Abstract:
A fishing board game comprising a gameboard, fish cards, color cards, bait boards, playing cards, game pieces and a pair of dice. The gameboard comprises a circuitous grid of interconnected fishing points, a portion of which are designated by color as fishing holes where fish may be caught. A fish card identifies a player&#39;s target fish which, if caught, increases the points associated with the catch. The color cards assign a point value to a catch which varies depending upon whether the player has selected an appropriate bait on the player&#39;s bait board. The playing cards are used to catch a fish, impair an opponent or assist a player. The dice are used to determine the number of spaces which a player may move and for generating random numbers required by the game rules.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Many types of board games exist. They are generally entertaining and occasionally serve to teach the players. A number of fishing board games exist. These games are typically entertaining. However, they do little to teach a novice fishermen the skills necessary to become an expert veteran fisherman. 
     The prior art discloses numerous fishing board games. These include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,921,981, 5,176,385, 5,186,466, Des. 292,105, 5,513,848 and 6,257,576. 
     There is a need for an improved fishing board game which is entertaining and educational for the players. The game should teach the players how to identify various types of fish; the types of food which the various types of fish feed upon; how the various types of fish are rated by desirability by veteran fishermen; and where environmentally the various types of fish may be found. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention is directed to a fishing board game which satisfies these needs. 
     The fishing board game is comprised of a gameboard, a plurality of fish cards, a plurality of colored color cards, a plurality of bait boards and a plurality of playing cards. 
     The gameboard has a starting area. This is where the players place game pieces assigned to each of them prior to the start of the game. A circuitous grid of interconnected fishing points begins and ends at the starting area. The grid is comprised of intersecting lines. Each line intersection is a fishing point. A portion of the fishing points are designated by color as fishing holes. To designate a fishing hole, a circle is placed around the intersecting lines and filled with a color. During the playing of the game fish are located within the fishing holes. 
     Preferably, the gameboard is also comprised of a plurality of color card slots, a fish card slot, a playing card draw slot, a playing card discard slot and a dice bubble. The color card slot holds color cards. The fish card slot holds fish cards. The playing card draw slot holds unplayed playing cards. The playing card discard slot holds discarded playing cards. The dice bubble encloses a pair of dice. The dice bubble is a traditional dice bubble which causes the enclosed dice to be randomly rolled when the bubble is pushed upon. The number resulting from a roll of the dice is used to determine the number of fishing points to be traversed by a player and for generating random numbers required by the rules of the game. 
     The fish cards have a uniform appearance on one side. The other side of each fish card designates a unique fish. That fish identifies a target fish for a player. When a player catches a target fish, the points assigned to that catch are enhanced. 
     The colors of the color cards are comprised of the colors assigned to the fishing holes. Each fishing hole color can be found as a matching color on a plurality of color cards. The primary purpose of the color cards is to set a point value when a fish is caught. Each color card has a plurality of bait designator, fish and point combinations listed thereon. Each color card also has a fish and point combination which is not associated with a bait designator. When a fish is caught, the game rules require a determination of whether the bait designator on a selected color card matches a selected bait designator on a player&#39;s bait board. When such a match occurs the player is awarded the points associated with the color card bait designator which matches the selected bait board bait designator. If there is no such match after a fish catch, the player is assigned the points associated with the fish and point combination on the color card which are not associated with a bait designator. 
     During the playing of the game each player is assigned a bait board. Each bait board has a plurality of labeled grouped baits. One label applies to each group of baits. Each bait within a group of baits is associated with a bait designator. The bait designator on the bait board associates a selected bait on the bait board with fish and point combinations listed on the color cards. Each bait within within the grouped baits on the bait board is also associated with a bait selector. The bait selector is used by a player to select a bait on the player&#39;s bait board. Preferably, the bait selector is comprised of a peg and a hole wherein the hole is associated with a specific bait on the bait board. A bait on a bait board is selected by placing the peg in a hole associated with the desired bait. 
     The playing cards are comprised of sequential fishing cards. Preferably, the playing cards are also comprised of specialty cards and snag cards. Preferably, the sequential fishing cards are comprised of cast cards, bite cards, hook cards, fight cards and caught cards. The rules of the game require that one of each type of sequential fishing card be played, in order, for a player to catch a fish. 
