1st Annual California
Salute the Heroes
Fishing Tournament

Official Rules

Please read these rules and complete the form at the bottom of the page confirming you have read and understand the tournament rules.

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1. Fishing Rules & Restrictions

• No Culling (Strict): Unlike bass tournaments, culling is prohibited.

  • As soon as you catch a fish, you must decide immediately to keep it or release it.

  • You cannot keep a fish in a livewell and swap it out later for a bigger one.

• Start Time: No fishing prior to the official start time (usually 6:00 AM, but check the specific event flyer)

2. Weigh-In & Fish Care

• Condition of Fish: Fish must be weighed dead and kept on ice. (No bass preferred)

  • Pro Tip: Get them on ice immediately to preserve weight and color.

• Weigh-In Limits:

  • Team Limit: Usually 5 fish per team weigh-in (verify on the specific event flyer; some lakes allow 4 or 5).  

  • Species Caps:  Trout/kokanee only - 5. 

• Tie Breakers:

  1. Heaviest single fish.

  2. Length of that single fish.

3. Team Structure

• Team Definition: One team per boat. A team can be one person or more, but everyone on the boat is part of that single team.

4. Side Pots & Membership

• Blind Bogey: This is a KP staple. It's not just about the heaviest fish; they average the heaviest and lightest weights to pick random winners. It gives everyone a chance to win cash even if they didn't catch monsters.

5. Penalties & DQ

• Late to Weigh-In: If you are not in the weigh-in line by the cutoff (usually 2:00 PM sharp), you are disqualified. There is no "pound per minute" penalty-it's straight DQ.

• Mussel Inspections: If you fail the boat inspection at the gate (wet boat/livewell), you don't launch, and you don't fish.

Note on Equipment: Since you are fishing for Trout/Kokanee, standard California gear limits apply (1 rod per angler unless you have the Second Rod Stamp, which allows 2). 

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