02-15-2015, 04:12 PM
It's that time again! Not soon enough for some it seems! Opening for entries to the Catfish challenge have begun. Rules are below, along with a banner you can use, and a map of the state dividing line.
Subtle changes include a 10-fish team count, if you have bumper board (Jeff) - long as it has a BFT logo, and the year, your username, and a calibrated ruler - it's all good.
It's been a great three years running now, and - um - the North stands at 3-0 to the south for team totals. But for individual scores we have a split N-S-N. I anticipate some hearty challengers and worthy competition ahead. If nothing else, hopefully you'll be inspired to get out and fish, and seek to surpass your own personal best, whatever that may be!
This contest brings me great joy, and I am honored to manage it once again. Appreciate ALL your support and enthusiasm. Wouldn't be worth it if it weren't for the entrants, your humor, sportsmanship, and desire to improve encourage and inspire me, and I think others.
Fun tugs ahead no doubt! Read the rules first please, then send any questions my way. Promises to be another season of whisker fest mania! You ALL are winners!
As the reigning champ Gmwahl is automatically entered. He also held the biggest catfish at 32 inches. We KNOW there's bigger out there. Dare you to find them!
2015 Catifish Challenge Rules
[#005000]1. Five dollar entry fee for the contest.
2. Must be a registered member of BFT to enter.
3. Points will be awarded by the half inch. Entries will be based on length measure nose to pinched tail. Weight measures are welcome, but not required, nor will weight count towards points, but may be used for bragging rights.
4. Must have a picture with the fish on the ground next to the tape, the BFT logo and your BFT username and the year. There is printable logo at the bottom of this post. Please lay your catch from one end of the tape, and be sure numbers are clear and visible. Check your pictures. Take extras.
Pictures of fish in the air next to a tape will not count for points. Tape should be laid or stretched flat. All pictures must be taken at the lake or river where caught.
Bumper boards are acceptable, but a genuine tape measure/ruler, or a proof photo to me demonstrating you are calibrated. You can get a sticky tape rule easy enough. Contrast helps view-ability, especially in poor light conditions. (FYI: I will not score my own entries)
5. You may select to enter as a member of Northern Utah, or Southern Utah (see map). Points will be awarded for up to three cats per individual, and the longest ten for an entire team will earn the whole team bragging rights.
6. Boundaries will be drawn at the line on the map. Northern Region: From the Idaho border southward, to include all areas north of Salt Lake City, including the Weber River, Willard Bay, Bear River, and Cutler Marsh. The Southern Region will include Utah Lake, Jordan River, everything south of Salt Lake.
7. The target of the competition will be Channel Catfish, but Bullheads can be entered too. You may submit as many entries as you want (within reason) and the best 3 will count towards your total.
8. You must follow Utah’s Legal guidelines with regards to bait, number of lines, hooks, etc. Fish must be caught with a rod, this competition will not include setlines.
9. Though you are welcome to fish anywhere legal to do so, if you enter as a member of a team, your entries must come from the areas listed for your region, and though you don’t have to divulge any exact location, the name of the water must be shared.
10. You must post your own fish for it to get credit. I can help anyone who has problems resizing or posting their photos. Please post your photos in JPEG format on the BFT forum, rotated portrait. Please be sure the tape-measure can be read clearly in the photo.
11. Posts must include type of fish, date caught, name of lake/river, and length of fish.
12. Anyone harassing another contestant for posting the name of a lake will be disqualified. An entrant is welcome to offer what bait/rig they used, but this is not required, and same harassment rule applies in that regard. Entrants are encouraged to release any fish over 10 lbs, but legal limits are the rule. Again, no harassment of entrants for their posts or personal choices.
13. Anyone found cheating will be disqualified.
14. Anyone disqualified forfeits their entry fee.
[#400080]The team award will win that region’s Super-Catfish-Bragging-Rights for the next year.
