OPERATION NORTH STATE’S 2025
WOUNDED WARRIORS/DVETS
TOP SHELF FISHIN’ FESTIVALS’ RULES AND GUIDELINES
TO WOUNDED WARRIORS/DVETS:
OPERATION NORTH STATE IS HONORED THAT 2025 MARKS OUR 13TH SEASON OF HOSTING FISHING OUTINGS FOR WOUNDED WARRIOR/DVETS THROUGHOUT NORTH CAROLINA. THIS COMING APRIL, ONS WILL HOST ITS 92nd FISHIN’ FESTIVAL AS WELL AS WE EXPECT TO PROVIDE 100 – 120 ONE-ON-ONE FISHING OUTINGS IN 2025. WOUNDED WARRIORS/DVETS WHO HAVE ANY PERCENTAGE OF A VA DISABILITY RATING ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND. HOWEVER, ONS HAS RULES AND GUIDELINES THAT WE REQUIRE YOU TO FOLLOW. SEE BELOW.
FOR YOUR SAFETY, TO MEET ONS’ INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS AND CORPORATE BY-LAWS AND TO HONOR OUR COMMITMENTS TO ONS’ SUPPORTERS AND DONORS, ONS REQUIRES PARTICIPATING VETERANS TO AGREE TO THE FOLLOWING 2025 FISHIN’ FESTIVAL RULES. PLEASE DON’T SIGN UP TO ATTEND OUR FISHIN’ FESTIVALS IF YOU HAVE ISSUES WITH ANY OF THE FOLLOWING RULES.
RULES & GUIDELINES
IF YOU ARE SCHEDULED TO ATTEND A FISHIN’ FESTIVAL AND ON THE MORNING OF THE FISHIN’ FESTIVAL, SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES, STAY HOME - DON’T ATTEND – BE SAFE. HOWEVER, CONTACT TERRY SNYDER AT 336.406.3459 TO INFORM HIM THAT YOU WILL NOT BE ATTENDING. THEREFORE, YOUR ABSENCE WILL NOT BE COUNTED AS A NO-SHOW.
YOU MUST WEAR YOUR LIFE JACKET AT ALL TIMES WHILE ON THE WATER – NO EXCEPTIONS.
IF YOU BECOME UNCOMFORTABLE FOR ANY REASON WHILE ON THE BOAT/ON THE WATER, ASK YOUR CAPTAIN TO RETURN YOU TO THE ONS REGISTRATION AREA ASAP.
NO ALCOHOL IS ALLOWED DURING ONS FISHIN’ FESTIVALS EITHER ON THE WATER OR ANY AREA OF THE HOSTING VENUE. NO EXCEPTIONS.
NO ILLEGAL DRUG USAGE IS ALLOWED DURING ONS FISHIN’ FESTIVALS EITHER ON THE WATER OR ANY AREA OF THE HOSTING VENUE. NO EXCEPTIONS.
FOR EACH FISHIN’ FESTIVAL, OPERATION NORTH STATE PROVIDES A VARIETY OF SNACKS, BEVERAGES AND A LUNCH FOLLOWING THE WEIGH-IN. SHOULD YOU REQUIRE SPECIFIC MEALS, SNACKS AND/OR BEVERAGES, PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN GOODIES. WE DON’T WANT ANYONE TO BE IN DANGER BASED ON ONS NOT HAVING AVAILABLE THE SPECIFIC FOODS, SNACKS AND BEVERAGES THAT YOU REQUIRE.
FOR OUR FISHIN’ FESTIVALS THAT HAVE YOU AS A CO-ANGLER ON A BOAT, YOU ARE ALLOWED TO BRING A CAREGIVER IF NEEDED. THE CAREGIVER WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO FISH BUT WILL SERVE AS YOUR AID AT ALL TIMES WHILE ON THE BOAT. NOTE: ONS HOSTS TWO ANNUAL FISHIN’ FESTIVALS WHEREBY CAREGIVERS ARE ALLOWED TO FISH: THE OAK ISLAND PEER FISHIN’ FESTIVAL AND FT. MACON SURF FISHIN’ FESTIVAL.
OUR WOUNDED WARRIORS/DVETS OFTEN ASK TO BE PLACED ON A BOAT FISHING FOR A SPECIFIC TYPE FISH (BASS, CRAPPIE, CATFISH, STRIPER, ETC.). ONS ALWAYS TRIES TO HONOR YOUR REQUEST BUT CAN’T ALWAYS DO SO; IT DEPENDS ON THE AVAILABILITY OF THE HOST BOATERS WHO SIGNED UP. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT WE CAN’T ALWAYS MEET YOUR REQUEST. DON’T REGISTER IF THIS IS GOING TO BE AN ISSUE.
ONS WILL ALWAYS DO OUR BEST TO PROVIDE AN EVENT T-SHIRT BUT THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT THE FISHIN’ FESTIVALS WILL ALWAYS HAVE THE FUNDING TO PURCHASE T-SHIRTS. WE WILL DO OUR BEST; WE HAVEN’T MISSED YET.
IF YOU ARE A SMOKER AND NEED TO SMOKE WHILE ON THE BOAT, PLEASE LET ONS KNOW AT THE TIME YOU REGISTER FOR A FISHIN’ FESTIVAL – NOT THE DAY OF. WE WILL NEED TO FIND YOU A HOST BOATER THAT ALLOWS SMOKING ON HIS/HER BOAT. FYI: WE ONLY HAVE A HANDFUL OF HOST BOATERS THAT ARE SMOKERS OR ALLOW SMOKING ON THEIR BOAT. IF THIS IS A REQUIREMENT, UNDERSTAND ONS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO MEET YOUR REQUEST TO SMOKE WHILE ON THE BOAT. PLEASE DON’T REGISTER IF THIS IS GOING TO BE AN ISSUE. AGAIN, WE WILL DO THE BEST WE CAN TO ACCOMMODATE YOUR REQUEST.
EMAIL IS THE OFFICIAL RECORD TO SIGN UP FOR A FISHIN’ FESTIVAL – NOT TEXT OR FACEBOOK MESSENGER.
THE MORNING OF THE FISHIN’ FESTIVAL, DURING REGISTRATION WHEN YOU ARE FILLING OUT THE WAIVER FORM, ONS NEEDS YOU TO PROVIDE AN EMERGENCY CONTACT AND HIS/HER PHONE NUMBER – PLEASE DON’T REGISTER FOR A FISHIN’ FESTIVAL IF THIS REQUIREMENT IS AN ISSUE FOR YOU; YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED ON A BOAT UNLESS YOU PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION. THIS INFORMATION IS NOT SHARED WITH ANYONE AND IS USED ONLY IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY ON THE DAY OF THE FISHIN’ FESTIVAL.