Rules
1. Fish eligible for the ice fishing contest must be caught in White Bear Lake, during contest hours of 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm on Saturday, January 30, 2010. Should inclement weather or ice conditions cause cancellation the tournament will be rescheduled for Saturday, February 20, 2010.
2. Prizes are the responsibility of the winners. Delivery, licensing, registration, transportation, taxes and incidental or consequential expenses incurred are the responsibility of the winners. Prizes must be claimed within 30 days of notification.
3. Adult entry fee will be $35.00 per hole for tickets purchased prior to 10:00 p.m. January 24, 2010. Tickets may be purchased in advance on-line www.IceFishingEvent.com. Adult entry fee after January 24 will be $45 per hole. No refunds will be given out for any reason. You may buy as many participation tickets as you want, but remember Minnesota law: “Anglers may use only two lines through the ice”. All pre-sale ticket holders can pick up their official contest button(s) at the Will Call tent near registration tent. Contest button(s) must be visible at all times during the contest. The number on the button will be used as an ID number when weighing a legal fish during the contest.
4. Youth entry fee will be $10 per hole on the day of the contest. Youth tickets will NOT be sold in advance.
5. A youth contestant is anyone 15 years old or younger. A youth may participate in the adult division, but must purchase an adult ticket. A youth may NOT participate in both adult and youth contests. All youth contestants must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. Prizes that require a contestant be of certain age will need to have their parent/guardian claim the prize. No refunds will be given out for any reason.
6. Contest participation tickets (Adult and Youth) will be sold on the lake 7:30 a.m. -11:00 a.m. the day of the contest.
7. The contest ticket and raffle ticket are two separate items.
8. All laws of the State of Minnesota DNR will be abided by. Any fish illegally caught will be disqualified.
9. Contestants are not allowed to fish in contest area within 24 hours prior to the start of the contest.
10. Contestants may park on the lake at their own discretion. Contestants are encouraged to carpool. Please use extra care when driving and walking on the ice.
11. No motorized vehicles are allowed in the designated contest area other than contest officials, security, and law enforcement personnel. Any contestant and/or spectator bringing a motor vehicle within 30 yards of the contest perimeter will be disqualified. Please contact contest management Monday and Tuesday 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. 715-247-3453 prior to the contest for handicap assistance/information.
12. The Adult and Youth prize winners are determined by largest weight and time registered. In the event of a tie, the first fish registered takes priority. Any legal fish may be registered with the exception of bait fish (i.e. suckers, shiners, fatheads, crappie minnows, etc.) No MUSKELLUNGE will be accepted and must be returned to the water immediately. Contest results remain unofficial until verified by Tournament Specialists, LLC.
13. This is a catch and release contest. All fish weighed and registered have been legally gifted to contest officials. All fish will be returned to the lake in a timely manner by contest officials.
14. Contestants must pass through a designated check point prior to entering contest location. Contestants will be required to have their contest button(s) visible at all times. Contest button checks and container inspections will be required at a check point. All contestants are subject to search at any time. Security personnel will be on site to assist with all search and seizures on the day of the contest.
15. All baitfish must be 4” or smaller. Any baitfish over 4” will not be allowed inside the contest perimeter. All baitfish will be visibly inspected at the check point.
16. Large coolers and containers will not be allowed. Small coolers, sleds, bait buckets, and containers will be allowed after inspection. Glass containers are not allowed in contest area and will be confiscated by and forfeited to contest officials. No spears, augers, underwater cameras or video equipment are allowed. Heaters, ice chisels, chairs, bait pails, and depth finders (flashers) are allowed. The use of an auger is not allowed (holes will be pre-drilled). No access into the contest area will be granted prior to 8:00 am on the day of the contest. You may enter contest area after 8:00 am to pick and reserve no more than two hole(s) per participant. Weighted lines without bait can be used to check depth prior to 11:30 am. No lines are allowed in the water from 11:30 am to the start of the contest at 12:00 pm.
