North Dakota EMS Foundation

2026 Official Rules

Tom Nehring Memorial

ND EMS Foundation Fishing Tournament

Rules Meeting: August 7, 2026 | Tournament: August 8, 2026

Eligibility & Requirements

• All persons 18yrs of age or older are eligible to enter. Anglers under 18 yrs must fish with an adult over 18 yrs.
• Contestants must enter as a two-person team.  Extra anglers are $40 each
• All entries must be in by 5:00pm on August 3, 2026
• Entries received after 5:00pm on August 3, 2026 will incur a $50 Late Fee
• Each tournament contestant must possess a valid North Dakota fishing license.
• All tournament contestants must complete, sign and submit an official tournament release waiver.
• The ND Emergency Medical Services Foundation (NDEMSF) reserves the right to refuse entry in this event to any individual for any reason.
• Each contestant will be required to have a US Coast Guard approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD). PFDs must be worn when launching and running. Failure to do so may be grounds for disqualification.
• All contestants are required to observe all USCG and ND Game & Fish Department current rules and regulations.

 Entry Fee & Registration

• The field is limited to the first 150 teams who apply with a completed registration form including correct payment.
• Entry fees for anglers are $350 per team. $40 per extra angler.  Fees must accompany application and are payable to NDEMSF via credit card, cashier’s check, or personal check only.
• All teams are required to register and at least one team member is required to attend the rules meeting held on Friday, August 7, 2026 at the Pavilion located in Van Hook Recreation Area (by the docks).  Rules Meeting and Registration will begin at 6pm CST.
• If you choose to withdraw from the tournament, you must notify the NDEMSF Office or the tournament official. Withdrawals received after August 5, 2026 will be subject to a $100 administrative Fee.  Withdrawals before August 5th are subject to a $50.00 fee. 

Fishing

Fishing will take place on August 8, 2026 with August 9, 2026 serving as a storm make-up day. 

• Any contestant determined to be cheating will be disqualified and publicized.
• Only walleye, sauger and saugeye will be accepted.
• Teams will be allowed a maximum of 4 fishing lines per boat.
• Contestants will be allowed to use all legal artificial lures and/or live bait.
• Contestants will conduct themselves as true sportsmen, at all times.
• All boats will be required to meet US Coast Guard safety regulations. All boats will be required to carry a state or provincial registration in accordance with home state or province.
• All boats will be required to pass a through an aquatic nuisance inspection point on the day of fishing.
• No boat may touch another boat or pass any item to another boat during competition. Absolutely no going to shore once the boat has been launched unless it is necessary due to inclement weather and/or safety. A contestant may not leave his boat at any time during competition. Electronic devices may not be used for communication during tournament hours except for emergencies.
• In this NDEMSF Tournament, teams will be allowed to catch their limit and will be allowed to weigh a maximum of five (5) fish.
• Tournament officials retain the right to delay, cancel or restrict tournament waters in the case of severe weather.
• At the close of the day, check-in is required at the launch site. All boats must be through the checkpoint according to their scheduled times.
• A late penalty of 25% by weight will be assessed to teams returning less than 15min. late. Boats returning more than 15min. late will receive NO WEIGHT for the day.
• During tournament fishing hours, contestants must not solicit, share, or receive fishing information pertaining to method or type of presentations being used or location of fish with other contestants or non-contestants.
• Failure to check in at the end of the day will result in disqualification.

Boundaries

• Any water posted “Off-Limits” or “No Fishing” by State or Federal Agencies will be OFF LIMITS.  Only water open to ALL public fishing will be considered tournament waters.  All angling must be done from the boat.

Mechanical Breakdowns

• In the event of a mechanical breakdown, the Angles should attempt to contact the Safety Boat and/or one of the Tournament Officials.
• In the event of a mechanical breakdown, it is permissible for one Partner with the team’s catch for weigh-in and clipboard from the disabled boat to transfer to another competitor’s boat for transport to the check in point.  The Partner and the assisting boat must still arrive at the check in point on time, or face possible late penalty disqualification.
• Running out of gas in NOT considered a mechanical breakdown, and the boat will NOT be exempted from late penalty disqualification.

Scoring

• Each Team will select five (5) fish to be weighed.  These are the only fish that will be scored.
• One Team member will be required to sign the Scorecard to certify their catch.
• At the weigh-in, the clipboard and scorecards will be turned into a Tournament Official even if no fish are weighed.
• Any fish that appears to have been mangled, mashed, mauled or otherwise altered will be credited only at the discretion of the Tournament Official. Any fish that are deemed altered by an angler may result in Team disqualification for the event.

Ties

• In the case of a TIE or TIES between Teams in weights, all ties will be broken in the following manner:
  -The 2 consecutive place payouts will be combined and split equally between the 2 Teams.  The place below the tied team’s payout will then disappear.

Awards-Will be held at the Weigh-In Area at 4:30pm

• Payouts are based on the number of Team entries.  The Tournament will post the  payment schedule, based on the number of registered Teams at the Boat Inspection area on the morning of the Tournament.   75% of the total fishing entry fees collected for the Tournament will be paid out to the top 10 Teams.

Protest

• All protests must be logged with tournament officials within 30min. of the completion of the daily weigh-in.
• A service charge of $100 must accompany the protest form. The fee will be returned if the protest is found valid by the tournament officials.
• Any contestant may be required to submit to a polygraph examination at the request of the tournament officials. By signing the tournament waiver, contestants agree to submit to the polygraph examination. All winnings will be withheld pending results of the test.
• In the event that rules infractions are brought to the tournament official’s attention and are proved valid after investigation, the offender will be immediately disqualified. Any cash prizes or awards presented to the offender must be returned.

Tournament Cancellations:

• In the event of a tournament cancellation, the NDEMSF at its sole discretion may reschedule the event or hold a random drawing for the event purse.  
• Anglers are responsible for all applicable taxes on both cash and merchandise awards.

Interpretation of these rules are left exclusively to the Tournament Officials and shall be FINAL in all matters.  The Tournament Officials reserves the right to refuse entry to any individual.

Thank you for supporting ND EMS Foundation!  Have a Great Tournament!