Please reference the information below the Obtaining a Tournament Authorization and Guidleines sections to familiarize yourself with the look and feel of the new online tournament application system.

In 2008 and 2009, the Natural Resource Commission adopted rule changes for the Iowa DNR's fishing tournament permit program. The date for submitting applications for fishing tournaments has been changed to January 1, from July 1. Beginning with applications for 2010 tournaments, a $25.00 administrative fee will be charged for fishing tournament applications. The fee will partially offset the costs incurred to administer the tournament program, including development and maintenance of the online application and payment system. This web site system will be the only method to apply for and get approval for fishing tournaments. All tournaments will be listed on the DNR's web page following implementation of this system. Applications for 2010 will be accepted starting January 1, 2010. Refer to the instructions below to prepare to use the new tournament application system.

Beginning in 2008, all bass tournaments in June, July and August will end at 1:00 PM. Fisheries biologists across the state felt that holding fish in live wells during warm water conditions causes undue stress and higher latent mortality. This new rule will be enforced statewide. An exception to this rule exists, allowing tournaments to continue past 1 PM, if the tournament holds multiple weigh-ins, at least once every four hours.

Since 2000 Iowa DNR has had a policy to prohibit walleye kill tournaments during the months of June, July and August.

Obtaining Tournament Authorization

Authorization by the Department of Natural Resources is required to conduct a fishing tournament on public waters under the jurisdiction of the state. Fishing clinics and youth fishing days are excluded. Fishing tournament means any organized fishing event with six (6) or more boats or twelve (12) or more participants or where an entry fee is charged or prizes or other inducements awarded, except for waters of the Mississippi River where the number of boats shall be 20 or more and the number of participants shall be 40 or more.

Separate authorization is needed for each tournament. Access the online system here and complete the Fishing Tournament application form.

Applications for 2010 tournaments will be accepted via the online application system starting in late December 2009. Authorizations are not transferable. Applications for fishing tournaments held in January and February of 2010 will be accepted as soon as the new system is online. Applications for fishing tournaments to be held after March 1, 2010, will be accepted after January 1, 2010. Applications must be received by the area fisheries management biologist at least 30 days prior to the proposed event.

Approval of any tournament application is at the discretion of the fisheries management biologist. The DNR may impose special conditions not specifically covered herein for any fishing tournament if deemed necessary to protect the resource or to assure public safety. Special conditions may include, but are not limited to:

• aerated live wells
• release of live fish
• fish measured to length and released from a boat
• designated release areas
• designated release persons
• multiple weigh-ins when water temperatures exceed 70 degrees Fahrenheit
• scheduled weigh-in no later than 1:00 PM
• no weigh-in tournaments allowed for walleye, northern pike, and muskellunge in the months of June, July and August

Tournament size:

• on lakes less than 100 surface acres - a 15 boat maximum
• on lakes greater than 100 surface acres - a maximum of one boat per ten surface acres (Biologists may waive this rule in special cases.)

The number of tournaments at any one access area during a given day may be restricted if deemed necessary to avoid congestion with the public or competing tournaments.

To access the new system, you will need to create an ID with the State of Iowa’s online database system. If you have an ID for the searchable fishing report system, that one will work. If not, use that mechanism to create one. You can click here, and access the system by clicking the “searchable report system” in the blue box. Once you do that, you will need to create an ID and password.

Here is what the log in screen looks like:

To create an account, click on the second tab, and this page will appear:

The system will require you to confirm the account details, and provide a valid email address: This email address will be sent a link and a code to complete the account registration process, which is shown on the next screen.

After receiving the email and clicking the link, you will be directed to this page. You will need to type in the "blurry" letters in the middle of the page to continue:

Next, you will need to create an "account baseline" which consists of questions that you provide answers to. This will aid in recovering your password if you ever lose or forget it:

The last step in account set-up is creating a password. Below is a simplified set of directions for creating your password.
Passwords must be:

You may not use pieces of your name or email address in your password

After you have created a username and password, you will be ready to access the new Special Events/Fishing Tournament system when it comes online at the end of December.

The present timeline for the new system is to complete staff training by December 15, allow staff to familiarize themselves with the system from December 11-21, delete all test data in the system around December 21 and make it available to the public. Applications for 2010 can begin to be submitted as of January 1.

Conducting a Search in the new System

Start at the Special Events home page, http://programs.iowadnr.gov/specialevents/. A screen shot is below.

Click on Search for Events, and you will be directed to this page

Select any of the following Search Criteria [Event Type, Events for a certain month, Between a date range] and click on Search
Or, you may click within the map and use the scroll bar within the map to narrow your search geographically. The mouse scroll wheel will also zoom in on the map and narrow your search results.
The events matching your search criteria will be displayed as Push Pins (Thumb Tacks) on the Map and in the table listed below the map.
You may click on an event name to view more information about the event.

Submitting an application in the new System

Start at the Special Events home page, http://programs.iowadnr.gov/specialevents/. A screen shot is below.

Click on Schedule an Event. If you have not already logged in, you will be redirected to the State of Iowa’s Access and Authorization (A & A) system to login. You may login with your A & A credentials, which was explained in the "Creating a user ID and Logging In" section above. If this is your first time logging in, you will need to create a profile.

Once you’ve logged in you will be redirected to the Schedule an Event page

Select an Event Type from the Drop-Down List Box. The application will automatically take you to the Application Form. Fill out the application form with your information. Required fields are denoted with a red asterisk (*).

Any application fees or tag fees will be listed at the bottom of the form (they are not on this screen shot)

You need to click the box at the bottom of the page indicating that you understand and agree to the legal terms associated with the application

Click on Submit when you have completed the application form

Since Fishing Tournaments have a $25 fee associated with it, you will be redirected to a credit card payment entry screen (not shown)

Enter your information on the credit card payment entry screen and click Submit only once to ensure that your transaction is not submitted multiple times. You will be redirected to a screen stating that your application has been submitted

Once your application has been approved you will receive an e-mail with the Authorization Letter and Credit Card Receipt

You can review any events you have submitted to the system by clicking the "Show My Events" button on the "Schedule an Event" page

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