     The specialty cards are comprised of game warden cards, fishing license cards, bonus bait cards and bogus bait cards. The game warden cards are used to impair an opponent&#39;s ability to accumulate points. The fishing license cards are used for neutralizing the game warden cards. The bonus bait cards are used to permit a player to select an additional bait on the bait board assigned to that player. The bogus bait cards are used to inhibit an opponent&#39;s ability to select baits from within a bait group on the opponent&#39;s assigned bait board. The snag cards are used to impair an opponent&#39;s ability to catch fish. 
     In the preferred embodiment of this invention the fish associated with each bait designator, fish and point combination on the color cards of each color is selected from a group of fish having similar desirability (as determined by the typical fisherman) and preferred foods. 
     The game pieces are used to designate each player&#39;s position on the gameboard. 
    
    
     DRAWINGS 
     These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the fishing gameboard showing the circuitous grid of interconnected fishing points, the colored fishing holes, the starting area, the color card slots, the fish card slot, the playing card draw slot, the playing card discard slot, the dice bubble and a pair of dice. 
     FIG. 2 a  is a perspective view showing one side of a fish card. 
     FIG. 2 b  is a perspective view showing the other side of a series of fish cards. 
     FIG. 3 is a top view of a bait board. 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of a series of color cards. 
     FIG. 5 a -FIG. 5 t  are top views of playing cards. 
     FIG. 6 is a top few of the other side of a playing card. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     The preferred embodiment of the fishing board game is comprised of a game board  30 , fish cards  64 , colored color cards  72 , bait boards  50 , playing cards  88 , game pieces  142  and a pair of dice  47 . 
     The game board  30  has a starting area  32  centered along its left edge. This provides an area for the placement of game pieces  142  for each player prior to the beginning of a game. A circuitous grid of interconnected fishing points  34  begins and ends at the starting area  32 . During the playing of the game the game pieces  142  are moved from grid  34  intersection to grid  34  intersection in accordance with the results of a roll of the dice  47 . A portion of the grid  34  intersections are designated by color as fishing holes  36 . Preferably there are from 50 to 100 fishing holes  36  with each fishing hole  36  being colored white, brown, green, yellow, red, blue or black. Fish are located at the colored fishing holes  36 . Preferably, contiguous groups of fishing holes  36  have the same color. Grid  34  intersections which do not have colored fishing holes  36  contain no fish. Alternatively, fishing holes  36  without fish could be denoted as black fishing holes  36 . 
     Six color card slots  38  are positioned along the bottom of the gameboard  30  and aligned to the left edge of the gameboard  30 , as shown in FIG.  1 . The color card slots  38  are sized to receive and hold a set of color cards  72 . A fish card slot  40  is positioned along the bottom of the gameboard  30  and aligned to the right edge of the gameboard  30 , as shown in FIG.  1 . The fish card slot  40  is sized to receive and hold a set of fish cards  64 . 
     A dice bubble  46 , a playing card draw slot  42  and a playing card discard slot  44  are positioned within the center of the gameboard  30  so as not to interfere or overlap with the circuitous grid  34 , as shown in FIG.  1 . The dice bubble  46  contains, and enables the random rolling of, the pair of dice  47 . Because the dice  47  are contained within the bubble  46 , the dice  47  will not cause unintended movement of game pieces  142 , fish cards  64 , color cards  72 , or playing cards  88 . The playing card draw slot  42  and the playing card discard slot  44  are sized to receive and hold a set of playing cards  88 . The playing card draw slot  42  holds unplayed playing cards  88 . The playing card discard slot  44  holds played playing cards  88 . 
     Preferably, the gameboard  30  has an aquatic background  48 . Different aquatic backgrounds  48  may also be associated with groups of fishing holes  36 . Such backgrounds may include deep lakes, strong running rivers, swamps and marshes. This will permit the game to be used as a teaching tool for novice fishermen. The novice fisherman can be taught where to fish for certain types of fish by associating those types of fish with aquatic backgrounds  48  and colored fishing holes  36  appropriate for that certain type of fish. 
