These rules will remain unchanged. Interpretation of these rules shall be left exclusively to the tournament director. Failure to comply with any rule may result in disqualification. The tournament director will interpret rules according to the spirit and intent of the rule. The decision of the tournament director will be final.

AGE LIMIT:

Contestants under 18 years of age must have the signature of his/her parent or legal guardian on the entry form, as well as the contestants signature. Any person age 16 or younger must be a team partner with a parent or legal guardian only.

ENTRY FEE:

75 boat limit. Entry fees are $350 cash/check/money order/ cashier’s check per two person
team, payable to LM Fall Walleye Classic. *NOTE: Boats will be released each day of the tournament in 2 flights.

Flights and order are determined by date entry fee is received. In other words, first paid, first out. Reverse order Day 2. (Flights will be released in 15 minute intervals).

SAFETY:

Safe boating must be observed at all times. Each contestant must wear a Coast Guard approved personal flotation device at all times when the combustion engine is operating above trolling speed. The flotation device must be fastened and the safety stop switch attached (if applicable). Boats must stay 50 ft. away from an anchored boat, and a minimum of 20 ft. away from a drifting or trolling boat. **If you allow a team to fish within those parameters, you must allow all teams to fish within those distances.

BOAT REQUIREMENTS:

All boats must meet Coast Guard and State requirements. Motors may not exceed BIA rating established by the manufacturer. All boats must have an aerated livewell large enough to sustain the limit of fish in releasable condition. Boats are limited to one auxiliary fuel tank (capacity not to exceed 7 gallons). Fuel tank must also meet Coast Gurard standards and be securely fastened to the boat. All boats must carry a $100,000 liability insurance policy.

SPORTSMANSHIP:

All contestants are expected to follow high standards of safety, conservation, and sportsmanship.

No alcoholic beverages or non-presecription drugs are allowed in the boat at any time.

PARTNER SUBSTITUTION:

Partner substitutions must be approved by the tournament director. The director
can make hardship exceptions (death, serious illness, etc.) to the substitute rule. Only team members are allowed in the boat during tournament hours.

BAG LIMITS:

7 walleyes per day, weigh 6. 15-inch minimum length requirement with only 2 walleyes 20-inches or more allowed in each day’s bag limit. *You can cull as long as you do not have more than 6 walleyes in your livewell.

There is no need to ever put #7 in the box because we only weigh 6. Do not bring 7 walleyes to the scale or you will be disqualified! No exceptions. Do not get caught fishing with more than 6 walleyes in your livewell, or you will also be disqualified. No exceptions. By doing it this way, each team in accordance with MN state fishing regulations, can cull the entire day as long as they do not have more than 6 walleyes total at any one time in their livewell. We will check boats on the water during the tournament and at the weigh-ins. No exceptions.

MINIMUM / MAXIMUM FISH LENGTH REQUIREMENTS:

If you bring a walleye to the scales that is under 15-inches, we will throw that fish out plus your biggest walleye. If you bring more than 2 walleyes 20-inches or longer to the scale, you will be disqualified. Determination on fish 20-inches and longer could ultimately be made by the Game Warden which would get you a big ticket in addition to being disqualified, so don’t take any risks. MN State Law allows only (1) walleye per angler 20-inches or longer. The Judge Tournament Rule will be the official tournament measuring device. Compareyours or purchase a Judge Tournament Ruler at the rules meeting. We will have a limited number for sale at rules mtg.

TIES:

In case of a tie, positions shall be determined by the following tie-breaking criteria by order listed: 1) total # fish caught both days; 2) biggest overall walleye; 3) date entry fee received

TOURNAMENT HOURS:

Tournament hours on Saturday will be from 7 a.m. to 3:00 p.m; Sunday from 7 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

All boats must pass the official tournament boat located near the weigh-in site by the closing time each day or you will not be allowed to weigh your fish. Flight 2 will be required to be back to the check-in boat by the weigh-in site by 3:15 p.m. on Saturday and 2:45 p.m. on Sunday. Time will be based on the tournament director’s cell phone, therefore all contestants are encouraged to set time accordingly at the rules meeting. Be back early and don’t risk it. If you’re late, you will not weigh your fish! No exceptions.

DISQUALIFICATION:

Failure to comply with any rule may result in disqualification. Disqualification from the tournament for any reason will result in forfeiture of entry fee.

MANDATORY CHECK-IN & BOAT INSPECTION MORNING OF TOURNAMENT:

All teams entered must check-in with either the tournament director or event staff between 5:00 and 6:30 a.m. each day of the tournament. Teams cannot come to the morning boat checks by water. Your boat must come by vehicle and trailer. Boats will be thoroughly inspected by tournament officials during the check-in period. Failure to check-in (in person) will result in immediate disqualification. **To keep it simple, have your boat ready to be checked when arriving at the launch site. Have livewell and storage compartments open. You will be given a ribbon each morning to tie on the bow eyelet.

EASE OFF:

Teams will ease off each morning in the order in which their paid entry was received. Boats will ease off in 2 flights at intervals of 15 minutes. Reverse order Day 2. We will have a boat on the water. You must take off in the proper order and the proper flight. Teams taking off in wrong order/flight will be held until everyone is gone.

WEIGH-IN, CHECK-IN:

Teams must come to weigh-in by water. Weigh-ins will be at 3 p.m. Saturday and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday (add 15 minutes each day for flight 2). Only one location (Glenwood City Beach) will be designated as the official weigh-in location. All contestants must check-in with officials each day so we know all teams made it off the water---whether you have fish or not.

