Tournament Home :: Registration :: Rules :: AIS/Boat Inspection :: Boat Trailer Parking :: Final Standings
SEPTEMBER 5 & 6: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM • SEPTEMBER 7: 7:00 AM – 11:00 AM
DESIGNATED TOURNAMENT WATERS
ZONE 1: Lake Bemidji • Lake Irving • Carr Lake • Lake Marquette • Stump Lake • Mississippi River between Lake Bemidji and Stump Lake
ZONE 2: Big Lake
ZONE 3: LIMITED TO 25 BOATS. Mississippi River between Stump Lake and Lake Andrusia • Lake Andrusia • Wolf Lake • Cass Lake • Kitchie Lake • Buck Lake • Pike Bay
ZONE 4: Lake Winnibigoshish • Mississippi River between Cass Lake and Lake Winnibigoshish
ZONE 5: Leech Lake • Lake Benedict
ZONE 6: Boy Lake, Boy River, Swift Lake, Lake Inguadona, Rice Lake
ZONE 7: Lake Wabedo • Little Boy Lake
ZONE 8: Woman Lake • Girl Lake
ZONE 9: Mantrap Lake
ZONE 10: Lake Plantagenet
1. Each contestant must complete a tournament entry, comply with boat inspections, and comply with all rules.
2. Every contestant must have access to a phone in the boat that has the Fish Donkey app downloaded.
3. Every boat must have at least one commercially-produced, 60-inch folding or rigid bump board available. The bump board must have a fixed 90-degree angle upright section for touching head end (nose or jaw) of the fish. Measuring stick, ruler or board with sliding scale is not acceptable.
4. There must be a minimum of 2 persons in each boat. All occupants in the boat, including guides, must be registered tournament contestants whether they fish or not.
5. Boats, equipment, and conduct must comply with all Minnesota State laws. Minnesota State Fishing Licenses are required.
6. All contestants must be wearing an approved personal flotation device when the boat is under power of the gas motor.
7. As stewards/representatives of the tournament and the sport of muskie fishing, all contestants must be courteous to other contestants, tournament officials, and non-contestants. The tournament committee reserves the right to disqualify a contestant for any obvious misconduct on the water, at a launch site, or at tournament-sponsored venues.
8. For the duration of the tournament, tournament waters may be fished ONLY during tournament hours. Hours are Friday and Saturday 7:00 am to 7:00 pm and Sunday 7:00 am to 11:00 am.
9. All fish must be caught during tournament hours in designated waters using legal sport fishing tackle. ONLY ARTIFICIAL LURES/BAITS MAY BE USED.
10. Use of live scope/forward facing sonar and/or all other real-time imaging technology is not allowed during the tournament. Use of any real-time imaging technology will result in ALL participants in the boat being disqualified. Side imaging and/or 360° units are allowed.
11. ALL MUSKIES ENTERED MUST BE AT LEAST 35 INCHES IN LENGTH. Fish must be returned to the water alive in the presence of one witness. Contestants must remain with the fish until it swims away unaided. Witness must be available on request to tournament officials.
12. TOURNAMENT ZONES: Tournament waters are divided into zones. All contestants must only fish in the zone they select and all boat partners must be registered to fish in the same zone. All boats must remain in the zone selected at registration for the duration of the tournament.
13. TOURNAMENT BOAT IDENTIFICATION: Each watercraft operator will be issued a ribbon that must be affixed to the trolling motor identifying the boat as participating in the tournament. It must be clearly visible by others on the water.
14. TOURNAMENT CONTESTANT IDENTIFICATION: Each contestant will be issued a Tournament Identification badge displaying their tournament number and zone. The Tournament ID must be visible and identifiable in your bump board photo submitted for fish registration.
15. FISH REGISTRATION: Fish are registered using the FishDonkey app on your phone. Make sure you choose the Frank Schneider Memorial Muskie Tournament in the app on your phone to be able to register fish. Once you have caught a fish and have it in the boat, take pictures using the phone that has your Lake Labs app downloaded. You are required to submit 2 photos of your fish.
16. FISH REGISTRATION PHOTOS: Once you have caught a fish and have it in the boat, tap the Enter a Fish button in the app, take pictures quickly and release the fish as soon as possible. Take as many pictures as necessary to make sure they show everything required. You are required to have a bumpboard photo and one of you holding your fish.
BUMPBOARD PHOTO must show the ENTIRE fish on a commercially-produced bump board with your Tournament ID badge clearly visible. Fish’s nose or jaw must be touching upright portion of the board. Tournament officials must be able to see measurement in the photo. Your Tournament ID badge must be clearly visible in the photo.
HOLDING PHOTO must show you holding the fish. DO NOT put anything in your mouth for this picture. It is preferable to hold the fish in a horizontal position. Submitted photos will become the property of Twin Cities Chapter of Muskies, Inc.
17. POINT SYSTEM: You will receive 10 points for each 35-inch muskie released. In addition, you will receive one-half point for each 1/2 inch over 35 inches. In order to receive additional points the fish’s tail must be at or over the next measurement line – no rounding up.
Examples: 35 inches = 10 points
- 37-1/4 inches = 10 + 2 = 12 points
- 37-1/2 inches = 10 + 2-1/2 = 12-1/2 points
- 37-3/4 inches = 10 + 2-1/2 = 12-1/2 points
18. TIES: In the case of multiple contestants having the same number of points, the Lake Labs app recorded time of first fish registration will be used as the tie breaker, with the earlier time getting the better place.
19. VIOLATIONS: Report any violation of tournament rules that you witness. All violations reported will be kept confidential and anonymous.
