2012 Metro Fishing League

[Steve Wood]

UPDATES to the plans for the 2012 MFL Season:
Due to a lower than expected participation in the league this year, the league format, schedule, and entry fees have been adjusted. Entries for individual events are now being accepted ($50/team/event) with advance payment and registration required. Results, photos, the application form, and other details are posted on the MFL website at: http://metrofishingleague.com/

Events for 2012:
1. May 19th – Mississippi River Pool 2 - event canceled
2. June 23rd – Forest Lake (Washington Cty, 31 miles)
3. July 14th – Sugar Lake (Wright Cty, 59 miles)
4. August 4th – Lake Minnetonka (Hennepin Cty, 21 miles)
5. September 8th – Grenn Lake (Chisago Cty)


Changes for 2012:
1. Third person (child of age 12 or less) allowed to participate in tournaments
2. No size limits for any bonus fish species (1 point per species awarded)
3. The top 3 teams from each event will be required to post information on this forum within one week of each event.
4. Up to 20 teams will be allowed to participate. Entries for individual events will be allowed.

Rules:
FishingTime
6:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Eligible Species
• One person’s legal limit of 3 northern pike, 6 walleye, and 6 bass may be weighed.
• A legal muskie (48+”) will be counted as 10.00 lbs. (10 points)
• All fish species taken legally by hook and line count for one point per species. Multiple sub-species count only one point (see detail below). No length restrictions for any species.
• Only a legal bass, northern, walleye, or muskie can qualify as big fish to win the big fish pot for each event.

Verification of Species and/or Size
• Bass, Northern, and Walleye plus any entry for big fish should be brought to the weigh-in alive or you may elect to have the weight verified on the water by a league officer using a calibrated portable scale. It is your responsibility to contact one of the league officers (Rob Ruda, Steve Wood, or Scott Regnier) via cell phone and bring the fish to them to be verified on the water after which it MUST be released.
• Muskies of 48” or more must be verified by any available team in the league as to its length and photographed with the staple item. They should then be immediately released even if of legal size. If it is necessary to estimate the fish’s weight for big fish entry, it will be calculated by a league officer at the weigh-in based on length.
• Other species entered for bonus points should be brought to the weigh-in or may be verified by photographing the fish along with the specified staple item for that event.

Size Limits for Weigh-in
• 12" minimum for bass
• 14" minimum for walleye (Only 1 over 20”)
• 20" minimum for northern pike (Only 1 over 30”)
• 48” minimum for muskie
Note: Special DNR regulations supersede these when applicable

Bonus Point Species
ALL fish species caught legally with hook and line will earn your team 1 point. Regardless of number caught, the maximum bonus is 1 point per species. This includes but is not limited to catfish, bullhead, carp, sucker, whitebass, sheepshead, dogfish, whitefish, rock bass, and anything else that you happen to catch that is a fish species. Regardless of how many of any bonus species you catch, you only need to verify one of each. Either bring it to the weigh-in (if legal to possess) or take a photo w/ staple item and release it. Sub-species do not count for additional points. The decision of the MFL officers will be considered final. Consider bringing the fish in alive (if legal to possess) if you are in doubt as to its identification. Examples of sub-species are
1. Bluegills, sunfish, pumpkinseeds, etc.
2. White and black crappie
3. Walleye, sauger, and saugeye
4. Largemouth and smallmouth bass
5. Channel, flathead, and blue catfish
6. Hybrid and tiger muskie
7. Whitefish, cisco, tullibee, mooneye, goldeye
8. Sheepshead or drum
9. Carp (all kinds)
10. Suckers (all kinds except Buffalo)
11. Smallmouth, bigmouth, black buffalo
 

Tiebreakers
• 1st = Weight of tied teams biggest fish
• 2nd = Number of game fish weighed by tied teams (bass, walleye, northern, and muskie)
• 3rd = Stands as a tie

Overall Points and Standings
• 20 points are awarded for 1st place at each event, 19 for 2nd, 18 for 3rd, etc.
• 5 attendance points per event if at least one team member is present and fishing during any portion of the event
• The total points for all 4 events will be used to compute overall standings
• The tie breaker for overall is decided by total weight of fish then by number of fish weighed.

General Rules and Penalties
• Minnesota DNR fishing regulations apply in all cases.
• Life jackets must be worn when main boat is on plane. Life jacket penalty = 1/2 the weight of the team’s largest fish.
• Any dead fish or fish that can't swim away are the responsibility of the angler. Make sure that it leaves with you. Dead fish penalty = 1/2 the weight or point value of the dead fish
• Any fish brought to the weigh-in of less than minimum length will result in a penalty. Short fish penalty = 1/2 the weight of the largest fish
• Late to weigh-in: 1 lb. per minute late
• Culling is allowed, but only one limit person’s limit may be in possession at any one time. Fish verified on the water by another team may not be culled and must count towards your limit.
• All participants must sign a liability waiver before the start of the tournament (one time only). Substitutes will also be expected to sign the waiver.
• Random live well checks will be done before each event.
• Late to start: No penalty, but team must check in with a league official before beginning fishing and present an empty live well.
• At least one of the registered team members must be present to participate.
• Only two persons allowed in each boat except in an emergency. A 3rd person is allowed in the boat to fish if it is a child of age 12 or less.
• Please maintain 100' distance between boats unless you have permission from the other boat.
• Staggered start 30 seconds apart. The starting order will be the inverse order to how you finished in the last event.
• Live bait is allowed.
• The top 3 finishers from each event must post information about what lures, techniques, types of structure produced fish for them. This must be posted on the Private League Forum to which only league members will have access within one week of the event or that team will be docked 2 overall points. Only one team member is required to post. All teams are encouraged to participate in this exchange of information.
• A team can be disqualified for any rule violation if determined to be appropriate by the league officers.

