Rules

2025 Dakota Walleye Classic Rules & Regulations

PLEASE READ

1. Your patience during launching and weigh-in is greatly appreciated.
2. Number of fish per team: Keep 10 fish/day; weigh 5 fish/day.
3. ALL CURRENT STATE (ND GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT) RULES MUST BE FOLLOWED.
4. Team registration fee is $400.00

1. ELIGIBILITY & REQUIREMENTS

1. All persons 18 years of age or older are eligible to enter. Anglers under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
2. Each contestant must possess a valid North Dakota fishing license.
3. Each contestant will be required to have a U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) approved personal floatation device (PFD). PFD’s must be worn when launching and running. Failure to do so may be grounds for disqualification.
4. Dakota Walleye Classic reserves the right to refuse entry to any individual, including those who have been barred from any other tournament for disqualification.
5. All contestants are required to observe all USCG and ND Game and Fish Department current rules and regulations.

2. REGISTRATION

1. If a team member drops out before the tournament, his/her partner may choose a replacement with notification to tournament officials by the Rules Meeting held on Thursday, July 24th.
2. If the entire team drops out, the place will be filled by the Dakota Walleye Classic Chairman, not by the choice of the team, and the entry fee will be returned ONLY if notice is given by July 10th.
3. Applications are taken on a first-come, first-serve basis. Tournament slots are only filled with a completed registration form and payment.
4. No exceptions will be made for changes.

3. FISHING

1. Only walleye, sauger, and saugeye 15 inches or longer will be accepted. Decisions on length made by the weigh-in officials are FINAL.
2. Fish presented smaller than 15 inches will be removed and deducted from the total.
3. Only those fish caught on a hook and line in formal and usual manner will be accepted.
4. Each contestant will be allowed TWO (2) lines in the water at a time.
5. All legal artificial lures and/or legal live bait as outlined by ND Game and Fish are allowed. No live aquatic organisms may be imported into the state. Electronic and electrical luring or attracting devices are prohibited.
6. Any altered or mangled fish will be weighed at the discretion of the weigh-in officials. Their decision is final. A team may not replace a disqualified fish.
7. Contestants will conduct themselves as true sportsmen and sportswomen at all times.
8. No boat may touch another boat or pass an item to another boat during tournament hours.
9. A contestant MUST NOT leave his/her boat at any time during the tournament.
10. Contestants shall have no phone or electronic communication of any kind with other teams during tournament hours.
11. Any contestant determined to be cheating will be disqualified and banned for life from the tournament.

4. BOATS and EQUIPMENT

1. All boats will be required to meet USCG safety standards.
2. All will be required to have a functioning marine band radio or a cell phone to contact tournament officials.
3. All boats will be required to have a current state registration in accordance with the regulations of the home state of the contestant owning the boat.
4. Contestants must follow all current ANS regulations; ALL water must be drained from boats including bilges, live wells, and motors prior to leaving the water.

5. TOURNAMENT BOUNDARIES

1. Contestants may not fish beyond the west boundary during tournament hours.
2. The western boundary will be from The Beacon on the northern shore in a direct line to the eastern edge of the mouth of the Little Missouri.
3. The eastern boundary will be the eastern shore of Lake Sakakawea.
4. Contestants going outside boundaries will be disqualified.

6. WEIGH-IN

1. One scale will be used to weigh in all fish during tournament hours. In the event of a malfunction, an alternate scale will be substituted.
2. Each team will be responsible for their own catch. Under NO circumstances may anyone other than the contestants handle or touch the catch until after it has been turned over to weigh-in officials and/or volunteers at the weigh-in area.
3. Any team weighing in more than their maximum allowed per day will have one-half (½) of that day’s weight deducted from their total.
4. Once fish have been presented to the weigh-in officials at the scale, NO SUBSTITUTIONS will be allowed.
5. Fish brought to the scale will be surrendered to the Dakota Walleye Classic for cleaning.
6. One team member must accompany fish to the scale and sign the official weigh slip. Each team will receive a copy of the weigh slip and are responsible for checking the weigh slip’s accuracy PRIOR to leaving the weigh-in area.
7. An unloading area will be designated in front of the weigh-in area and will be for unloading of fish only. Fish bags must not contain water – drain them before presenting the fish to the weigh-in officials.
8. Fish presented for weigh-in must be inside the approved “Scales” weigh-in bag with the proper tag.

