Rules

RULE 1
Don’t talk about Hooks for Books. Wait, that’s Fight Club. Feel free to talk about Hooks for Books. What happens at Hooks for Books stays at Hooks for Books. Nope, that’s Vegas. We will definitely talk about you.


HAVE FUN!
That’s the first rule. Enjoy the fishing, the beautiful scenery, the incredible trout, and your wonderful guides and fishing companions. This is an experience more than a competition, so be a good sport, relax, and enjoy.


TEAMS
A. Each team consists of two anglers.


EQUIPMENT
A. Anglers may fish with single-handed fly rods and reels of their choice. Leave your Czech nymphing rod at home. Tenkara rods are acceptable, but silly.
B. Only floating fly lines are permitted. Sinking leaders of seven feet or less are permitted. Steel leaders are not permitted.
C. No fish attractants, such as scents, are permitted.


EVENT FLIES
A. Anglers will be notified of their fishing beats, guides, and fishing companions in their welcome packet.
B. Anglers will choose the fly they will use each day and may opt to solicit their guide’s advice. A different fly is used each day of the event. Feel free to use dry flies, nymphs, or appropriately sized streamers. San Juan worms are permitted but you should be prepared to be ridiculed.
C. Flies must be tied on a single barbless hook, or on a hook with the barb pushed down. The competition fly may be no larger in hook gap, nor longer in shank length, than the template shown in the printable rules (image based on a Dai Riki #710, Size 6, with 3x shank).
D. No, a Rapala or Thomas lure does not count as a fly.
E. The fly may have one set of dumbbell eyes (up to size medium), one bead, or one cone head. Lead or non-lead wire may be used in the construction of the fly. Non-lead weight may be added to the leader. Appendages that alter the profile of an artificial fly, or bodies or heads made of molded or shaped plastic, silicone, rubber or metal are not permitted. Rounded material is acceptable, as it is extruded. Spinner blades, rattles and swivels are prohibited.
F. Anglers must declare their fly before 8:30AM or when the boat launches, whichever is earlier. The guide must approve the fly. No fishing before 8:30AM is permitted. If the guide questions the legality of the chosen fly, the angler must choose another fly that conforms to the regulations.
G. Strike indicators may be no larger than ¾ inch in any dimension. Flies, even those with broken hooks, are not allowed to be used as an indicator.
H. Repair of flies may only be done with the use of adhesive. Material may be removed from a fly, but no additional material may be added. Any re-tying of the fly with thread or fly-tying materials is prohibited. Broken hooks may be re-sharpened. The use of pens to alter the color of the fly is permitted.
I. Anglers that have purchased a Dombroski Special – Chris Dombrowski’s favorite Missoula fly chosen for the water conditions – may fish the fly at any time as a replacement for their
chosen fly of the day. The Dombrowski Special also comes with a short poem composed by Chris to honor the angler. If the winner loses their fly on either day, they may continue to fish their Dombrowski Special. If they lose that fly, they should consider additional casting lessons.


THE FISHING RULES
A. Anglers are responsible for procuring a valid Montana fishing license at their own expense. Federal and state rules and regulations governing the waters to be fished will be strictly observed. Montana licenses may be purchased online at https://ols.fwp.mt.gov/.
B. Two anglers from different teams will fish in each boat.
C. Only trout species will be counted in the scoring.
D. Use of motors on boats is prohibited.
E. With the permission of the fisherman who has a fish “on the line,” the guide or boat partner may assist in landing any fish to be scored in the event. A fish hooked on or before the 4:30 deadline may be landed and counted, regardless of the time it is netted.
F. If an angler’s fly becomes snagged, it may be recovered and reattached to the leader. The angler may continue fishing in the event. The angler can be disqualified by the guide for any unsafe practice used to retrieve a fly. Daily scoring ends for the angler when his fly becomes irretrievably lost. The angler may continue to fish for the remainder of that day, but no fish caught after the fly is lost may be scored. And please, no whining if you lose your fly.
G. Each angler should expect to spend half the day in the front of the boat. However, any arrangement regarding boat position the two anglers agree upon is acceptable. Rotation schedule should be decided before the float begins.
H. The person in the front of the boat will, within reason, have the choice of boat position, such as right bank vs. left bank, casting distances, or stopping the boat to fish. If an angler loses their fly, the remaining angler with a valid fly is given “front of the boat” designation.
I. Guides are responsible for measuring and reporting fish, and have final say.
J. In the case of any irreconcilable dispute, Chris Dombrowski’s ruling shall be final, regardless of whether it is fair or makes sense. He is the fishing Czar – and we are here to have fun, not argue.
K. Any angler repeatedly showing disrespect of his boat-mate or guide, by action, language, criticism, or materially interfering with the fishing of his boat-mate, shall be disqualified.
L. An offer of less than $10,000 to bribe your guide will be immediately rejected. Offers over this amount will be considered at the Guides option – with 50% going to Hooks for Books. We’re ethical, but not stupid.
M. At Hooks for Books, we talk about the fish we caught, not the ones we didn’t.


SCORING
A. To be counted in the score, the release of a caught trout must be witnessed by the guide. Each trout will have a minimum value of two points. If the angler or the guide touches the leader while a fish is “on”, then that fish is counted as two points.

B. Any trout landed scores a minimum of 2 points. Anglers may elect to measure fish that appear to be 12 inches or larger per Section C for additional points.
C. Each angler will be allowed to select eight (8) trout to measure during the day, and the top six (6) fish can be added to the angler’s scorecard. All trout not selected for measurement will be released immediately, preferably without removing them from the water.
D. All trout, including foul hooked trout, are counted unless the angler intentionally foul hooks the fish. It is up to the guide to determine if the fish was foul hooked intentionally.
E. Measurement of trout shall be done by the guide while the trout is in the water whenever possible. The guide should measure the trout with the fish placed headfirst into the trough provided to the guide, a Fishscale on the rod or net handle, a ruler, tape measure or like device. Fish are to be measured from the tip of the nose to the tip of the relaxed tail. The tail of the trout should not be pinched. All trout should be measured to the nearest 1/4 inch, to ensure accurate measurements for the biggest fish competition. Measurements should not be rounded up by the guides. In signing the scorecard, the angler understands that this represents only an estimate of their final score. Scores will be finalized by the scoring committee, due to rounding of fish length and/or incorrect addition of total points.
F. A penalty will be assessed for any fish killed or ruled by the guide to be unable to survive. The fish will be measured, and the scored value of that trout will be subtracted from the angler’s score. That trout will not be counted against the daily limit of six measured trout.
G. Twenty-five points will be awarded each day that angler keeps his competition fly all day.
H. Anglers who implant a hook in their guide’s or boat mate’s skin deep enough to draw blood will forfeit 25 points.
I. Each of the six fish measured for a bonus score will be awarded points as follows:

Less than 12″2pts
12″2pts + 10pts
13″2pts + 20pts
14″2pts + 30pts
15″2pts + 40pts
16″2pts + 60pts
17″2pts + 80pts
18″2pts + 100pts
19″2pts + 125pts
20″2pts + 150pts
21″2pts + 175pts
22″2pts + 200pts

BONUS POINTS:
Add 50 points per inch for trout over 22 inches

OTHER BONUS POINTS:
If total number of trout landed is between…
30 – 39: Add 50 bonus points
40 – 49: Add 100 bonus points
50+: Add 150 bonus points