How to Host a Fishing Tournament

Co-authored by Kathy Sparrow, MA

Last Updated: July 18, 2025 References

Fishing tournaments, sometimes called fishing tourneys or fishing derbies, are competitions where individual anglers or teams compete for money and/or prizes by catching the greatest weight of fish in a given time. They can be held for fun, or as fundraisers for organizations or charities. Hosting a fishing tournament doesn't require belonging to a national fishing organization, but it does require planning and organizational skills. Read on to learn how host a fishing tournament.

1

Decide who's eligible to take part in the tournament.

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This often depends on the organization putting on the event.
- For a fishing tournament put on by a fishing club or professional fishing organization, entries are generally limited to members in good standing of the organization. Some organizations may allow prospective members to join the organization and enter their first tournament at the same time.
- For a youth fishing tournament, entries are limited to children of a certain age, although younger children may be partnered with or assisted by an adult or older sibling.

2

Determine which species of fish you're fishing for.

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This could be one species in particular or many. Fishing tournaments can be held to fish for a single species of fish, a related group of species, or any legal game fish that can be caught at the site of the tournament.
- However, fishing tournaments organized by professional fishing associations typically restrict themselves to a single species or fish family. For instance, competitors in tournaments run by B.A.S.S. fish for largemouth and (sometimes) smallmouth bass. Competitors in tournaments run by the Walleye Federation (TWF) fish for walleye.
- Fishing tournaments run by amateur fishing associations not associated with a particular fish species have a freer selection of species to fish for. In some cases, the best species to fish for can be determined by which species are most in need of being fished to maintain a proper predator/prey balance in the waters where the tournament will be held. In other cases, the maturity of the angler should play the dominant role; a tournament for pre-teen or special needs children should probably be for any legal fish in the waters being fished.

3

Decide where you want to hold the tournament.

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Fishing tournaments can be held at lakes, reservoirs, streams, or in the ocean. Where you hold the tournament depends on several factors:
- Availability of the fish species you're fishing for. Generally, the lakes where B.A.S.S. and TWF hold their tournaments are noted among anglers for their populations of bass and walleye.
- Accessibility to the anglers who'll be competing. While many remote lakes in Canada are noted for their populations of walleye, a reservoir such as Lake Oahe in South Dakota is more accessible to the majority of walleye anglers and thus a better tournament site.
- Venue size. Generally, lakes and artificial reservoirs that host fishing tournaments are medium-to larger-sized lakes to accommodate the number of anglers who may take part.
- Association with the organizing group. In most cases, organizations with a state or other jurisdiction in their group's name will want to hold their fishing tournaments within that jurisdiction's borders, assuming the above criteria are met. The Nebraska Walleye Association holds its tournaments at sites within Nebraska that are known for walleye; such as Merritt Reservoir, Lewis and Clark Lake, and Lake McConaughy; however, the Nebraska B.A.S.S. Federation holds most of its tournaments outside Nebraska, as Nebraska has few bass hotspots large enough to host a tournament.

4

Choose a date or dates for the tournament.

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Most fishing tournaments are held on weekends. They may include both Saturday and Sunday. The best weekends are those where the body of water under consideration is not under peak use from non-tournament anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts.
- Consider whether the species you plan to fish for in the tournament is spawning during that period. Some jurisdictions prohibit fishing for spawning fish in certain waters, and some organizations consider it unethical to fish for spawning fish.

5

Familiarize yourself with relevant fishing and boating regulations.

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These will depend on the jurisdiction where you plan to hold the tournament. Regardless of what other rules you plan to have for your tournament, you must conform to the bag and possession limits and any other regulations for the state or other jurisdiction where the fishing tournament is held, as well as to the legal methods for catching fish. You can find this information on the jurisdiction's fish and wildlife department's website. (The actual name of the department may vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction; it may be known as the Department of Natural Resources or the Game and Parks Commission, for example.)
- Bag limits refer to the number of fish that may be caught per day. In many cases, tournaments restrict the number of fish caught per day on a multi-day tournament to fewer fish than the jurisdiction's limit.
- Possession limits refer to how many fish an angler may have in his or her possession at any given time, whether on a stringer, in a cooler on site, or in a freezer at home. For tournaments where live fish are returned to the water after being weighed, possession limits are not a concern, but if the anglers competing are allowed to keep any or all of their catch, it may be.
- Some species have minimum or maximum lengths or weights imposed by the state in order to ensure a suitable population for all anglers. In some cases, more stringent length and weight limits are imposed on a given lake or stream or during spawning season to ensure a sustainable fishery.
- Boating regulations typically include such requirements as life jackets for each occupant of the boat, running lights for night use, and a kill switch for outboard motors of a certain horsepower or greater. Some jurisdictions in densely populated areas where the lake a tournament is to be held is used as a source of drinking water may require boats on that lake to be steam-cleaned and bear a sticker attesting to this.