Violations must be reported as soon as possible to Tournament Director, Casey Friskney, at 715-419-1187 or tcmi.fstourneydirector@gmail.com. Please include descriptive details, tournament number, any photos of the boat in violation, and any other information that would be helpful. Violations must be reported the day they happen. All violation reports must be received in writing and signed no later than 12 noon on Sunday.
If a violation has been presented against you and you to wish to contest it, you must respond in writing no later than 12:30 pm on Sunday.
The Rules Committee will make the final ruling on all violations. All parties involved will be informed of the decision. All rulings by the Committee are final.
20. INSPECTION: Judges and/or tournament officials may inspect boats, equipment and/or measuring devices at any time during the tournament until the Awards Program is completed.
21. MUSKIE DIVISION: Prizes will be awarded to the top ten anglers determined by points earned. Must be present at awards program to win.
22. JUNIOR DIVISION: Contestants under 18 years of age as of September 6, 2024 are eligible for the Junior Division. All tournament rules are the same. Junior Division will have 3 places with its own prizes. Must be present at awards program to win.
23. NORTHERN PIKE DIVISION: One prize will be awarded to the longest Northern Pike caught in the tournament. All tournament rules will apply except for length requirement which is 38 inches minimum length. Northern Pike entries are NOT eligible for the Grand Prizes. Must be present at awards program to win.
24. GRAND PRIZE DRAWINGS: To be eligible for the Grand Prize drawings, a contestant must register ONE muskie. Contestant’s name will be entered into the Grand Prize drawings ONCE AND ONLY ONCE, regardless of the number of muskies they have registered.
The Grand Prizes will be awarded at the Awards Program on Sunday. MUST BE PRESENT AT AWARDS PROGRAM TO WIN.
The Grand Prize winners will be responsible for all applicable taxes associated with acceptance of Grand Prize.
GRAND PRIZES AND BONUSES
YOU MUST BE PRESENT AT AWARDS PROGRAM TO WIN. All Grand Prizes and Bonuses will be awarded on Sunday. In case of ties, first fish registered will have the better place.
GRAND PRIZES. Total Grand Prize cash amount of $15,000 is based on a field of 500 paid tournament entrants. Total cash amount will be figured on a sliding scale. If there are less than 500 entrants, the total cash amount will be less than $15,000. If the number of entrants exceeds 500, the total cash amount will be more. Total amount will be divided into three equal amounts and awarded to three Grand Prize winners selected by draw.
BOB KUBISTA SENIOR BONUS. Tournament contestants over the age of 65 who register the three longest muskies and have opted to participate for the Bob Kubista Senior Bonus will receive a cash bonus, courtesy of the Bob Kubista family.
LADIES BONUS. Female contestants, regardless of age, who register the three longest muskies will receive a cash bonus sponsored by Spruce Island Camp, to encourage lady muskie anglers.
FLY FISHING BONUS. The longest registered muskie caught and witnessed using fly fishing tackle will win gift certificates redeemable at Bob Mitchell’s Fly Shop in St. Paul.
50-INCH BONUS. Every person who registers a 50-inch muskie or longer, will receive a $50 gift certificate from Thorne Bros. redeemable in store or on-line.
LONGEST RELEASED MUSKIE. A graphite replica from Lax Reproductions will be awarded for the longest muskie released. Fish must be a minimum of 50 inches. Please take girth measurement for fish replica.
TOURNAMENT PARKING REGULATIONS: Minnesota state law stipulates that no more than 50% of parking spots at state-owned public launches can be used by tournament participants. Please be aware of the number of spaces available to tournament participants if you use any public parking areas. You can find the total number of parking spaces available by going to Lakefinder on the MN DNR website at https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/index.html, finding the lake you are fishing. On the map of the lake, click on the boat ramp you will be using. At the top of that pop-up window is Water Access information. Click on the Water Access link. The report will show how many vehicle/trailer spots are available. Tournament anglers can only use half of those spaces. A total list of tournament lakes and public parking spots available will be in the tournament booklet that every contestant will receive.
MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES PROVISIONS FOR TOURNAMENTS ON LEECH LAKE
One of the conditions of being issued a tournament permit is that all anglers on Leech Lake follow these provisions. If you are fishing on Leech Lake during the tournament, you are responsible for knowing and complying with these DNR directives.
WILD RICE: Wild rice beds are a very important habitat for fish as well as a food for wildlife. Rice is also an important and healthy source of food for people, and culturally important to Native Americans. Wild rice beds are fragile and easily damaged by human activities, particularly boat traffic in and around them. This is the reason wild rice is protected by law from disturbance and damage. Anglers, both tournament and non-tournament, are asked to refrain from boating through or fishing in wild rice beds. Aside from the legal ramifications there are sensitive socio-cultural issues that can be avoided by respecting wild rice habitats.
PELICAN ISLAND CLOSURE: As you are probably aware, the MN DNR has been working with the Leech Lake Reservation to manage the cormorant population on Leech Lake since 2005. For public safety purposes, the Cass County Sheriff’s office has established a No Boating Zone around Gull and Pelican Island that is in effect from ice out until marker buoys are removed late in the fall. The purpose of this exclusion zone is to protect the public during cormorant control activities, which are by firearm, and to reduce disturbance to ongoing research and management efforts. The islands are also home to the only colony of nesting Caspian terns in Minnesota. These rare birds are sensitive to human disturbance. The closure zones are marked with buoys approximately 1/8th of a mile from Gull and Little Pelican islands as well as the eastern end of Big Pelican Island. Avoiding these areas will help ensure the success of the ongoing work and keep participants compliant with Cass County ordinance.