Format and eligibility

  • Two-person team heaviest two-day accumulated bag tournament.
  • Hybrid Catch, Photo, Video release and Weigh-In format competition
  • All competitors must possess and have on their person a valid Manitoba Fishing License or Treaty Card.
  • All competitors are equal and will abide by Manitoba Sportfishing regulations and specifically all rules put in place for the Prairie Walleye Classic.
  • At minimum one team member must be eighteen (18) years of age or over. Youth competitors will be permitted with written consent/signing of waiver from a parent/guardian.
  • Should a waiting list be initiated, the Captain will be the person offered a spot in future tournaments. The Partner will be offered the spot should the Captain decline and become the new Captain of the team.

Entry

  • $700 per team entry fee.
  • Boat numbers/starting order will be assigned as entries are received and paid. Official notification of such via email from Tournament Directors will be sent once funds are received.
  • Entries will continue to be received until the Rules Meeting on June 12 at 6pm in Russell, MB* Unless the maximum number of 100 teams has been reached before then. Subsequent entries will be placed on a waiting list.

Logistics

  • Pre-fishing will cease at 4:00pm on Thursday, June 12, 2025. No boat shall travel tournament waters or actively fish after this time.
  • Boat parade will be at 5:00pm on Thursday June 12, 2025. Muster area is at north end of Main Street in Russell.
  • Pre-tournament Rules Meeting will be on Thursday June 12, 2025 at 7:00 pm. At least one member from each team must be in attendance.
  • The dates of the tournament will be Friday June 13 and Saturday June 14, 2025
  • Boat inspections at Asessippi Provincial Park boat launch will commence at 6:00am.
  • Tournament fishing hours will be based on three flights with the flight order being reversed on Day 2. All times are based on GPS.

Day 1                                                  Day 2

Flight 1 – 7:00am to 3:00pm            Flight 3 – 7:00am to 3:00pm

Flight 2 – 7:30am to 3:30pm            Flight 2 – 7:30am to 3:30pm

Flight 3 – 8:00am to 4:00pm            Flight 1 – 8:00am to 4:00pm

*Boats taking off before their designated flight time will be disqualified.

  • Boats must return to the Asessippi Provincial Park boat launch area and ‘check-in’ with the Check-in Boat on or before their respective check-in time. Check-in process will involve a Tournament Official calling out your boat number to confirm that you have checked in and handing you a ‘weigh-in queue tag.’
  • Late boats will be penalized half a pound (8oz) per minute up to 5 minutes, beyond which they will not be eligible to weigh-in that day’s bag or score their CPR fish (day disqualification).

Boundaries

  • The tournament will take place on Lake of the Prairies.
  • Tournament boundaries are west of the swimming area in the Shell River (marked with red buoys spanning the river) to the Hydro line approximately two to three miles north of Pyott’s Point (Hydro line spans river).

Boat Inspection

  • Tournament volunteers will conduct boat inspections at the Asessippi Provincial Park boat launch prior to each boat entering the water and will flag and record each boat as completed.
  • Boats travelling by water to the Asessippi Provincial Park boat launch will be inspected at the mooring dock.
  • Failure to have boat recorded as ‘Inspected’ before taking off will result in disqualification.
  • Volunteers will check for: appropriate Personal Floatation Device for each team member; ensuring livewells are empty of fish and water; properly affixed boat number cowl stickers.
  • Teams will receive an official Prairie Walleye Classic Judge tournament ruler and an official set of ‘numbered fish photo tags’ during each day’s morning boat inspection.

Boats and equipment

  • Canoes, houseboats, kayaks and other similar personal or cumbersome watercraft are not permitted.
  • All boats are required to meet Canadian safety regulations.
  • Tournament Directors reserve the right to refuse entry or disallow use of any boat, motor, or equipment deemed unsafe, unsuitable, or contravening of tournament rules.
  • Sonar electronic equipment including forward-facing sonar is permitted.
  • Underwater cameras are not permitted to be used during tournament hours.
  • All boats must be equipped with a working livewell (covered aerated container used to retain live fish).
  • Livewell water additives such as G-Juice are permitted.
  • Marine radios, cellphones, and other communication devices are to be declared at inspection and are only to be used in the case of an emergency during tournament hours. Electronic boat to boat communication is prohibited during tournament hours.