     FIG. 2 a  and FIG. 2 b  show a series  70  of fish cards  64 . One side  68  of the fish cards  64  shows the word FISH. The other side of each fish card  64  shows a unique fish  66 . Preferably, there are  18  fish cards  64 . The fish come from four groups. The groups are panfish, rough fish, standard fish and premium fish. The panfish fish cards  64  are labeled bluegill, rock bass, crappie and yellow perch. The rough fish fish cards  64  are labeled bullhead, sucker, carp and catfish. The standard fish fish cards  64  are labeled largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, pike, walleye and muskellunge. The premium fish fish cards  64  are labeled brooktrout, rainbow trout, brown trout, steelhead and salmon. 
     FIG. 4 shows a series of colored color cards  72 . Each color card  72  has a base color  74 . The base colors  74  are selected from the group of colors comprising the colors of the colored fishing holes  36 . Each fishing hole  36  color coincides with the base color  74  of a plurality of colored color cards  72 . Each colored color card  72  contains a plurality of bait designator  76 , fish  78  and point  80  combinations  82 . Each bait designator  76  on the color cards  72  is a capital letter. It refers to a bait designator  56  located upon the bait board  50 . The bait designator  76  allows a fish bait to be identified by a letter. Each fish  78  on a color card  72  is a potential fish to be caught during the playing of the game. The point value  80  across from that fish is the point value assigned if the fish is caught. Each horizontal combination  82  of a bait designator  76 , a fish  78  and a point value  80  identifies a potential fish to be caught by a specific bait and the point value  80  to be assigned to that catch. Each color card  72  also contains one fish and point combination  84  not associated with a bait. There will be times when a fish is caught, but with the wrong bait. During the playing of the game a player selects a bait on his bait board  50 . Each fish catch is associated with a single color card  72 . If the color card  72  associated with that fish catch does not contain a bait designator  76  coinciding with a bait selected by the player on his or her bait board  50 , then the fish is caught with the wrong bait. When this contingency occurs the point value assigned to the catch is the point value  80  assigned to the fish and point combination  84  not associated with a bait designator. 
     Preferably, there are  60  color cards  72 —ten for each color except black. The point values  80  associated with each fish on the color cards  72  should be as follows: bluegill (1-3), rock bass (1-3), crappie (2-4), yellow perch (2-4), bullhead (2-4), sucker (2-4), carp (3-5), catfish (3-5), largemouth bass (6-8), smallmouth bass (6-8), pike (6-8), walleye (6-8), muskellunge (6-8), brooktrout (7-9), rainbow trout (7-9), brown trout (7-9), steelhead (9-10) and salmon (10). This association of point values  80  with various fish  78  on the color cards  72  is consistent with the relative desirability of each fish  78  generally accepted by most fishermen. Alternatively, the game may include a fish chart. The fish chart would identify the type of fish within each colored fishing hole. Additionally, it would show the preferred baits for each fish. This would help educate the novice fishermen regarding the environment preferred by various types of fish, as well as the baits preferred by various types of fish. 
     As can be seen from FIG. 3, the baits  52  are grouped and labeled  54 . For example, the live bait group consists of worms, grubbs, minnows, crayfish, leeches and food. The other bait groups  54  are artificial lures, flycasting and trolling. Each fish has a tendency to prefer one bait group. Certain groups of fish have similar feeding preferences. It is invaluable for a fisherman to know the feeding preferences of the fish he or she desires to catch. An expert fisherman is able to rate the likelihood of catching a certain fish type with a certain bait group as poor, fair, good or excellent. By grouping fish with similar feeding preferences and baits together on the same color of color card  72  the novice fisherman can be taught the feeding preferences of various fish. Further, such grouping will enhance the realism of the game. Additionally, there is a correlation between the average fisherman&#39;s rating of the desirability of certain fish and the bait groups preferred by those fish. Accordingly, the bait designator  76 , fish  78  and point value  80  combinations  82  should be consistent with the following, although such consistency is not a necessary element of this invention. 
     The white color cards  72  should contain bluegill, rock bass, crappie, bullhead and largemouth bass. The bait designator  76 , fish  78  and point value  80  combinations  82  should be consistent with the following bait group evaluations: live bait-excellent, artificial lures-good, trolling-poor and flycasting-fair. 
     The brown color cards  72  should contain rock bass, bullhead, sucker, carp and pike. The bait designator  76 , fish  78  and point value  80  combinations  82  should be consistent with the following bait group evaluations: live bait-excellent, artificial lures-fair, trolling-poor and flycasting-poor. 
