within that window. Anglers are drawn to the large prizes, such as a new fishing boat and cash. 

• Date: Runs from early February to late March each year.
• Location: Open Tournament
• Target Fish: Wahoo
• Tournament Type: Offshore
• Organizer: Yellowfin and Dream Finders Homes
• Registration Deadline: The early entry deadline is December 31 each year. The general entry deadline is January 30, and the late entry deadline is the day before the day of the shootout. Prices increase with each deadline.

Mahi Mania—April

The Northeast Florida Marlin Association's Mahi Mania tournament in St. Augustine is a months-long offshore fishing competition targeting mahi-mahi (also known as dolphin fish). This open tournament lets captains choose their fishing days as they compete for the heaviest combined weight of three mahi-mahi (aggregate) and the single heaviest mahi. Additional categories recognize the largest lady angler mahi, the biggest yellowfin tuna, the most marlin releases, and the most sailfish releases. This tournament is open to the public. It is also part of the NEFMA Tournament Series Championship, which is exclusive to NEFMA members.

• Date: Captain's Meeting April 2, 2026. This is an open tournament with a choice of three fishing days from April 4 to June 7, 2026.
• Location: Camachee Cove Yacht Harbor
• Target Fish: Mahi Mahi
• Tournament Type: Offshore
• Organizer: Northeast Florida Marlin Association. See their website for more information and to register.

Salt Life Bluewater Tournament—May

The Salt Life Bluewater Tournament attracts anglers from around the world to compete for the biggest catches of pelagic species like marlin, tuna, and dolphin fish. The tournament promotes conservation through a captain's choice format, enabling anglers to decide which fish to target. With a $50,000 cash and prize purse, a fish fry with live music, and an awards dinner, this tournament is a highlight of the local fishing scene. This tournament is open to the public. It is one of the tournaments required for any Northeast Florida Marlin Association member who plans to enter the NEFMA Tournament Series Championship.

• Date: May 7-9, 2026, with a Captain's meeting on Wednesday, May 6. This is an open tournament; choose any two of the three days (May 7 - 9).
• Location: Camachee Cove
• Target Fish: Blue Marlin
• Tournament Type: Offshore
• Organizer: Northeast Florida Marlin Association. See their website for more information and to register.

El Pescado Billfish Tournament—November

The El Pescado Billfish Tournament is a premier fishing event hosted by the Northeast Florida Marlin Association. This open tournament offers anglers the chance to compete for significant prizes across multiple categories, including big game fish. Captains choose two out of four dates for fishing. This tournament offers optional entry categories for tournaments within the tournament. This tournament is open to the public, and it's also one of the NEFMA Tournament Series Championship tournaments.

• Date: Tuesday - Saturday, November 3-7, 2026. This is an open tournament with a choice of two of the four days.
• Location: Camachee Cove Yacht Harbor
• Target Fish: Marlin, Wahoo, Dolphin, Tuna
• Tournament Type: Offshore
• Organizer: Northeast Florida Marlin Association. See their website for more information and to register.

Don Combs Wahoo Roundup—November

The Don Combs Wahoo Roundup offers an open-tournament, competitive fishing experience for anglers in Northeast Florida. This offshore tournament draws fishing enthusiasts eager to reel in the prized Wahoo and typically features a raffle, complimentary food, and a cash bar. The Don Combs Wahoo Roundup offers various prize categories. This tournament is open to the public, and it is also part of the NEFMA Tournament Series Championship, which is exclusive to NEFMA members.

• Date: Captain's Meeting — November 5, 2026; Pick two fishing days between November 8 and December 26.
• Location: Camachee Cove Yacht Harbor
• Target Fish: Wahoo
• Tournament Type: Open, Offshore
• Organizer: Northeast Florida Marlin Club
• Registration Deadline: November 13, 2026

Closed Tournaments

Redfish Bash—March

The Redfish Bash is an annual inshore fishing tournament at Camachee Cove, held by the Ancient City Game Fish Association. This popular event for anglers sees them compete for the biggest redfish catch, as well as the biggest trout and flounder catch. This tournament coincides with the Junior Redfish Bash tournament.

• Date: March 6 - 7, 2026
• Location: St. Augustine Marina
• Target Fish: Redfish, flounder, and trout.
• Tournament Type: Inshore
• Organizer: Ancient City Game Fish Association. For more information, see their website.

Junior Redfish Bash

The Ancient City Game Fish Association hosts an annual Junior Redfish Bash in St. Augustine as part of the annual Redfish Bash tournament. This fun fishing tournament is open to anglers 15 and younger, offering them a chance to compete for the biggest redfish catch alongside other young enthusiasts. Registration is discounted compared to the adult tournament, making it an accessible introduction to competitive fishing. 

