TOURNAMENT RULES

2024 Sandusky Bay Invitational Shootout

Official Rules

By your participation in Midwest Crappie Alliance Tournament Trail, you agree to comply with all the following rules and agree to submit to be involved in a Polygraph Test or any other Test at any given time you must pass said test in order to qualify for any monetary prizes. By entering this Tournament, you will abide by the Rules. All decisions are final and not subject to appeal.

Entry Fee: $300 per Team or Single Angler. No Refunds (Unless the Tournament is canceled for some reason).
Purse: $50,000 Championship Saturday pays 1st – 25th
*This is based on a complete Field. We will pay out according to the field entered! 100% payout.

Entry Fee due NO later than July 31st, 2024. You are welcome to pay a head of time as well.

Preferred payments:

  • Checks or Cash payable to (Midwest Crappie Alliance)

Send To: 7009 Village Way Drive Garrettsville, Ohio 44231

  • Venmo = Dan-Elko-1

Sandusky Bay / Lake will have an OFF LIMITS to all Anglers fishing this Tournament from. September 9th through October 4th. On October 23rd ALL Anglers must be off the water by noon – Day off to spend time at Cedar Point or surrounding attractions with family and friends. + the Rules meeting that will take place at 3PM.

 

  • Mandatory Rules Meeting is Wednesday’s the 23rd LIVE REGRISTRATION where you will pull your BOAT NUMBER for starting position. All Waiver / Lability forms will be signed at this time and accounted for. Rules Meeting that will take place at 3:00PM Wednesday, please be on time, as this is critical to our process.
  • RULES MEETING SITE = Cedar Point Sport Center, 2701 Cleveland Road W, Sandusky Ohio 44870
  • Only Invitational Anglers can fish this Event. Effective on Jan 30 th , 2024. Anglers participating in the Sandusky Bay Shootout will not be allowed to hire any GUIDES to gain Lake Information. No GUIDES / Charter Boat Captains can fish this event that guide on Sandusky Bay / Lake Erie and are compensated for services. = ALL SPECIES. Fishing guides are experienced fisherman / women who are familiar with Sandusky Bay / Lake Erie that know the waterways and are sought out for hire and compensated.
  • Midwest Crappie Alliance – Sandusky Bay Invitational Tournament covers water in Sandusky Bay / Lake Erie Ohio water ways. “NOT CANADA “MI, PA, NY. Please make sure you follow Local and State Guidelines / Rules.
  • All Tournament Anglers are provided a boat number at time of your live Registration. This will be your placement for day 1 to Launch at ANY RAMP surrounding lake Eire / OHIO only. Live-well checks will start at 4:30AM at the Shelby / Sandusky City Ramp at ramp before departing to any other location or entering the water. Once you arrive the Boat Ramp you can launch your boat in the water, but you cannot go outside the ramp area until your official start time.
  • Anglers cannot leave their Boat during Tournament Hours or gain access by standing on any Structure.
  • If you need to go to the bathroom, you may exit the Boat and both Anglers must STOP fishing.
  • Fishable Waters! All teams must fish on Sandusky Bay / Lake Erie Ohio waters only. Not Detroit, Canada, Erie PA, or NY.
  • ARTIFICIAL and LIVE BAIT will be permitted.
  • You must remain in the Boat while landing a Fish.
  • If you leave your Boat during Tournament Hours, you must call one of the Tournament Directors.
  • If you break-down during the Tournament you will be allowed to have 1 Angler, come in with another Boat to Weigh-In. The Angler that is riding in the other Boat CAN use that Boats Live- well to keep Fish alive (IF IT HAS A DIVIDED LIVE-WELL). Or an Insulated Cooler or Bag with Oxygen.
  • All Anglers fishing this event will NOT be allowed give you any information during Tournament Hours.
  • Crappie must be caught in the mouth.
  • All Tournament Waters must only be accessible by Boats. (NO Kayaks or Canoes allowed).
  • No Cell Phones can be used during Tournament Hours unless it’s an Emergency. In the event of a Boat Break-down or an Emergency, you must call your directors or Boat Service.
  • Each Angler agrees to report any violation = Video Confirmation of any Tournament Rules Violation to the Tournament Director!
  • All Protests must be submitted to the Tournament Directors 30 minutes prior to the Weigh-In! Tournament Committee has the Final Word!
  • On Tournament days EVERYONE will check in at the Shelby Ramp. Check-in will start at 4:30AM. Shelby Ramp / Sandusky City Ramp parking lot. = 101 SHELBY ST, SANDUSKY OHIO 44870
  • Everyone must wear a LIFE JACKET at Take-off and while your Boat is on plane all day during the Tournament. Pay Attention to all LAKE SIGNS, SPEED ZONES or NO FISHING AREAS.
  • Pole Limit: = No more than 6 poles per boat (unless in violation of State Regulations).
  • Teams may weigh-in SEVEN (7), LIVE CRAPPIE each day of the Tournament. All SEVEN CRAPPIE must be ALIVE and checked when you enter Weigh-In Line. You must be in line by the cut off time. If a fish is considered not alive the fish will be removed from your limit. At no time will you be able to replace a dead fish with a live fish.
  • Teams will be able to weigh-in early unless stated before Takeoff. Weigh- in starts at NOON and all Anglers must be checked-in by desired flight time meaning must be in weigh-in line or you will be disqualified for that day if you return past you flight time.
  • Teams presenting more than SEVEN FISH will be disqualified for that day. Meaning once the Fish are checked by the Weigh-In Line.
  • Official Crappie Legal Length = 9”. Presenting a Short Fish will result in removal of that Fish.
  • How to Measure = Mouth Closed, Tail Pinched. Assumed Short Fish will be measured at the Weigh-In if needed.
  • Sportsman Rule – NO Rule to keep away from Boats. Just respect everyone’s Space / Spot.
  • If you are approached by the Directors or Film Crews, please let them take pictures and videos that will be used after the Tournament is over.
  • All Fish brought to the Weigh-In line must be brought to the weigh in line either by aerated cooler or tournament weigh-In bag. Once you are in line all fish will be placed into tubs where all fish will be checked. Once checked all fish will be placed into meshed lined bags with a BIG FISH clip for your BIG SLAB. BIG FSLAB will be weighed first.
  • If you are late to the Weigh-in cut-off time you will you be disqualified for that day only. (NO EXCEPTIONS).
  • FOG Delays – If a delay accrues due to weather, we will extend the tournament based of the delay time up to 1hr per each flight. If the delay goes beyond an extra hour, we will unfortunately need to fish a shorten day.

