OPEN DIVISION RULES

1. Judges are the Tournament Committee and Directors and all the Judges decisions are final. Participants must complete the Registration Form, pay the entry fee and execute the separate Release of Liability in order to participate.

2. All fish must be caught during tournament hours in the designated waters of Bone, Deer, Apple River Flowage, Blake, Cedar, Round, Bear Trap and Wapogasset in Polk County, using legal sport-fishing tackle and one (1) line per angler.

This is a 100% catch and release muskellunge tournament; fish must be released alive to be registered for tournament purposes. Scoring shall be on the Point-System described below, with winners determined by the highest point-totals.

3. The 2024 June Jam Boat Sticker Decal must be applied to each side of any boat used in the tournament and be visible during tournament hours. The Boat Sticker Decal should be applied to the sides of the boat or motor, but must be visible above the waterline from either side of the boat. Registration will not be available on Saturday.

4. The use of live, dead, freeze-dried or frozen bait is prohibited. Participants may use manufactured “biodegradable” baits and scents.

5. It is the participant’s responsibility to deliver all Release Forms to the tournament headquarters by 5 p.m. on Saturday. No entries will be accepted after this time, for any reason. Release Forms must be filled out completely!

6. All Wisconsin fishing and boating regulations must be obeyed and are hereby incorporated into the Rules as if fully set forth. The Tournament reserves the right to disqualify a contestant or fish for flagrant misconduct on the water or at a launch site, or for a violation of any tournament rule, including a violation of Wisconsin fishing or boating regulations. Trolling is an acceptable angling method where and how permitted by state regulations except that tournament rules allow only one (1) line per angler, including anglers who troll.

7. Any protest or reporting of a violation of Tournament Rules must be presented to the Tournament Committee in writing or by text before 4:00 p.m. on Saturday. Any protest not filed before is deemed waived and will not be recognized.

8. Tournament hours are from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

9. All muskies registered must be a minimum of 34 inches in length. No transportation of fish for any reason is allowed. Failure to comply with Wisconsin DNR regulations will result in immediate disqualification. (See Rule 17 for specific DNR conditions.)

10. Any contestant who releases a fish must remain with the fish until it swims away unaided. Fish must be returned to the water alive. NO FISHING is permitted from a tournament boat while a fish is being registered and released.

11. All registered fish must be pictured on a bump board. All registered fish must have a photographic evidence or it will not be accepted. To register your fish, text the fish picture to 651-592-5875.

12. POINT-SYSTEM AND SCORING

a. Participants receive 8 points for each Muskie 34 inches in length, plus 1 point for each inch over 34 inches. Fish less than 34” cannot be registered. Measuring: Fractions of an inch will be counted to the nearest 1⁄2 (half) inch.

b. Winners are determined by the highest point totals. In case of a tie in points, the tie will be broken first by the earliest contestant to reach his/her point total and second by the largest single fish. If a tie still exists, the winner will be decided by a coin toss.

13. JUNIOR DIVISION— SPECIAL PROVISIONS

To participate in the Junior Division, a contestant must be 17 years of age or younger during the tournament and must be registered as a “Junior.” There is a single prize for the Junior Division (1st), and all the Open Division rules of the tournament apply. Juniors are NOT eligible for the Grand Prize drawing or any other Open Division prizes, but they are eligible for other door prizes, tournament big fish prize, etc. Individuals who are 15 or younger can choose to enter the Open Division at the time of registration, as long as they pay the Open Division entry fee.

14. The Tournament, directors or rules committee are not responsible for holding, transporting or shipping prizes not claimed by winners at the official awards ceremony. Prizes and trophies not claimed at the awards ceremony are deemed forfeit and shall become the property of the Tournament. This provision does not apply to the Grand Prize drawing.

