NR 20.40(7)
(7)
Limits on size and number of fishing tournaments. The size and number of permitted fishing tournaments allowed on a water body may not exceed the following limits except in Lake Michigan, Green Bay, Lake Superior, and Lake Winnebago where there are no limits on the size and number of permitted fishing tournaments. Traditional fishing tournaments may be permitted to exceed the limits established in this subsection up to the maximum level of participation or boat days associated with that tournament in the past 5 years. Bass fishing tournaments with fewer than 20 boats will not be included in the maximum daily number of boats allowed on open water, the maximum monthly number of permitted fishing tournament boat days, the maximum daily number of concurrent permitted fishing tournaments, or the maximum number of permitted fishing tournaments per month on rivers.
NR 20.40(7)(a)
(a) The following monthly limits on permitted fishing tournament size, number, and total boat days are based on lake acreage are outlined in the table below.
-
See PDF for table 
NR 20.40(7)(b)
(b) Open water fishing tournaments on lakes or lake chains smaller than 100 acres may be permitted if the department finds that the tournament:
NR 20.40(7)(b)1.
1. Will promote public awareness of fishing and the state's resources and conforms to the best management practices for the lake; or
NR 20.40(7)(c)
(c) The following shall apply to fishing tournaments permitted for any combination of lakes within a chain of interconnected lakes:
NR 20.40(7)(c)1.
1. Permitted fishing tournaments may engage in fishing activities in lake chains or connected lakes but the tournament organizer must select a lake where the primary fishing activity or weigh-in will take place.
NR 20.40(7)(c)2.
2. The availability of permits will be based on the acreage of the lake selected in subd.
1. as outlined in par.
(a).
NR 20.40(7)(d)
(d) For boundary water lakes, the limits on the number of permitted fishing contests shall be determined based on the Wisconsin acreage.
NR 20.40(7)(e)
(e) For flowages and impoundments of rivers, the limits in par.
(a) shall include tributaries upstream to the first dam or road crossing unless otherwise specified in the permit.
NR 20.40(7)(f)1.
1. The maximum number of permitted fishing tournaments per month on the Mississippi River, Lake St. Croix, St. Croix River, Wisconsin River, Fox River and Wolf River are outlined in the following table.
-
See PDF for table NR 20.40(7)(f)2.
2. Fishing tournament waters identified in the permit for Mississippi River pools are limited to no more than 3 pools where each pool is separated by a lock and dam.
NR 20.40(7)(f)2m.
2m. Fishing tournaments permitted by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources are authorized to operate in Wisconsin portions of Wisconsin-Minnesota boundary waters under the regulations specified in the Minnesota permit.
NR 20.40 Note
Note: Under s. 29.403 (1m), Stats., a bass tournament permitted by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources may cull largemouth and smallmouth bass in Wisconsin portions of Wisconsin-Minnesota boundary waters. Culling is not allowed in Minnesota waters of Wisconsin-Minnesota boundary waters at the time this rule was drafted. Tournaments authorized by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources may not cull in Minnesota waters unless authorized by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
NR 20.40(7)(f)3.
3. No more than 2 permitted fishing tournaments per month, not to exceed 4 days combined, may be issued for any 10 mile segment of a river not listed in subd.
1., as defined in the permit. If any portion of river permitted overlaps with a previously permitted portion of the same river, it shall be considered the same segment. Segment boundaries shall be readily identifiable features as close to 10 miles apart as possible.
NR 20.40(7)(f)4.
4. Permitted fishing tournaments may engage in fishing activities in multiple pools but the tournament organizer must select the pool where the primary fishing activity or weigh-in will take place. The availability of permits will be based on the selected pool as outlined in subd.
1. NR 20.40(8)
(8)
Additional fishing tournament permits. Notwithstanding the limits in sub.
(7), the department may allow one additional permit each year for fishing tournaments on lakes greater than 1,000 acres or river segments identified by the department. For additional fishing tournaments permitted under this subsection, the fishing tournament permit applicant shall demonstrate to the department that the tournament:
NR 20.40(8)(a)
(a) Will promote public awareness of fishing and the state's resources and conform to best management practices for the lake; or
NR 20.40(8)(c)
(c) The department may issue one advance tournament permit for each waterbody in each year that authorizes a tournament on that waterbody up to 3 years before the tournament is to occur when:
NR 20.40(8)(c)1.