     The green color cards  72  should contain bluegill, sucker, crappie, largemouth bass, pike, muskellunge and carp. The bait designator  76 , fish  78  and point value  80  combinations  82  should be consistent with the following bait group evaluations: live bait-good, artificial lures-excellent, trolling-fair and flycasting-fair. 
     The yellow color cards  72  should contain perch, catfish, smallmouth bass, walleye, muskellunge, rainbow trout and brooktrout. The bait designator  76 , fish  78  and point value  80  combinations  82  should be consistent with the following bait group evaluations: live bait-fair, artificial lures-fair, trolling-excellent and flycasting-poor. 
     The red color cards  72  should contain bluegill, smallmouth bass, brooktrout, rainbow trout and salmon. The bait designator  76 , fish  78  and point value  80  combinations  82  should be consistent with the following bait group evaluations: live bait-fair, artificial lures-fair, trolling-poor and flycasting-excellent. 
     The blue color cards  72  should contain perch, catfish, walleye, muskellunge, brooktrout, brown trout and steelhead. The bait designator  76 , fish  78  and point value  80  combinations  82  should be consistent with the following bait group evaluations: live bait-fair, artificial lures-fair, trolling-good and flycasting-good. 
     The progression from white to blue indicated above also correlates with an increase in desirability of the fish contained within those colors. Therefore, the average point values associated with the fish listed on the color cards should progress from lower point values on the yellow color cards  72  to higher point values on the blue color cards  72 . 
     During the playing of the game one bait board  50 , as shown in FIG. 3, is assigned to each player. The bait board  50  contains four sets of grouped baits  52 . For example, the second set of grouped baits  52  consists of spinners, spoons, crank baits and artificial worms. Each set of grouped baits  52  is associated with a bait group label  54 . The bait group label  54  for the set of grouped baits  52  consisting of spinners, spoons, crank baits and artificial worms is “Artificial Lures.” Each bait within the grouped baits  52  is associated with a bait designator  56 . The bait designator  56  is a single capital letter identifying the bait. The bait designator  56  on the bait board  50  is the same capital letter as the bait designator  76  on a color card  72  when the bait referred to on the bait board  50  is identical to the bait referred to on the color card  72 . A bait from within the grouped baits  52  on a bait board  50  is selected by a player by using a bait selector  58 . A bait selector  58  is associated with each bait on a bait board  50 . A hole  62  is associated with each bait designator  56  on each bait board  50  by placing the hole  62  adjacent to the bait designator  56 , as shown in FIG. 3. A specific bait is selected by a player by placing a peg  60  within the desired hole  62 . Thus, a bait selector  58  for a selected bait is comprised of a hole  62  and a peg  60 . The bait board  50  may be shaped as a tackle box and may contain graphical depictions of the baits to enhance the realism of the game and to teach a novice fishermen how to identify various baits. 
     The playing cards  88  are comprised of sequential fishing cards  90 , snag cards  140  and specialty cards  130 . The reverse side  138  of each playing card  88  has an identical appearance as shown in FIG.  6 . There the reverse side  138  is labeled “HOOK LINE AND SINKER.” The specialty cards  130  are comprised of game warden cards  108 , fishing license cards  102 , master angler cards  132 , fishing guide cards  134 , wildlife cards  136 , bonus bait cards  110  and bogus bait cards  120 . The game may be played without snag cards  140  and specialty cards  130 . However, snag cards  140  and specialty cards  130  are used in the preferred embodiment of the game. 
     The sequential fishing cards  90  are used to catch fish. Preferably, the sequential fishing cards  90  are comprised of cards labeled as follows: #1 CAST  92 , #2 BITE  94 , #3 HOOK  96 , #4 FIGHT  98  and #5 CAUGHT  100 . The playing time of the game may be shortened or lengthened by decreasing or increasing the types of sequential fishing cards  90 , respectively. 
     Snag cards  140  are labeled “SNAG.” 