Safety

  • Competitors are not permitted to consume alcohol directly before and during tournament hours.
  • Competitors are required to wear approved Personal Floatation Devices whenever the boat is on plane or travelling beyond trolling or drifting speed.
  • Emergency contact number listed below.
  • All teams must adhere to safe boating practices while participating in the tournament.
  • For the purpose of accounting the safe return of all competitors, all boats are required to check-in at the conclusion of tournament hours. Failure to do so may affect further participation in this event in the following year.
  • Competitors are strictly not permitted to step ashore/off their boat at any time during tournament hours other than at Asessippi Provincial Park boat launch or at Pyott’s West Campground boat launch. In the case of lightning or other severe dangerous weather, competitors can seek safety at the nearest shoreline, as necessary.
  • Teams may moor their boat at Pyott’s West Campground for the purpose of a washroom break. Teams must notify the CPR Weighmaster via their private chat that they are doing so and notify again once they are back on the water.

Fishing

  • Only fish caught by angling hook and line in a normal manner will be permitted for inclusion in bag limit.
  • Hooks must be barbless on Lake of the Prairies
  • Competitors are permitted to use only one (1) line in the water per person at a time.
  • Live bait, artificial bait, and lures are permitted. Electronic luring devices, spring-loaded lures, and other such mechanisms not deemed sporting are prohibited.
  • Only live bait purchased in Manitoba is permitted (please keep purchase receipts/bait tags on hand).
  • Competitor boats must not come into contact with any other boats on the water whether they be other competitors or not. The passing of items from one boat to another will result in disqualification.
  • Boats will be respectful and sportsmanlike in regard to other competitors and property on tournament waters. A twenty-five (25) foot radius shall be respected between boats during the competition.
  • Only walleye, sauger, and saugeye (hereafter designated as ‘fish’) are permitted for inclusion in the team bag limit. All other species caught must be released safely back to the water immediately.
  • Fish shall not be altered or purposefully deformed in any way.
  • All care for the well-being of any/all fish caught during the tournament shall be of the utmost priority of each competitor.
  • The daily Team bag limit is five (5) fish. At no time shall there be more than five (5) fish in the livewell(s).
  • No fish may be retained or scored that fall in the ‘red zone’ of over 45cm and under 55cm.
  • The maximum number of over 55cm fish in the daily Team bag limit is two (2).
  • Daily team bag limits may be comprised of at most: five (5 ) unders; or four (4) unders and one (1) over; or three (3) unders and two (2) overs.

Live Weigh-in Scoring

  • The Live Weigh-in station will be open beginning at 8:00am.
  • The Official Dock Judge will inspect fish in livewells at the mooring dock prior to releasing teams to proceed to the weigh-in station. Any fish not swimming upright will be assessed as stressed. Any fish not deemed releasable will be assessed as dead.
  • Stressed fish will be assessed a penalty of 8oz for each instance.
  • Dead fish will not be eligible for weigh-in but will still count toward a team’s daily bag limit.
  • Fish will be transported to the weigh-in station via provided tubs. Teams will be responsible for all handling of their catches once they are released to proceed until the tub is submitted to the Weighmaster.
  • All fish must measure in the slot of a minimum of 30cm and a maximum of 45cm to be eligible for weigh-in scoring.
  • The Weighmaster will perform all measurements with the head to the left mouth closed, fish belly to Weighmaster’s belly, tail pinched to the width of the Official Judge ruler.
  • Teams submitting a fish for scoring that is measured to be outside of the aforementioned slot will be assessed a score of zero (0) for the day. This includes a score of zero (0) for their CPR fish if any as well.
  • Teams submitting a fish for scoring that is deemed to have an altered/snipped tail will be assessed a score of zero (0) for the day. This includes a score of zero (0) for their CPR fish if any as well.
  • Weights will be recorded in pounds and decimal ounces to two placings. Weigh-in slips must be signed by a Team member confirming the publicly viewable score on the display.
  • Any injuries to fish sustained after they have been submitted to the Weighmaster will not result in any penalties to the Team.

Catch, Photo, Release Scoring

  • All fish must measure a minimum of 55cm to qualify for CPR scoring. Fish under 55cm are not eligible for CPR scoring. All qualifying fish at the 55cm mark will score at 21.75″ on the official conversion chart.
  • Hero photo will be taken with the fish’s head in an angler’s right hand with the fish’s left side facing the camera. Entire fish must be in frame, angler’s face must be in frame, fish tag must be placed on the fish’s left side and visible in the photo.
  • Measurement photo will be taken with the fish laying flat on its right side, head placed against the bump of the ruler (0″) with its mouth closed (see Judging below). Tail may be pinched to achieve maximum length. Angler may hold the fish in place for the photo. Serial tag must be visible in the photo (photo taken from above the bump). Camera person may take the photo from either the fish’s dorsal side or belly side (photo can be rotated by the weighmaster after).
  • Release Video will commence from the same framing and fish position that the measurement photo was taken. Fish will then be taken off the ruler, fish tag removed, and tail-held in the water to assist with recuperation. Fish will swim away under its own power. Video may end once angler is no longer physically touching the fish, and the fish has swum away healthily. Fish may be held in a landing net in the water at any point in the scoring process for the purpose of aiding recuperation/health of the fish. At no point may a qualifying 55cm or greater fish be placed in a live well.
  • Report your qualifying fish by submitting your three required photos/video via your Team’s private chat with the CPR Weighmaster on WhatsApp.
  • Teams may submit for scoring any number of CPR fish that result in an upgrade in their score (culling of your smallest over). The CPR Weighmaster will notify you of accepted submissions, levied penalties, feedback on your photos/video, and keep you up to date on the length of your smallest fish.

