Event Rules & Guidelines
Fees: $350 per team basic entry fee with Big Fish Option included. Youth (Age 7-15) portion of $100 is paid by local sponsors or CRWAA.
Venue: Tournament headquarters & weigh-in will be held at at Clover Island Inn, Kennewick, Wa. 435 Clover Island Drive, Kennewick, WA 99336. Locking Down/Up through McNary Dam or Ice Harbor will NOT be permitted. This tournament is being held under a Washington permit. Contestant banners and weigh bags are required for this tournament by the contestants.
Off-limits periods: Tournament waters will be off-limits beginning Friday, June 18th at 4:00pm until the tournament begins on Saturday morning.
Registration: Pay online at http://www.acetricities.com/tournaments.html or pay /drop off at Griggs in Pasco.
**Registration can also be done prior to drivers meeting at at Clover Island Inn, Kennewick, Wa. 435 Clover Island Drive, Kennewick, WA 99336 on Friday, June 18th, from 3:30-4:30 PM.
** Encourage Pay online at http://www.acetricities.com/tournaments or drop off at Griggs in Pasco.
Mandatory Drivers Meeting: To be held at at Clover Island Inn, Kennewick, Wa.
435 Clover Island Drive, Kennewick, WA 99336 June 18th at 5:00pm, Each team must have at least one member present at drivers meeting, but all members are encouraged to attend. Evasive species signature for boat owner is required.
Payout: 80% pay out, Overall prize money will be awared to 1 in 7 boats. Big fish option money awarded 1 place and included in Basic Entry.
Eligibility: Entries accepted as two or three person teams only. Any applicant under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult partner. Tournament officials will make any and all determinations of eligibility. If an emergency arises and one team member is unable to continue fishing, the other team member may finish that day’s fishing individually, adhering to tournament bag limit consisting of six (6) walleye in possession, only two of which may be 24” or over.
Registration: Entries close at 4:30 PM June 18th. The drivers meeting will be held at 5:00 pm on Friday evening prior to the tournament. At least one member of each team is required to attend the drivers meeting. Attendance of all team members is encouraged.
Release of Liability: Each entrant must sign a release of liability/media rights statement in order to participate in the tournament, With Online sign up or entry form signatures this releases liability of CRWAA .
Pre-fishing: Water is closed to all registered persons and potential contestants beginning at 4:00 pm on Friday prior to the tournament and lasting until the tournament begins. Persons who are on the water for any reason after this time will not be eligible to enter this tournament.
Regulations: All contestants must observe U.S. Coast Guard and state rules and regulations. Any contestants cited for Federal or State rule violations will be subject to disqualification.
Inspections: Boats will receive an inspection each day starting at 5:00 am prior to launching and at the docks for teams using other launches. All contestants will depart from tournament headquarters. It is the teams responsibility to check in at dock if using alternate launch and receive an inspection or be DQ for the day. No boats may have walleye on board prior to the start of the tournament. All boats must carry and display markings provided by the tournament officials. Boats, tackle and equipment may be inspected at any time before, during or after the tournament. All boats must meet or exceed all State and Federal safety requirements.
Tackle and Bait: State rules and regulations apply. Contestant banner must be displayed during tournament. Spare equipment may be carried in the boat.
Boat Operation: Each entrant is required to wear a Coast Guard approved PFD upon take-off and when the boat is being operated at planing speed. Teams may depart from the tournament headquarters only under the direction of the tournament officials. It is considered good sportmanship to maintain a minimum of 20’ from another boat. No boat contact will be allowed except by a tournament official boat. It is the intention of this tournament to promote good sportsmanship and fair play. Unsportsmanlike conduct and cheating will result in disqualification. Interpretation of rules shall be left exclusively to the tournament officials and all decisions will be final.
Catch and Release (Culling) Policy: The use of an aerated live well is mandatory. No exceptions! All fish must be kept in good condition. Any fish that has been injured by hook or handling may not be released. Whenever a fish in the live well is replaced with a new catch, the fish to be released must be in good condition. No species other than walleye may be kept in the boat. All incidental catches must be released immediately unharmed.
Checking-in and Late Penalty: All boats must check in each after day regardless if the team has fish or not. The team number and arrival time will be recorded upon arrival. Boats arriving after official check in time will be penalized 10% of that days catch weight and will be eliminated from any big fish option prizes. Boats over fifteen (15) minutes late will be disqualified for that day.
Scoring: Each team may weigh up to six (6) walleye per day, only two (2) of which may be 24” or over. If any fish shows signs of poor handling these fish WILL NOT be weighed. The weigh master will make all determinations as to the condition of each fish, as well as length and weight. Final measurement is determined on a flat board with mouth closed and the tail in a relaxed position. Any team’s bag limit consisting of more than two (2) walleye 24” or over will be disqualified for that day. Each dead fish will incur an 8 oz. penalty with the 3rd dead fish will DQ team for the day.
Big Fish must be alive to qualify for Big Fish of the Day. Final weight is determined after any penalties have been assessed with the weigh master’s decision being final. Awards of prizes will be based on the day’s weight total. Winners must pass a polygraph test, at their expense, if required to do so by tournament officials. Early big fish weigh ins are encouraged throughout day. Once a participant brings fish to the scale they may not return to boat until fish are weighed and slip is signed. It is the responsibility of participants to bring all retained fish to the scale without causing delay to other anglers. Example: Boat 1 brings 5 fish to the scale and realizes he/she forgot a fish in the livewell. The 5 fish would be weighed as their daily catch.
Fish Release: Each team is responsible for releasing their own fish after they are weighed in back into the main stream of river. There will not be any release barge, No fish release into Marina is allowed.
Alcohol: No alcohol will be allowed in boats or consumed during the tournament hours. Any contestant visibly intoxicated will not be allowed to fish. Violation of this rule will result in disqualification for this tournament and possible any future tournaments.
Landing: While contestants are engaged in competition, team boats may only land at Tournament Headquarters. Landing at any other location will result in disqualification (subject to the review of Tournament Officials). Tournament Headquarters will be located at the marina from which the tournament is held.
Withdrawal: Refunds of entry fees will be made only if the team gives written notification of withdrawal by the Wednesday prior to the tournament. A service charge of $25 will be assessed against refunds made due to withdrawal from the Tournament.
Tournament Hours: Regular blast off will be at safelight. Weigh in time will be stated at Drivers meeting.
Protest Policy: Only contestants and Tournament Officials have the right to protest the actions of another team or contestant. Protest must be presented in writing to the tournament director (CRWAA) no later than ½ hour after the close of fishing that day. The designated protest committee (CRWAA) will convene and investigate to make a decision regarding the protest. The protest committee and their agents are authorized to use polygraph and other investigative techniques in order to determine the validity of the protest. The decision of the protest committee shall be majority vote and shall be final in all cases. Contestants waive the right to appeal the decision of the protest committee to a higher authority, including any court of jurisdiction in this or any other state. The protest committee will be made up of the CRWAA Board members.
