N.A.I.F.C. Lake Winnipeg, 2011

[Catmendo]

It's time to make an official announcement on FM regarding the N.A.I.F.C. event that is slated for Lake Winnipeg in early 2011.

NAIFT Breaking the Ice

Excitement is building around the North American Ice Fishing Tournament qualifier that is set for Lake Winnipeg on January 9th, 2011. The series hosts a number of tournaments across the United States. We are pleased to say that this is the first ever to be held on Canadian Soil or in this case ice. Teams from acrosss the United States and Canada are welcome to enter and try their hand at winning up to $30,000.00 in cash based on 300 two person teams.

About the NAIFC Tournament Series

NAIFC tournaments are multi-day, premier fishing events. The NAIFC Tournament Series season begins in January and lasts through March with the NAIFC Tournament Series Championship Invitational held the following December. Each new season consists of serveral qualifier events held in selected States across the northern U.S. "ice-belt" and now Canada.

The NAIFC Tournament Series has a broad competitor base and offers an even palying field. NAIFC Tournaments are truly the "Hard-Water" equvilent to big league bass and walleye tournaments held during the open water months. Despite the growing sophistication of NAIFC competitors, these events remain approachable for newcomers. There is an unmistakeable common folk quality to the sport of ice fishing that seems to attract hard-working people who naturally like to help others excel in the sport. It is common for elite ice fishing competitors who have spent years honing their skills and developing new techniques to pass their knowledge onto new ice fishing enthusiasts. This simply does not happen anywhere else in competitive fishing and our sponsors recognize the value and the opportunity this creates.

Major sponsors will be attending the event and will be showcasing their latest products at the host facility South Beach Casino and Resort. The exibiton will begin January 2nd starting daily from 4:00 pm til 9:00 pm.

South Beach Casino will host the madatory tournament rules meeting on the evening of Saturday, January 8th.

"FREE" Kids "ice fsihing clinic" set for January 8th. During this awesome kids event, HT Enterprises will be generously "giving" every child who attends a free ice fishing rod & reel combo!

Both Travel Manitoba and Strikemaster will also be providing free door prises.

The actual ice fishing tournament event will be carried out from Balsom Bay Harbour which is located a few miles north of South Beach Casino. Boundries for the event will be well marked and weigh stations designated.

Tournament rules are posted on the NAIFT HSOforum and are specific to the Lake Winnipeg tournament.

Awards ceremony will be held on Sunday afternoon at South Beach Casino and Resort.

For more information or for those wanting to register for the tournament call:

(204) 510-2469

For those headed to the St. Paul Ice Show we'll be there. Look for the "XSTREAM TACKLE" booth. Stop in and say howdy and get your entry for the tournament!

[Mike Stark]

nice work putting this together stu.

[Ed Carlson]

This will be a Walleye Ice Fishing Tournament like none other before. On a fishery that without a doubt in my mind offers many fish capable of surpassing the current world record Walleye. Any many, many, more walleye, that can come very close to the record.

Truly a serious event with the potential for weigh in's never imagined on the ice.

If you want to be in on history in the making, sign up and participate. Compete in a true benchmark event in the ice fishing game.

I predict, it will be one for the books.

[manitobawalleye2]

I have yet to find the rules on any site even the NAIFC site.

Could someone point me in the right direction?

Is it in a marked boundary area? What size will the area be?

How close do you and your partner have to fish together?

How are the fish handled, do the weigh masters come to you?

Are shelters allowed?

If the event is cancelled due to weather, is the entry refunded or is a draw held? What are the hours of the event?

Is live bait allowed?

Those are just a few of my questions.....

if someone could point me in the right direction I would appreciate it.

[mamacats]

Good Evening,

I am hoping I can answer some of your very good questions for you. The Lake Winnipeg tournament is a different format than the other NAIFC tournament due to this being a catch and release tournament. All of the Manitoba Conservation Laws apply as far as live bait, number of rods that can be used, and alcohol on the ice are concerned.

There will be a border plow to mark the fishing area which will be between a mile and a mile and a half square. Three weigh in stations will be set up for quick access so the fish can be weighed and released quickly. All participants are responsible for having a large cooler to transport fish in water to the weigh station. We are aiming for a zero mortality rate.

