2024 RULES (PDF)
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BURBOT BASH – January 26-28, 2024
PRIZE CATEGORIES AND RULES
All payouts and places are based on 300 participants but will be adjusted with increased participation. Burbot size categories are determined by length with weight being a tie-breaker.
Most Burbot ~ 3 places $1,500, $1,000, $750
Biggest Burbot ~ 3 places $1,000, $750, $500
Smallest Burbot ~ 3 places $500, $350, $200
Tagged Burbot Grand Prize ~ $2,000
Tagged Burbot Rewards ~ TBD
Lake Trout Raffle (<25 inches) ~ 3 places $500, $300, $200
Each Lake Trout that is checked in will be rewarded one raffle ticket.
Example: 20 fish checked in = 20 raffle ticket.
Tagged Lake Trout Rewards ~ TBD
TAGGED FISH:
1. Tagged Burbot Grand Prize: All tagged Burbot will be eligible for the Tagged Burbot drawing. The first tag drawn after all fish are checked in will win the grand prize.
2. Tagged Burbot Rewards: All remaining tagged fish, excluding the Tagged Burbot Grand Prize winner, will be entered into the Tagged Burbot Reward category. This is a sponsorship category and all funds will be split equally between participants who catch a tagged fish. For example, if the Reward category has $1,000 and ten tagged Burbot are caught, the payout is $100 per tagged Burbot (excluding the Tagged Burbot Grand Prize winner discussed above).
3. Teams should check-in all Burbot, large or small; any of them could be a tagged fish.
4. Tagged Lake Trout Rewards: All externally tagged Lake Trout will be entered into this category. This is a sponsorship category, the prize(s) will be determined and announced prior to the contest starting. The first tag
drawn after all fish are checked in will win the first prize.
RULES
1. Fishing will start at 12:00 pm on Friday, January 26, 2024 and end at 7:00 am on Sunday, January 28, 2024. Only fish caught during this time frame can be entered into the derby.
2. A team must be registered to be eligible for prizes. Each team must consist of two-four members, designate a captain, and have a team name. For liability reasons the team captain must be at least 18 years of age or older to sign the liability waiver. Pre-entry fees are $40 for adults (14 yrs. and over) and $20 for youth (13 yrs. and under).
3. Teams are required to register online at burbotbash.com by midnight on January 22 , 2024. Participants will receive a digital event packet upon registration via email. Payment of registration will serve as a liability waiver for all team participants. There will be NO in person registration or packet pickup.
4. Registration payment will serve as a signed agreement to comply with all derby rules.
5. Teams will be required to have their team card with all team members listed during the tournament and when checking in fish. Digital Team Cards will be sent prior to event via text and/or email.
6. There are no time restrictions on angling during the official tournament period. Burbot and Lake Trout must be checked in and scanned for tags daily on Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 am–10:00 am. To qualify for prizes all fish must be DEAD but kept fresh. Fish that are frozen, partially frozen, or otherwise determined “not fresh” by contest officials will be disqualified. It is recommended fish be kept in a cooler to prevent them from freezing, but remember, fish that the angler intends to harvest must be immediately killed upon capture. It is illegal to transport live fish. All containers shall be drained of water before reaching check stations. If entering Burbot and Lake Trout, please keep the fish separated, either in separate bags or coolers, so they can be processed quicker at the check station.
7. There will be 3 check-in locations for Saturday, January 27th and Sunday, January 28 th from 8:00 am-10:00 am, including: 1) Manila Rodeo Grounds, UT, 2) Buckboard Marina, WY off Highway 530, and 3) Shell Gas Station parking lot at 8 Purple Sage Rd off Hwy 191 in Rock Springs, WY (formerly Cruel Jacks). Any team that is not in the line by 10:00 am sharp, bothdays, will be turned away from entering their fish in the tournament.
There are no exceptions to this rule, so plan travel time according to weather, road conditions, etc.
8. Teams will be subject to random inspection by tournament officials (including participating law enforcement agencies). Any unregistered anglers in your party will jeopardize the validity of Burbot and Lake Trout caught by registered participants and be grounds for team disqualification.
9. There is no limit on Burbot and state law requires they be killed immediately. Possessing live fish could result in disqualification and could result in a citation issued by a law enforcement officer.
10. Wyoming and Utah Lake Trout regulations apply: The creel limit on Lake Trout shall be twelve (12) per day, twenty-four (24) in possession. No more than one (1) Lake Trout in possession shall exceed twenty-eight (28) inches.
