21st Reel Country Classic Fishing Tournament May 15-16 on Otter Tail

Sign up today for the 21st annual Reel Country Classic Fishing Tournament on May 15th & 16th on Otter Tail Lake. Deadline is noon on May 14th!" That announcement names Otter Tail Lake as the waters for the tournament and sets a hard registration cutoff and two-day competition window for anglers planning to fish from Detroit Lakes through the Otter Tail County shoreline.

Who: The Reel Country Classic is an annual fishing tournament that draws anglers from across the region to compete on area lakes and waterways. The event is organized by local sporting and community groups with volunteers from area clubs and conservation organizations. The 21st annual Reel Co

Tournament registration materials that accompany past editions contain operational details teams will need. The registration packet states: "Team entry Fee $350. Send entry form and make checks payable to: KRCQ Reel Country Classic PO Box 746 Detroit Lakes, MN 56502," and includes a door prize form with fields for 1st Boater Name and 2nd Boater Name, street address, phone, employer/trade and signatures for both boaters.

Format and prize structure in the packet describe a two-day contest: "Payouts will be awarded for Day 1, Day 2, and Overall 2 Day Grand Champion." Eligibility rules in the same materials specify that "Contestants must enter as two-person teams. Any person under 16 years of age must be teamed with their parent or legal guardian." The rules also require that "Each entrant must have in his or her possession a valid fishing license from the State of Minnesota."

Archived packet language includes scheduling and meeting details from a prior edition labeled as the 16th Annual: "The 16th Annual Reel Country Classic 2-Day Fishing Tournament will be held on May 21-22, 2021 on Otter Tail Lake. The Mandatory Captain’s Meeting will be held on Thursday, May 20th, 6 pm @ Thumper Pond. This is for ALL anglers. There will be dinner for all fishermen Friday @ 6:30 pm. Following dinner there will be an awards banquet for Friday’s Winners. On Saturday Evening, May 22nd, there will be an Awards Banquet for the Saturday winners and the 2–Day Overall Grand Champions. Hors d’oeuvres will be served in Eagles Nest Bar. We are enclosing the registration form and the door prize entries. If you"

That same packet carries administrative deadlines and payment policies that potential entrants should note: "A late fee of $30 will be assessed to all teams registering after Saturday, May 1, 2021," and "Entry fee refunds will be made only if prior notification is made to the tournament directors prior to May 20, 2021. A $50 service charge per team will be retained on all refunds of entry regardless of the cancellation date (due to meal arrangements)." The packet also contains the clipped line "fee. No entries will be accepted after May 20, 2021 at 6 pm."

Page metadata connected to the online announcement includes local distribution references and platform notices reading "Local News from KDLM / Leighton Media" and "This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Powered by SoCast," reflecting how the tournament notice has been posted online.

Organizers and radio partners appear in the materials: the form header reads "KRCQ REEL COUNTRY CLASSIC 2 DAY INDIVIDUAL FISHINGTOURNAMENT 102.3," linking the contest to local station involvement while the announcement labels the upcoming edition as the "21st annual." Because archived forms show the 16th Annual dates in 2021 and the announcement gives May 15-16 with a noon May 14 deadline, teams planning to enter should use the PO Box 746 address and the $350 team fee shown on registration materials, and confirm the current captain's meeting time, meal and awards locations, late-fee and refund rules with tournament directors before mailing payment.