Lake Champlain International thanks everyone who has contributed over the years! When buying your gear please support the sponsors that are supporting us.
ELIZABETH EHLERS
Executive Director
JAMES EHLERS
Executive Advisor
KRISTIE HOOVER
Sponsor Relations
JACK ROWELL
Photography
All the information in this guide is subject to change. For the most current information contact LCI or visit the LCI website.
“The fish are just a bonus.” – Matt “Fishy1” Glebus
WBY LIZ EHLERS
hat a beautiful sentiment expressed in Matt’s words. They encapsulate the essence of fishing as more than just catching fish— it’s about the camaraderie, the shared experiences, and the memories made along the way.
Reflecting on my 20 years with LCI, it’s evident that the community has played a significant role in fostering connections and traditions that transcend generations. From witnessing juniors grow into parents and passing on the fishing tradition to their own children, the enduring impact of fishing on families is truly remarkable.
While there have been moments of joy and celebration, there have also been moments of heartache and loss. Yet, it’s through these experiences that the strength of the bonds within the angling community shines through.
As the community embarks on its 43rd year, it’s important to acknowledge and appreciate the role that each member has played in creating a supportive
and welcoming environment. Whether it’s through events like the Father’s Day Derby or simply sharing stories and experiences on the water, each contribution has left a lasting impression.
As the journey continues, may it be filled with more cherished memories, shared experiences, and, of course, some “bonus” fish along the way. Here’s to many more years of camaraderie and connection within the LCI angling community!
.......... 19-21
BASS OPEN RESULTS............................. 21 2023 OFFICIAL RESULTS 23-29 RULES & REGULATIONS .................. 31-39 FISH SUMMARY 36
PRODUCED BY VERMONT SPORTS
PUBLISHER | EDITOR
Angelo Lynn angelo@addisonindependent.com
DESIGN & ADVERTISING SALES
Elsie Lynn Parini elsie@addisonindependent.com
EDITORIAL & PRODUCTION OFFICE
Vermont Sports | 58 Maple Street Middlebury, VT 05753 802-388-4944
The LCI Derby Guide is independently owned and operated by Addison Press Inc., 58 Maple Street, Middlebury, VT 05753. It is published once a year.
Richard “Salmon King”
September 2, 1971 — March 23, 2024
In celebrating the life of Richard F. Rose, we honor a remarkable man whose legacy of love and laughter will endure beyond the passage of years.
Known as the “Salmon King,” Richie will be remembered as a dedicated son, father, grandfather, friend, and angler.
VERMONT SPORTS
“The two best times to fish is when it’s raining and when it ain’t.”
— Patrick F McManus
Elizabeth Ehlers is the executive director of Lake Champlain International. She works with the team at LCI headquarters in Colchester, Vt.
FATHER’S DAY FISHING DERBY
REGISTER
MYCHAMPLAIN.NET
(802) 879-3466
Find out where to register for the Father’s Day Derby online at mychamplain.net or call (802) 879-3466.
REGISTRATION
RETAIL OUTLETS
For an up-to-date list of local registration retail outlets and where to find them visit mychamplain.net or call (802) 879-3466.
Bay Store
Biben’s Ace Hardware
Biben’s Ace Hills
Hardware
Big River Bait & Tackle
Champlain Boat Works
Dattilio’s
Ed’s Bait & Tackle
Emmon’s Bait & Tackle Fish307
Hero’s Welcome Keeler Bay Variety
Lakeshore Ace Hardware & Marine
Martin’s General Store
Mattison’s Sport Shop
Norm’s Bait & Tackle
North Country Bait & Tackle
Parro’s Gun Shop
Point Bay Marina
R&L Archery Rack and Reel
Reel Angler
Rite Way Sport Shop
South Burlington Ace Sportsman Cottages
Wright’s Sport Shop
DOUBLE YOUR FUN!
ADD THE EVERYTHING PASS
Add the Everything Pass when you register for the 43rd Annual LCI Father’s Day Fishing Derby Presented by Yamaha and your fish will automatically qualify for the Champlain Basin Derby standings!
50 WEEKS – 15 SPECIES – $27,000!
Don’t miss the Champlain Basin Derby.
POINTS & MINIMUM LENGTHS
Atlantic Salmon/Steelhead 65 points / 21”
Brown Trout ............................. 65 points / 19”
ROUSES POINT SPORTSMAN’S PIER Rouses Point, NY (518) 297-3023
PLATTSBURGH BOAT BASIN Plattsburgh, NY .....................(518) 561-2800
INDIAN BAY MARINA
Willsboro, NY ........................(518) 963-7858
WESTPORT MARINA
Westport, NY (518) 962-4356
SOUTH BAY PIER
Whitehall, NY (518) 897-1310
24-HOUR STATIONS
Open 9 a.m. Saturday and close 4 p.m. 6/17/24
CHIPMAN POINT MARINA Orwell, VT (802) 948-2288
HERO’S WELCOME North Hero, VT (802) 372-4161
PLATTSBURGH BOAT BASIN
APPLE ISLAND MARINA
South Hero, VT (802)
SPORTSMAN COTTAGES
Addison, VT (802) 759-2348
2024 LCI DERBIES & EVENTS
12TH ANNUAL LCI CHAMPLAIN BASIN DERBY
April 6, 2024-March 31, 2025
You have 50 weeks to catch any of 15 species in any body of water the Lake Champlain basin. A $27,000 prize is split among the top three heaviest fish in each category.
14TH ANNUAL LCI
LITTLE ANGLERS DERBY
Presented by Ray’s Seafood Market & Restaurant
June 15, 2024
Any species of fish in the Winooski River Recreational Area is eligible as long as it’s legal and caught by a child 14 or under, accompanied by an adult. The child must play and land the fish; the adult may help bait hooks, cast and land the fish with a net. Each entry will be judged on weight and time of entry. Refreshments provided by Shaw’s Supermarkets.
43RD ANNUAL LCI FATHER’S DAY DERBY
Presented by Yamaha June 15-17, 2024
Three days of fishing, family and fun in one of the largest freshwater tournaments in the country!
25TH ANNUAL BASS OPEN
September 1, 2024
LCI brings competitive bass fishing to Lake Champlain. This exciting one-day event guarantees $3,000 to the first-place team.
OUR FRIENDS AT JOLLEY AND COCA-COLA WANT TO SEND 4 LUCKY ANGLERS ON THE TRIP OF
WIN A FISHING ADVENTURE IN QUEBEC
in the LCI Fishing Derby on Lake Champlain VALUED AT MORE THAN $10,000!
Experience the best walleye and pike fishing Quebec has to offer!
Trip arrangements by Berthelot Lake Lodge.
