2012 MNO Fishing Challenge Rules

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MNO 2012 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 May 11th (noon) 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 May 12, 2012, till October 31, 2012, at midnight.

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. Bass (either smallmouth or largemouth) (Walleye or Sauger) and Northern Pike.

The total length will win the contest. Example a 20" Bass and a 26" Walleye and a 40" Northern gives you a total of 86 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 but also just one member could catch all three qualifying fish for their team.

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 is a lighter.  
(see photo thread for examples). This must be included in your photo.

  5.a The entire fish must be in the picture and it is important that the nose of fish is up against the edge of the tape or fish measuring board. Any one of three 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. Fish must be measured with a closed mouth; an open mouth will result in a deduction in length decided by the judges. All rulings are final, please post your best photo for judging.

  5.b Resubmitted photo's will not be accepted, review your photo's before posting. A judge may ask for a different photo if the one that was posted has been diqualified. Again, all rulings are final.

6. When you upgrade your fish and we hope you do, please delete your old fish photo. We want only your largest fish in the scoring thread. 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 Fishing Smack Down thread" With a five month long fishing contest there will be a lot of fish for the judges to track and a lot of posts to go through.

   6.a You may post a fish even if it is not your teams largest so you can qualify for drawings. 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, Smallmouth Bass must be in season. No illegal means of harvesting will be accepted. Catch and release rules/seasons are OK for contest. Bass cannot be posted before the scheduled opening date.

9. All members who want to participate must sign up by Noon May11th, 2012. Teams will be drawn and posted the evening of May11th. 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. Bass will need to be 14" or larger. Walleye or Sauger 18" or larger and Northern Pike 24" 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.

11. Prizes will be awarded to the #1 team and to runner-up teams to be determined by the donated prizes that we receive. Grand prizes will be awarded by a drawing of those fishing challenge fishermen who have posted a fish in the Challenge. Grand Prizes can not be transferred and will only be honored by the drawn winner. Prizes need to be claimed with in thirty days of drawing. We will make all effort to contact winners. After thirty days if not claimed they will be placed in a drawing and awarded to new winners. Ties for any drawing will go to the posted fish with the earliest entry date.

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

13. Winning teams announcement: All winners at the end of the challenge must PM their sight name and actual name & mailing address to the prize distribution contact before November 30th. After that date all unclaimed prizes will be forfeited and rolled over into next years challenge.

The intent of this fishing challenge is to promote MNO and to make new fishing buddies. Fishermen who post a fish will be eligible for Grand prize drawings.