17. Winning fish will be determined by weight, which will be verified by a contest official scale (Weigh-Rite Scale Somerset, WI).
18. Contestants are responsible for their own safety, actions and property at all times. Tournament Specialists, LLC or its agents/independent contractors will not be liable for any personal injuries sustained by the person including those caused by negligence of agents, employees or other administrators of Tournament Specialists, LLC. Emergency personnel will be on hand throughout the contest.
19. Contestants and holes must be in plain view from all sides at all times. NO SHELTERS WILL BE ALLOWED. Contest button(s) cannot be transferred and MUST BE VISIBLE at all times. YOU MUST HAVE YOUR CONTESTANT BUTTON PRESENT TO REGISTER A FISH.
20. Contestants will be allowed to move to other unoccupied holes in the contest area. You are allowed to bring as many poles as you want, but may only use one pole per hole. Contestants must use holes provided by contest officials (no hand/power ice augers allowed).
21. Contestants and spectators will not be allowed to leave the contest area between 12:00 pm-3:00 pm. Anyone leaving the contest area will be disqualified and will not be allowed to return to contest area.
22. You may register as many fish as you want, but only the heaviest fish per contestant will qualify for a competition prize. No contestant will be eligible for more than one competition prize.
23. Any tampering with weight or length of fish will automatically disqualify angler from the contest.
24. All fish entered must be brought to the judges stand immediately and alive. Please bring a bag or bucket, as tournament is live release. Dead or frozen fish are ineligible.
25. All fish must be caught and contestants must be in line at the weigh-in tent no later than 3:00 p.m. on the day of the contest.
26. Contestants will receive a slip of paper certifying the weight and time of their registered fish. Contestants are responsible for verification of weight of fish at time of weigh in.
27. Contest officials shall have the right to verify that fish were legally caught. The decision of the contest official is final.
28. There will be a leader board for the first three places located near the weigh station. All efforts will be made to keep the board up-to-date and accurate.
29. Food and beverage concessions will be available on the lake. Carry-in food is prohibited. Numerous non-profit organization appreciate your support. Due to circumstances beyond tournament control, beer will NOT be sold at the contest. Please drink responsibly.
30. All prizewinners may be required to participate in a post-contest interview. Prizewinners may be asked to take a polygraph exam as part of the contest requirements. Post-contest interviews and/or polygraph exam will be conducted by Dave Wilmus, Private Investigator. In the event deception is detected or the contestant refuses to participate in post-contest interview and/or take the polygraph exam, he/she will be disqualified. In the event that a winner fails a polygraph examine all expenses in the investigation will be the responsibility of the disqualified participant. Bottom line…DON”T CHEAT! Prizes subject to disqualification may be awarded at the discretion of Tournament Specialists, LLC. The decision of Tournament Specialists, LLC officials are final.
31. Failure to comply with any contest rules subjects contestants to disqualification and removal from the competition site, as determined by contest officials. Right to refuse to sell and /or revoke a competition ticket to anyone is herby reserved by the contest officials. Ramsey County Sheriff’s Department and DNR officers will be on site at all times. ALL illegal activities will be turned over to the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Department and DNR immediately.
32. Contest organizers thank you for supporting our efforts to protect the environment and requests that you remove refuse-including cigarette butts-from the ice when you leave. Waste containers will be provided. Bathrooms will be available on the lake in and around contest perimeter. No fishing licenses will be sold on the lake.
33. Contest rules and prizes are subject to change. All contest updates available and valid only from www.IceFishingEvent.com.
34. As part of admission requirements, contestants/spectators agree that photographs, video, and/or likenesses of themselves may be used for future promotions.
Our contest rules are intended to protect the integrity of the contest. From the contests beginning in 1947, White Bear Lake has been home of the “World’s Original Ice Fishing Contest”. We would like to give great thanks to all members of the community, sponsors, charities and groups who helped make this winter event possible.
Last updated: January 16, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Registration begins at 7:30 a.m.
Contest Noon - 3:00 p.m.