PACKAGE FOR FOUR ANGLERS INCLUDES:
• Round-trip airfare from Berthelot Lake Lodge to Mégiscane Lake
• 7 nights lodging at their exclusive 5-star outpost camp, complete with solar power, full kitchen, bathroom, 4 bedrooms, veranda, and Wi-Fi.
• 2 days professionally guided fishing.
• Use of motorized boats and unlimited fuel.
• Cash stipend to be used for food, license fees, and other expenses.
Photos courtesy of Berthelot Lake Lodge
HIGHLIGHTS and PRIZES
T.E.A.M PRIZES
Sign up as a T.E.A.M (Two Entries, Any Member) of at least one and no more than four people (and no more than two boats) and you can earn exclusive cash prizes based on a percentage of total teams registered, along with trophies for each member. $21,150 awarded to the winning teams in 2023!
ANNUAL LCI LADIES OF THE LAKE
The top-scoring female angler in each of the Cold, Cool and Warm Water divisions wins a prize package. Valued at $500.
CARRY ON THE ANGLING TRADITION
Sign up three new junior anglers and have a chance at an Everything Pass for the 2025 LCI Father’s Day Derby presented by Yamaha. Your three new anglers will each receive a tackle package courtesy of LCI.
ALL CASH PRIZES IN THE SPECIES CATEGORIES
$3,000 first place prize in each of the species categories! Species include: Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Salmon (Atlantic Salmon, Brown Trout, Steelhead), Lake Trout, Walleye, Bowfin, Catfish and Extraordinary (Sheepshead and Carp). And cash for 2nd-10th!
CASH EXTRAS
$10,000 Lake Record Reward Break a current Lake Champlain record and win!
Break a derby record in any species category and we’ll double your first place prize cash to $6,000! Eligible species include:
WIZN Big Bad Bass
WOKO Big Station Salmon
Lakeshore Ace Lake Trout
TBD Northern Pike
Shelburne Camping Bowfin
Ray’s Seafood Market Sheepshead
RK Miles Catfish
Shaw’s Supermarkets Walleye
SUPER BONUS CASH
More than $22,000 awarded in 2023 to the three Super Bonus fish in the Cold, Cool and Warm Water Divisions.
11th Annual LCI Champlain Basin Derby
ATLANTIC SALMON CATEGORY
BOWFIN CATEGORY
BROOK TROUT CATEGORY
BROWN TROUT CATEGORY
CARP CATEGORY
CATFISH CATEGORY
LAKE TROUT CATEGORY
LARGE MOUTH BASS CATEGORY
NORTHERN PIKE CATEGORY
SHEEPSHEAD CATEGORY
SMALL MOUTH BASS CATEGORY
STEELHEAD CATEGORY
WALLEYE CATEGORY
WHITE PERCH CATEGORY
YELLOW PERCH CATEGORY
RETURNING MAJESTY TO THE MISSISQUOI
BY SHAWN GOOD Fisheries Biologist, Vermont Fish & Wildlife Dept
There’s one fish, above all others, that will send a shiver down your spine and a surge of adrenaline through your veins simply by catching sight of one. A fish shrouded as much in mystery as it is reverence and legend. No matter where it swims, it is always the top dog. THE apex predator. One fish to rule them all. The majestic and mighty Muskellunge.
There’s a certain allure in the pursuit of something as elusive as the Muskie. Chasing them is more akin to hunting than fishing,
and it’s not for the faint of heart. Each cast holds the promise of encountering a creature that embodies strength, cunning, and raw power. The accolades may sound cliché, but there’s good reason why some anglers forsake all other species after catching their first one.
To witness a dark shadow over four feet long emerge unannounced from the depths, intently tracking your lure on the retrieve as it sizes up a potential meal, only to sink out of sight and disappear back to the darkness is nothing short of soul-crushing. But that brief encounter, that
Chris Beebe of Swanton caught a new State Record Muskie in September 2005 just as Vermont Fish & Wildlife was embarking on a new restoration program for this native species. The fish measured 52 ¼-inches long and weighed 38.2-pounds.
heart-stopping moment of hope, that “follow” is what makes even the most steeled angler freeze up, go weak in the knees … and want to come back for more.
And while many seasoned Muskie
anglers consider it a good day when they get a follow or two, actually hooking one is the fishy equivalent of having a tiger by the tail. They will test the mettle of any angler with their spectacular, surface-clearing leaps and
This 42-inch Muskie was landed by Georgia, Vt., angler Chris Hungerford in June 2023, while fishing from shore on the lower Missisquoi.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF VT FISH & WILDLIFE DEPT
“They will test the mettle of any angler with their spectacular, surface-clearing leaps and powerful runs.”
(Missisquoi continued from Page 17)
powerful runs. Muskie have been known to peel line, burn out reels, bend hooks, mutilate lures, and shatter rods. Hooking and landing one changes you as an angler. Get ready. They’re making a comeback.
Vermont is the only New England state that had a native population of Muskie. They were found only in Lake Champlain, and restricted to the northern portion of the lake and two river tributaries — the Great Chazy in New York, and the Missisquoi in Vermont. Muskie were first described in the lake in the mid-1800s by Vermont naturalist Zadock Thompson, who reported them as being “rare” and “seldom found.”
But that’s not all that surprising, considering that even today in the most fabled Muskie waters of North America, an adult density of 0.5 fish per acre of water is considered to be a healthy population. Muskie are known to be solitary, low-density predators that like their space. They are ornery, bad-tempered, and aggressive fish that can reach 60 inches in length and weigh over 50 pounds. Like my grade school report card used to say, they “don’t play well with others.”
For unknown reasons Muskie numbers in Missisquoi River and Missisquoi Bay began declining through the mid-1900s, and by 1970, the last remaining Vermont population was found only in the upper river between Swanton Dam and Highgate Falls Dam. In 1979, an unfortunate accident spilled untreated paper mill waste into the river upstream of Highgate causing a massive fish kill in the entire downstream stretch. This is thought to have spelled the end for Vermont’s last
native Muskie population.
But let’s skip ahead 25 years to the early 2000s. Vermont Fish & Wildlife was beginning to investigate the possibility of restoring this native species to the Missisquoi River, when in September 2005, seemingly out of nowhere, a Muskie was caught in the lower Missisquoi. And not just any Muskie. A new State Record.
The fish, caught by Swanton native Chris Beebe (pictured on page 16), measured 52 ¼ inches long, weighed 38.2 pounds, and took everyone by surprise. Where had this fish been lurking all those years? Was it a left over from the river’s native population?
The following year the department started conducting surveys above and below the Swanton Dam to determine if a remnant native population still existed in the river. However, after three years of sampling, no Muskie were captured.
and
The Beebe fish did, however, give the department an opportunity to conduct genetic testing and compare it to archived samples obtained from regions of the three known subspecies of Muskellunge — the Great Lakes, the Ohio River Basin,
and the Midwestern Inland waters.
