High School Fall Fishing Tournament Rules

Welcome to the High School Fall Fishing Tournament! This event is all about having fun, learning new skills, and enjoying the outdoors while practicing good sportsmanship. We're excited to have you participate and hope you make some great memories on the water. These rules are designed to keep things fair, safe, and enjoyable for everyone. If you have any questions, feel free to ask an organizer—we're here to help!

We're excited to use Fishtechy for fair and efficient scoring in our event! Prizes will be awarded for:

  • Total Length: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th place based on the cumulative length of your catches.

  • Largest Brown: The biggest brown trout measured.

  • Largest Rainbow: The biggest rainbow trout measured.

For more information on how to use the Fishtech, AI Proofball, please visit the scoring page.

Team Rules

  • Teams can include high school students (grades 9-12).

  • Each team is required to have an adult in the water supervising if there are participants in the water—safety is our top priority.
    Teams that arrive without an adult will not be allowed to participate in the event.

  • Adults can offer suggestions, give guidance, cheer on their team, and help unsnag lines if needed. However, they may not cast, tie knots, untangle knots, retie damaged lines, or otherwise aid in the physical act of fishing—the students themselves must do this.

  • Adult volunteers will be responsible for providing a cell phone that has the Fishtechy app installed to score fish.

  • Any safe and standard method of fly fishing is welcome (such as Euro nymphing, dry dropper, streamer, or tenkara).

  • Fly rods should not be longer than 12 feet to maintain fairness and manageability.

  • You can use any factory-made floating, sinking, Euro, or sink-tip line with a single leader.

  • Feel free to bring spare rods and reels—remember, you're responsible for your gear, so pack wisely!

  • Use floating, weighted, or sinking artificial flies tied on a single hook.

  • Up to three flies are allowed on one rod/line.

  • Fly floatant or sinkant is okay, but please avoid any scents, smells, or attractants to keep it natural.

  • Landing nets should not exceed 60 inches when fully extended for easy handling.

  • Team members are encouraged to stay together and support each other during the competition. If you'd like to scout your area, please let your adult volunteer know first—safety and teamwork are our top priorities.

FISHING THE BEATS

  • Each team will fish two different beats chosen randomly to keep it exciting.

  • Only one team member can fish at a time (one line in the water) to give everyone a fair turn—teammates can take turns and cheer each other on!
    If the fishing member of the team catches a fish, the other team member may begin fishing while the fish is being measured, provided the other fisher is entirely out of the water.

  • Teammates are welcome and encouraged to help net each other's fish. Adults should not help net fish. Their only interaction should be measuring the fish once it is secured in the net.

  • Cast your flies only within the marked boundaries of your beat, and try to stay inside those boundaries during the session. You may leave the boundary to attempt to land a hooked fish as long as it does not interfere with another beat.

  • Participants:

    • should avoid using phones or other communication devices during the fishing session to stay focused on the fun.

    • can use polarized sunglasses, but please skip binoculars or other visual aids beyond that.

    • are encouraged to fish independently, but if you need help with something non-fishing related (like safety), talk to your adult chaperone or event volunteer if one is nearby.

FISH

  • All species of trout that are at least 8 inches long can be measured (from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail). If you measure and record a fish that is less than 8 inches long, it will not be counted towards your overall total.

  • Only fish hooked fairly in the mouth area (in front of the rear edge of the gill cover) count—no snags, please!

  • If you'd like a fish scored, gently land it in a net, carefully remove the hook, and hand it to your parent volunteer—they'll handle it with care and capture an image for scoring.

  • A fish hooked during the session can be landed up to 10 minutes after the end if needed.

  • If a fish slips away before being measured, the measurement will not be counted.

CONSERVATION

Please wade carefully and be mindful of the riverbed to protect fish habitats. Avoid fishing directly at spawning fish if you spot them—let's all do our part to keep our waters healthy for future adventures!

To help keep our river clean for future events, please pick up trash, old fishing line, or other debris you find in and around your beat. There may be a prize for teams that chip in to leave the river in better condition than we found it. Each team will be provided with a trash bag that they can use to collect their own waste and the waste they encounter while fishing.

adult volunteer

Each team is required to have one adult volunteer.

Duties & Responsibilities

  • Record each eligible fish using the Fishtechy ball that will be provided at check-in.

  • Ensure that results are reported accurately to maintain the integrity of the leaderboard.

  • Assist in coordinating with nearby non-participants to ensure everyone has a positive experience.

  • Most importantly - help your team stay safe!

Each Team must have a designated adult volunteer.
Teams that do not have an adult volunteer will not be permitted to compete in the tournament.
One adult cannot monitor multiple groups.

GUIDANCE FOR RULE FOLLOWING

  • We'll offer friendly reminders for any rule slips—our goal is to help everyone enjoy the event!

  • Any fish caught during a rule reminder won't count, but let's use it as a learning moment.

  • If the same issue happens again, the participant might sit out the rest of that session to refocus.

  • Always show kindness and respect to fellow anglers, officials, and the environment—unsportsmanlike behavior could lead to missing out on the fun.

  • Any actions that might unfairly affect the results will be addressed thoughtfully to maintain honesty and enjoyment for all.

Thanks for joining us—let's make this tournament a fantastic experience! Stay safe, have fun, and tight lines! If you need anything, reach out to the organizers.