Permit deadline for fishing tourneys approaches

Organizers of certain fishing tournaments planning events for 2011 will want to apply for a permit starting April 1, 2010.

“If you plan on holding a fishing tournament in 2011, we recommend that you apply in the open period that starts April 1 and runs through June 30, 2010, to have the best chance of getting your desired dates and waters,” says Joanna Griffin, tournament coordinator for the Department of Natural Resources.

All applications received during the open period will be reviewed by Aug. 1, 2010, and in the unlikely event that another tournament conflicts with an organizer’s choice of dates or waters, DNR fisheries biologists will discuss options with the tournament organizers, Griffin says.

Permit applications from tournament organizers applying after June 30, 2010, for events in 2011 will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Under the state rule that became effective in May 2009, some tournaments in Wisconsin must get a permit and there is a cap on the maximum amount of tournament fishing allowed on individual waters.

Tournament organizers can still apply for 2010 tournaments but the DNR must receive completed applications at least 30 days before the start of the applicant’s tournament. These applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more details on the fishing tournament rule, to submit an application, or to view a tournament event calendar, visit the fishing tournaments page of the DNR Web site.

For more information, call Joanna Griffin at 608-264-8953 or Jon Hansen, 608-266-6883.