If the Beebe Muskie was a holdover from Champlain’s original native population, it would likely be a genetic match to the Great Lakes subspecies, because of Lake
Majesty, Page 18)
(See
Maine angler Nolan Kirley traveled to Vermont over the 2023 Thanksgiving weekend to target Muskie on the Missisquoi River, and he was able to bring this nice 40-inch fish to the net. He also lost one boatside that he estimated was closer to 50-inches.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF VT FISH & WILDLIFE DEPT
Muskie fingerlings (left) average around 5-6 inches in length when stocked in mid-August. Muskie fingerlings being stocked into the Missisquoi River at night (right). These fingerlings are stocked out at night to reduce predation and are placed directly into cover
habitat to increase the chances of survival.
“There’s still more work to be done, and as we continue stocking in the future, we’ll be monitoring continued growth and survival of the larger adults that are forming the base of this growing population.”
Champlain’s connection to the St. Lawrence River. But as it turned out, the fish was a match to the Ohio River strain, which was the strain NYDEC had been stocking (from their Chautauqua Lake hatchery) into the Great Chazy River since the late 1960s. In other words, the Beebe fish was a stray from the Chazy, and originated from eggs collected in Chautauqua Lake in western New York.
With no evidence of survival of the historical Lake Champlain population, and proof that Chautauqua fish stocked in the Chazy by New York were spreading out into the lake, and even into Vermont waters, the department began working with New York to get surplus Muskie fingerlings to start a Missisquoi River stocking program.
Stocking began in earnest in 2009 with the release of 10,000 fiveinch fish into the lower river. In 2013, stocking was expanded to the stretch between Swanton and Highgate, and in the last 15 years over 66,000 Muskie have been released, with 50,000 of them going into the lower river, and 16,000 above Swanton.
The long term goals are twofold. One, build up a stocked population that survives, grows, matures, and starts spawning themselves, with the hope that this can eventually sustain the population naturally in the future. And two, bring back an exciting fishing opportunity for a native species that’s been absent
from the Missisquoi for decades.
Early signs indicate we’re making progress on both fronts. What started out as “accidental” catches of medium-sized Muskie by anglers fishing for other species has now turned into a targetable population in both the upper and lower rivers, and even out in the bay. Anglers have been fired up over this new fishing opportunity, especially since some are being caught near the 50-inch mark.
Even more exciting is that
we’re now seeing wild juvenile Muskie in the river. We know this because from 2018 to 2021, the department was unable to get surplus fish from New York for stocking into the Missisquoi. But during that four-year “no stocking” period, a small number of 12- to 16-inch Muskie were captured during surveys above and below the Swanton Dam. These fish were without a doubt the product of successful wild reproduction in that time period.
There’s still more work to be done,
and as we continue stocking in the future, we’ll be monitoring continued growth and survival of the larger adults that are forming the base of this growing population, and we’ll begin new assessments to better understand and monitor the success of the emerging natural reproduction.
In the meantime, anglers have the ability to once again catch the “fish of 10,000 casts” in the Missisquoi. If things go well, maybe we can better those odds. How about the “fish of 1,000 casts”?
(Majesty continued from Page 17)
Dave Gibson with Vermont Fish & Wildlife holds a 47-inch Muskie collected during a survey on the Missisquoi River. This is one of the largest muskie captured so far during fisheries surveys.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF VT FISH & WILDLIFE DEPT
Department fisheries biologist Shawn Good shows off one of the first confirmed wild Muskie resulting from natural reproduction by stocked fish in the Missisquoi River (left). Pictured right is Good with a 32-inch long young adult Muskie collected during a survey on the Missisquoi River.
A HISTORY OF FISHING
SPORT
FISHING ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN FOR FUN NOT FOOD
BY MARK BUSHNELL Vermont Journalist and Historian
As human activities in Vermont go, you can’t find one much older than fishing. Archaeologists believe that people started fishing here soon after they arrived some 13,000 years ago.
But sport fishing — that is, for fun rather than food — is a much more recent phenomenon. When people started sport fishing, they also began writing poetically about their experiences. Being out on the
lake, wetting a line, was good for the soul, they declared.
An early example of this lyrical take on fishing came from Samuel H. Hammond and Lewis W. Mansfield’s 1855 book, “Country Margins and Rambles of a Journalist,” in which they described the joys of fishing on Lake Champlain. One of the authors, it is unclear which, described how the early morning light caught the peaks of the distant Adirondacks, then extended onto the lake’s waters.
“I saw (rays of light) when they first glanced across the surface of the lake, making it shine like molten silver as the fresh morning breeze swept over it,” he wrote. Any fish he might catch were clearly second to this transcendent experience. “I haled in some three or four noble fish on my way to the light-house island … It was a glorious morning; the breeze was so fresh and the air so bracing, that I was tempted to shout and hurrah with gladness, as I floated over the water. It made me young again.”
After the Civil War, sport fishing boomed on Lake Champlain.
War veterans, perhaps hoping to recapture the innocence of youth, began gathering at summer fishing camps along the lakeshore. In 1868, a large fishing party assembled at Thompson’s Point in Charlotte. By noon, a newspaper reported, the 44 anglers had caught 75 pike. After lunch, two or three of the men decided to try to make it an even 100, and succeeded.
The most celebrated section of the lake was Split Rock Channel, of which Thompson’s Point was a part. The 12-mile-long Split Rock Channel also includes such
(See History, Page 20)
This archive photo of a man displaying the catch from Lake Champlain in the early 1900s.
PHOTO COURTESY OF UVM SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
(History continued from Page 19)
landmarks as Split Rock Mountain, Westport and Whallons Bay in New York, and Basin Harbor and Otter Creek in Vermont. The area drew particular attention from national fishing writers, attracting anglers from as far away as Texas. “The natives of this region live upon fish and strangers,” one such stranger ruefully remarked.
National magazines, including Forest and Stream and The American Angler, began trumpeting Lake Champlain as one of the country’s premier fishing destinations, according to a history of fishing on the lake by Morris Glenn and Katherine Teetor.
The lake’s fishing might have been exceptional, but its various fish species were far from equal. Mercer Backus, of The American Angler, wrote that yellow perch were abundant and “(e)ating them is a joy.” As opposed to the pike which should be “parboiling 20 minutes in a half-and-half of vinegar and water, and after stuffing, spicing, reboiling, and
serving with a rich sauce; it should be fed to the cat!”
Murray Hoyt, a fisherman and writer, felt similarly about the lake’s mullet population, which he claimed had “three more bones than a 1890s corset factory. Eating them was like trying to get nourishment out of a pincushion.”