7. FISHING HOURS and STARTING

1. Competition will begin at 7 am CDT and end at 4 pm CDT Friday and Saturday, with Sunday reserved as a storm make-up day. NO CONTESTANT SHALL FISH AFTER 4 PM THURSDAY, JULY 24TH.
2. Tournament officials retain the right to delay, cancel or restrict tournament waters in case of severe weather.
3. All boats must be inspected and must have their identifying numbers in place before they will be allowed to launch each day.
4. Boats will launch in two flights, boats in the earlier flight will have priority going through inspection and launch. Please allow the early flight to pass you in line to ensure a timely start.
5. Launching and return will be by LAND ONLY at Beulah Bay Recreation Area which will serve as the tournament headquarters. Boats must pass by the check boat upon leaving and returning each day. Flights will depart according to boat number – lowest to highest in the flight. Flights will alternate each day.
6. Teams must be back to the check-in point by their official return time to weigh fish. Any team returning up to 5 minutes late will have one-half (½) their weight deducted from their total. Any team returning more than 5 minutes late will be disqualified for the day. There are NO EXCEPTIONS to this rule.
7. Stranded or disabled teams contacting tournament officials by 1:00 pm CDT can elect to weigh fish, subject to availability of tournament officials. One (1) team member must accompany the fish to shore in a tournament official’s craft. When the tournament official arrives to collect the team member and fish to weigh in, that team must stop fishing for the day. The fish must still be at the check-in point by the team’s official check-in time. If a tournament official is not available within such time, the weight is forfeited.
8. Under no circumstance may a stranded or disabled boat be substituted on the water. At the director’s discretion, a properly inspected boat may be substituted at the designated launch point.
9. Boats may be inspected before and during the tournament. Tournament officials will be well-marked. Any cheating will result in immediate disqualification.

8. REQUIRED ACTIVITIES

1. Registration will be on Thursday, July 24th, from 1-5 pm. ALL TEAMS MUST REGISTER.
2. Contestants are required to attend the registration banquet & rules meeting at 5 pm. Failure to attend the meeting by the start time will result in disqualification.
3. All contestants are required to cooperate with members of the press for interviews and photographs.

9. PRIZES

1. Prizes will be based on the most weight (pounds) during the two days of the tournament.
2. Prizes will be awarded on a team basis. Cash prizes will be mailed no later than one month after the tournament concludes.
3. In the event of a tie, the team which has the biggest fish over both days shall be determined the winner. If neither team weighed in a big fish, then a coin toss will determine the winner.
4. Cash payouts equal 75% of all entry fees collected. 1st place = $16,500 guaranteed; 2nd place = $7,000; 3rd place = $4,500. Remaining cash prizes are contingent on the number of teams in the field.
5. Payout of cash prizes is based on a 190-team field.

10. PROTESTS

1. All protests must be presented to the tournament chairman within 30 minutes of the close of the fishing day.
2. Any contestants involved in a protest must be on call for three (3) hours following the end of the fishing day.
3. By signing the tournament waiver, contestants agree to submit to a polygraph examination. Challengers will be required to submit a deposit in the amount of $300. Should the complaint prove legitimate, the deposit will be refunded.
4. Any cash prizes or awards will be held pending the outcome of the investigation.
5. Should the investigation prove a violation occurred, the offender will be immediately disqualified.
6. Rulings by tournament director will be final.

LIABILITY RELEASE

I acknowledge I am VOLUNTARILY participating in this Dakota Walleye Classic event. I am aware that my participation in this tournament creates risk of personal injury or death. I realize I may experience loss or damage to personal property. I assume all risk of injury, death and loss of personal property which may result from any participation in this fishing tournament.
I expressly recognize the loss of property, injury or death could arise from:

1. The fishing and boating activities involved in the tournament.
2. The fact that competition rules dictate contestants may fish in boats belonging to other contestants in the contest, as well as their own boats.
3. The fact that risk normally encountered in open water fishing from a boat may be enhanced by the existence of competition.

I agree to abide by all tournament rules and that all rules are interpreted to the discretion of the Dakota Walleye Classic Tournament officials. I agree that all Dakota Walleye Classic tournament official’s rulings are final with no right to protest further. I hereby release and discharge the tournament’s officials, Dakota Walleye Classic committee, tournament sponsors, tournament staff and volunteers from liabilities and injuries, damages or other loss sustained by participant caused by the negligence or strict liability of the release parties.
I have read this release of liability carefully and understand all the terms and conditions. I sign up voluntarily and without reservation.