Rules
1. You are required to have fun at the tournament.
2. The Tournament is scheduled for Saturday January 25th, 2025 from 1:00 pm until 4:00 pm on Catfish Bay.
3. Gates will open and registration will begin at 10:30 am. No access is allowed into the fishing area prior to 12:00 pm. on the day of the tournament.
4. Each person will be allowed to fish one hole with a one hole ticket and two holes with a two hole ticket. Two hole tickets cannot be split and used for two people. All participants must have a one hole ticket or a two hole ticket.
5. All participants are eligible to win prizes in the main division and biggest specific biggest fish divisions. All youth 17 & under are eligible to win prizes in their youth age division and the main division and the biggest specific fish divisions
6. Portable hand pulled shelters will be allowed for tournament use. Shelters can be moved into place and set up from 12 pm to 1 pm. Shelters must be open to inspection at any time and can only be placed on a pre-drilled hole provided for the contest. No personal ice augers are allowed.
7. Additional holes can be drilled by Ice Fish Fest staff around existing pre-drilled holes for electronic equipment, two hole ticket holders or inside shelters for additional family/group members. Drilling additional holes will be based upon the number of tickets held by the participant, the family/group or electronic equipment that needs a separate hole. Drilling additional holes can only be done by Ice Fish Fest Staff and is based on staff availability.
8. No contestant will be eligible for more than one competition prize in each division. You may weigh in as many fish as you want, but only the heaviest fish in each division will be qualified for a competition prizes. Contestants can register fish in each specific fish division; (largest blue gill, largest crappie, & largest Perch). Example: If a youth 17 and under caught the largest fish of the tournament that was also the largest fish of the tournament they would win the 1st place prize for the main division ($5,000), they would also win the 1st place prize for their youth division ($750). This would be a total of $5,750 in cash & prizes they would win in .
9. No refunds will be given except if the tournament is canceled in advance due to unsafe ice conditions, Covid 19 or other reasons solely determined by by tournament officials.
10. Cancellation due to weather the day of the event will be decided at the discretion of tournament officials. If weather prevents the tournament, a drawing for all the prizes will be held at a location and future time determined by Catfish Bay. One hole tickets will get one chance in the drawing and two hole tickets will get two chances in the drawing. Drawing winners will be notified via email where the prizes can be picked up. If the tournament is canceled in advance due to unsafe ice conditions registration money will be refunded and no drawing will be held.
11. All minnows must be purchased at Catfish Bay the day of the tournament. Catfish Bay cannot have unwanted fish or invasive species enter the lake. Only minnows purchased at Catfish Bay are to be used in the tournament. Please bring a minnow bucket if you plan on purchasing minnows.
12. Contestants must bring a 5 gallon bucket and water scoop to transport the fish you catch from your hole to the weigh in station to help keep fish alive. All fish must be alive to qualify for a prize. Fish are to be immediately brought to weigh in or released so the are kept alive and healthy.
13. A contestant can only reserve one hole with a one hole ticket or two holes with a two hole ticket no earlier than 12 pm. Holes can be reserved by placing your equipment next to an existing pre-drilled hole.
14. Contestants will be allowed to move to any unoccupied holes during the contest. You are allowed to bring as many poles as desired, but cannot use more than one pole per hole at a time. Contestants must use holes provided for the contest and cannot drill their own holes.
15. Contestants must fish in the areas 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 performed.
16. Tournament prize winners are determined by the largest weight and time registered. In the event of a tie, the first fish registered takes priority. Any game species/size fish is eligible to win a prize. Rough fish, if caught, like carp or bullheads are not eligible but should be turned into tournament officials for proper disposal.
17. All fish must be registered by the person that caught them. You MAY NOT give a fish to another contestant to register. Exceptions will be made prior to the start of the tournament for handicap and elderly participants.
18. All fish must be alive in a bucket of water and be brought to the Judges stand immediately after caught. Dead or frozen fish are ineligible. Judges shall have the right to verify that the fish was legally caught. The decision of the judge is final. In the event deception is detected, the contestant's prize will forfeited.
19. Contestants are responsible for verification of the weight and species of the fish at the time of weigh-in. All participants are responsible for verification of all information on their weigh in ticket and must keep their weigh in ticket in case of a dispute. All weigh-in tickets must be certified by a tournament official.
20. All fish must be caught and on the way to the Judges stand by 4:00 p.m.
21. Fishing licenses ARE NOT required to participate in Ice Fish Fest. Catfish Bay is licensed by the South Dakota Game Fish and Parks as a "Private Fee Fishing Facility".
22. All fish caught will be immediately released back into the lake after they are weighed.
23. Contestants are responsible for their own safety, actions, and property at all times.
24. No alcohol is allowed at Ice Fish Fest because of insurance and liability reasons.
25. Prizes are the responsibility of the winners. Licensing, taxes, registration, transportation, and all incidental or sequential expenses incurred are the responsibility of the participants. Any prizes not claimed within 14 days of the Ice Fish Fest will be forfeited.
26. Contestants are not allowed to use motorized vehicles on the lake.
27. Contestants are required to park in the areas provided.
28. Coolers and large containers are all subject to inspection upon check in. No glass containers or alcohol are allowed at Catfish Bay and will be confiscated by, and forfeited to tournament officials.
29. The use of ice augers is not allowed. Heaters, chairs, bait pails, underwater cameras, depth finders and other typical ice fishing electronics are allowed. Small chisels are recommended as holes are drilled the day before. Weighted lines without hooks can be used to check depth prior to 12:45 pm
30. Failure to comply with any of the contest rules subjects the contestants to disqualification & removal from the competition site, as determined by contest officials. Right to refuse or revoke a competition ticket to anyone is hereby reserved to tournament officials.
31. All contestants and others hereby consent to the use of any photographs or likeness of themselves to be used in the promotion of our contest, including but not limited to print, radio, television, etc.
32. The volunteers of Ice Fish Fest and Catfish Bay thank you for supporting our efforts to protect the environment and request that you remove your garbage, including cigarette butts, from the ice when you leave. Waste containers are provided
33. Catfish Bay reserves the right to close online registration and limit the number of participants at any time for any reason. If Catfish Bay does close registration and limit the number of participants anyone registered and paid online at that time will be allowed to participate. Anyone not registered and paid at that time unfortunately will not be able to participate in Ice Fish Fest. Register early to ensure you, your family and friends can participate in Ice Fish Fest.
34. If not enough fish are caught to give away the tournament division prizes a raffle will be held immediately following the tournament and all division prizes will be raffled off. One hole tickets will get one raffle chance and two hole tickets will get two chances.
35. The rules can be changed at anytime before the tournament starts. It is recommended that all participants read the rules the morning of the tournament.
Prices Prizes Registration