In contrast, the bass, particularly the small-mouth variety, was “the fish that now holds first place in the waters of the lake,” according to A. Nelson Cheney of Glens Falls, New York, a friend of fishing legend Charles Orvis. Cheney loved Lake Champlain. In 1890, he noted that “to the angler familiar with (Champlain’s) waters it is often surprising that its fish and its fishing have been passed over with scant courtesy.”
Others thought differently. A Vermont governmental report issued in 1886 viewed Champlain as a boon for the local economy, since it attracted the rich. “This lake is the finest sheet of water in New England,” the report declared.
“This lake is the finest sheet of water in New England... The capitalists of Boston and New York are buying the islands and building summer residences, as well as filling the hotels in summer... The greatest attraction, doubtless, is the excellent hook and line fishing.” — 1886 Vermont State report
“… The capitalists of Boston and New York are buying the islands and building summer residences, as well as filling the hotels in summer. … The greatest attraction, doubtless, is the excellent hook and line fishing.”
Sport fishing proved so popular that some took to the lake even if it meant fishing through the ice.
Ice fishing dated back centuries, perhaps millennia. Native Americans fished the ice, using evergreen branches as wind blocks. During the French and
Indian Wars and the American Revolution, soldiers from the lake’s various forts occasionally ventured onto the ice to fish. They weren’t really sport fishermen, however. Their situation was too disparate for such leisure. They fished to augment their diet, which was monotonous at best, meager at worst. Commanders ordered soldiers not to stray far from the fort, for fear they would be easy prey for the enemy.
Conflicts of another sort continued after armed hostilities
(See Fishing, Page 21)
Sport fishing on Lake Champlain has been popular since the mid-1800s. One of the most popular areas has been the Split Rock Channel in the southern part of the lake, seen here in an 1875 painting by John Lee Fitch.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MARK BUSHNELL
ended. In 1880, an ice fisherman is said to have stormed into a lawyer’s office, claiming that another angler had usurped his fishing holes on Lake Champlain. The lawyer, or perhaps it was the judge, put off the case for weeks, by which time the ice had melted, and with it the angry fisherman’s case.
The lake’s popularity hurt its fish population. By the late-1800s, many species were in decline. Sport fishermen blamed a new type of fishermen, ones who fished for profit rather than for fun or their own nourishment, of depleting fish stocks. With trout and salmon disappearing from the lake, sport fishermen lobbied the Legislature to regulate commercial fishing. They wanted seines and other nets banned.
It wasn’t a new argument. As early as 1815, Vermont fishermen petitioned for seines to be regulated. That year, 71 residents of the town of Georgia asked the Legislature to outlaw the use of seines between mid-April and mid-June on all Lake Champlain tributaries.
In fact, the state started regulating Vermont’s fisheries in 1787 with an act outlawing the blocking of the state’s rivers, “except (with) dams for necessary mills.” The law empowered anyone in the state to destroy such obstacles and called for fines for anyone who built one.
Over the years, the Legislature had regulated the use of nets, but commercial fishermen suffered a particularly hard blow in 1878 when lawmakers banned the use of seines and other nets. Perhaps legislators were motivated by stories like the one carried in The Burlington Free Press in 1877 that detailed how a fisherman using a seine had in a single haul netted 2,630 bullpouts, which are a type of catfish.
Some legislators had defended the use of nets, arguing that they were traditional fishing tools used by poor people who depended on the fish for sustenance.
The ban apparently helped the fishery, at least in the eyes of the Albany Evening Journal, which declared in 1890 that “(t)he phenomenal increase in Champlain’s popularity during the past five years is without a parallel on any angling waters in our country. To the lover of nature and angling this superb lake is verily a terrestrial Eden.”
But there was trouble in paradise. Four years later, the Vermont Legislature dropped the net ban. Perhaps lawmakers were swayed by the argument about traditional fishing methods.
Lake Champlain became America’s largest inland commercial fishery outside the Great Lakes.
But the fishery was soon shut down. Noticing the decline
24th Annual LCI Bass Open FINAL RESULTS
The lake’s popularity hurt its fish population. By the late-1800s, many species were in decline.
in fish stocks that they had feared, sportsmen pushed for a renewed ban. The decline might have been the fault of commercial fishing, but pollution and habitat loss likely played underappreciated roles as well. By 1912, both Vermont and New York had enacted regulations that essentially banned commercial fishing on Lake Champlain.
Today, commercial fishing is again allowed, though with strict limits. And the lake remains a magnet for anglers serious about sport fishing.
Mark Bushnell is a Vermont journalist and historian. He is the author of “Hidden History of Vermont” and “It Happened in Vermont.”
September 3, 2023
• Onsite Bakery & .99 Any-size Coffee
• Made-to-Order Deli & Hot Foods to Go
• Instore Butcher – Hand Cut Steaks
• Fresh Seafood
• Garden-Fresh Produce
• Local Foods & Products
• Full Line of Groceries
INTRODUCING THE
• Liquor
Domestic & Craft Beer
• Wine Wednesdays 10% off
• Citgo Gas – Tuesday Discounts
• Propane Grill Tanks
• Firewood FISHING
Crawlers, Dillies & Trout Worms
• Properly tuned crankbaits catch more fish
• Easy to use, won’t damage bait
• Works for baits with the eye in the bill or coming out of the nose
• High-strength Nylon construction
• Lanyard included
• Properly tuned crankbaits catch
• Patent # 9,807,992
Adjustable tension knob prevents over-tuning
We have a broad range of facilities available to our members and guests. 200 seasonal slips, 105 moorings, service for major brands such as Mercruiser, Westerbeke/Universal and more.
Service
Our service dept is staffed year-round by six factory trained technicians. All of our technicians receive the latest factory training each year to stay up to date with the latest technology. Ships Store
Our ships store is fully stocked with:
and much more!