DAY ONE

Thursday October 24 th – Live-well checks SHELBY RAMP
Live-well Check starts 4:30AM.
Flight Start Times = 7:00AM, 7:30AM, 8:00AM

  • All Boats 1 – 150 will launch from Any Ramp on the OHIO side.
  • Ramps to consider = Shelby Ramp, West Harbor, East Harbor, Dempsey Ramp, Portage River, Huron River.
  • Quit = 3:00PM, 3:30PM, 4:00PM = Lines Out based on Flight Time
  • Weigh-In starts at NOON daily – You must be in line 60 minutes after your flight quit time. Once you arrive, please show the Marshall your boat Number.
  • ALL Weigh-ins will be held at the Shelby Ramp starting at NOON.

DAY TWO

All Boats will launch in the reverse Order of what order you went out of on day 1.

  • All Boats 150 – 1 will launch from ANY RAMP ON THE OHIO SIDE

DAY THREE

TOP 25 CHAMPIONSHIP DAY

Top 25 – RESET TO ZERO WEIGHT – Live-well Checks will start at 4:30 AM at Shelby Ramp.
Top 25 will launch from ANY RAMP After Livewell check at the Shelby Ramp Based on placement. Kick off = 7:00AM to 3:00PM – Scale opens at NOON

Remaining NON-TOP 25 will battle it out for a (1) BIG SLAB EVENT from Any Ramp. Based on placement of order = 8AM flight Live-well checks at 5:30AM. Shelby Ramp.

  • This is a 5hr event.
  • Start time = 8:00AM to 1:00PM.

CODE OF CONDUCT

Any violation of good sportsmanship will be reviewed by the directors and will be written within 24 hours by the Tournament Directors. These are examples of unacceptable conduct…

  • Fighting
  • Harassment
  • Cheating
  • Tampering

Will result in disqualification from Sandusky Bay Shootout and will result in a Committee Meeting to see if the Team is removed from other Midwest Crappie Alliance Events.Code of Conduct – Anglers participating in Midwest Crappie Alliance Tournament shall
abide by this Code of Conduct and the published rules for the Event in which they are participating. Anglers shall always conduct themselves in a manner becoming of a professional that will not reflect negatively on Midwest Crappie Alliance and its members, representatives and Sponsors and Directors. It is an obligation of Anglers to refrain from comments to the media that unreasonably attacks or disparages the integrity of its Tournament Directors, Sponsors, Fellow Members, or the Tournament Trail. Responsible disagreement with policies is acceptable. However, attacks upon the integrity of the Rules or Directors and Members and sponsors are not tolerated. Any invitational Angler who violates any portion of the Angler Code of Conduct may be *subject up to disqualification and sanctions.