• Date: March 6 - 7, 2026
• Location: St. Augustine Marina
• Target Fish: Redfish
• Tournament Type: Inshore

• Organizer: Ancient City Game Fish Association. For more information, see their website.

   

Pomp'in for Parkinson's Surf Fishing Tournament—April

Organized by Fishbites and hosted at Fishbites Trading Post, this tournament only allows fishing in the surf, along the shore, or from a pier. It's a family-friendly event with a division for youth anglers aged 12 and younger. The target fish are pompano and whiting. with the winners in each category having the highest three-fish aggregate weight. Anglers can fish from Brevard to Nassau Counties.

• Date: Fishing day is Saturday, April 11. The Captain's meeting is on Friday, April 10.
• Location: Fishbites Trading Post, 170 Nix Boat Yard Road, St. Augustine, Florida 32084
• Target Fish: Pompano and whiting only, and only fish caught from shore or a pier.
• Organizer: Fishbites Trading Post to support REBLOOM Center in St. Augustine. For more information, see their website.

Daily's Old School Kingfish Shootout—June

The Daily's Old School Kingfish Shootout is a single-day king mackerel fishing tournament held annually in St. Augustine. It embraces catch-and-release fishing, with restrictions on bait and fishing techniques. This nostalgia-driven competition offers a large cash payout and a coveted Yellowfin boat as the grand prize, attracting a significant number of participants.

• Date: Fishing day is Saturday, June 13, 2026; Weigh-in is from 2:00 to 5:30 p.m. on that day. The Captain's Meeting is on June 12, 2026, and the awards ceremony is on June 14, at 11:00 a.m.
• Location: 
  • Weigh-in is at the Vilano Beach Pier
  • The meeting and awards ceremony are at  Ancient City Farmstead, 395 Marks Pond Boulevard, St. Augustine.
• Target Fish: Kingfish
• Tournament Type: Offshore
• Organizer: Yellowfin

• Registration Deadline: Early entry - May 31, 2026; General entry - June 11, 2026; Late entry - June 12, 2026.

  

Wildwood Inshore Fishing Tournament—June

The Wildwood Inshore Fishing Tournament is an annual event held in St. Augustine to benefit St. Augustine Youth Services. It's a saltwater fishing competition targeting inshore species: redfish, trout, and flounder. The tournament features cash prizes and has winner categories for men, women, and youth.

• Date: June 26 - June 27, 2026
• Location: St. Augustine Boating Club
• Target Fish: Inshore species
• Tournament Type: Inshore
• Organizer: St. Augustine Youth Services (SAYS)
• Registration Deadline: June 26, 2026

Ancient City Kingfish Challenge—June, 2027

The Kingfish Challenge, run by the Ancient City Game Fish Association in St. Augustine, is an offshore fishing tournament. There is no Ancient City Kingfish Challenge in 2026. They will host the next Kingfish Challenge on June 17 - 20, 2027. 

• Date: June 17 - 20, 2027
• Location: Camachee Cove Yacht Harbor
• Target Fish: Kingfish
• Tournament Type: Offshore
• Organizer: Ancient City Game Fish Association
• Registration Deadline: TBD

Junior Kingfish Challenge—June, 2027

The Junior Kingfish Challenge is a fishing tournament for young anglers in St. Augustine and coincides with the Kingfish Challenge tournament. Competitors fish for the biggest king mackerel and enjoy a discounted entry fee. The Junior Kingfish Challenge is a great opportunity for kids to learn about saltwater fishing and compete for prizes.

• Date: June 17 - 20, 2027
• Location: Camachee Cove Yacht Harbor
• Target Fish: Kingfish
• Tournament Type: Offshore
• Organizer: Ancient City Game Fish Association
• Registration Deadline: TBD

Old City Elite Kingfish Tournament—June

The Old City Elite Kingfish Tournament is a closed, offshore fishing tournament organized by the Northeast Florida Marlin Club. The tournament features multiple fishing days, weigh-ins, and a grand awards celebration. With a significant prize structure and various TWT (tournament within tournament) options. The tournament is held at Camachee Cove Yacht Harbor.

• Date: June 4 - 6, 2026
• Location: Captain's meeting at Northeast Florida Marlin Association at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 4, 2026. The weigh-ins are from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. each day.
• Target Fish: Kingfish
• Tournament Type: Offshore
• Organizer: Northeast Florida Marlin Club
• Registration Deadline: May 31, 2026