• Each team must complete an online WWS entry form, waiver form, and submit payment through our website.

 

• The entry fee for the series for each team is $820. ($180 for each of the first 3 tournaments and $280 for the championship) The team membership fee is $60. Team membership fees must be paid with series entry fees for the year. (Full series & membership fee = $880)

 

• Each team will consist of 2 Captains. If one of the two Captains cannot fish, an alternate partner must be named by 12pm (noon) the Wednesday prior to each tournament. A Partner Change Form can be found on our website and must be submitted by the above deadline. There are NO EXCEPTIONS. If you did not make a partner change by the Wednesday deadline, then you may choose to fish the tournament by yourself. (DNR rules will apply) Partner changes will not affect team of the year standings.

 

ONLINE ENTRY BEGINS:

• February 1st – 14th for captains that signed-up for all 4 tournaments the previous year. In order to hold your current place in the WWS one of the 2 captains that signed-up last year must sign-up this year. If both captains choose to split into 2 new teams, then only 1 team will be guaranteed your current spot. The other team will then be added to the bottom of the current WWS waiting list.
• February 15th – 28th, if there are any spots still available, WWS will go to the current waiting list to fill the 75 boat cap.
• March 1st – April 15th, if there are any spots still available, anglers can complete an online entry form for the full series and they will be accepted on a first come first serve basis until the 75 boat cap has been met.
• April 16th – 25th, if there are any spots still available, anglers can complete an online entry form for an individual tournament(s) and they will be accepted on a first come first serve basis until the 75 boat cap has been met. (In order to fish the Championship, you must fish 2 of the 3 regular tournaments)

 

• No refunds apply at any time. No refunds will be made nor will credit be extended for any cancellations. Disqualification from a tournament, for any reason, will result in forfeiture of entry fee. No refunds or credits are extended to teams that choose not to fish due to inclement weather or unforeseen circumstances.

 

• A mandatory WWS rules meeting will be held on the Saturday prior to the first tournament at Columbia Park N10340 Calumet Harbor Road Malone, WI 53049. Team check-in will take place from 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm and at least one Captain MUST be present.

 

• Each team must check-in between 5:15 am – 6:15 am. Boat check-in will take place on land, to the west of the public restroom facility. Boats may still check-in dockside if they launch at another landing. (you must let the tournament director know at the rules meeting if you will be docking at another launch) If you are not checked in or in line by 6:15 am you will be disqualified from that tournament.

 

• Each team will receive an official bump-board with their boat number on it. This is what teams will use to judge fish length. The bump-board must be turned back in to WWS at the end of each tournament or you will be subject to a $50 fine.

 

• First flight takes off at 6:30 am with a shotgun start. Second flight takes off at 7:00 am and MUST remain in the harbor until the first flight has been released. If you go out earlier than your scheduled flight time you will be disqualified from that tournament.

 

• First flight must be off plane and in line by the check-in boat by 3:00 pm. Second flight must be off plane and in line by the check-in boat by 3:30 pm. At 3:01 pm/3:31 pm you are late and will be disqualified from the tournament, NO EXCEPTIONS.

 

• Teams MUST stop at the check-in boat and show their card with boat number, and a WWS member will check you in. Make sure you exchange acknowledgement with the individual at check-in. If you do NOT have any fish, turn in your bump-board at the check-in boat.

 

• Weigh-in will start as early as 1:00 pm.

 

• If an emergency presents itself or you have equipment failure you must call a member of the WWS at 920-273-5994. You are still responsible for being in on time.

 

• Any boat used in the tournament(s) must have boater’s liability insurance.

 

• All WWS tournaments will be conducted as a catch-hold-and release event.

 

• All boats must comply with all Coast Guard Rules and Regulations and the WI DNR Regulations. Any ticket(s) issued by the Coast Guard or DNR the day of any tournament must be reported and the team will be disqualified from that individual tournament.

 

• Life jackets are mandatory for each person on the boat and must be worn while under power at 10 MPH or faster. Under 10 MPH life jackets are not required to be worn. This is a PFC/WWS requirement.

 

• The WWS Board has the right to delay or cancel a tournament due to inclement weather. If a tournament is delayed the finish time will remain the same. If a tournament is canceled all prize money will be distributed equally between all participating boats. If the Championship is canceled the accrual of points from the first 3 tournaments will be used to determine the winners.

 

• No alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs may be possessed or consumed during tournament hours. If a participant is suspected of any use of alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs they will be subject to testing by the Sheriff's Department. If a team is found consuming alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs, they will be disqualified from the entire series.

 

• Tournament boundaries for the series are the Hwy 41 bridge and the Hwy 441 bridge on the Fox River. This means you may go under the bridge and up to the west side, but no part of the boat may pass through the west side of the bridge. All other channels, inlets, and rivers that surround Lake Winnebago are also closed to anglers. Any boundaries that are broken will result in disqualification from the series.

 

• Teams may weigh up to 5 fish and each fish must be a minimum of 15” according to the official bump-board that was supplied by WWS. If a short fish is measured, you will lose the short fish and the heaviest fish in your basket. If the length of a fish is in question the bump-board master, one boat captain, and a WWS member will make a decision together. One (1) Sauger may be weighed in the 5 total fish limit and must be 15” minimum. DNR Culling Rules will apply to all tournaments. Each live fish will result in a 0.25# addition. (Ex: 5 live fish will result in adding 1.25# to the final weight) Dead fish will consist of no gill or fin movement. Any fish that looks like it was not caught on that day will be subject to further judgment by WWS members, and any cheating will result in disqualification from the whole series.

 

• Any alteration of fish will result in disqualification from the WWS Series for life. (Ex: adding weights)

 

• Each team’s total weight including “dead fish deduction” will determine the final tournament standings. The team with the most weight wins the tournament.

 

• In the event of a tie during the individual tournaments, the team that had their basket weighed first would be determined the winner. This goes for any place, whether it is 1st place or 75th place. (Ex: Team “A” weighed in 5.5# at 3:20 pm & Team “B” weighed in 5.5# at 3:05 pm – Team “B” would win the tie breaker because their basket was weighed first in their flight fishing time.)

 

• If a team wishes to challenge another team’s catch or fishing practice for the tournament day:
  • Concerns must be brought to the tournament director no later than ½ hour after the last boat has checked in.
  • If a polygraph test is requested, all payouts will be delayed. The team challenging the integrity of another team will be required to pay for the polygraph test. If the team being questioned passes the polygraph test, the team questioning the integrity of that team will forfeit their prize money but will keep their weight and place. (Prize money will be donated to the Holyland Food Pantry). If the challenged team fails the polygraph test, they will forfeit their prize money as well as their day’s catch and place. All results will only be shared with the affected teams, the WWS tournament director, and the President of the Pipe Fishing Club.
  • All questions for the polygraph test will be composed from the WWS rules.
  • The WWS / Pipe Fishing Club will not publicize the reason for the payment delay or who is involved at any time. Results of the tournament will be posted online after places can be determined, checks will be handed out at the next tournament or mailed out.

 

• To be eligible for the Family Team of the Year Awards you must fish all 4 tournaments with no substitutions. Family is defined as: spouse, sibling, child, stepchild, or grandparent.

 

• Team of the Year Award will be based on the total weight from all 4 tournaments. You must fish the entire Series to be eligible for the Team of the Year Award. In the event of a tie in the total weight, the tie breaker would be the number of most live fish throughout the series. The second tie breaker would be the biggest basket throughout the series.