Contest Prize Package: A total retail value of approximately $1,000 in gear will be awarded to three contest champions (1st = $400, 2nd = $200, 3rd = $150, Youth Champion = $250). Detailed prize packages will be posted soon.

Contest Dates: Friday, July 4 through Thursday, July 31, 2008.

Contest Description: A different challenge will be presented each week for participating anglers. Only those anglers who successfully complete the week’s challenge will continue to the next round. The rounds will include:

- Week 1 (July 4-10): To enter the contest, participants will be required to catch, measure, and photograph one fish of any species.

- Week 2 (July 11-17): To continue in the contest, participants will be required to catch, measure, and photograph a Bluegill of at least 8 inches.

- Week 3 (July 18-July 24): To continue in the contest, participants will be required to catch, measure, and photograph ONE of the following: a Channel Catfish of at least 26 inches, a Flathead Catfish of at least 28 inches, or a Blue Catfish of at least 36 inches.

- Week 4 (July 25-31): To complete the contest, participants will be required to catch, measure, and photograph ONE of the following: a Largemouth Bass of at least 18 inches, a Striped Bass of at least 30 inches, a White Bass of at least 15 inches, a Hybrid Striped Bass (wiper) of at least 22 inches, or a Smallmouth Bass of at least 16 inches.

Following the contest, the winners will be announced and the awards ceremony held. Participants who were able to complete the contest will have the cumulative length totals of their 4 fish calculated according to contest Length Points (explained below).

The 1st place prize and Contest Championship will be awarded to the angler with the most Length Points, with runner up and third place prizes also awarded. Additionally, there will be a youth champion for the angler under 18 years of age with the most Length Points.

All of the minimum length requirements in the contest have been set two inches shy of Master Angler size (except the catfish, which are set 4 inches under MA).

Those minimum lengths will be calibrated to "1" and each angler's Length Points will be calculated based on that (examples below). This way, a quality catch of one species doesn't get trumped by another catch of a species that is "naturally" larger.

If that sounds complicated, just remember that all you need to worry about is accurately measuring and photographing your entries. I will take care of the rest fairly and accurately.


Angler 3 wins!


1. Does the contest include private waters?

Yes. All waters in Nebraska (and only waters in Nebraska) are eligible.

2. Will there be an entry fee?

No.

3. Can I catch and submit more than one of the required fish in the same week... just take a pic of both of them and turn one in the next week?

No. Only one fish per week. There will be a new control item released each week.

4. Does "bluegill" mean purebred only? Or would Redear sunfish count? Or Bluegill/Redear hybrids, or Bluegill Green sunfish hybrids?

All gills/sunfish and their hybrids will count.

5. Does size matter in Week 1?

YES! Size matters in week 1 too! A 9 inch Bluegill would get you 9/8 = 1.13. An 8 inch Largemouth would get you 8/18 = .44. And so on. Think carefully about week 1. Where will you have the greatest advantage?

6. I've never been in a contest. Are there any examples from previous contests showing the way to show the length of the fish?

Yes. We will do pictures, just like we did for the 2006 Catfish Contest. 2 Pictures required, both containing the control item for the week.

Example of Picture 1


Example of Picture 2


7. So the guidelines would look like this for week one, correct (see below)?

Species Minimum Length for 1 point (in inches)

Largemouth Bass - 18 (WEEK FOUR TARGET FISH)
Smallmouth Bass - 16 (WEEK FOUR TARGET FISH)
Spotted Bass - 16
Rock Bass - 9
Striped Bass - 30 (WEEK FOUR TARGET FISH)
Striped Bass Hybrid (wiper) - 22 (WEEK FOUR TARGET FISH)
White Bass - 15 (WEEK FOUR TARGET FISH)
Bluegill - 8 (WEEK TWO TARGET FISH)
Buffalo - 24
Bullhead - 13
Burbot - 14
Carp - 30
*Blue Catfish - 36 (WEEK THREE TARGET FISH)
*Channel Catfish - 26 (WEEK THREE TARGET FISH)
*Flathead Catfish - 28 (WEEK THREE TARGET FISH)
Crappie - 13
Drum - 20
Eel - 22
Gar - 38
Goldeye - 14
Muskie/Tiger Muskie - 38
Paddlefish - 43
Yellow Perch - 11
White Perch - 10
Northern Pike - 34
Sauger - 19
Saugeye - 21
Shovelnose Sturgeon - 26
Sucker - 16
Sunfish - 8 (WEEK TWO TARGET FISH)
Brook Trout - 12
Brown Trout - 20
Rainbow Trout - 21
Walleye - 26

length is 2" below Master Angler, except *Catfish, 4" below Master Angler.



Feel free to ask other questions prior to our launch on Friday, July 4th. I hope a lot of you will decide to participate. I know, I'm going to give it my best shot with the fly rod, even though, as host, I'm ineligible for the prizes...

Have fun and be safe out there.