2024 Big Pond Brawl Series
OFFICIAL RULES
- LIABILITY, ELIGIBILITY AND ENTRY FEE
- Sponsors are not liable for any injuries or damages that occur during any portion of the event.
- All participants will compete in one, open division.
- The entry fee is $250 per boat per event, application/payment can be made at LMA or online
- All applications and payments must be received no later than 5pm the night before event
- Entry fees are non-refundable, except in the event of the cancellation of the tournament.
- There will be payouts for top 3 places in Boat of the Year standings at the end of the year. In order to be included, you must pay an additional $100 BOY entry before the first tournament. BOY will be awarded to the boat with the most total points for the 4 tournaments. We will be paying top 3 places.
- All Boat of the Year participants receive a one week advanced sign up for each tournament date. After this period is over, we will then make the remaining available spots open to the public for purchase.
- DATES AND HOURS
- The tournaments will be held on Saturdays per schedule. Make-up date will be on Sunday.
- The tournament schedule will be as follows:
- Captain’s Meeting – Thursday before the tourney
Location: Online and LMA at 7:00pm.
- Fishing Period – 8 hrs (per schedule)
- Each boat and crew must have at least one member watch the Captain’s Meeting.
- The contest will be considered official if a total of four (4) hours are fished.
- START AND FINISH
- All boats must start from and return to Racine, Kenosha, Winthrop Harbor or Waukegan harbors
- Check in will begin approximately 1 hour before start time. The Tournament Committee Boat from each harbor will check-in all boats by visual and/or text. All boats will be subject to a cooler check prior to leaving the harbor.
- Run Time: Shotgun start at designated start time. Start will be announced by the Committee boat from Winthrop Harbor on channel 68.
- NO lines may be placed in the water before the start announcement. You are on your honor.
- Each boat must be in/entering the harbor by the end of the fishing period.(Time per schedule)
- Each boat must check in with Tournament Control, by text, as they enter the harbor.
- Every boat must check in at the end of the contest, no exceptions. You will be DQ’d if you do not check in.
- All boats must bring a sealed cooler to Lake Michigan Angler within a 2 hour window after the fishing period for that day's tourney. A crew member must stay with the cooler until fish are weighed.
- SCORING
- All winners will be determined by the Tournament Committee, and their decision will be final.
- Winners will be determined on the total
accumulation of weight. Points for BOY will be assigned 100 points for first, subtracting 2 points each place down the board. BOY will be determined by adding points for all 4 tournaments.
- Tiebreaker will be biggest individual fish
- The following species shall be eligible for points: COHO SALMON, CHINOOK SALMON, BROWN TROUT, STEELHEAD OR RAINBOW TROUT, PINK SALMON and LAKE TROUT.
- PRIZES
Tournament Prizes:
Pay out to 20% of field
Over $5,500 cash and prizes based on 25 boat field
Big Fish (Guaranteed $1000 first place)
BOY Payout: (Guaranteed)
1st= $3000
2nd= $2000
3rd=$1000
(Payout based on tournament entry money, additional sponsorship money could increase payout)
- BOAT IDENTIFICATION
- The Tournament Committee will furnish to each contestant a boat identification number.
- The boat identification number must be displayed on the Starboard side of the participant’s boat at all times during the contest.
- GENERAL FISHING RULES
- All fish entered must be caught on hook and line in accordance with the DNR regulations of the state which has jurisdiction over the waters being fished.
- Any violation of USCG or DNR rules will result in immediate disqualification.
- Each boat is limited to use a maximum of nine (9) rods and (9) lures at one time and a three-person limit of fifteen (15) fish with a maximum of up to six (6) lake trout.
- Each boat may weigh a maximum of five (5) fish, with a maximum of up to two (2) lake trout per outing.
- Each team is responsible for choosing which of their fish are to be weighed. A zip tie is to be placed on the big fish to be weighed before arriving at the scale. Please have your weigh-in
