Is tournament fishing regulated in Indiana?
The state legislature and DNR recognize the increasing use of public waters for tournaments and other organized activities and are actively addressing this issue. Anglers who are participating in fishing tournaments must comply with all existing laws and regulations regarding bag limits and boating safety. Individuals who possess fish above their individual bag limit, such as fish transported and released after weigh in, must have a special use permit issued from the IDNR Division of Fish & Wildlife. Applications for these permits are reviewed for biological impact to the fish and lake community. If a permit is issued for this purpose, the individuals transporting these fish must have the permit in possession at all times during transport and must comply with all conditions on the permit. Tournaments held on state properties (reservoirs) currently participate in a drawing to control the number, size and impact of tournaments on public access facilities. In the most recent session, the
