Vocabulary Great Lakes

Fishigan Large Payout

Tournament Rules

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Below, you will find a set of rules that the Fishigan Fishing Team endorses for large payout tournaments. This covers tournaments over a $3,000 payout. After some of the rules, you may see italic print behind them explaining the rational supporting the rule.

i. Open to any fishing team willing to abide by Tournament Rules, any State or Province laws, and payment of entry fees. Entrants may register to fish in only one division. Professional Crews must fish in the Professional Division.

ii. Professional Crews must provide their own Observer to be placed on another entered Fishing Teams Boat.

iii. The Tournament committee alone will determine whether a Fishing Team is eligible for the entire tournament.

i. A Fishing Team is entered into the tournament provided that they have paid the entry fee and completed the Official Entry Form. The Tournament committee alone will determine entry fee refund in case of emergency withdrawal.

ii. Official Entry Forms and entry fee must be given to the tournament committee prior to 7pm on the day prior to the start of the tournament.

i. The following species shall be eligible to weigh-in: Chinook Salmon, Lake Trout,
Atlantic Salmon, Pink Salmon, Coho Salmon, Steelhead, Brown Trout. The tournament committee determines species.

iii. The team accumulating the highest number of points over all hours of the tournament will be declared first place; the contestant with the next highest accumulation of points, second place & so on.

iv. In the event of a tie, the team that weighed the largest fish at the tournament will be awarded the better placing.

i. The following species shall be eligible to weigh-in: (this is to be determined by the tournament committee) Species is determined by the tournament committee.

ii. Big Fish divisions will be determined by total accumulation of points based on One point per pound, measured to the nearest hundredth.

iv. In the event of a tie, the length of longest fish will be declared the winner.

i. Tournament committee will furnish a colored flag and/or boat identification number for each Fishing Team’s Boat.

ii. The flag shall be flown full view from all directions during tournament hours. The ID number shall be prominently displayed on the side of participant’s boat at all times during the tournament.

ii. Fishing will take place on the following days: (This is to be determined by the tournament committee)

iii. Captains meeting will take place at 7:30 pm on the day prior to the start of the tournament. Captain, Observer, and one other Angler making up the fishing team must be present. Observers are assigned boats at the end of the Captains meeting. Amateur Fishing Team’s can be assigned Observers at the weigh-in and 15 minutes prior to them being released to the staging area.

iv. Observers must report to their assigned boats at 5:15 am prior to the start of the tournament. Observers failing to make this time must contact the tournament committee prior to 5:15 am.

vi. Boats are allowed to leave the staging area by notification of the tournament committee (by flare or on a marine radio). The notification will take place at 6 am.

2. If at 10:30 am the tournament has not been started, the day will be cancelled.

vii. Boats must be at the check-in station prior to 2 pm. Failure to reach the check-in station may result in a penalty or disqualification of that days catch.

viii. After Check-in, Fishing Teams must go directly to weigh-in. Failure can result in penalty or disqualification.

ii. Rod limit is limited to a 3 or 4 man limit, depending on the state or province.

v. There is no distance limits on where a Tournament Boat may fish in the lake. No fishing is to be done inside of the pier heads.

vi. Fish Limit (Torment Committee must select one Scenario. Some Scenarios are listed and there are others)(Observers fish limits should not be used)(Culling it to be determined by the tournament committee)

1. Scenario 1 – 12 fish total, 9 of one species, all fish are weighed by tournament committee (Most popular Michigan Scenario)

2. Scenario 2 – 20 fish total, Captain chooses his 5 largest fish, Tournament Committee weighs the 5 fish selected (popular GLPAA scenario)

viii. No fishing will take place on a tournament day outside of the designated tournament times by Fishing Teams.

ix. An attempt must be made to reel in any hooked fish and NO intentional dragging or shaking will be permitted.

x. The tournament committee reserves the right to examine or keep any fish they so choose.

xi. Participants violating the rules of the contest or acting uncooperative or in a disorderly manner may be disqualified or penalized by point’s deduction at the discretion of the Tournament Committee.

xii. Boats must be within the pier head and checked in by tournament Committee not more than 60 minutes after the close of the regular or shortened fishing time.

1. Running gunnel to gunnel with other boats or passing objects from boat to boat or person to person, from the start of the fishing period until the catch is surrendered at the weigh-in station.

