1st Annual

Laughter & Lunkers Charitable Fishing Tournament Rules & Additional Info

September 24, 2022 at Harbor Walk Yacht Club in Hitchcock, Tx

$10,000 Guaranteed Payout!!!

Entry Fees & Registration

• On-site registration will be from 5-7PM on Friday, Sept 23rd at Harborwalk Marine
• Online registration can be done via Our Website
• Entry fee is $450 per team (4-person team)
• Children 16 years and younger are free with a team entry but must be entered into the children’s division
• Each team will be allowed to designate 0ne (1) alternate angler. The one (1) alternate angler will only be allowed to fish if a team member is unable to make the tournament.
• $375 entry fee per team if registered before Sept. 1st
• Deadline to enter is 5:00pm Sept 23rd
• $100 per team late fee for any entrant after 8pm Sept 22nd- 5:00pm Sept 23rd. No exceptions.

Payouts & Winners

All payouts will be made to the Team Captain or their designee

• Biggest Trout (lbs)
  1. $2500
  2. $1450
  3. $750
• Heaviest 3 Trout Stringer – $2500
• Heaviest Slot Redfish – $2500

Children’s Division

• Heaviest Trout (lbs)
  1. $100 Academy Gift Card
  2. $50 Academy Gift Card
• Heaviest Slot Red – $100 Academy Gift Card
• Biggest Sheepshead – $50 Academy Gift Card

Optional Side Pots

Reminder the 50/50 pot is mandatory to enter into the other two optional side pots.

• 50/50 Two Trout Pot ($50) – smallest/lowest combined weight of 2 LEGAL trout.
  • $50 per team.
  • 50% to the winner and 50% is donated to Diamond G Outreach.
• Redfish with Most Spots ($50) – any slot sized Redfish with the most spot. (Note, must enter 50/50 or you forfeit to the 2nd place winner)
  • $50 per team
  • Take home 100% of the pot.
• Blackjack Trout ($50) – Trout closest to 21″ without going over. (Note, must enter 50/50 or you forfeit to the 2nd place winner)
  • $50 per team
  • Take home 100% of the pot.

Tournament Rules

• Tournament begins Saturday, Sept 24th at 6:00 A.M. and ends at 3:00 P.M.
• Weigh in line opens at 10:00 A.M. sharp to weigh in and will close at 3:00 P.M.
  • NO TEAM CAN WEIGH FISH IF NOT IN LINE BY 3:00 P.M.
• You must know what category you are entering before getting in line.
• No fish may be entered into more than one category.
• All Federal & State rules and laws will be enforced. Violation will result in disqualification.
• This is a team tournament- no pooling fish other than with team members.
  • DO NOT GIVE FISH TO NON-TOURNAMENT ANGLERS.
• The tournament is open to Kayak fishing, bank fishing, wade fishing, pier fishing and boat fishing!
• Everyone on your boat MUST be entered in the tournament!
• ALL FISH MUST BE CAUGHT ON ROD AND REEL ONLY
• Artificial lure, dead bait, live bait, and cut bait are allowed.
• An adult must accompany any minor that is under the age of 16 unless permission is granted from DGO.
• You may only use the same fish for one category.
• At the discretion of the organizer, a polygraph may be required to claim prize.
• You do not have to check in before fishing and you may launch or walk on/in to any legal property or boat ramp at 6am.
• There will be a Captains meeting at Harborwalk Marine on Friday, Sept. 23rd, at 5pm
  • The meeting is not mandatory to show up.
• Anglers can protest up to 15 minutes after weigh-in closes.
  • This gives anybody the chance to have us Polygraph any individual that you believe may have broken the rules.
  • To Protest you will need to have a $350 deposit that is refundable if the protester is correct via the polygraph results
• All ties will be broken according to the sequential order they were weighed in.
  • The earlier fish weighed in will beat the fish that was weighed in later.
• Only one trout over 25” is allowed to be weighed in per team.

Fishing Distances

• Contestants fishing as a team must fish no farther than 300 yards apart if wading from a boat or 300 yards if fishing from a kayak. Waders must stay within 300 yards of their boat.
• Waders or boaters must remain 75 yards away from another wader or boat in competition unless passing through a navigable channel. If closer, they must be okayed by the other angler, if one angler is waved in, all anglers may enter the area.

Measuring Fish

• No fish may be altered in anyway.
  • Any fish that appear to have been cut, altered, or appear to have deformed tails are subject to review by the tournament directors.
  • If there is question on a fish, the angler may be disqualified
• Any fish that is deemed illegal will result in all of the team’s fish, in all categories to be disqualified.
• All ties will be broken according to the sequential order they were weighed in.
  • The earlier fish weighed in will beat the fish that was weighed in later.

Weather Cancellations

• If the weather looks inclement, it is the angler’s responsibility to check the DGO Facebook page  or call 832-778-6329 to see if the event is still on. If you do not see or hear a message, the event HAS NOT been cancelled. If it is cancelled, messages will be posted by 12am Saturday Sept 24th

Children’s Division

• Any child 16 years or younger is allowed to enter the tournament free of charge with a registered team and does not count towards team head count.
• Any child entered in the children’s division is only eligible for their fish to be entered in the children’s division awards.
• Children 16 years or younger may be entered into the adult division but all entrance fees and rules apply to the child.

Guided Entrants

• Guides are allowed to participate and/or guide in this tournament.
• Any team may recruit a guide to charter them during this tournament or as a member of their team.
• If any team of 4 recruits a guide for chartering services, the guide may not participate in fishing activities.
• Any team of 4 MAY have a guide as a member of their team.
• Any team that recruits a guide for charter during this tournament must list the name of the Captain and Charter Service on their entrance slips.  FAILURE TO DO SO WILL ELIMINATE ANY FISH ENTERED INTO THE WEIGH IN

***Any Captain listed on the above mentioned entrance slip will receive a $1,000 award if their chartered team places 1st in heaviest Trout or Redfish.***

Captain’s Meetings

• There will be a Captains meeting at Harborwalk Marine on Friday, Sept. 23rd, at 5pm
  • The meeting is not mandatory to show up.
• On-site registration will be from 5-7pm on Friday, Sept. 23rd at Harborwalk Marine
• A Team Captain must be designated during registration.

Diamond G Outreach and Tournament Sponsors shall not be held liable for any injury or illness that may occur during the fishing tournament or weigh in ceremony. By registering for this tournament, you and your party agree to these terms and conditions. 

Any Questions Contact us here.