The Agribusiness Committee of the Havre Area Chamber of Commerce will host its Big Money Ice Fishing Derby on Feb. 11 and 12 at Beaver Creek Reservoir in Beaver Creek Park, 10 miles south of Havre.
The tournament will run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day.
The tournament is open to all anglers, but an adult entered in the tournament must accompany those under 13 years of age. State law requires that all anglers have a current Montana fishing license.
The total number of anglers entered in the tournament will determine the prize money available for payout.
The entry fee is $75 per contestant, with an additional $25 required for a second pole. No spearing is allowed.
Anglers can drill as many holes as they want. Each hole can be no more that 10 inches in diameter. Larger holes will mean disqualification. The rule is based on safety.
Fish caught in the tournament must be live when measured by the judges. Once measured, the fish will be released back into the lake. Judges will not measure dead fish. Winning is based strictly on length; weight is not considered. Fish under 14 inches long, except tagged fish, will be ineligible for prizes.
Payouts will go to those who catch the three longest fish each hour. If only two fish are caught in an hour, the money will be split two ways, and if only one fish is caught, the hourly payout will go to the one fish caught. Eligible fish are northern pike, walleye and trout.
An added fishing incentive for tournament participants will be five tagged fish in the lake. One tagged fish will be worth $10,000 and one will be worth $5,000. Three tagged fished will be worth $1,000 each. All tagged fish must be kept.
Those interested in participating must return their completed application and entry fee to the chamber office at 130 Fifth Ave. by Feb. 7. Mail registration fee and completed application to the Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 308, Havre MT 59501.
Each entered participant will receive an information packet and tournament badge that must be worn throughout the tournament.
The complete list of rules and contest entry forms are available on the chamber's Web site: www.havremt.com. Click on calendar/events and then click on Ice Fishing Derby. The application may be printed from the site. In Havre, contest entry forms and rules can be picked up at the chamber, Bing N Bob's Sport Shop or Stromberg Sinclair E-Fish-Hunt Sports.
Tournament proceeds will be used for a scholarship fund for students at Montana State University-Northern and to fund Agribusiness Committee community projects.
