The 25th Fishing for Ducks Ice Fishing Contest – Garrison, MN
If anyone happens to find themselves traveling through Garrison, MN, during the third weekend of February, there’s a good chance they would come across an event never seen before. No matter which direction, either up from the south, down from the north, or coming from the west, anyone going through Garrison, MN, will not be able to miss what the little town becomes during late February. No, it won’t be snowmobile or vehicle ice racing, or will it be thousands of kites flown over the ice of Garrison Bay. What will be seen is a sea of tens of thousands of anglers ice fishing during the frigid Minnesota winter temps for a chance at tens of thousands of dollars in cash and prizes.
No matter if the outside temperature is minus zero degrees, if the wind is blowing forty miles per hour, or the sky is unleashing a deluge of snow, this ice fishing tournament must go on. This event would be the annual Ducks Unlimited Mille Lacs Lake Ice Fishing Tournament and Contest. To be specific, this year makes the 25th Annual Fishing for Ducks Ice Fishing Tournament and Contest in Garrison, MN.
Fishing for Ducks Ice Fishing Tournament Contest Details
The Fishing For Ducks ice fishing tournament is an annual ice fishing event held on Mille lacs Lake’s ice in Garrison, MN. This year’s event has had some significant changes on how it is structured due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the statewide restrictions with large public gathers. Besides attendees required to wear face masks and the social distancing between ice anglers, the most significant change to the contest is split into two areas (Garrison Access and MyrMar Access) to comply with COVID requirements.
The ice fishing tournament is also spread out over three days now, with the first event being held on Feb. 19th at 9:00 AM CST, then more events until the tournament come to an end on Feb. 21st. This year’s attendees are only able to purchase Fishing for Ducks tickets online, with tickets not being sold at the gates on the day of the event. The initial entry ticket price is $40 per hole, per day, and event. A second hole ticket can be purchased at the event for $30. For further details, check out the Offical Fishing For Ducks Tournament Rules.
IMPORTANT UPDATE: This year, entry tickets for the Fishing for Ducks tournament can only be purchased online, and the tickets are delivered to contestants via the United States Postal Service. There will not be record or proof on the ice the day of the event of tickets purchased online. Attendees MUST bring their tickets with them the day of the event, and all contestants MUST HAVE a valid ticket to be allowed into the tournament fishing area.
Sponsors List – 2021 Fishing For Ducks Mille Lacs Ice Fishing Tournament Contest
2021 Fishing For Ducks Mille Lacs Lake Ice Fishing Tournament Overview
Fishing for Ducks $20,000 Grand Prize for the
Biggest Mille Lacs Fish Caught
The Fishing for Ducks Mille Lacs ice fishing tournament goes live on February 19th, 20th, and 21st, 2021, on Mille Lacs Lake’s ice at the contest areas in Garrison and Myr Mar. Event organizers require that all contests abide by state COVID-19 guidelines.
There will be different times and spots for each Mini-Contest. Each Mini-Contest will consist of up to 230 contestants. The reason for the Mini-Contest is to accommodate the state of Minnesota’s social distancing requirements. Each Mini-Contest will have ten winners. The single biggest fish from all the Mini Contests will be the winner of a Grand Prize of $10,000.
If there is a tie, all winners will split the $20,000 prize. Except for the Grand Prize, contestants will be fishing against the people in your area at the same time. Each “Mini-Contest” will have a different color ticket. Only contestants with the proper color ticket will be allowed in each fishing area.
Morning contests in each area will start at 9:00 am and end at 11:00 am. Contestants will be allowed into the fishing area at 8:00 am and must be out of the parking area by 11:45 am. Afternoon contests will start at 2:00 pm and end at 4:00 pm. Contestants will be allowed into the fishing area for afternoon contests at 1:00 pm.
Friday Morning will be Flight 1. Friday Afternoon will be Flight 2. Saturday Morning will be Flight 1. Saturday Afternoon will be Flight 2. Sunday Morning will be Flight 1. Mini-Contest sites will be labeled A, B, C, D, and E from North to South. A and B access the lake at Myr Mar, C, D, and E will access Garrison Sports.
Fishing for Ducks reserves the right to combine Mini-Contests during the same flight if sales for that flight are low. Fishing for Ducks reserves the right to add Mini Contests or even flights if sales are filling up. The top ten winners for each prize of the Mini-Contests will be determined by the heaviest fish weighed and order the fish are registered.
If a tie (fish weighed all weigh the same amount), the first fish that was registered will be declared the winner, then the next one weighed would follow, and so on. Any legal-size fish on the list below may place in the top 10.
Contestants can fish one line per ticket, with two lines maximum, and the second line must be purchased, and all second-line tickets ($30.00) are sold the day of the event. Anglers who are choosing to fish multiple lines must use adjacent ice holes. Only one ticket per angler can be pre-purchased online via the website. A second line/hole ticket can only be purchased inside the fishing area on the contest’s day and time.
Anglers may register as many fish as Minnesota fishing regulations allow. Tournament anglers are eligible for more than one prize. There is no age requirement for tournament participation. Contestants may reserve no more than four holes no earlier than one hour before each contest starts.
No Fishing For Ducks Branded Clothing Will Be Sold at the Event
Since the organizers are under such a late start this year due to the shutdown related to the COVID-19 pandemic, they will not be selling clothing such as sweatshirts, t-shirts, hoodies, and jackets related to the contest until after the contest is over. For the 2021 Fishing For Ducks tournament/contest, the event organizers will not sell clothing during the event. Instead, the event organizers are accepting online orders for Fishing For Ducks clothing and will do so until Sunday, February 21st, 2021.
Fish Eligibility For The Mille Lacs Lake Ice Fishing Tournament
All eligible Mille Lacs fish entered in the Fishing For Ducks Tournament and Contest must be returned to the inspectors’ station directly. The fish being submitted for an entry must be alive. Only live fish caught from Mille Lacs will be submitted for entry into the tournament/contest.
Frozen and dead fish will not be accepted and will be turned away by tournament officials. Fishing For Ducks tournament officials has the final say on if a fish being submitted is elidable for entry into the tournament weight. The tournament official’s decision is final.
Fishing for Ducks Mille Lacs Ice Fishing Contest Prize Overview and Breakdown
Over $100,000 in cash and prizes, with the grand prize (Champion of Champions) being $20,000 awarded to the angler who catches the heaviest fish. Now, remember, the only fish allowed for eligibility must be a “legal fish“, so walleyes caught during the event must be within the MN DNR Mille Lacs walleye slot requirements. All walleyes not within the slot must be returned back to the lake immediately after caught.
On the Top 10 Fish Prizes At Each of the 25 Contests flyer allows winners to choose their prize off of the Fishing for Ducks Prize Banner which is featured under the Top 10 Fish Prizes At Each of the 25 Contests flyer below.
Winners will be able to choose their prize off of the Fishing for Ducks Prize Banner below.
How Fishing For Ducks Determines Winners and Deals With Any Deception
As part of the tournament requirements, Fishing For Ducks reserves the right to subject any of the tournament’s winning contestant to a lie detector test for prizes are awarded. Suppose tournament officials determine any level of deception or the contestant refuses to submit to a lie detector test. In that case, the prize(s) that the contestant was eligible to receive will instead be donated to charity.
Tournament goers are accountable for confirmation of the weight of their fish at the time of weigh-in. When the head tournament official considers the leader board accurate, all contestants will be allowed to review the winners’ entries, and names on the winner’s board before the prizes are officially awarded. If any contestants see anything they have questions about, they must ask during this time. After reviewing the final winner’s board has expired, the board’s winners will be final, and no changes will occur after this point.