Official Rules for 2012 MNO Ice Fishing Challenge

[DDSBYDAY]

2012 MNO Ice Fishing Fishing Team Challenge

                                       Rules and how this Challenge works.

1. Contest is free to enter.

2. Must be a member of MNO, Residents of Minnesota and surrounding states are encouraged to join MNO so you can enter The Challenge.

   2a. You will need ten posts by Nov 15th in order to be eligible for the draft creating the fishing teams. If you do not have the required ten posts your name will be held from the draft. To be fair to all teams we want fishermen who are active on the board.

3. Contest runs from Dec 1, 2012, till Feb 28th, at midnight. **NEW for this year!!!

4. This contest is a team challenge. The teams will consist of three members to be drawn at random. You sign up on the official string and your name along with two others will be randomly selected. You and your partners will be posted as a team and then we ask you to contact your partners and post a team name. Now comes the twist to this contest. You and your team members will be asked to submit the longest fish in three species categories. Panfish ( either sunfish, crappie, or perch ), (Walleye or Sauger) and Northern Pike.

The total length will win the contest. Example a 16" panfish and a 26" Walleye and a 40" Northern gives you a total of 82 inches. Anyone on your team can upgrade your catch, say you catch a 24" walleye and a team member later catches a 30" fish. Your 30" fish will now be your top entry for walleyes for your team. Ideally each team member would qualify a fish.  NO TEAM MEMBER MAY HAVE MORE THAN 2 SPECIES AS THE TOP FISH FOR THEIR TEAM. THIS IS A TEAM EVENT SO THE OTHER TWO MEMBERS WILL BE RESPONSIBLE TO SCORE THE 3RD SPECIES.   THIS IS A NEW RULE FOR THIS YEAR****
5. All fish must be photographed along side a clearly visible outstretched tape measure (Fish board recommended) and must include the staple item. This years staple item will be announced before the contest begins . This staple item  must be included in your photo along with the fish.

   5.a      Total Length:
     "To determine the legal length of a fish, lay it flat on its side, squeeze the
tail from tip to tip, and measure from the nose OR jaw, whichever is longer,
to the farthest tip of the tail when fully extended."   The total fish must be in the picture along with the staple item.  Any one of official judges will look at the submitted picture and give it a thumbs up. That means the fish will be scored for your team. Fish pictures must be posted by the last day of the contest, no late or early entries will count.    (To keep the contest interesting we would like to see all fish posted within a few days of catching them). ** Holding fish to score later is not illegal but frowned upon**.

6. When you post your fish you may comment but please make no comments in the scoring thread in regards to fish caught, save that for the "2012 Ice Fishing Smack Down thread" With a 3 month long fishing contest there will be a lot of fish for the judges to track and a lot of posts to go through. All comments will be removed by the judges if posted in scoring thread.

   6.a  Judges will track the largest fish for each team. Posted fish must meet the minimum.

7. Photos must be posted in the official thread, this thread will be for the posting of fish only. Camera pictures will be accepted when mailed in to MNO, these can not be returned. Please no trash talk in the official posting thread, post your remarks in the Smack thread.

8. All local and State fishing rules must be adhered to in the catching of fish,. No illegal means of harvesting will be accepted. Catch and release rules/seasons are OK for contest.

9. All members who want to participate must sign up by Noon Nov. 15th, 2012. Teams will be drawn and posted the evening of Nov. 16th. Teams will consist of 3 members per team. Members will be selected by a random draw.

   9.a There will be only one draft, so make sure you sign up before the deadline.

10. There will be a minimum size for your fish to be entered. Panfish will need to be 6" or larger. Walleye or Sauger 15" or larger and Northern Pike 18" or larger. Fish will be measured to the nearest ¼ inch down and upgrades may be made in ¼ inch units. ( Example a walleye at 21 and 3/8 will be scored as 21 and ¼ ) There is no limit to how many times you can upgrade your catch. Remember that your teams largest fish in each category will determine your final entry length.

*****Hook and line only.  Speared fish may not be entered.*****

11. Bragging rights and entry into the MNO Hall Of Fame will be awarded to the #1 team

12. Rules  are subject to change as this Challenge is an on going and growing project.

The intent of this fishing challenge is to promote MNO and to make new fishing buddies.