The following is a small breakdown about how the St. Pete Open tournament is structured as it can be a little overwhelming for the first time shooter.

St. Pete Open Tournament Structure

The St. Pete Open is a big fish tournament verses an aggregate tournament. Each shooter enters their largest fish for each of the seven categories, grouper, snapper, pelagic, hogfish, cobia/cuda, lobster, and sheepshead. The shooter’s score or placement within the tournament is based strictly on the single fish or lobster that places him the best (highest) within the tournament. For example, a shooter has an off day and is only able to shoot 3 fish, a 15 lb cuda, 5 lb snapper, and 5 lb sheepshead that he shot off his dock after returning from offshore. The shooter’s placement within the tournament is determined by how each of those 3 fish place him with respect to all other fish weighed in for that year’s tournament. Say there are a total of 100 sheepshead weighed in and all of them are between 1.5 and 4.75 lbs. The 5 lb sheepshead would land that shooter in the first place division for the sheepshead category and he/she would have the 7th pick from the prize table.

If a shooter has an 80 lb grouper and an 85 lb amberjack and that grouper is the largest grouper weighed in for the tournament then that shooter would take 1st place grouper and would have first pick from the prize table. The 85 lb amberjack would not be used for determining the tournament’s amberjack category scoring.

The point system is in place in order to deal with tie breakers. For example, if two people weigh in the same weight of a snapper then the person who has the higher aggregate score would win the tie break. The points are also used to determine the winners within the freedive, womens, and juniors divisions.

The prize pick is a cyclical order (grouper, snapper, pelagic, hogfish, cobia/cuda, lobster, and sheepshead) and participant’s pick from the prize table is determined by the weight of the fish and which category the fish is in.

The first 7 picks from the prize table are the number 1 place holders for grouper, snapper, pelagic, hogfish, cobia/cuda, lobster, and sheepshead. The next round of prize picks goes to the winners of the 2nd largest fish/lobster for each of the seven categories. So if you had the second largest grouper for the tournament you will have the 8th pick off the prize table. Likewise, if you had the 2nd largest sheepshead for the tournament you would have the 14th pick off the prize table.

Multiple ways to win at the St. Pete Open:

Your name will be called for your pick off the prize table for the fish that places you highest within the tournament. For example, in the 2010 Open my 2 lb sheepshead placed me higher than a 17.35 lb grouper. Sorry Chris!!

Each participant receives 5 free mystery tickets with their registration, don't lose these they are worth $20. The mystery tickets are drawn for the 8th position starting in the fourth round (4 rounds X 7 picks/round = 29th pick) after 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners get their prizes so there are usually around 35 mystery ticket winners every year depending on the number of shooters that weigh fish. If you hold the first mystery ticket called you will have the 29th pick off the prize table. We also use the mystery tickets at the end of the award ceremony to distribute all the leftover prizes on the table. You can go to the prize table for all of your mystery tickets if they are called.

This year again we are also offering additional mystery tickets. The extra mystery tickets can increase your chances of winning additional prizes from the overall prize table. They are 5 for $20 so you can double your mystery tickets for only $20. Anyone can buy tickets, but only registered shooters are permitted to pick prizes off the table.

SPO DEATHSTICK Raffle; Everyone that buys additional mystery tickets (5/$20) will be entered to win the Deathstick grand prize drawing to be held Sunday morning at the start of the awards ceremony. You do not have to be present on Sunday for the Deathstick drawing as long as you register their name and contact info on the tickets. After the Deathstick drawing, then all the additional mystery tickets will be mixed with the shooter bag mystery tickets before the first mystery ticket is drawn for a pick off the table. So for shooters for every additional $20 you spend, you get 5 additional mystery tickets plus you get 5 chances to win the Deathstick grand prize! Non-shooters get 5 chances to win the Deathstick grand prize, but are not permitted to use the Mystery Tickets for picks off the table. Additional mystery tickets may be purchased at the Kickoff Party, Registration, Weigh-In, and prior to the start of the Awards Ceremony.

As I mentioned previously all registered shooters get 5 free mystery tickets in the shooter bag (among other freebies and their tournament shooter shirt).

You also get a "category" prize ticket for each fish you weigh in for the seven categories. Weigh in a fish/lobster for each of the seven and you get 7 category prize tickets. Towards the end of the awards ceremony we will pick one ticket for each category prize, and each category prize is valued at no less than $600.

After all the category prizes are handed out then ALL category tickets are combined and a Grand Category prize valued at no less than $800 goes to one lucky shooter.

You can win more than one category prize if your tickets are called, we've seen that happen more than once!!

We typically also have a very special prize for the person who happens to come in very last place of the tournament.

You also cannot leave out the free beer and door prizes that will be given out at the Mugs N Jugs Kick Off party.

As you can see there are multiple ways a shooter can win at the St. Pete Open! But remember, being at the Open isn’t about the best prize; it’s about the experience, camaraderie, and being a part of spearfishing history.

See ya at the Kick Off Party and at the Open!!!

Good synopsis Bryan!
I have told many people over the years that the Open's format differs from nearly every other tournament in one big aspect.
In an aggregate tournament (like most tournament are) you need a really good day of diving.
In the Open', you only need one-good-dive!
Every single year there are a bunch of names in the top 20 of people who have never been there before or don't have a lot of tournamnet diving experience. It just happened to be "their day".

But like you wrote, and I agree, it's more about the experience, tradition and comraderie rather than the competition that truly make the St. Pete Open so special.

Even if you don't shoot in it, come on out for the weigh in and prepare to have ALL your senses overwhelmed!

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I can't shoot this year. I will definitely be at the weigh in. I enjoy this tourney the most because you can win something decent even placing last. Oh and the Giant Fish! Just if Chris's buddy walks away from the weigh in line don't try and skip his fish! Ha

Last year I tried to weigh in a Rock hind grouper for the purpose of just getting my grouper category ticket. Is this a legit grouper to weigh in for grouper category this year?

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Rock Hinds & Graysby are not included in the SPO grouper category due to no size limit restrictions, sorry.

http://www.stpeteopen.com/SPO_2012/SPO_2012_RULES.pdf

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