Teams can only be thirty feet apart at any given time unless one has gone to weigh in a fish. But if they are fishing they must remain with- in the thirty steps.

All portable shelters can be used but permanents cannot. This is due to the fact that there is not enough man power to go and check each shack before tournament starts.

The rules’ meeting is on Saturday night and when you enter you received to supper tickets with your entry. We are supplying supper because the meeting is mandatory and some of the rules are different than the blue gill and pan fish tournaments that the NAIFC host in the U.S, we need everyone to attend.

Southbeach Casino and Resort has a special room rate for the week prior to the tournament at $47.00 per night Monday to Thursday, and Friday and Saturday $89.00. We also have two other facilities that have rooms close by if Southbeach fills.

If you have any other questions please pm me.

[manitobawalleye2]

says pms are disabled Holly....

What happens if the event is cancelled due to weather a refund or a raffle?

So we can haul the fish in a cooler, I take it 1 at a time?

We drive it there with the truck or a quad etc?

Is there a set distance between teams?

How many entries are signed up now?

When will the site location be announced with all the talk about pre-fishing?

How many fish are we allowed to weigh-in?

6 fish limit 1 or 2 over 71cm per team and 4 under 55 cm?

Cash payout down to 10th?

When will the full prize structure be posted?

[mamacats]

1. Participants may fish with or without a portable fish house. No hard side/wheeled houses. All portable fish houses set up must be kept open, with participants plainly visible until the 8:00 am start time. Contestants must be inspected before entering onto the ice.

2. Team partners must stay within 30 steps from one another from the time their team has passed inspection until their team's fish have been weighed. Unless one person is clearly on route to weigh in a fish.

3. Fish must be kept alive in a large cooler or similar container with water and without ice. No frozen fish.

4. Teams may not fish closer than 5 meters (16.4 feet) from another team, spectators included. Tournament Director and camera crew is excluded from the rule. Observers will have 16.4 feet rule to check distances during the tournament.

5. Auger covers on blades are required while augers are mounted to machines or during travel.

6. Participants may drill as many holes as they wish. However, any open hole may be fished by any competitor as long as they maintain the 5 meter rule. Hole Blocking is not allowed: Leaving a portable or other equipment next to a hole does not stop another fisherman from using that hole if you are over 5 meters (16.4 ft) away.

7. All laws for Snowmobile/ATVs (registration, licensing, insurance, and helmet laws) must be observed at all times.

8. State and provincial fishing laws must be observed at all times. NO ALCOHOL ALLOWED!

9. All fish brought to the weigh-in must be caught on the day of the tournament, during tournament hours.

10. Participants can fish with only one line at a time. A tip-up would count as a line.

11. No third-party fishing during the event. Each team must fish on their own without assistance except medical. Family members or friends who are not in the competition may not fish within established tournament boundaries. No communication/sharing of information between teams that may give another team a fishing advantage.

12. All teams must travel and fish within the designated tournament boundary area.

13. All pre-fishing must be complete by the start of the 6:00pm rules meeting the night before the tournament.

14. At least (1) one team member must attend rules meeting/registration. (Fee supper ticket is included in entry, first 150 entrants rules meeting is 6:00 p.m, second 150 rules meeting is 7:30.) Rules meeting is mandatory.

15. There will be mandatory fish house and equipment inspections before teams are allowed to proceed onto the ice.

16. Trucks will be permitted for team use in the tournament area during the event but they must have an open box and seats inside empty for easier inspections. Snowmobiles and ATVs can be used when ice conditions are satisfactory for snowmobile and ATV use.

17. Teams must return to the official tournament weigh line by 1:00 pm with fish. We ask that big fish be taken to weigh stations as soon as possible to eliminate any chance of death. A penalty of .5 (½) pound per minute; with a 5 minute maximum will be charged for being late across the time line. After 5 minutes the team is disqualified.

18. This is a one-day, total weight tournament. Five walleyes can be weighed in with two over the length of 28 inches. Three must be under. Contestants can weigh in as many fish as they want but can only count five legal fish.

19. All tournament pay outs are based on 300 –two person teams. Pays will be according to number of contestants.

If a team witnesses a violation of these rules, it is the obligation of that team to notify an official immediately. If a violation is reported after the fact (up to one hour after the 1:00 pm stop fishing time), the team filing the grievance must do so in writing, with a form provided and a processing fee. If grievance is valid processing fee will be refunded.