2. Failing to report directly to the designated weigh-in station at the close of the fishing period.

xiv. If you have not cleared the pier head by 2:00 PM, you will lose 2 points per minute. If you have not cleared the pier head by 2:30 PM complete disqualification will apply for that days catch.

xv. Tournament participants are duty bound to report any rules violation they observe to the Tournament Committee.

xvi. An unsigned observer log sheet will result in a score deduction of (10) points.

1. All boats are subject to inspection by the committee and/or its agents at any time. Any boat failing inspection will be disqualified. Any fish in the boat prior to start time or after weigh-in will be disqualified from the tournament.

i. All boats participating will be required to pass United States Coast Guard requirements for the Great Lakes and/or Michigan Department of Natural Resources boat safety requirements. (ALL PARTICIPANTS MUST WEAR PERSONAL FLOTATION DEVICES (U.S.C.G. APPROVED) AT ALL TIMES WHEN THE BOAT IS UNDERWAY TO AND FROM A FISHING AREA. FAILURE TO COMPLY WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION FOR THE DAY.)

i. The Captain of each team shall be responsible that his observer be on board the assigned boat 45 minutes prior to the start of each fishing period. Failure to do so without just cause as ruled by the tournament committee, may result in the disqualification of the team supplying the observer.

ii. Observers must be at least 16 years of age. It will be their responsibility to see that all Tournament rules and DNR regulations are honored on his/her assigned boat. He/she shall report infractions to the Tournament committee.

iii. Observers can only use cell phones for emergency issues or with permission of the Captain.

iv. Any observer over 5 min late will be replaced by another crew member of the providing boat immediately, as well as a 2 point deduction per minute starting at 6:15 AM

v. An “Official Tournament Observers” sheet will be provided for each fishing period. Only the observer shall enter the time in the log for every “fish in-the-box”. At the conclusion of the day’s fishing the log sheet must be signed by both the observer and the Captain prior to presenting the catch for scoring at the official weigh-in station.

vi. The observer of his/her assigned boat shall accompany each day’s catch until it has been officially weighed and scored.

vii. Observer assignments will be made by lottery. As much as possible, local boats will be paired with out-of-town observers. Observer boat assignments will be posted at Tournament headquarters during registration at the Captain’s meeting.
Each Captain must report the location of his boat to his assigned observer at registration. Observer re-assignment maybe exercised at the discretion of the Tournament Committee.
Observer can be used for a legal fish limit provided the Captain makes sure observer has a legal Michigan license.

viii. If Observer is not on board by 6:10 AM please contact the tournament committee.

i. The tournament committee reserves the right to place an observer on any Amateur Crew’s Boat. The Tournament committee will supply these observers.

ii. Amateurs must act as their own observers; each fish must be recorded completely as caught.

i. Protests must be presented to the Tournament Committee in writing, on the day of infraction by 3:00 PM.

ii. A 5 person Protest Committee will resolve disputes. Their decision shall be final & binding. The Protest Committee will be determined by the Tournament Committee.

i. All reasonable precautions will be taken by the Offshore Challenge Tournament Committee to protect persons and property during the Tournament. Neither the committee, judges, officers, directors or sponsors can or will be responsible for the safety of persons, for accident, theft, damage by fire, vandalism or any other cause for loss to a contestants property.

ii. Participants understand and agree to hold harmless the aforementioned groups and individuals from liability or damage as may be incurred from participation in the Tournament.

i. The Tournament Committee & the Protest Committee will be appointed prior to the Captain’s meeting. These committee’s shall act as prescribed in accordance with these Official Rules.

iii. Am Division or Amateur Division - A division that is composed of Amateur Crew's. Professional Crew's may not fish the Am Division.

ix. Fishing Team - All Anglers that fish on a single Boat. Composed of one Captain and at least 2 other Anglers.

x. Observer - An individual whose job is to watch and observer the crew during start, fishing, and check-in times.

2. Any Angler who has had a charter fishing license in the previous 2 years to the starting date of the tournaments.

4. Any Angler who receive free products over a value of $250 in the current year from a single tackle manufacture or tackle distributor.

7. Any Angler who was sponsored by any company to fish tournaments in the previous 2 years.

8. Any Angler who has won more than $5,000 in tournament fishing prize money (divided equally among the Fishing Team) within the last 12 months prior to the start of the tournament.

xii. Professional Crew - Fishing Team that contains 1 or more Professional Anglers.

xiii. Pro Division or Professional Division - A division that is composed of a Professional Crew.

xiv. Staging Area - An area, generally outside the piers, that the tournament committee defines; and allows boats to rest until they are release to fish.