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Big Pond Brawl Rules

Home Big Pond Brawl Rules

OFFICIAL RULES

1. 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 $200 per boat per event, application/payment can be made at Lake Michigan Angler or via Paypal.
  • 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.

 

2. DATES AND HOURS
  • The tournament will be held on June 10, 2023. Make-up date will be June 11, 2023.
  • The tournament schedule will be as follows:
  • Captain’s Meeting – Thursday June 8, 2023. Location: Lake Michigan Angler  and Online  at 7:00pm.
  • Fishing Period - 5:00am to 1:00pm.
  • 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.

 

3. START AND FINISH
  • All boats must start from and return to Racine, Kenosha, Winthrop Harbor or Waukegan harbors
  • Check in will begin at approximately 4:15 am. The Tournament Committee Boat from each harbor will check-in all boats by visual and/or VHF radio (Channel 68). All boats will be subject to a cooler check prior to leaving the harbor.
  • Run Time: Shotgun start as soon as all boats are checked in (approximately 15 minutes after check in).
  • The official start of the fishing period will be announced by Tournament Control at 5:00am on VHF channel 68.
  • NO lines may be placed in the water before the 5:00am start announcement. 
  • Each boat must be in or entering the harbor by the end of the fishing period (1:00pm).
  • Each boat must check in with Tournament Control, by VHF radio on channel 68, as they enter the harbor.
  • Every boat must check in at the end of the contest on Channel 68.
  • All boats must bring a sealed cooler to Lake Michigan Angler by 3:00pm. A crew member must stay with the cooler until fish are weighed.

 

4. SCORING
  • All winners will be determined by the Tournament Committee, and their decision will be final.
  • Winners will be determined on the total accumulation weight of your five fish.
  • 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.

 

5. PRIZES

Tournament Prizes:

Pay out to 20% of field

 



6. 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.

 

7. 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 weighed fish separated. No sorting once you reach the scales.
  • Fish entered for big fish must be part of the five (5) fish tournament box.
  • All fish to be weighed must be brought to the scale in a sealed cooler.
  • Fish may be released when caught. Fish to be released must be returned to the lake immediately.
  • There are no distance limits as to where a tournament boat may fish given that all traveling is done on the water.
  • Each boat that reaches the fifteen-fish (15) limit shall immediately cease fishing, bring in all lines, and return to the harbor for the weigh-in.




8. WEIGH-IN
  • At the close of the contest, each boat must seal their cooler with tape and proceed to the weigh-in at LMA.
  • A crew member must remain with the catch until it has been officially weighed.
  • Once sealed, the cooler of fish must remain sealed until opened by officials at the weigh-in station.

 

9. RADIO PROCEDURE

      Every boat must be equipped with an operating VHF marine radio equipped     with channels 16 and 68. All boats should monitor channel 68 for contest information.

 

10. CANCELLATIONS
  • The Tournament Committee will announce, one hour before fishing is scheduled to begin, their decision if the contest will be run. The Tournament Judges may cancel the Tournament at any time when, in their opinion, the conditions could be dangerous to persons or property.
  • The Tournament Committee may also decide to delay the start of fishing or to cut short the fishing due to deteriorating weather conditions.
  • If there is a small craft advisory, the day will be canceled/postponed/delayed

 

11. PROTESTS
    • All protests must be made in writing to the

Tournament Committee before 5:00pm on the day of the tournament.

    • Any written protest given to the Tournament

Committee must be accompanied by a $100.00

deposit, returnable if the protest is judged valid.

    • A panel of three (3) judges appointed by the

The Tournament Committee will resolve all disputes.

  • Winners and any person involved in any formal protest may be subject to polygraph testing, prior to the awarding of prizes. Such persons must be available to be tested within 2 weeks of the event.
  • The decision of the Tournament Committee and/or its duly appointed panel of judges shall be final.

 

12.RULE CHANGES

The Tournament Committee may change or modify any of these rules, as necessary. Any changes will be communicated at the Captain’s Meeting.

 

13. LIABILITY EXCLUSION
  • Each contestant shall accept responsibility to protect persons and property from injury or damage during the contest, and Lake Michigan Productions LLC shall not be responsible for the safety of persons or property of participants, regardless of cause.
  • All participants further agree to hold Lake Michigan Productions LLC, tournament committee, sponsors, and volunteers harmless from any liability for damage incurred from participation in the Tournament, in whatever form or manner said liabilities or damages might be incurred.

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