6

Establish the tournament rules.

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Rules for a fishing tournament may encompass any or all of the following:
- Scoring. Tournaments generally determine a winner by total weight of fish caught during the tournament. In the event of ties, they may use the weight of the biggest fish caught as a tie-breaker.
- What tackle may be used. Tackle is usually restricted to rods and reels and may be restricted by the type of rod and reel (as in fly-fishing tournaments) or even rod length. Participants may also be restricted as to how many rods they can have in use at a given time.
- What fishing methods may be used. Depending on the tournament, this may mean disallowing trolling, snagging fish, or the use of live bait.
- Whether participants fish alone or with a partner. Fishing tournaments where the participants fish from shore tend to allow their participants to fish alone, while tournaments where the participants fish from boats often pair anglers so that each can witness the other's actions.
- Areas off-limits to fishing. Some tournaments have rules as to how close competitors may be to each other when fishing as well as a minimum distance from the host marina.
- Participation/use of fishing guides. Some tournaments may allow guides to compete in tournaments on lakes and streams where they normally guide, provided they are not hired by any of the other participants during the tournament and for a period of time before it.
- Allowing practice fishing prior to the tournament so participants may scout the lake for hot spots. Most tournaments allow this, although they may disallow it for a brief period before the event. (In its early years, the Bassmasters Classic kept the tournament site secret until just prior to the tournament, thus effectively prohibiting practice fishing.)
- Handling/preservation of the fish. Many freshwater fishing tournaments require competitors to keep their fish alive until weighing, often with an in-boat live well or similar method, and many include either rewards or penalties related to the fish's condition at weigh-in. Live fish are usually returned to the water after weighing; dead fish may be donated to a charity such as a homeless shelter for feeding its residents.
- Conduct of participants. This includes a stated expectation of good sportsmanship and may also include rules against seeding a spot with baitfish prior to the tournament, barring access to hot spots, and prohibition of alcohol or other drugs.
- Legal issues and disputes. Tournaments may require competitors who use their own boats to have and carry proof of liability insurance for themselves and their passengers. They may also stipulate a time limit for submitting and a method for resolving disputes that arise.

7

Set the entry fee.

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The entry fee should be based on the number of participants you expect to attract. It's usually calculated in a way that allows you to recoup your administrative and promotional costs. You'll likely pay a fee to the hosting marina and possibly to a governmental agency; you may also want to have a post-tournament dinner.
- You can defer some of the costs by seeking sponsors for the tournament, such as businesses local to the tournament site, major sporting goods stores, and fishing tackle manufacturers.

8

Promote the event.

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To make your fishing tournament a success, you'll need to promote it effectively. Your marketing plan can include any or all of the following:
- Cooperative advertising with the host marina, tournament sponsors, and charities benefiting from the event.
- Contacting outdoor writers for local newspapers and fishing magazines and submitting press releases for those publications.
- Social media such as Facebook and Twitter before the event and Pinterest to post photos after the event to build interest in subsequent events.
- Posters and flyers in sporting goods stores and local businesses and at related events.

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Question

What if people putting on a tournament refuse to pay winnings?

Community Answer

If there was a contract signed, then by law they have to as long as the contract had no specific conditions as to why they may not pay winnings. However, if it was a hosted and sponsored tournament and there was no contract and you simply entered and won, they don't have to pay you. It is however bad for business, in which case you could make a scene or post it publicly.

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Do I need consent forms to host a fishing derby?

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Yes, you should use consent or waiver forms for all participants. These forms help acknowledge risks, release you from certain liabilities, and can include medical consent for minors. Many venues and insurers also require signed waivers before the event.

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Should my association obtain special liability insurance for hosting a fishing tournament?

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Yes, special event liability insurance can protect your association from claims related to accidents, injuries, or property damage during the tournament. It is often required by venues or local authorities, and coverage can extend to organizers, volunteers, and participants. Consult with insurers or sports associations for event-specific policies.

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While organizing your fishing tournament, it's a good idea to have regular contact with officials in your jurisdiction's fish and wildlife department and with the host marina or lodge at the tournament site.

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Give yourself a sufficient amount of time to build your supporting organization and plan your first fishing tournament properly. Starting a year in advance of your planned tournament date is a good idea; if you're thinking of making it an annual event, 2 years in advance may be better.

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