The Inshore Fishing Association Redfish Tour presented by Cabela’s and the IFA Kayak Fishing Tour presented by Hobie Fishing, already the fastest-growing inshore tournament trails in the country, announce changes to their 2012 tournament schedules, highlighted by a modification to the six-division format that has proven lucrative for anglers from Texas to the Carolinas.

In 2012, each of the six IFA Redfish Tour and IFA Kayak Fishing Tour divisions will consist of two regular-season events, down from three in previous seasons. Instead of the third regular-season event, competitors in each division will compete in Regional tournaments, where competitors from multiple divisions will fish against each other for cash, valuable prizes and berths in the IFA Redfish Tour and IFA Kayak Fishing Tour Championships. Regional tournaments for the IFA Redfish Tour will be two-day events; IFA Kayaking Fishing Tour Regional tournaments will be one-day tournaments. As a result of this scheduling modification, both tours have modified their rules regarding participation in the tour’s championship event. Beginning with the 2012 season, all IFA Redfish Tour teams and IFA Kayak Fishing Tour anglers that fish at least two regular-season events and at least one Regional tournament will be qualified automatically to compete in the no-entry-fee championship.

“The goal of the IFA Redfish Tour and the IFA Kayak Fishing Tour has always been to give anglers the opportunity to compete, close to home, for serious cash and prizes,” said Bart Schad of the IFA. “We feel like augmenting the schedule to include a Regional tournament instead of a third regular-season tournament helps us to continue to deliver that to these avid anglers while also bringing an added element of competition to the events leading up to the championship.”

As in previous seasons, IFA Redfish Tour teams or IFA Kayak Fishing Tour anglers unable to fish in one or more of their division’s regular-season events may make up the missed event in any other division and still qualify for the championship event. To be eligible for the 2012 IFA Redfish Tour Team or the Year of IFA Kayak Fishing Tour Angler of the Year, competitors must fish two regular-season events within their division as well as a Regional tournament. Team of the Year winners in each of the IFA Redfish Tour’s six divisions will receive one set of entry fees paid in 2013 plus eligibility to compete against Teams of the Year from other divisions during the championship tournament for the $5,000 Cabela’s Overall Team of the Year Award. Angler of the Year winners in each of the IFA Kayak Fishing Tour’s six divisions will also receive one set of entry fees paid in 2013 plus eligibility to compete against Anglers of the Year from other divisions during the championship tournament for the $1,000 Overall Team of the Year Award
All other IFA rules remain unchanged for the 2012 season.

The IFA Redfish Tour kicks off its 2012 regular season on February 25 in Punta Gorda, Fla., with the first event for the Florida West Division. The IFA Kayak Fishing Tour begins its 2012 season on February 26 in Punta Gorda. The two-day Regional tournaments will commence on August 24 in Titusville, Fla., with subsequent Regionals staged every other weekend. Event sites and dates for the 2012 IFA Redfish Tour and IFA Kayak Fishing Tour Championships will be announced at a later date.