1
WALLEYE CATEGORY
ATLANTIC SALMON CATEGORY
LARGEMOUTH BASS CATEGORY
1
3
4
7
BOWFIN CATEGORY
1 561.37 Y Bowfin 13.04 31.50 Shawn Wright Milton, VT St. Albans Marina
Dumont Swanton, VT St. Albans
3 502.39 Y Bowfin 11.67 32.00 Nate Drew S Ryegate, VT Hero’s Welcome $750
4 501.96 Y Bowfin 11.66 31.50 Justin Smith Claremont, NH Hero’s Welcome $500 5 488.19 Y Bowfin 11.34 30.75 Justin Dattilio Colchester, VT Hero’s Welcome $350
6 487.76 Y Bowfin 11.33 29.00 Joshua Rochon New Haven, VT Point Bay Marina $300
7 485.60 Y Bowfin 11.28 32.00 Gage Katzenell-Hall Northfield Falls, VT Hero’s Welcome $250
8 485.17 Y Bowfin 11.27 31.50 Rogan Poquette S Hero, VT Hero’s Welcome $200 9 480.01 Y Bowfin 11.15 31.00 Gage Katzenell-Hall Northfield Falls, VT Hero’s Welcome $175 10 463.65 Y Bowfin 10.77 30.25 Bradley Wainer Swanton , VT Hero’s Welcome $150
CATFISH CATEGORY
1 542.85 Y Catfish 23.50 35.50 Justin Smith Claremont, NH St. Albans Marina $3,000 2 540.54 Y Catfish 23.40 35.00 Jonathan Alexander Fairfax, VT Sportsman Cottages $1,000
3 524.37 Y Catfish 22.70 36.50 Hayden Critchlow Colchester, VT Point Bay Marina $750
4 510.97 Y Catfish 22.12 34.00 Natalia Vargo Port Henry, NY Sportsman Cottages $500
5 502.66 Y Catfish 21.76 35.00 Benjamin Cadoret Middlebury, VT Sportsman Cottages $350 6 497.86 N Catfish 22.63 34.00 Nicholas Marcotte Morrisonville , NY Sportsman Cottages $300 7 493.88 Y Catfish 21.38 34.00 Patrick Collette Bennington, VT Sportsman Cottages $250 8 481.87 Y Catfish 20.86 31.00 Tyler Murray Fair Haven, VT Sportsman Cottages $200 9 474.70 Y Catfish 20.55 34.00 Gianna Vargo Port henry, NY Sportsman Cottages $175
20.16 33.00 Terry Burdick N Adams, MA Point Bay Marina $150
Welcome to Westport Marina NY on Lake Champlain! Owned by the Carroll Family since 1982. The marina offers a full-service boating and docking community on beautiful Lake Champlain. We’re pet friendly, family friendly, offer free WiFi, TV access, and short-term residents are welcome. Dock, drop anchor, or drive on down.
518-962-4356 20 Washington St., Westport, N.Y. 12993 WESTPORTMARINA.COM
For Memorable Lakeside Dining visit THE GALLEY RESTAURANT & BAR Serving Lunch & Dinner Full Bar • Food to Go www.THEGALLEY.RESTAURANT
Check out our wide variety of tackle and live bait for all your fishing needs! We carry popular brands like Luhr Jensen, Gary Yamamoto, Berkley, Rapala, Okuma, and more! We’re also an LCI registration station. Like other outdoor activities? We’ve got it all! Shop our camping, water sports, hiking, archery and firearms sections of the store. Visit us in New Haven, conveniently located between Vergennes and Middlebury and accross the street from the Jiffy Mart with a Dunkin’ Donuts. Good luck fishing, we’ll see ya at the store!
RULES & REGULATIONS
2024 FATHER’S DAY DERBY
CONTENTS
Please refer to mychamplain.net to check for any updates to the rules and regulations prior to the start of the tournament.
INTEGRITY STATEMENT
1. The LCI Father’s Day Derby presented by Yamaha will hereafter be referred to as the “Father’s Day Derby”. Lake Champlain International, Inc. will hereafter be referred to as “LCI”.
2. Each LCI Father’s Day Derby participant, and all registered affirming witnesses, must submit to a polygraph (lie detector) examination upon request of Father’s Day Derby Officials, or he/she shall be disqualified. Based on the results of this examination, the LCI Board of Directors reserves the right to disqualify the contestant. If Father’s Day Derby Officials disqualify a contestant, all fish which were offered by that contestant during the Father’s Day Derby shall also be disallowed. Furthermore, any contestant who has ever been disqualified by Father’s Day Derby Officials shall be permanently barred from participation in all future fishing derbies promoted by LCI.
REGISTRATION
3. Prior to the Father’s Day Derby, each contestant must purchase a valid individual, junior or family registration, either directly from LCI or through one of the 2024 Official Retail Registration Outlets.
4. All participants must hold a valid fishing license for the waters they are fishing as required by state law.
5. All persons aboard the same vessel/boat must be registered in the Father’s Day Derby. No one is allowed to be on the boat if they are not registered, regardless of whether they are fishing.
6. A family registration may be purchased for the Father’s Day Derby and includes the following: registrant, spouse, and their legally dependent children seventeen (17) years of age or younger at opening of the Father’s Day Derby. Only one registration form will be issued per family which covers all family registrants. Each registered family member is eligible for Father’s Day Derby prizes; however, any random drawings to determine prize winners will be executed according to the rule of one chance per registration form, not per person registered (raffle prizes
PRESENTED BY YAMAHA
excluded).
7. Father’s Day Derby registrations must be purchased no later than 11:59 pm on Friday, June 14, 2024.
8. Father’s Day Derby registration forms are not transferable. They must be presented on each occasion a fish is offered, and they may not be honored or replaced if lost. This determination is made at the sole discretion of LCI. Any number of fish may be offered by each Father’s Day Derby contestant using the same registration form.
9. Requests for refunds due to accidental duplicate registration purchase will be considered only if made in writing and postmarked on or before June 14, 2024.
10. Requests for refunds for any other reason must be made in writing, submitted with the registration to be nullified, and must be postmarked on or before June 14, 2024.
WITNESSES
11. To affirm the integrity of the catch of each fish offered in the Father’s Day Derby, there MUST BE A REGISTERED AFFIRMING WITNESS TO EACH CATCH.
12. Shore and pier anglers MUST HAVE A REGISTERED AFFIRMING WITNESS TO EACH CATCH.
REGISTERING THE FISH
13. CONTESTANTS and AFFIRMING WITNESSES must complete a weigh-in form furnished by the LCI Board of Directors at the weigh station. Only official weigh-in forms transmitted to Father’s Day Derby Headquarters from official weigh stations will be accepted.
14. The contestant is responsible for the accuracy of the information about his or her entered fish as it is transcribed on the official weigh-in form. Once the contestant has affixed his or her signature to the weigh- in form, he or she relinquishes all rights to challenge the accuracy of the data.
15. Weigh-in data as transcribed, and signed to, on the official weigh-in form at the weigh station will not be considered final until all entered information has been transmitted to Father’s Day Derby Headquarters, subjected to biological feasibility scrutiny, and accepted by Father’s Day Derby Officials. The signature of a Father’s Day Derby Weigh Station Captain on an official weigh-in form does not in and of itself constitute the final determination concerning any entry.
BOUNDARIES / HOURS
16. The boundaries of the Father’s Day Derby shall include:
a. Lake Champlain Proper as defined in the New York Freshwater Fishing Official Regulations Guide and Vermont Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Laws and Guide.
b. Southern Boundary: Lock Number 12 at Whitehall, NY
c. Northern Boundary: Canadian border.
17. Any water fished must have reasonable and convenient access by public right-of-way. Anglers may not fish in waters that are only accessible by private permission or limited right- of-way, or that cannot otherwise be reasonably accessed by all participants.