The contest will accept entries caught and posted between [#800000]March 1st through Oct 31th[/#800000]. There will be a monthly award each month for longest cat. [/#400080][/#005000][#400080]
[/#400080]
[#0060bf]Check back for more prizes to come. We hope to have some T-shirts, Tackle, and other goodies. Anyone willing to offer or drum up donations is strongly encouraged to do so! [/#0060bf]
[#005028]There will be First, Second, and Third place awards based on total individial score. If you don’t submit an entry, you won’t qualify for prizes, though the “Bragging Rights” go to the whole team. [/#005028]
[#804000]BONUS AWARD: $20 Gift for the Biggest Carp landed. Bow fishing will be allowed this year also. Bonus points for creative dispatch and “release” techniques shared! This ONLY applies to Carp! [/#804000]
Carp will not count towards your total cat points. One carp award at the end of the contest.
Will also offer an award for the biggest Kid-Catch, so if you're under 15, make sure I know that.
Placement based on total points as judged by BFT moderators. Any and all ties for total fish will be broken by the longest fish posted. Also this year’s top winner will have their entry fee next year waved as the defending grand champion.
If you catch a larger Cat than one you posted already, no problem. Post the new fish and your points will be adjusted. Don’t remove your older entries. Prefer you don’t edit your entries after they have been scored. You don't get points for both fish but the larger one will be the one counted. Please don’t go overboard and post 300 fish is all.
Post all your entries to a single thread per contestant. Follow the TITLE pattern I’ll put up. There may be other competitions going on in parallel.
[#bf0000]Please [/#bf0000]check your pictures on the lake where you caught the fish if you can. If it moved and doesn't show the full length of the fish I'm sorry but I go with what shows up in the picture. Points are based on the photos. No limit on size of photos this year but please don't abuse this. If you want to add inline pictures, perhaps size those down, but leave a biggun attached for offline zooming by judges.
Any concerns about entries should be directed to me through a PM and I will review. Public flogging is discouraged. Team banter and smack-talk is encouraged. Some talk big, some catch big.
[#005000]Reply to this post and I'll send you the info of where to send your money and enter you in the contest. Any questions are welcomed too. Paypal is accepted (preferred), or mailed payments. Your entries will not be counted without confirmed payment. [#bf0000]BE SURE to make your Paypal a gift, so they do not ding a fee. No goods or services sold here. [/#bf0000]
Once entries are received, I will list on this post who has entered, and which team they belong to. Then you can add a “reply” with your entries, and I’ll update the opening post with the results. Refer to my “starter” post – and model your title so it’s easier to track.[/#005000]
Subtle changes include a 10-fish team count, if you have bumper board (Jeff) - long as it has a BFT logo, and the year, your username, and a calibrated ruler - it's all good.
It's been a great three years running now, and - um - the North stands at 3-0 to the south for team totals. But for individual scores we have a split N-S-N. I anticipate some hearty challengers and worthy competition ahead. If nothing else, hopefully you'll be inspired to get out and fish, and seek to surpass your own personal best, whatever that may be!
This contest brings me great joy, and I am honored to manage it once again. Appreciate ALL your support and enthusiasm. Wouldn't be worth it if it weren't for the entrants, your humor, sportsmanship, and desire to improve encourage and inspire me, and I think others.
Fun tugs ahead no doubt! Read the rules first please, then send any questions my way. Promises to be another season of whisker fest mania! You ALL are winners!
As the reigning champ Gmwahl is automatically entered. He also held the biggest catfish at 32 inches. We KNOW there's bigger out there. Dare you to find them!
2015 Catifish Challenge Rules
[#005000]1. Five dollar entry fee for the contest.
2. Must be a registered member of BFT to enter.
3. Points will be awarded by the half inch. Entries will be based on length measure nose to pinched tail. Weight measures are welcome, but not required, nor will weight count towards points, but may be used for bragging rights.
4. Must have a picture with the fish on the ground next to the tape, the BFT logo and your BFT username and the year. There is printable logo at the bottom of this post. Please lay your catch from one end of the tape, and be sure numbers are clear and visible. Check your pictures. Take extras.
Pictures of fish in the air next to a tape will not count for points. Tape should be laid or stretched flat. All pictures must be taken at the lake or river where caught.
Bumper boards are acceptable, but a genuine tape measure/ruler, or a proof photo to me demonstrating you are calibrated. You can get a sticky tape rule easy enough. Contrast helps view-ability, especially in poor light conditions. (FYI: I will not score my own entries)
5. You may select to enter as a member of Northern Utah, or Southern Utah (see map). Points will be awarded for up to three cats per individual, and the longest ten for an entire team will earn the whole team bragging rights.
