Iowa Fishing Tournaments

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.

Preparing to Use the New System

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. Below is a simplified set of directions for creating your password.
Passwords must be:

At least 8 characters long (alphanumeric)

Include at least one special character (e.g. !, @, #, $, %, ^, &, *, etc.)

A mix of uppercase and lowercase letters

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.

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. Fill out the 2009 Fishing Tournament Application (39K pdf) and send (by mail) the completed application to the Department of Natural Resources Area Management Fisheries Office in whose region the contest will be held.

Applications will only be accepted for 2009 tournaments. Applications for 2010 tournaments will be accepted via the online application system starting in November of 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.

The authorization letter must be in possession of the sponsor or their representative and be available at the contest site for Department representative during contest hours.

Guidelines

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.

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