18. Father’s Day Derby hours:
Opening: 12:01 a.m., Saturday, June 15, 2024
Closing: 4:00 p.m., Monday, June 17, 2024
19. Father’s Day Derby Weigh Station hours: Weigh station hours are 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday & Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Monday, at any of the regular weigh stations (listed on locator map). Two weigh stations will operate with extended hours of 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday and four weigh stations will operate 24-hours a day beginning at 9:00 a.m. Saturday, June 15, 2024. All weigh stations close at 4 p.m. on Monday, June 17, 2024.
20. All fish entered in the Father’s Day Derby must be caught upon hook and line and retrieved by rod and reel within the boundaries of the Father’s Day Derby.
21. Fish must be caught between 12:01 a.m. Saturday, June 15, 2024 and prior to 4:00 p.m. Monday, June 17, 2024. All fish must be presented to a Father’s Day Derby weigh station no later than 4:00 p.m. Monday, June 17, 2024.
22. Any angler found importing fish from another body of water, misrepresenting a fish’s weight, attempting to alter a fish’s weight or manipulate the fish in any manner to achieve a change in weight will be subject to legal proceedings.
ANGLING REGULATION
23. Father’s Day Derby contestants shall only enter fish caught within the derby boundary and hours.
24. The same angler must cast and hook, or, in the case of a trolled release, fight, and bring the fish to net unaided by any other person. No other person may touch any part of the tackle during the playing of the fish or give aid other than taking the leader for landing purposes.
25. Only two (2) lines are permitted per angler at any time during the derby. This applies for both the Vermont and New York side of the lake. This rule applies regardless of state regulation.
26. Father’s Day Derby contestants may enter one or more fish.
27. All contestants must follow local and federal angling laws.
CONDITION OF FISH
28. All fish must be whole, fresh, and never frozen. No gaffed, snagged, or foul-hooked fish will be accepted for entry. Fish entered may be marked for identification purposes and may at the sole discretion of the Father’s Day Derby Officials become the property of the LCI Board of Directors. Any angler found misrepresenting a fish’s weight or attempting to alter a fish’s weight will be subject to legal proceedings.
29. In the interest of conservation of fish species, anglers are encouraged to release all fish caught in the Father’s Day Derby. The intent is to release all fish entered alive, and anglers are encouraged to properly handle live fish. For the purposes of the Father’s Day Derby, a fish shall be determined to be alive if, at the sole discretion and judgment of the Weigh Station Captain, the fish shows any reasonable signs of life. Any fish entered, considered to be alive under this criterion, shall be validated for a 5% LCI Derby Prize Point bonus. The Weigh Station Captain’s determination shall be made at the time of weigh-in and shall be considered final.
ELIGIBLE SPECIES & SIZES
30. The nine eligible species categories in the Father’s Day Derby are:
a. Cold Water Division:
Lake Trout Species Category
Atlantic Salmon Species Category, to include Landlocked Atlantic Salmon, Steelhead and Brown Trout
b. Cool Water Division:
Walleye Species Category
Northern Pike Species Category
Smallmouth Bass Species Category
c. Warm Water Division:
Largemouth Bass Species Category
Bowfin Species Category
Catfish Species Category
Extraordinary Species Category, to include Carp and Sheepshead (Freshwater Drum)
31. Fish which do not conform to all Fish and Wildlife laws of the applicable state shall be disqualified. Due to concern for the conservation of all fish species, the following minimum lengths have been established: Atlantic Salmon/Steelhead 21”
(See
RULES & REGS
(Continued from Page 31)
Bass 17”
Bass 16”
25”
23”
26”
26”
22” Yellow Perch (Junior Anglers Only) 12”
32. No fish under the above-stated lengths will be accepted for entry in the Father’s Day Derby.
PRIZEWINNER DETERMINATION
33. It is the responsibility of the prize-winner to collect his/her prize(s). Prizes, or parts thereof, not claimed by July 19, 2024, will become the property of the LCI Board of Directors.
34. All tax liability is the burden of the recipient of the prize. Additionally, in accordance with state and federal authorities, LCI may be required to collect taxes before prizes can be presented.
35. The LCI Derby Prize Point value of each fish entered in the Father’s Day Derby shall be determined by multiplying the weight of the fish by the Species Points for that species. In addition, all Father’s Day Derby-eligible fish from the nine major species categories which are entered alive and relinquished to Weigh Station Captains shall receive a 5% LCI Derby Prize Point bonus (see Rule #29). Live fish shall be given priority at weigh-in.
36. Prize Point values for each of the eligible species are as follows:
a. Cold Water Division: Atlantic Salmon, Steelhead, Brown Trout 65 Lake Trout 34
b. Cool Water Division: Walleye 59 Northern Pike 38 Smallmouth Bass 100
c. Warm Water Division: Largemouth Bass 85 Bowfin 41 Carp 19 Catfish 22 Sheepshead 25
An example determining points for a live Smallmouth Bass that qualifies for the 5% LCI Derby Prize Point bonus follows: A 4.40-pound Smallmouth Bass is worth 4.40 (weight) x 100 (points-per-pound) = 440 LCI Derby Prize Points. If the fish is determined to be alive at the time of weighin, add an additional 5%, or 22, bonus points. Thus, the entry earns the angler 440 + 22 = 462 LCI Derby Prize Points.
37. 1st Place Species Prizes shall be awarded, for each of the nine (9) eligible species categories (see Rule #30), to any Father’s Day Derby registrant who enters one fish from that category which amasses the highest number of LCI Derby Prize Points for a single fish. Subsequent Species Prize places shall be likewise determined, in order, according to total LCI Derby Prize Points.
38. The Junior Division Prizes shall be awarded to the Father’s Day Derby registrant who is fourteen (14) years of age or under on June 15, 2024 and who enters one fish from any of the eligible species in the Father’s Day Derby (see Rule #30), between the opening and closing hours of
the Father’s Day Derby, that amasses the highest number of LCI Derby Prize Points. Subsequent Junior Grand Prize places shall be likewise determined, in order, according to total LCI Derby Prize Points. Only a junior angler’s highest scoring fish per Junior Division will be considered eligible for an award. Awards will be made for Cold, Cool and Warm Divisions.
a. In addition to the eligible derby species, junior anglers may also enter yellow perch that are a minimum of 12 inches in length. There will be a special award category for junior yellow perch.
39. Early Bird Special
a. Anyone who registers for the Father’s Day Derby on or before March 31, 2024, will be entered to win a Smugglers Notch Resort vacation package valued at up to $1800 dollars.
b. To qualify, anglers must submit a COMPLETE registration for the Father’s Day Derby either by phone or online.
c. The winner will be announced at the conclusion of the Father’s Day Derby.
40. Ladies of the Lake prize package is awarded to the female angler, who is both registered in the Father’s Day Derby, and catches the fish that scores the most points in the Cold, Cool, or Warm Water Division.