15. SPECIFIC DNR PROVISIONS, IN ADDITION TO RULES ABOVE:

a. Area where competition is prohibited: Within 100 feet of public boat landings.

b. Required methods for fish holding: Any fish taken into actual possession by an individual and not released immediately shall be included as part of the angler’s daily bag limit (See NR20.07(1)(f). An angler may possess a fish by common methods such as a live-well, fish cradle, etc. only so long as is necessary to confirm it is legal for the tournament. Any fish that is transported must be considered part of the angler’s daily bag limit. Angling while detaining a fish is prima facie evidence that the fish has been reduced to the daily bag limit.

c. Required methods for fish release: “immediate release”.

d. Participants must possess a “cradle” or landing net of sufficient size to allow a muskellunge to remain upright in the water beside the boat.

e. When a muskellunge is caught the boat cannot be moved under power except within the immediate vicinity of the capture site to avoid eminent danger and to facilitate a quick and safe release of the fish. If the boat is moved for greater distances or for other purposes, the fish must be counted towards the angler’s daily bag limit, pursuant to s.NR 20.05(7), Wis. Adm.Code.*

f. The muskellunge must be held in a net in the water at boat-side and should not be boated except as absolutely necessary to remove hooks or to avoid eminent danger as described in 17e, above. Use of barb-less hooks is recommended in order to expedite the release process.

g. Upon landing a muskellunge, the angler must immediately initiate the official tournament registration process.

h. Any angler who catches a muskellunge may not resume fishing until the fish has been successfully released. In-water measurement is recommended whenever possible.

i. A muskellunge should be released immediately following registration or when it is capable of swimming under its own power.

j. The DNR reserves its authority to require other than live fish release, contingent upon weather conditions and temperatures until the date prior to the start of the tournament.

k. All vegetation should be removed and all water should be drained from boats, trailers and equipment following take-out at the end of the tournament.

WISCONSIN STATE GUIDELINES FOR BOAT CLEANING:

1. Remove all vegetation from boats, motors, trailers and equipment before launching;

2. Drain water from all areas of the boat, motor, bilge, live-wells, bait containers, trailer and any other areas which retain water;

3.a. If tournament boats have been moored in another water body within the previous 5 days, boats and equipment should be washed with high-pressure HOT water (over 104 degrees F—a carwash will work);

3.b. OR Tournament boats can be drained and allowed to dry for at least 5 days, before launching at the tournament waters;

4. Tournament organizers should inform all participants that all vegetation should be removed and all water should be drained from boats, trailers and equipment following take-out at the end of the tournament;

5. Dispose of unwanted live bait in the trash.

6. SEE ADDENDUM FOR DNR CONDITION FOR BOAT CLEANING IN TOURNAMENTS.

*Note to Participants on Transporting of Fish: in the event a participant transports a fish to the extent that it becomes part of the angler’s daily bag limit, that fish may still be registered for tournament purposes if the fish is released in good condition and swims away unaided. If the fish is killed or kept there shall be no points for that fish for tournament purposes.

DNR ADDENDUM: ALL PARTICIPANTS MUST READ!

THE DNR HAS ADDED THE FOLLOWING CONDITION TO ALL OPEN- WATER TOURNAMENTS AND IS HEREBY MADE PART OF OUR TOURNAMENT RULES: “ALL AQUATIC PLANTS, MUSSELS, STANDING WATER AND LIVE WELL WATER SHALL BE REMOVED FROM ALL BOATS, TRAILERS AND GEAR BEFORE LAUNCHING BOATS TO PREVENT THE POTENTIAL SPREAD OF EXOTIC SPECIES. IF A BOAT, TRAILER OR GEAR IS FOUND TO CONTAIN ANY ONE OF THE ABOVE-MENTIONED ITEMS BEFORE LAUNCH, THAT PERSON SHALL NOT BE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TOURNAMENT UNTIL SUCH FEATURES ARE REMOVED AT LEAST 200 FEET AWAY FROM THE LANDING ON UPLAND SOILS AWAY FROM WETLANDS OR ANY STANDING WATER. ALL AQUATIC PLANTS, MUSSELS, STANDING WATER AND LIVE WELL WATER SHALL BE REMOVED FROM EACH BOAT, TRAILER AND GEAR AT THE LANDING IMMEDIATELY UPON COMPLETION OF THE TOURNAMENT BEFORE DEPARTING THE LANDING TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF EXOTIC SPECIES.”

THANK YOU FOR PROTECTING OUR WATERS.