Official Rules of Dakota Fishfest Heart Butte Walleye Tournament
ELIGIBILITY: All participants are eligible to enter the Dakota Fishfest Walleye Tournament, upon approval of tournament officials, on a first come, first entered basis. Anglers under 18 must fish with a parent or guardian.
REQUIREMENTS: (A) All contestants are required to observe U.S. Coast Guard and N.D. Game and Fish Department regulations concerning safe boating. (B) Game & Fish Department requires 75% of entry fees must be paid out to contestants.
FISHING: (A) All Game and Fish Rules will be applied. (B) Only Walleye, Sauger and Saugeye (15 inches or larger), also largest Walleye and Northern will be weighed in the tournament for a prize. Any fish mangled, mashed or mauled will be weighed and credited at the discretion of weigh-in officials. (C) Entrants will conduct themselves as true sportsmen and women when fishing near another boat. No boat may touch another boat. (D) A contestant MUST NOT leave the boat to land a fish or to untangle lines, lures or any other reason. (E) Each two-person team is limited to 10 fish total. Of these 10 fish only 6 will be used to weigh-in per team (When you leave the boat with your catch to weigh in, you will NOT be allowed to get another fish to weigh for any reason). (F) SPECIAL NOTE: In North Dakota, once a fish has been confined to a livewell stringer basket or other means of confinement it may not be released or replaced by a larger fish.
FISHING BOUNDARIES: Lake Tschida
WEIGH-IN: (A) The scale for the weigh-in will be open throughout fishing day. (B) Each team will be responsible for their own catch. Under no circumstances may anyone other than the contestant handle or touch the catch until after it has been presented to the weigh-in officials at the scale. (C) A team member will accompany the catch to the scale. (D) An unloading area will be designated immediately in front of the weigh-in area and will only be for unloading of fish. (E) Fish 15" length will unanimously be decided by 3 tournament officials.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
FRIDAY, June 13, 2025
• Rules Meeting at North Shore at 7:00pm (CDT). Check in begins at 6:00pm. One person from each team must be present for check-ins, no check-ins for other teams allowed.
• Coin toss at rules meeting with determine first flight or second flight for Saturday.
SATURDAY, June 14, 2025
• The tournament will consist of (2) - 35 boat flights. Flight (1) will be from 7:30 to 3:30, and flight (2) from 8:00 to 4:00. All times are Central time. • Inspection at 6-7am for first flight, 6:30-7:30am for second flight.
• Contestants who return late will be penalized 1 lb. each minute late and will be disqualified for any other walleye prize. After five minutes you will be disqualified.
SUNDAY, June 15, 2025
• Sunday reserved as a storm make up day.
BOAT IDENTIFICATION AND PATROLLING: (A) Boats will be inspected before and during the tournament. Tournament officials will be checking boats at launch area and patrol boats will be (intensively) patrolling the fishing areas. Any cheating will result in immediate disqualification, if protests are upheld.
PRIZES: (A) Prizes will be based on most weight (pounds) during the tournament. (B) Prizes will be awarded on a team basis. (C) Ties will be resolved by tournament officials. (D) Prizes and door prizes will be awarded after tournament concludes at the North Shore. (E) Payoff of prizes is based on 70 team field and will be posted on the tournament board.
MISCELLANEOUS: (A) All questions or problems concerning the rules of this tournament are to be referred to the tournament chairman. (B) If one of the two team members drops out before the tournament, they may be replaced by the choice of the remaining team member. (C) The tournament official must be notified of the new team member and they may be required to sign a new entry form before the tournament. (D) The entry fee will not be returned if a team drops out. (E) By entering and by your presence at Dakota Fishfest, you consent to be photographed. Your entry constitutes your consent to such photography and to any use, in any and all media. (F) Winning team will be team #1 in the following year’s tournament if team consists of the same team members. Entry fee is still required. Dakota Fishfest Tournament Officials are NOT liable for any accidents or damages.
Official Rules of Dakota Fishfest Heart Butte Youth Tournament
ELIGIBILITY: All participants between the ages of 6-15 years are eligible to enter the Dakota Fishfest Youth Tournament, on a first come, first entered basis. Anglers must have a parent or guardian accompanying for the entire duration of the tournament.
REQUIREMENTS: (A) All contestants are required to observe N.D. Game and Fish Department regulations. (B) Game & Fish Department requires 75% of entry fees have to go back to contestants.
FISHING: (A) All Game and Fish Rules will be applied. (B) Largest fish (any species other than Bass), most fish (any species), and largest Bass of each group will receive prizes. (C) Entrants and guardians will conduct themselves as true sportsmen and women when fishing.
FISHING BOUNDARIES: Lake Tschida
Site 1: North Shore
Site 2: East Boy Scouts Bay
Site 3: Schatz’s Point
Site 4: West Boy Scout Bay
WEIGH-IN: (A) The scale for the weigh-in will be open throughout fishing day. (B) Each person will be responsible for their own catch.
FISHING HOURS: (A) Fishing time will start at 8:30am and end at 12:00pm.
PRIZES: (A) Prizes will be based on largest fish (any species other than Bass), most fish (any species), and largest Bass of each group for each site. (B) Ties will be resolved by tournament officials. (C) Prizes will be awarded after tournament concludes at North Shore.
MISCELLANEOUS: (A) All questions or problems concerning the rules of this tournament are to be referred to the tournament chairman. (B) The entry fee will not be returned if a entrant drops out do to prizes already purchased. (C) Check in begins at 8:15am (CDT) Sat. June 10, 2023 at each site. NO check-ins for other entrants allowed. (D) Free food at North Shore following the tournament. (E) All fishing supplies will be provided. (F) By entering and by your presence at Dakota Fishfest, you consent to be photographed. Your entry constitutes your consent to such photography and to any use, in any and all media. Dakota Fishfest Tournament Officials are NOT liable for any accidents or damages.