41. Canadian Fishing Adventure Prize Package
a. The winner agrees to release, discharge and hold harmless sponsors, LCI, Coca-Cola of Northern New England and Jolley Associates, and each of their respective officers, directors, employees, representatives and agents, from any and all liability for any injury, loss, or damage of any kind to persons, including death and property, whether direct or indirect, which may be due to or arise out of the acceptance, use, misuse, non-use, possession of the prize, or any prizerelated activity.
b. The package is awarded to one person and is for four (4) travelers.
c. Entries will be issued by registration number.
i. All Individual registrants receive one entry
ii. All Junior registrants receive one entry
iii. Family registrations
1. Family registrations receive one entry, regardless of how many family members are on the registration
2. All fish weighed in from anglers registered under a family registration, and that qualify for bonus points, will be attributed to the family registration number.
3. If the winning registration number drawn belongs to a family registration, the first named individual on the registration will be considered the winner and be delegated to receive the prize.
d. The LCI Board of Directors reserves the right to change the advertised itinerary and details of the trip if it is deemed necessary. If changes are made, the total value of the trip will remain the same.
e. If the winner is unable to go on the trip, it can be transferred to another traveler.
f. The package will include guides, lodging, and a cash stipend for food, travel, and other incurred expenses.
g. The approximate value of the guides and lodging is approximately $7,500.
h. Winners will coordinate directly with the appointed Tour Agent to plan the trip. They are responsible for booking their
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(Continued from Page 33)
own travel. The awarded cash stipend can be used to pay for travel and food.
i. The winner is responsible for license fees, gratuities, travel, food, and any expenses beyond lodging, guides.
j. A cash stipend will be awarded. The intention of the cash stipend is to pay for travel, food expenses, licensing, and gratuities, but is not restricted to this purpose.
k. The winner will be announced at the conclusion of the Father’s Day Derby.
42. Anglers of the Year
a. Only those participants officially entered in the Father’s Day Derby are eligible to compete.
b. Anglers will compete individually and are eligible to compete in any division – Cold Water, Cool Water or Warm Water (see rule #30 for species breakdown). One winner will be announced in each division.
c. Anglers must enter three fish – one fish each day of the derby – that amass the highest number of LCI Derby Prize Points in either the Cold Water, Cool Water or the Warm Water Division (see rule #36 for more on point calculation). Only the angler’s single highest scoring fish per division per day for each of the three days of competition will be included in their final point total.
d. Each fish entered MUST be weighed on the same day it was caught to qualify for Angler of the Year. For example, a fish caught at 11:45pm Saturday, but weighed in at 12:45am Sunday, will still count towards species and T.E.A.M. prizes, but not towards Angler of the Year.
e. This is a non-exclusive prize, which means it can be won in addition to whatever other prize(s) the angler might also earn.
f. Tiebreakers will be determined by the single highest-scoring fish entered. If there is still a tie, the prize shall be split.
2024 CASH EXTRA PRIZES
43. The 2024 Cash Extras include the Super Bonus prizes, Tournament Record Double Downs; and the $10,000 Lake Record Reward.
44. General requisite qualifications for Cash Extra Prize awards:
a. Fish must be eligible for the Father’s Day Derby and registered ALIVE.
b. To be eligible for a 2024 Cash Extras prize, the fish or fishes must be caught in compliance with all state and federal rules and regulations as well as the LCI Rules and Regulations (no electric reels are allowed) and all other rules contained herein.
c. The angler must have purchased the 2024 Cash Extras option at the time of registration. Contestants are subject to official verification by Father’s Day Derby Officials. All decisions made by the Father’s Day Derby Officials are final.
d. Fish must be caught by an official entrant in the Father’s Day Derby during official derby hours.
e. If there is a claim, any requisite paperwork must be completed in its entirety and presented the same day as the catch to Father’s Day Derby Officials. LCI will provide any requisite paperwork.
f. Eligible contestants: Only those participants entered in the Father’s Day Derby who comply with all Father’s Day Derby rules and regulations shall be eligible to compete for a prize.
g. Failure by any claimant(s) to comply with all Rules and Regulations of the Father’s Day Derby will render the claim void and no prize will be paid.
h. As a condition for claim consideration an investigation will be conducted if, in LCI’s sole opinion, such action is warranted. Such an investigation will include, but will not be limited to, requiring the winner and/or witness to submit to and pass in a conclusive manner polygraph examinations.
i. The polygraph examiner shall be chosen by LCI. The polygraph examiner shall make the final determination regarding passing or failing the examination.
j. The winner is responsible for all state and federal taxes associated with winning a prize.
45. Super Bonus Awards
a. The LCI Cold Water Super Bonus Grand Prize shall be awarded to the Father’s Day Derby registrant who enters a SINGLE live fish, from any of the four eligible Cold Water species in the tournament (see Rule #30), that amasses the highest number of LCI Derby Prize Points.
b. The LCI Cool Water Super Bonus Grand Prize shall be awarded to the Father’s Day Derby registrant who enters a SINGLE live fish, from any of the three eligible Cool Water species in the LCI Father’s Day Fishing Derby presented by Yamaha (see Rule #30), that amasses the highest number of LCI Derby Prize Points.
c. The LCI Warm Water Super Bonus Grand Prize shall be awarded to the Father’s Day Derby registrant who enters a SINGLE live fish, from any of the four eligible Warm Water species in the LCI Father’s Day Fishing Derby presented by Yamaha (see Rule #30), that amasses the highest number of LCI Derby Prize Points.
46. Tournament Record Double Downs
a. Any angler who breaks the existing Father’s Day Derby record in one of the qualifying fish species below shall receive double their species category prize for that species, up to $3,000. For example, a first-place walleye will win $3,000. If that walleye breaks the current Father’s Day Derby record, that angler shall win double their first-place prize, for a total of $6,000.
b. For the purposes of this award, the Father’s Day Derby records are as follows:
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c. To win this prize, the weight of the fish reported must exceed their respective record by 0.01lbs or more.
d. If the record for a given species is broken more than once during the tournament, the heaviest fish at the end of the Father’s Day Derby shall win the prize.
e. Eligible Species: Smallmouth Bass; Walleye; Northern Pike; Lake Trout; Atlantic Salmon; Largemouth Bass; Sheepshead; Catfish; Bowfin.
f. In the unlikely event of a tie, the first fish registered will qualify to win.