6. Boundaries will be drawn at the line on the map. Northern Region: From the Idaho border southward, to include all areas north of Salt Lake City, including the Weber River, Willard Bay, Bear River, and Cutler Marsh. The Southern Region will include Utah Lake, Jordan River, everything south of Salt Lake.
7. The target of the competition will be Channel Catfish, but Bullheads can be entered too. You may submit as many entries as you want (within reason) and the best 3 will count towards your total.
8. You must follow Utah’s Legal guidelines with regards to bait, number of lines, hooks, etc. Fish must be caught with a rod, this competition will not include setlines.
9. Though you are welcome to fish anywhere legal to do so, if you enter as a member of a team, your entries must come from the areas listed for your region, and though you don’t have to divulge any exact location, the name of the water must be shared.
10. You must post your own fish for it to get credit. I can help anyone who has problems resizing or posting their photos. Please post your photos in JPEG format on the BFT forum, rotated portrait. Please be sure the tape-measure can be read clearly in the photo.
11. Posts must include type of fish, date caught, name of lake/river, and length of fish.
12. Anyone harassing another contestant for posting the name of a lake will be disqualified. An entrant is welcome to offer what bait/rig they used, but this is not required, and same harassment rule applies in that regard. Entrants are encouraged to release any fish over 10 lbs, but legal limits are the rule. Again, no harassment of entrants for their posts or personal choices.
13. Anyone found cheating will be disqualified.
14. Anyone disqualified forfeits their entry fee.
[#400080]The team award will win that region’s Super-Catfish-Bragging-Rights for the next year.
The contest will accept entries caught and posted between [#800000]March 1st through Oct 31th[/#800000]. There will be a monthly award each month for longest cat. [/#400080][/#005000][#400080]
[/#400080]
[#0060bf]Check back for more prizes to come. We hope to have some T-shirts, Tackle, and other goodies. Anyone willing to offer or drum up donations is strongly encouraged to do so! [/#0060bf]
[#005028]There will be First, Second, and Third place awards based on total individial score. If you don’t submit an entry, you won’t qualify for prizes, though the “Bragging Rights” go to the whole team. [/#005028]
[#804000]BONUS AWARD: $20 Gift for the Biggest Carp landed. Bow fishing will be allowed this year also. Bonus points for creative dispatch and “release” techniques shared! This ONLY applies to Carp! [/#804000]
Carp will not count towards your total cat points. One carp award at the end of the contest.
Will also offer an award for the biggest Kid-Catch, so if you're under 15, make sure I know that.
Placement based on total points as judged by BFT moderators. Any and all ties for total fish will be broken by the longest fish posted. Also this year’s top winner will have their entry fee next year waved as the defending grand champion.
If you catch a larger Cat than one you posted already, no problem. Post the new fish and your points will be adjusted. Don’t remove your older entries. Prefer you don’t edit your entries after they have been scored. You don't get points for both fish but the larger one will be the one counted. Please don’t go overboard and post 300 fish is all.
Post all your entries to a single thread per contestant. Follow the TITLE pattern I’ll put up. There may be other competitions going on in parallel.
[#bf0000]Please [/#bf0000]check your pictures on the lake where you caught the fish if you can. If it moved and doesn't show the full length of the fish I'm sorry but I go with what shows up in the picture. Points are based on the photos. No limit on size of photos this year but please don't abuse this. If you want to add inline pictures, perhaps size those down, but leave a biggun attached for offline zooming by judges.
Any concerns about entries should be directed to me through a PM and I will review. Public flogging is discouraged. Team banter and smack-talk is encouraged. Some talk big, some catch big.
[#005000]Reply to this post and I'll send you the info of where to send your money and enter you in the contest. Any questions are welcomed too. Paypal is accepted (preferred), or mailed payments. Your entries will not be counted without confirmed payment. [#bf0000]BE SURE to make your Paypal a gift, so they do not ding a fee. No goods or services sold here. [/#bf0000]
Once entries are received, I will list on this post who has entered, and which team they belong to. Then you can add a “reply” with your entries, and I’ll update the opening post with the results. Refer to my “starter” post – and model your title so it’s easier to track.[/#005000]