1. The tournament sponsor can demonstrate undue hardship unless they receive an advance permit, and
NR 20.40(8)(c)2.
2. The tournament sponsor can demonstrate a substantial economic benefit to the local economy by being able to receive a tournament permit up to 3 years in advance for a specific waterbody.
NR 20.40(9)
(9)
Disposition of dead fish. The department shall require each applicant to provide a written plan for the disposition of any dead fish encountered within a 48-hour period from the end of the tournament and are a result of the fishing tournament which complies with s.
23.095 (1g), Stats. No plan may include retention of any fish contrary to the requirements of department rule, except that the department may, via permit condition, authorize a tournament organizer or their designee to receive and transport trout or salmon from tournament participants, in excess of established possession limits, for immediate delivery to a food distribution service as defined in s.
29.001 (28), Stats.
NR 20.40 Note
Note: Section 23.095 (1g), Stats., General prohibition. No person may damage or attempt to damage any natural resource within the state. Under s. 23.095 (1) (a) “Damage" means to commit a physical act that unreasonably destroys, molests, defaces, removes or wastes.
NR 20.40(10)(a)
(a) No person may organize fishing tournaments on the same body of water with starting dates separated by less than 2 weeks unless 50% or more of the participants in the additional tournament are younger than 18 years of age or are developmentally disabled as defined under s.
51.01 (5) (a), Stats., or physically disabled and eligible for a license under s.
29.193 (3) or
(3m), Stats.
NR 20.40(10)(b)
(b) The department may deny an application for a fishing tournament permit upon determination that the body of water, the fish or other aquatic resources may be substantially harmed by the concentration of fishing activity from the fishing tournament.
NR 20.40(10)(c)
(c) No person may conduct a fishing tournament on any of the following unless it is a traditional fishing tournament:
NR 20.40(10)(c)1.
1. Opening weekend of the fishing season, except that a person may conduct a fishing tournament that is not a traditional fishing tournament on opening weekend on waters with a continuous open harvest season for that species.
NR 20.40(10)(d)
(d) The department may require the tournament organizer to make parking arrangements in addition to those normally present at location where the event is taking place for the fishing tournament participants in order to ensure reasonable public access to the water where the permitted fishing tournament is being conducted. A plan outlining the alternative parking arrangements shall be submitted to the department upon request. The department may withhold approval of a fishing tournament permit application until an adequate alternative parking plan or parking arrangements have been provided by the organizer.
NR 20.40(10)(e)
(e) For open water permitted fishing tournaments, participants' boats shall be identified in a uniform manner that makes them easily identifiable on the water as fishing tournament participants and the method for identification shall be provided to the department. This requirement does not apply to tournaments on the Great Lakes for trout and salmon.
NR 20.40(10)(f)
(f) The following provisions apply to immediate-release tournaments:
NR 20.40(10)(f)2.
2. Participants shall immediately initiate the official tournament registration process upon landing a fish.
NR 20.40(10)(f)3.
3. Participants shall successfully release the fish, as indicated by the capability of the fish to swim away upright under its own power, prior to resuming fishing.
NR 20.40(10)(g)
(g) The following provisions apply to catch-hold-release tournaments:
NR 20.40(10)(g)1.
1. No person may conduct a catch-hold-release tournament for muskellunge, northern pike, sturgeon or trout with an off-site weigh-in.
NR 20.40(10)(g)2.
2. No person may conduct a catch-hold-release tournament unless they follow the conditions related to fish handling specified on the permit.
NR 20.40(10)(g)3.
3. No person may participate in a catch-hold-release open water tournament unless their boat is equipped with a live well that is demonstrated to the tournament organizer as functioning properly prior to fishing in the fishing tournament.
NR 20.40(10)(g)3m.
3m. No person may participate in a catch-hold-release ice fishing tournament unless they have a container capable of holding and transporting live fish in water.
NR 20.40(10)(g)4.
4. Except as provided in par.
(gm) 4., no person may hold fish in a catch-hold-release tournament in on-shore holding tanks unless the tanks have the capacity to hold at least one gallon of water per pound of fish held and are equipped with an aeration or oxygenation system that maintains the dissolved oxygen at 5 parts per million or higher.