47. Lake Record Reward
a. If the weight of a fish reported during the 2024 Father’s Day Derby exceeds the current Lake Champlain Record as defined by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife
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(Continued
Department, that angler will win $10,000.
b. Eligible Species: Atlantic Salmon, Bowfin, Catfish, Lake Trout, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Sheepshead, Smallmouth Bass, and Walleye.
c. For the purposes of this award, the Lake Records, as defined by Vermont Fish and Wildlife at the time of this publication, are as follows:
pounds
pounds
pounds
pounds
pounds
pounds
d. To win this prize, the weight of the fish reported must exceed their respective record by 0.01lbs or more.
e. The fish will be surrendered for verification by LCI and State of Vermont officials.
f. Per Vermont State regulation, catch and released fish are not eligible for State Record consideration. A fish must be harvested to be weighed on a certified scale and kept for inspection by a State of Vermont official.
g. If two fish of the same species are entered of the exact same weight, and both break the record, the fish that was reported first will be declared the winner.
h. If the lake record in more than one species category is broken, the fish that was reported first will be declared the winner.
i. If a record for one species is broken more than once by fish of different weights, then the largest fish at the end of the derby will be declared the winner.
j. Only one (1) $10,000 prize will be awarded. T.E.A.M. PRIZES
48. The T.E.A.M. (Two Entries, Any Member) Prize shall be awarded to that Father’s Day Derby T.E.A.M. which (1) has purchased a T.E.A.M. registration in addition to Father’s Day Derby registrations for each of the individual members of the T.E.A.M., and (2) collectively enters two fish, both from within either the Cold Water Division, Cool Water Division or the Warm Water Division, that when added together amass the highest number of LCI Derby Prize Points. The two fish may be caught by a single member, or by different members of the T.E.A.M., but must each be caught according to the Angling Regulation (Rule #23).
49. All 2024 Father’s Day Derby T.E.A.M.s shall
be governed by the following rules:
a. The T.E.A.M. (Two Entries, Any Member) will be composed of at least one (1) and not more than four (4) members.
b. Prior to the tournament, each T.E.A.M. member must also purchase a valid individual, junior or family registration.
c. Each T.E.A.M. member must be listed on the T.E.A.M. registration form
d. T.E.A.M. registrations must be purchased no later than 11:59pm on Friday, June 14, 2024.
e. A contestant may be a member of one and only one T.E.A.M.
f. Each T.E.A.M. shall choose a Captain in whose name the T.E.A.M. will be registered. All cash prizes will be issued to the T.E.A.M. Captain.
g. When selecting a T.E.A.M. name, participants are asked to respect the familyfriendly nature of the Father’s Day Derby.
h. T.E.A.M. members may divide themselves into not more than two (2) groups while fishing. This means a limit of 2 boats per T.E.A.M., or shore anglers fishing in no more than two groups. In all cases, the witness requirement continues to apply (see Rule # 11).
i. LCI Derby Prize Point Determination Example for T.E.A.Ms: 7.0-pound Atlantic Salmon (not alive): 7.0 x 65 = 455 LCI Derby Prize Points. 10.0-pound Lake Trout (alive): 10.0 x 34 = 340 LCI Derby Prize Points, plus 5% bonus for being alive gives a total of 357 LCI Derby Prize Points. Team Total for above example is 455 + 357 = 812 Father’s Day Derby Prize Points.
MISCELLANEOUS
50. LCI Board members and staff and their immediate families, sponsors, and officials and volunteers involved in the daily operation of the Father’s Day Derby, are not eligible to participate.
51. All contestants agree to give the LCI Board of Directors full rights for promotional or commercial purposes to any photograph of themselves taken by the LCI Board of Directors or its duly authorized agents.
52. Each contestant agrees to hold the LCI Board of Directors, Father’s Day Derby sponsors, their agents, employees and volunteers harmless from any liability of any nature for any injuries and/or damage suffered by the contestant in conjunction with the Father’s Day Derby.
53. All entries are subject to review by Father’s Day Derby Officials. LCI reserves the right to change any entry that it believes to be in error
(See Rules & Regulations, Page 39)
VERMONT SPORTS
(see Rule #15). The decision of the Father’s Day Derby Officials is final. In the event of a tie, unless otherwise specified, the first fish weighed in will be declared the winner.
54. Final Father’s Day Derby standings will be posted online by noon on Wednesday, June 19, 2024. Participants who wish to contest posted standings must do so by prior to 2:00 p.m., June 20, 2024. Results will be considered final at 5 p.m. on June 20, 2024. Father’s Day Derby Officials reserve the right to delay finalizing results if additional time is needed to resolve any contestations.
55. Lake Champlain International, Inc. reserves the right to change these rules at any time without notice.
56. Dispute Resolution; Arbitration.
a. In the event of any dispute between the parties with respect to any matter covered by these rules, the parties shall first use their best efforts to resolve such dispute among themselves. If the parties are unable to resolve the dispute within thirty (30) calendar days, the dispute will be submitted to arbitration in accordance with the following provisions. The arbitrator may rule on all claims or controversies for which a federal or state court would be authorized to grant relief, whether arising out of, relating to, or associated with the activities of LCI. All claims shall be determined under the law of the State of Vermont, without regard to conflict of law principles.
b. Either LCI or the Father’s Day Derby participant may submit any matter referred to above to arbitration by notifying the other party, in writing, of such dispute. Within ten (10) days after receipt of such notice, LCI and the Father’s Day Derby participant shall designate in writing one arbitrator to resolve the dispute; provided, however, that if such parties cannot agree on an arbitrator within such ten (10) day period, the American Arbitration Association shall select the arbitrator. The arbitrator so designated shall
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not be an employee, consultant, officer, director, or member of any party or an affiliate of or relation to any party.
c. Within fifteen (15) days after the designation of the arbitrator, the arbitrator, LCI and the Father’s Day Derby participant shall meet, at which time shall be required to set forth in writing all disputed issues and a proposed ruling on each such issue.
d. The arbitrator shall set a date for a hearing, which shall be no later than thirty (30) days after the submission of written proposals, each such party shall have the right to be represented by counsel. The arbitration shall be governed by the rules of the American Arbitration Association; however, the arbitrator shall have sole discretion regarding the admissibility of evidence.
e. The arbitrator shall use his or her best efforts to rule on each disputed issue within thirty (30) days after the completion of the hearings. Any ruling of the arbitrator shall be accompanied by a written opinion detailing the arbitrator’s reasoning for such ruling. The determination of the arbitrator as to the resolution of any dispute shall be binding and conclusive upon all parties.
f. The Arbitrator shall award costs and expenses, including but not limited to reasonable attorney’s fees and arbitration fees and costs.
g. Any arbitration pursuant to this section shall be conducted in Chittenden County, Vermont. Any arbitration award may be entered in and enforced by any court having jurisdiction there over, and the parties hereby consent and commit themselves to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Vermont and any United States District Court in Vermont for purposes of the enforcement of any arbitration award.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF ARBITRATION
These rules contain an agreement to arbitrate. The parties understand that neither will be able to bring a lawsuit concerning any dispute which is covered by the arbitration agreement.