11. Each participant can enter only one fish per eligible length category during the derby. To enter the Biggest category, the fish must be over 30 inches. To enter the Smallest category, the fish must be less than 11 inches. The Biggest Burbot and Smallest Burbot will be determined by length with weight being a tie-breaker. The greater weight will be tie-breaker for Biggest and the lesser weight will be tie-breaker for Smallest.
12. Lake Trout Raffle (<25 inches): Only Lake Trout < 25 inches qualify for this category. Each Lake Trout that is entered at one of the open checkpoints will be counted as one raffle ticket under the team’s number. The more Lake Trout a team enters the more chances they will have to win during the drawing on Sunday, January 28, 2024. As a reminder, Lake Trout limits apply, rule #10.
13. Contestants will be required to remove the tails of all Burbot and Lake Trout after they are scanned, counted and measured prior to leaving the check station. Contestants will be responsible for the fish they catch and enter each day. As a reminder, it is illegal to dispose of or abandon any edible portion of any game fish (Lake Trout). The fine for wasting game fish is $150, plus $20 per fish after the first. The contestants in this contest are expected to treat the Lake Trout they harvest with respect and properly care for the edible portions. Burbot are classified as a non-game fish in Flaming Gorge Reservoir.
14. Burbot Bash results will be announced online at burbotbash.com and www.facebook.com/BurbotBash. Cash prizes will be distributed by mail. Non-cash prizes will be mailed or available for pick-up at a designated location. All prizes $600 or greater in value will require the completion of a W9 Form prior to distribution. Sponsor Prizes will be distributed randomly throughout the tournament at various locations.
15. For participant’s safety, each team member must have a throw rope and ice picks. It is highly recommended that entrants wear life vests or float suits at all times while on the ice. A cell phone and ice cleats are also recommended while fishing through the ice.
16. The Derby committee claims no responsibility for accidents relating to ice or road conditions. The tournament is subject to cancellation or temporary suspension due to weather or ice conditions. Cancellation will be determined by tournament officials, including the US Forest Service (USFS), Daggett County Sheriff’s Department, Sweetwater County WY Emergency Management, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) or Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD). Anglers may be notified by
Marine Band Radio, the Burbot Bash Facebook page and/or text message.
17. If using an ATV in Wyoming, a Wyoming Off-road Vehicle Permit is required. Once again, it is the participant’s responsibility to make sure they are complying with all local, state and federal regulations.
18. Operate ATVs, UTVs, and snow machines safely and courteously while on the ice and around other participants. Illegal or unsafe use of vehicles on the ice during this contest will be grounds for disqualification. If you observe this behavior please report it to USFS Law Enforcement at435-260-2738 or any local county law enforcement official.
19. If using a BOAT to fish during this tournament the following apply:
During all times of year in Wyoming, if your watercraft has been on a high risk water (a water known or suspected to be positive for zebra or quagga mussels) within the last 30 days you are required to have your watercraft inspected prior to launching. All watercraft owners or operators shall purchase and display an AIS decal valid for 2024 prior to launching or entering any waters in the state of Wyoming. If launching and fishing in Utah by watercraft, all boat operators must complete the “Full Year Certification” provided at https://stdofthesea.utah.gov/ and display the completed certificate on the dashboard of the boat transport vehicle for the duration of the fishing contest. In addition to the certification, all boaters launching in Utah must also pay the “Boating Fee”, found at the same website. Finally, a copy of the “Full Year Certificate” must also be emailed to flaminggorgetourism@gmail.com before noon on January 26, 2024.
Participants violating these regulations will be immediately disqualified and not permitted to launch.
20. Participants must have a valid fishing license and adhere to the regulations for the state in which they are fishing. The use and possession of live bait fish is not allowed on Flaming Gorge Reservoir. If fishing with more than two lines through the ice, each line must be labeled with the angler’s name. If a person is cited for a fishing violation by a law enforcement officer, his/ her whole team will be disqualified.
21. From 12:00 pm on January 26, 2024, until 7:00 am on January 28, 2024, all contestants must abide by all UDWR or WGFD regulations concerning fishing, aquatic invasive species and boating.
22. A USFS Recreation Use Pass is required in the Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area. It is the participant’s responsibility to be aware of those locations.
23. Camping is prohibited in developed parking areas at boat ramps along Flaming Gorge Reservoir. It makes it very difficult to plow the roads and parking areas.
24. Tournament officials reserve the right to conduct checks to ensure the participants are following the provisions listed above. Any disqualified participant will not receive a refund of tournament fees nor be eligible for any prizes.
Permitted by the Ashley National Forest Service.