NR 20.40(10)(g)5.
5. No person may conduct a catch-hold-release tournament with an off-site weigh-in unless the fish holding equipment and fish handling procedures at the weigh in site are approved by the department and the approval is specified on the permit.
NR 20.40(10)(g)6.
6. The department shall include permit conditions that specify fish handling requirements during weigh-in for catch-hold-release tournaments.
NR 20.40(10)(g)7.
7. The department may include the following permit conditions related to tournament operation for permitted catch-hold-release tournaments at the point of permit issuance when it determines that environmental conditions are not conducive to survival of fish intended for release and the release may constitute unreasonable waste of natural resources or when it determines that the transport and release of fish is detrimental to the fish population under the provisions of s.
23.095 (1g), Stats.
NR 20.40(10)(g)7.a.
a. The department may restrict the area that may be fished by fishing tournament participants to reduce the time that fish are held in live wells, the distance fish are transported to a weigh-in site or both.
NR 20.40(10)(g)8.
8. The department shall restrict the area that may be fished by participants in catch-hold-release bass and walleye tournaments on Green Bay to reduce the potential for biological harm to the bass population and to reduce the potential for unreasonable waste of walleye. Participants in catch-hold-release bass and walleye fishing tournaments with a weigh-in site north of the mouth of the Pensaukee River (N44
°49'18.876", W-87
°53'56.04") may not fish north of a line extending from Gills Rock (N45
°17'38.9724", W-87
°1'23.0376") to the Wisconsin state line and south of a line running from Brown County line (N44
°40'39.6510", W-87
°59'15.5004") to the Kewaunee County line (N44
°40'36.8898", W-87
°44'11.8026"). Participants in catch-hold-release bass fishing tournaments with a weigh-in site north of the mouth of Pensaukee River (N44
°49'18.876", W-87
°53'56.04") may not fish beyond 5 miles of the Green Bay shoreline on which the weigh-in site is located. Participants in catch-hold-release bass fishing tournaments with a weigh-in site north of the mouth of Pensaukee River located on the eastern shore of Green Bay may fish beyond 5 miles of the eastern shore only to access Green Bay waters within 1.5 miles surrounding Chambers Island. Participants in catch-hold-release bass and walleye fishing tournaments with a weigh-in site south of the mouth of the Pensaukee River (N44
°49'18.876", W-87
°53'56.04") may not fish south of the DePere Dam (N44
°26'50.9928", W-88
°4'3.7050") and north of a line running from the mouth of the Pensaukee River (N44
°49'18.876", W-87
°53'56.04") to Chaudoirs Dock (N44
°44'50.28", W-87
°41'56.4"). Notwithstanding these fishing area restrictions, the department may allow one bass and one walleye tournament per year on Green Bay to fish all waters of Green Bay south of a line extending from Gills Rock (N45
°17'38.9724", W-87
°1'23.0376") to the Wisconsin state line provided that the tournament will promote national public awareness of fishing on Green Bay and is planned to have more than 60 boats. Tournaments promoting national public awareness include, but are not limited to, events that are part of a national tour and statewide or regional championships that qualify participants for a national event.
NR 20.40 Note
Note: Anglers are not restricted from fishing in Michigan waters, however, to minimize potential for biological harm and unreasonable waste of natural resources, the department encourages tournament organizers to restrict fishing in Michigan waters to south of a line extending due east from Rochereau Point (N45°18'13.92", W-87°26'2.436") to the Wisconsin state line.
NR 20.40(10)(g)9.
9. To reduce the potential for unreasonable waste of natural resources, the department shall:
NR 20.40(10)(g)9.a.
a. Require a reduced daily bag limit of 3 walleye for catch-hold-release tournaments on all waters with a daily bag limit of 3 walleye or greater from the second Saturday in June to the first Sunday in September, unless the department determines that the temperature of the primary waterbody to be fished is expected to be less than 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
NR 20.40(10)(g)9.b.
b. Require a reduced daily bag limit of 3 bass for catch-hold-release tournaments on all waters with a daily bag limit of 3 bass or greater from the first Saturday in July to the second Sunday in August unless the department determines that the temperature of the primary waterbody to be fished is expected to be less than 75 degrees Fahrenheit for smallmouth bass or less than 80 degrees Fahrenheit for largemouth bass. Notwithstanding these bag limit requirements, the department may allow one catch-hold-release bass tournament per year per waterbody with a 5 fish bag limit from the first Saturday in July to the second Sunday in August provided the tournament will promote national public awareness of fishing and is planned to have 60 or more boats and the primary waterbody fished will be 2000 or more acres. Tournaments promoting national public awareness include, but are not limited to, events that are part of a national tour and statewide or regional championships that qualify participants for a national event.