Catch, Photo, Release Judging

  • Official PWC Length-to-Weight Conversion Chart published on kickerfish.ca website will be used to calculate Daily Team Bag Weight. A paper copy of the conversion chart will be provided to each team at Day 1 boat inspection for reference.
  • Official recording of Daily Team Bag Weight shall be in pounds and two decimal point places.
  • Measurements surpassing a quarter inch line will round up to the very next quarter inch line for scoring purposes. The final determination for this will be the sole discretion of the Weighmaster.
  • Penalties or disqualification of individual fish may be levied if all required photo and release video conditions are not adhered to.
  • Quarter inch (0.25”) penalty: No Fish Tag visible in one or more of a Hero, Measurement, OR Release Video set (max one quarter inch penalty per fish)
  • Half inch (0.50″) penalty: Mouth open in Measurement Photo with discernible advantage (discretion of the CPR Weighmaster. Judging process will be explained at Rules Meeting).
  • Individual fish disqualification:
    • Release Video – none submitted; unsuccessful release (dead or stressed fish)
    • Measurement Photo – none submitted; photo missing serial tag; wrong side of fish facing camera; fish not touching bump
    • Hero Photo – none submitted; wrong side of fish facing camera, entire fish not in frame
  • The scoring headquarters will be located at the Asessippi Provincial Park boat launch and will be officiated by the Official CPR Weighmaster.
  • All measurements and weights declared by the CPR Weighmaster are final.

Cash Awards and Prizing

  • The Main Prize Pool will be awarded based on highest total team bag weight with the top weight winning first place. Prize placing spots will descend to the fifteenth (15th) best finishing team (based on 100 teams).
  • All prize placing spots in the Main Prize Pool will be cash awards broken down by proportional percentage of the prize pot.
  • Tiebreaker Rule – In the event of a tie (same exact official weight), the higher placing team will be determined by each team’s longest scored fish of the tournament. If still tied, then the higher placing team will be determined by each team’s next longest scored fish and so on until the tie is broken. Teams will combine award values of placings and split the award evenly if the tiebreaker rule cannot break the tie.
  • The Big Fish Prize will be a total of two (2) awards going to the team(s) who score the heaviest fish each day. The main prize will be awarded to the team who scores the heavier fish with the runner-up prize going to the other.
  • Tiebreaker Rule – In the event of a tie (same exact official measurement/weight), the higher placing fish will be determined by the next longest fish scored by each team on that day. If still tied, then the higher placing fish will be determined by the third longest fish and so on until the tie is broken. Teams will split the Big Fish Award if tiebreaker rule cannot break the tie.
  • Prizes will be awarded on a team basis and must be accepted as awarded.
  • The Tournament Directors reserve the right to adjust the stated prize structure accordingly in relation to the actual size of the total field of entrants.
  • Contingency prizes may be made available by Sponsors of the tournament. Rules for these awards will be stipulated by the Sponsor and be made public prior to the tournament commencing.

Other

  • Each team must register for the tournament by filling out the entry form online at kickerfish.ca
  • Upon filling out the entry/waiver form, competitors are permitting the use of their name and image on all media coverage relating to the promotion and reporting of the Prairie Walleye Classic. Competitors also free the organizers, volunteers, sponsors, and other agents involved in the above-named event of any responsibility for death, injury, damage, theft, or related loss as a result of participating in the Prairie Walleye Classic howsoever caused.
  • Tournament Directors reserve the right to delay, shorten, or cancel the tournament in the case of severe weather or unsafe conditions.
  • Competitors who have been disqualified will not be entitled to a refund of their entry fee.
  • Any protests of contravention of rules must be submitted directly to the Tournament Organizers accompanied with $200 cash before the completion of weigh-ins. Fee will be refunded if allegations are found to be justified and result in a change in the final standings.
  • Teams requesting to withdraw from the tournament will be entitled to a refund of their entry fee (less a $50 administration fee) if the request is submitted in writing at minimum fourteen (14) days before the Rules Meeting on June 12, 2025.
  • It is the goal of the Tournament Directors to organize a fair and sportsmanlike competitive event, in all cases the ‘spirit of the rule’ will apply.