Rules

Fishing for Ducks Rules

  1. The Tournament is scheduled for February 22nd, 2025 from 12:00 noon until 3:00 p.m. on Mille Lacs Lake. There will be 1 entry point at Garrison Sports. Likely one more at Myr Mar Marina. No contestants are allowed inside fishing area prior to 9:00 a.m. All fish must be caught by hook and line.  No spears will be allowed.
  2. Should inclement weather cause cancellation on 2/22/2025, tournament will be held on 2/23/2025 same time and place.
  3. The top 100 place prizes are determined by largest weight and time registered. In the event of a tie, the first fish registered takes priority. Any legal size fish on the list below may place in the top 100.
  4. Each person will be allowed to fish one line per ticket, two lines maximum. Anglers choosing to fish multiple lines must use adjacent holes. You may register as many fish as Minnesota laws allow you to keep. Tournament anglers are eligible for more than one prize. There is no age requirement on tournament participation.
  5. Contestants may reserve no more than 4 holes no earlier than 9:00 a.m. the day of the tournament.
  6. All fish entered must be brought to the judges’ stand immediately and be alive. ONLY ONE FISH ALLOWED PER CONTESTANT IN THE WEIGH-IN LINE. Dead or frozen fish are ineligible. Judges shall have the right to verify that fish were legally caught. The decision of the judge is final. All prize winners may be required to take polygraph exams as part of contest requirements. In the event deception is detected or the contestant refuses to take the exam, his/her prize will go to charity. Contestants are responsible for verification of weight of fish at time of weigh in. When the head judge deems the leader board correct, there will be an inspection period for all contestants to view the board and put forth any comments. After that time, the board will be “official” and no changes will be made.
  7. All fish must be caught and the contestants in route to the judges stand by 3:00p.m. Judges rule will be final.
  8. Contestants must fish in the area designated for the contest and will be required to have their tickets visible at all times. Ticket checks as well as container inspections will be required.
  9. Contestants will be allowed to move to other unoccupied holes in the contest area. You are allowed to bring as many poles as desired, but cannot use more than one pole per hole per ticket at a time. Contestants must use holes provided and will not be allowed to return after leaving the contest area between 12:00-3:00 p.m.
  10. The tournament ticket and random drawing tickets are two separate items.
  11. Entry fee for the tournament is $30.00 per ticket until midnight February 16th, 2025. Starting on February 17th, tickets will be $40.00. No refunds will be given for any reason.
  12. There will be raffles held on the lake.
  13. Contestants are responsible for their own safety, actions and property at all times. Contestants and holes must be in plain view from all sides at all times.
  14. NO SHELTERS OR WIND BREAKS WILL BE ALLOWED.
  15. All laws of the State of Minnesota will be abided by. No fish may be weighed unless Minnesota law allows it to be kept by state anglers. Walleyes will only be weighed between 18 and 20 inches or over 28 inches. No northern pike over 30 inches will be weighed. No bass over 17 inches will be weighed.
  16. Prizes are the responsibility of the winners. Licensing, registration, transportation, taxes, and all incidental or consequential expenses incurred are the responsibility of the winners. Prizes must be claimed before the contestant leaves the ice, or no later than 5:00 pm on contest day, or they become the property of the Garrison Chapter of Ducks Unlimited and will be used for future fundraising.
  17. No motorized vehicles are allowed in the contest area other than contest officials and law enforcement personnel. Any contestant bringing a motor vehicle, including ATV’s and snowmobiles, within 100 yards of the contest perimeter will be disqualified. Please call Perry at (320) 630-2439 for handicap access information.
  18. Contestants are required to park in the areas provided. Watch for signs. Contestants are encouraged to carpool and use the buddy system. If needed, shuttles begin at 9:00 a.m.
  19. Coolers and large containers are discouraged. No spears allowed. Heaters, chairs, bait pails, depth finders are allowed. No licenses sold on the lake. Every effort will be made to drill the holes the day of the contest, but ice chisels are recommended as holes may be drilled the day before. The use of augers is not allowed. Weighted lines without hooks or bait can be used to check depth prior to 11:45 a.m. No lines are allowed in the water from 11:45 a.m. to the start of the contest. No underwater Cameras after 11:45a.m.
  20. Failure to comply with any contest rules subjects contestants to disqualification and removal from competition site, as determined by contest officials. Right to refuse to sell and/or revoke a competition ticket to anyone is hereby reserved.
  21. The Leader Board will be online only. All efforts will be made to keep the board up to date and accurate. Tournament results remain unofficial until verified by the head judge. After head judge deems leader board accurate contestants will have time to verify the results after which the results will become official and uncontestable. Under no circumstances will the leaderboard become official and uncontestable before 3:30 pm on contest day.
  22. All contestants and others hereby consent to the use of any names, photographs or likenesses of themselves to be used in the promotion of our contest, including but not limited to print, radio, television or any other media.
  23. All fish registered will be immediately released at weigh-in area, unless the contestant wants to keep it. In which case the fish will be marked by tournament officials and remain the property of the contestant.
  24. The Garrison Wildlife Chapter of Ducks Unlimited would like to thank you for supporting our efforts to protect and enhance the environment and request that you remove refuse, including cigarette butts, from the ice when you leave. Glass containers are not allowed in contest area and will be confiscated by, and forfeited to, tournament officials. Waste containers are provided by Waste Management.
  25. Tournament fish include: Walleye, Northern Pike, Perch, Tullibee,  Rock Bass, Largemouth Bass, Crappie, and Sunfish.    (The season is closed for Smallmouth bass and Burbot.)
  26. Contestants are encouraged to have a bucket with water to save fish on the way to the weigh station