NR 20.40(10)(g)10.
10. Subject to the requirements in this section, the department may issue a permit for a catch-hold-release bass tournament when the season is open for harvesting bass that allows each participant in the tournament to take a daily bag limit of up to five bass of a minimum of 14 inches in length. All live bass shall be returned to the water from which they were taken as specified in the permit and no later than the day of the conclusion of the tournament.
NR 20.40(10)(gm)
(gm) In addition to the provisions in par.
(g), all of the following provisions apply to participants in catch-hold-release muskellunge tournaments:
NR 20.40(10)(gm)1.
1. Participants shall use boats equipped with a functioning live well or other container large enough to hold muskellunge and equipped with a pump for aerating and exchanging freshwater that is operated continuously once a fish is placed in the live well or other container.
NR 20.40(10)(gm)2.
2. Participants shall immediately transport muskellunge placed in a live well or other container to the designated weigh-in site. All transported fish must meet legal length limits for the water body being fished.
NR 20.40(10)(gm)3.
3. Either multiple weigh-in sites shall be designated by the tournament organizer or the areas open to fishing limited so that muskellunge will not be transported for more than 30 minutes.
NR 20.40(10)(gm)4.
4. Tournament officials or judges shall immediately register muskellunge brought to the weigh-in site. No pens, tanks, or other means of confinement may be used to hold the fish at the weigh-in site.
NR 20.40(10)(gm)5.
5. Registration of muskellunge is restricted to a measurement of length. In-water measurement of the fish is recommended whenever possible.
NR 20.40(10)(gm)6.
6. Muskellunge may be retained at the weigh-in site only until capable of swimming upright under its own power and shall be released from the weigh-in site.
NR 20.40(10)(gm)7.
7. Participants may not leave the weigh-in site until the fish they transported to the weigh-in site has been successfully released. If the fish cannot be released alive, final disposition of the fish is the responsibility of that participant and shall not violate s.
23.095 (1g), Stats.
NR 20.40(10)(gm)8.
8. A participant shall count muskellunge transported to a weigh-in site towards the participant's daily bag limit and that person may not fish for muskellunge during the remainder of that day.
NR 20.40 Note
Note: Section 23.095 (1g), Stats., states that no person may damage or attempt to damage any natural resource within the state. “Damage" means to commit a physical act that unreasonably destroys, molests, defaces, removes, or wastes.
NR 20.40(10)(h)
(h) All permits for fishing tournaments shall do the following:
NR 20.40(10)(h)1.
1. Identify areas where competitive fishing is prohibited for the following reasons:
NR 20.40(10)(h)1.a.
a. To protect critical habitat, including areas designated by local ordinance for aquatic vegetation preservation or areas where habitat enhancement activity is underway.
NR 20.40(10)(h)1.b.
b. To protect public rights, interests or safety, including designated swimming areas, mooring areas, access areas, navigational channels, staging areas, beaches or other special use areas.
NR 20.40(10)(h)2.
2. Prohibit the use of tagged fish, except when approved by the department for any of the following reasons:
NR 20.40(10)(h)2.a.
a. To enhance collection of data for management purposes as part of a scientific study.
NR 20.40(10)(h)2.b.
b. The tagged fish are legally obtained from a licensed private fish hatchery and are planted under a stocking or introduction permit issued by the department under s.
29.736, Stats., and s.
NR 19.05.
NR 20.40(10)(h)2.c.
c. Specific authorization is granted by the department to capture, tag and immediately release fish from the wild using lawful methods for purposes of a fishing contest.
NR 20.40(10)(i)
(i) Pursuant to s.
NR 20.05 (7), any fish taken into possession by an individual and not released immediately shall be included as part of the individual's daily bag limit.
NR 20.40(10)(j)
(j) The time limitations upon the length of a fishing tournament under this section do not include fishing activities by tournament participants carried out prior to the time when the tournament begins.