Cash Payout and Prizes
• 100% payout of entry fees at each event ($50/team/event)
• Top three finishers are paid (60%/30%/10%)
• A separate fee (optional) will be collected at the landing for the big fish pot
• Sponsor prizes will be allocated to the top overall teams

[rjruda]

Registered league members will also receive a discount from Joe's Sporting Goods.

[AllenW]

Team members are not allowed to leave their boat during tournament hours without prior permission of a league officer.

That includes potty breaks if needed?

[Steve Wood]

Correct Al. That has always been the rule and is pretty standard for most fishing tournaments. All you need to do is call on the cell phone if you have to go back to the car or into the landing for something. A lightning storm or other safety issue would be an obvious exception.

[AllenW]

Most tournaments don't allow a third fisherperson in the boat, so I'm not so sure what's standard means much.
So I have to call someone and what...have them come watch to make sure I don't cheat?

[Dan Wood]

Al, don't sweat the small stuff.. this rule has been in since we started years ago and never been an issue.. We are not going to give a penalty to somebody going to the bathroom, it is in place to discourage people from leaving their boats.. If we have people going to their vehicles and leaving their boats, it gives absolutely no control and livewell checks and such become meaningless. This gives us the discretion to disqualify people who do so, but we will use common sense. If somebody reports that people left their boat and went up to a cabin or to a vehicle, yes the rules will likely be enforced. If somebody sees you go to the porta potty and back you will not be penalized. It isn't anything new.

[Teng]

Its ok Al. If you really need to poop, I will give you permission to leave the boat.. haha

[AllenW]

Al, don't sweat the small stuff.. this rule has been in since we started years ago and never been an issue.. We are not going to give a penalty to somebody going to the bathroom, it is in place to discourage people from leaving their boats.. If we have people going to their vehicles and leaving their boats, it gives absolutely no control and livewell checks and such become meaningless. This gives us the discretion to disqualify people who do so, but we will use common sense. If somebody reports that people left their boat and went up to a cabin or to a vehicle, yes the rules will likely be enforced. If somebody sees you go to the porta potty and back you will not be penalized. It isn't anything new.

I think that's what was said last year, normally not a problem but the drugs I take make a potty stop sometimes an asap situation, the joys of getting old I guess.

That clears it up, thanks.

Al

[Teng]

Anyone been out fishing / prefishing yet?
I was able to get out for a little bit. My nephew caught a 5+lb fat pike and smallie. I managed a smallie and my brother got a smallie. We fished the stretch from ford dam all the way down to the high bridge. Just drifted and fished. It was pretty slow producing

[AllenW]

Getting close, I still have to get the boat ready, have a bunch of stuff that needs to be installed on it, but hoping to get out by mid April, hopefully my partner and I will be able to get out pre fishing a bit this year.

Al

[Dan Wood]

prefishing yet? I've got so much stuff to get done before I can even think about getting my boat out and it's killing me with this weather... hopefully by mid April! this low water should be a lot better for early fishing... this will be an interesting year, fish could be in mid summer patterns by opener..

[rjruda]

I'm depressed, can't get up north to get my boat out of storage and then it still has to get into the repair before I can hit the water.

[Teng]

Rob, Dan and Al, you guys aren't missing much. Its been slow on Pool two. We managed only 3 smallies and 1 huge pike the 5 hours we drifted from the Ford Dam to the High Bridge.

[AllenW]

And I know your gonna tell me the pike was in shallow water aren't you???

al

[rjruda]

Rob, Dan and Al, you guys aren't missing much. Its been slow on Pool two. We managed only 3 smallies and 1 huge pike the 5 hours we drifted from the Ford Dam to the High Bridge.

doesn't really matter what the bite was like. would just feel good to be in the boat

[Teng]

Al,
The pike was actually at a drop where it drops from 3 ft to 16ft. So, It could've been shallow or came up from the deep.. haha.. All I know is that pike was fat from eating the baitfish thats available now.

And I know your gonna tell me the pike was in shallow water aren't you???

al

[Steve Wood]

Only 4 weeks left until the first event. If you have ever considered trying tournament fishing, the MFL is a great way to test your skill and learn what it's like. To date we only have 5 teams signed up to fish, so we have lots of room. Please contact me or any of the other officers if you have questions about the league.

[Teng]

I'm excited! Can't wait to see everyone again. Pool 2 should be interesting. The smallies are staging already

[c_rannow]

Would like to fish it but it conflicts with work and other tourneys .

[Steve Wood]

The event for May 19th on Pool 2 has been canceled due to not enough teams participating. We still intend to fish the remaining 4 events on Forest, Sugar, Tonka, and TBD with the 4 teams we have signed up.