PRE-TOURNAMENT PRACTICE:

All contestants must be off the water by 5 p.m. the day before the tournament. Fishing is allowed only during tournament hours thereafter.

TOURNAMENT BOUNDARIES:

The entire lake (Lake Minnewaska). Creeks, channels or marina’s are off limits.

TACKLE AND EQUIPMENT:

Live bait and artificial lures may be used. All fish must be caught live and in a legal manner. Contestants must possess applicable state fishing lincenses. Cellular phone and CB or marine band radios are allowed for emergency use only. Any transmission of information via any communicative device concerning any aspect of fishing is prohibited during the tournament. Magnifying sight devices such as binoculars or spotting scopes are not allowed in the boat during tournament hours. *You can use an underwater camera during tournament hours.

OFFICIAL RULE / FISH MEASURING DEVICE:

Will be the ‘Judge Tournament Ruler’. If you don’t have one, buy one prior to the tournament. Do not assume your current ruler measures the same. Compare or purchase as suggested.

EXOTIC SPECIES AND AQUATIC VEGETATION:

Will require inspections of all watercraft and trailers by contestants when entering or leaving tournament waters. Inspections will include a thorough search, inside and out, for the presence of any aquatic plants and all other exotics, including zebra mussels. No boat shall be launched when entering tournament water until all exotic plants, zebra mussels, or other prohibited species have been removed and properly disposed of, and until all livewells and bilges have been drained and boats have been made free of any exotic species. Similar inspections must be made when leaving tournament waters.

SEVERE WEATHER:

Tournament officials may delay the start of said tournament up to 12 noon on Day 1 because of severe weather. If safe fishing conditions do not return by 12 noon, tournament winners will be based on total weights of Day 2. Officials may delay the start of Day 2 of said tournament up to 11 a.m. because of severe weather. If safe fishing conditions do not return by 11 a.m., winners will be based on total weights of day 1 fishing. In the event lightning is visible, contestants must immediately cease fishing and move away from lightning towards a safe harbor or shore. When lightning is no longer visible, contestants may return to their fishing spots. Contestants may not leave their boats during tournament hours except at the official weigh-in station or if severe weather forces them ashore.

PROTESTS:

Protests must be made to the tournament director in writing within 30 minutes from the start of the weigh-ins.

POLYGRAPH / VOICE STRESS TEST/ RANDOM OBSERVER:

All contestants by signing the entry form agree to submit to a polygraph / voice stress test and the possibility of having a random observer placed in their boat during the competition days. Polygraph / voice stress test will be administered to either or both within a period not to exceed 21 days after completion of the event. Prize money and awards will be held pending results of the polygraph / voice stress test.  Failure to submit to a polygraph / voice stress test will result in immediate disqualification from current and all future Lake Minnewaska Fall Walleye Classic events.

RULES MEETING:

A rules meeting will be held at 7 p.m. the evening prior to the event (Friday night) at the Lakeside Ballroom in Glenwood (180 S. Lakeshore Dr.). *At least one team member must attend.

 WEIGH SLIPS:

One team member must sign their weigh slip regardless if they have fish to weigh or not. This will be done right at the weigh table. After signing it, you must bring the weigh slip to the leader board emcee so it can be posted.

WEIGH-IN PROCEDURE:

As with past tournaments, only 2 boats will be allowed to beach near the weigh table at a time.  We will have a dock by the weigh table in the event it is windy. If it is too windy to beach, only 1 boat will be allowed to the dock at a time. Remaining boats must remain away from the weigh table site. We will have a person in waders to assist with boats.

PAYBACKS:

Guaranteed 80% cash payback, with the eight additional prize payouts. Total purse payout is over 90%.  Prize payouts consist of new fishing related products: life jackets, anchors, rain gear, tackle/rods/reels etc. Each prize payout valued between $150 and $350.

DIVISIONS / DIVISION WINNERS:

All teams will fish for the overall cash and prize payout purse. Based on the status of contestants that form a team (age, gender etc.), teams may also qualify to win 1 of 3 divisions within the tournament as well. Division Winners will receive $450 cash. The 3 Divisions are as follows: 1) Father/Son or daughter; 2) Husband/Wife or Boyfriend/Girlfriend; 3) Senior (both contestants age 55 or over). Based on team status, teams in the divisions could be multiple winners because they are eligible to also win the overall cash and prize payouts. As with the overall tournament, Division Winners will be based on the combined two-day weight total. Note: teams are automatically placed within the divisions at no additional cost as an incentive to get families and more teams involved n the tournament.

As stated above, all teams fish for the overall cash and prize payouts, while teams within the divisions fish only against other teams in the division for the chance to win an additional $450 as a divisional winner. $450 based on full 75 team field, otherwise prorated accordingly.

BIGGEST WALLEYE AWARD:

Optional. Cost $20 per team. Payout: $1,500 possible if all 75 teams enter. 100% payback. Total cash value of the Biggest Walleye Award dependent on total number of teams entered. Purse will be divided for Day 1 and Day 2. Biggest overall walleye on Day 1 receives half the purse, and the biggest overall walleye on Day 2 receives the other half of the Biggest Walleye Award purse. Only teams who enter and pay the additional $20 per team qualify for the Biggest Walleye Cash Awards. In the case of a tie either day, the pot for that respective day will be split by the teams/fish in question.

PHOTOS:

All cash & prize payout winners, divisional winners, and biggest walleye award winners must stay for the conclusion of event to have photos taken. Cash and prizes will be awarded after the conclusion of photos.  We will make this quick.