NR 20.40(10)(k)
(k) Except for tournaments on the Great Lakes and tournaments exempt from a permit under s.
NR 20.40 (3m) (c), the fishing portion of any tournament may not run for more than 10 consecutive hours each day or more than 4 consecutive days.
NR 20.40(10)(L)
(L) The fishing portion of tournaments on the Great Lakes is not limited in duration.
NR 20.40(10)(m)
(m) Upon permit approval, tournament organizers shall notify the county and city, village, or town within which the access site, weigh-in site, or headquarters for the tournament is located of the date, time, location and size of tournament.
NR 20.40(11)(a)
(a) All tournament participants shall comply with s.
30.07, Stats., and all department rules pertaining to control of aquatic invasive species.
NR 20.40(11)(b)
(b) Fishing tournament organizers shall inform all tournament participants of procedures recommended by the department to clean and decontaminate boats and equipment of aquatic plants and invasive species prior to the tournament.
NR 20.40(11)(c)
(c) The department may include permit conditions necessary to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species.
NR 20.40(12)
(12)
Reporting. Each organizer shall report the results of the organizer's tournament and other information which the department deems necessary on forms available from the department no later than 30 days following the last day of the tournament.
NR 20.40 Note
Note: Reporting forms will be issued with permits.
NR 20.40 History
History: Cr.
Register, May, 1999, No. 521, eff. 6-1-99;
CR 01-012: am. (4) (b) and (5), r. (9),
Register November 2001 No. 551, eff. 4-1-02; except (9) eff. 12-31-01; correction in (6) (c) 4. made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats.,
Register September 2002 No. 561;
CR 04-112: cr. (1) (am), (d), and (6m), am. (6) (d) and (f)
Register June 2005 No. 594, eff. 7-1-05;
CR 06-108: r. and recr.
Register April 2009 No. 640, eff. 5-1-09; correction in (7) (a) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 1., Stats.,
Register April 2009 No. 640; corrections in (2) (b) and (11) (a) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats.,
Register February 2010 No. 650;
CR 10-053: am. (1)
Register December 2010 No. 660, eff. 1-1-11;
CR 13-079: cr. (2) (dm), am. (3) (intro.), cr. (3) (e), (3m) (intro.), am. (3m) (a), (b), cr. (3m) (c), am. (4) (b) 2., 3., (c) 2., (d) 2., r. and recr. (5), am. (7) (intro.), (a) (table), cr. (7) (f) 2m., am. (10) (g) 3., cr. (10) (g) 3m., am. (10) (g) 4., 7. (intro.), r. (10) (g) 7. c., cr. (10) (g) 8., 9., (gm)
Register May 2014 No. 701, eff. 6-1-14; correction in (10) (g) 4. made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats.,
Register May 2014 No. 701; correction in (10) (g) 8. made under s. 35.17, Stats.,
Register May 2014 No. 701; correction in (10) 9. (gm) (intro.) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats.,
Register June 2015 No. 714;
CR 19-016: am. (3) (intro.), cr. (3) (f), am. (3m) (intro.), cr. (10) (g) (10),
Register March 2020 No. 771, eff. 4-1-20;
CR 19-016: am. (3) (intro.), cr. (3) (f), am. (3m) (intro.)
Register March 2020 No. 771, eff. 4-1-20;
CR 19-091: am. (3m) (a), cr. (10) (h) 2. c.
Register March 2020 No. 771, eff. 4-1-20;
CR 19-078: am. (2) (a)
Register May 2020 No. 773, eff. 6-1-20;
CR 21-058: am. (2) (j), (3) (f), r. and recr. (3m) (c), am. (9), (10) (c) 1., (d), (g) 10., (k)
Register March 2022 No. 795, eff. 4-1-22;
CR 23-009: cr. (3s)
Register February 2024 No. 818, eff. 4-1-24;
CR 23-058: am. (10) (c) 1. Register June 2024 No. 822, eff. 7-1-24. NR 20.41(1)(1)
Designated. The following waters are designated as experimental waters: Nebish, Spruce, Mystery, Escanaba and Pallette lakes situated in sections 34 and 35, township 42 north, range 7 east, and sections 1, 2, 3, 10, 11 and 12, township 41 north, range 7 east, Vilas county.