To preserve the integrity of the field the Tournament Director reserves the right to disqualify a team from the NAIFC Tournament Series and Championship for any rules infraction.

Rules 1-7 allow one warning before DQ. Rules infraction for 8-16 is an automatic DQ.

The NAIFC Tournament Series reserves the right to amend and introduce rules.

[manitobawalleye2]

Thanks Holly

Roger Stearns

See you at the WAAM meeting........

[Catmendo]

Roger, we look foreword to seeing you and the rest of the WAAM crew at the next meeting.

We are looking foreword to talking about this exciting tourney!

[mamacats]

Yes I am so excited see you there.

[mamacats]

REVISED RULES PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF RULES AT BOTTOM CONCERNING HOW MANY FISH AND LENGTHS

1. Participants may fish with or without a portable fish house. No hard side/wheeled houses. All portable fish houses set up must be kept open, with participants plainly visible until the 8:00 am start time. Contestants must be inspected before entering onto the ice.

2. Team partners must stay within 30 steps from one another from the time their team has passed inspection until their team's fish have been weighed. Unless one person is clearly on route to weigh in a fish.

3. Fish must be kept alive in a large cooler or similar container with water and without ice. No frozen fish.

4. Teams may not fish closer than 5 meters (16.4 feet) from another team, spectators included. Tournament Director and camera crew is excluded from the rule. Observers will have 16.4 feet rule to check distances during the tournament.

5. Auger covers on blades are required while augers are mounted to machines or during travel.

6. Participants may drill as many holes as they wish. However, any open hole may be fished by any competitor as long as they maintain the 5 meter rule. Hole Blocking is not allowed: Leaving a portable or other equipment next to a hole does not stop another fisherman from using that hole if you are over 5 meters (16.4 ft) away.

7. All laws for Snowmobile/ATVs (registration, licensing, insurance, and helmet laws) must be observed at all times.

8. State and provincial fishing laws must be observed at all times. NO ALCOHOL ALLOWED!

9. All fish brought to the weigh-in must be caught on the day of the tournament, during tournament hours.

10. Participants can fish with only one line at a time. A tip-up would count as a line.

11. No third-party fishing during the event. Each team must fish on their own without assistance except medical. Family members or friends who are not in the competition may not fish within established tournament boundaries. No communication/sharing of information between teams that may give another team a fishing advantage.

12. All teams must travel and fish within the designated tournament boundary area.

13. All pre-fishing must be complete by the start of the 6:00pm rules meeting the night before the tournament.

14. At least (1) one team member must attend rules meeting/registration. (Fee supper ticket is included in entry, first 150 entrants rules meeting is 6:00 p.m, second 150 rules meeting is 7:30.) Rules meeting is mandatory.

15. There will be mandatory fish house and equipment inspections before teams are allowed to proceed onto the ice.

16. Trucks will be permitted for team use in the tournament area during the event but they must have an open box and seats inside empty for easier inspections. Snowmobiles and ATVs can be used when ice conditions are satisfactory for snowmobile and ATV use.

17. Teams must return to the official tournament weigh line by 1:00 pm with fish. We ask that big fish be taken to weigh stations as soon as possible to eliminate any chance of death. A penalty of .5 (½) pound per minute; with a 5 minute maximum will be charged for being late across the time line. After 5 minutes the team is disqualified.

18. This is a one-day, total weight tournament. Only five walleyes can be weighed in with two over the length of 22 inches. Three must be under.

19. All tournament pay outs are based on 300 –two person teams. Pays will be according to number of contestants.

If a team witnesses a violation of these rules, it is the obligation of that team to notify an official immediately. If a violation is reported after the fact (up to one hour after the 1:00 pm stop fishing time), the team filing the grievance must do so in writing, with a form provided and a processing fee. If grievance is valid processing fee will be refunded.

To preserve the integrity of the field the Tournament Director reserves the right to disqualify a team from the NAIFC Tournament Series and Championship for any rules infraction.

Rules 1-7 allow one warning before DQ. Rules infraction for 8-16 is an automatic DQ.

The NAIFC Tournament Series reserves the right to amend and introduce rules.

[manitobawalleye2]

Looks good Holly

I am looking forward to this event.

Would be nice to put some faces to some of the names on here.