     The game warden cards  108  are labeled “GAME WARDEN.” There are two types of fishing license cards  102 . The first is a standard fishing license card  104  labeled “STANDARD LICENSE.” The second is a premium fishing license card  106  labeled “PREMIUM LICENSE.” There are four types of bonus bait cards  110 —“LIVE BAIT”  112 , “ARTIFICIAL LURES  114 , “FLY ROD”  116  and “TROLLING MOTOR”  118 . There are four types of bogus bait cards  120 —“LOST BAIT”  122 , “MISSING LURES”  124 , “BROKEN FLY-ROD”  126  and “DEAD TROLLING MOTOR”  128 . Additionally, there are playing cards  88  labeled “MASTER ANGLER”  132 , “FISHING GUIDE”  134  and “WILDLIFE”  136 . 
     Preferably, there are 118 playing cards  88  broken down as follows: #1 CAST  92 - 16 , #2 BITE  94 - 16 , #3 HOOK  96 - 16 , #4 FIGHT  98 - 16 , #5 CAUGHT  100 - 16 , SNAG  140 - 6 , GAME WARDEN  108 - 6 , STANDARD LICENSE  104 - 6 , PREMIUM LICENSE  106 - 6 , MASTER ANGLER  132 - 2 , FISHING GUIDE  134 - 2 , WILDLIFE  136 - 2 , LIVE BAIT  112 - 1 , ARTIFICIAL LURES  114 - 1 , FLY ROD  116 - 1 , TROLLING MOTOR  118 - 1 , LOST BAIT  122 - 1 , MISSING LURES  124 - 1 , BROKEN FLY-ROD  126 - 1  and DEAD TROLLING MOTOR  128 - 1 . 
     A plurality of game pieces  142  are shaped, sized and colored to uniquely identify each player, fit on the gameboard  30 , designate only one fishing point on the circuitous grid of interconnected fishing points  34  at a time and designate a player&#39;s position on the gameboard  30 . 
     The object of the game is to catch 100 points worth of fish. The game is completed when a player attains 100 points and returns to the starting area  32 . Alternatively, after a first player attains 100 points play continues until each player has completed the same number of turns as the player that first attained the 100 points. The winner is the player with the most points. GAME SET UP 
     The first step to play the game is to set the game up. The gameboard  30  is placed upon a table. The fish cards  64  are shuffled and placed faced down upon the fish card slot  40 . The color cards  12  are mixed and shuffled. They are equally distributed and placed faced down upon the color card slots  38 . Preferably, the number of color card slots  38  used is equal to the number of players. Therefore, if there are less than six players, less than six color card slots  38  will be used. A random mixture of colors  74  will be placed upon each color card slot  38  which is used. The playing cards  88  are mixed and shuffled. They are then placed faced down upon the playing card draw slot  42 . Each player places a game piece  142  assigned to that player within the starting area  32  of the gameboard  30 . As can be seen from FIG. 1 the starting area  32  has multiple starting points. Each player can use any starting point as his or her starting point. Finally, a bait board  50  is assigned to each player. 
     Pre Start Procedure 
     Six playing cards  88  are dealt face down to each player. One fish card  64  is dealt face up to each player. Each player&#39;s fish card  64  identifies a target fish. If a target fish is caught the points associated with that catch, as indicated on a color card  72 , are doubled. The fish cards  64  drawn by the players at the outset of the game determine which player starts. The player with the highest valued fish card  64  starts. The fish cards  64  are valued from lowest to highest as follows: bluegill, rock bass, crappie, yellow perch, bullhead, sucker, carp, catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, pike, walleye, muskellunge, brooktrout, rainbow trout, brown trout, steelhead and salmon. The playing order for the remaining players proceeds counterclockwise from the starting player. 
     Rules of the Game 
     A player may pick a bait on his bait board  50  before his turn starts or after his turn stops. Except as otherwise described herein, a bait may not be selected during a player&#39;s turn. A bait is selected by placing a peg  60  into one of the holes  62  on the player&#39;s bait board  50 . A peg  60  in a hole  62  designates the bait designator  56  and bait positioned horizontally across from the peg on the bait board  50 . 
     With a bait selected a player executes his turn by first rolling the dice  47 . The dice  47  are rolled by pushing upon the dice bubble  46 . The number indicated by the dice  47  sets the maximum number of fishing points upon the circuitous grid of interconnected fishing points  34  that the player can move. For example, if a seven is rolled a player can move from one to seven fishing points. A player may move from fishing point to fishing point horizontally or vertically, but not diagonally. A player must move around, and not over, the game pieces  142  of other players. No two game pieces  142  can occupy the same fishing point at the same time. 
     Fish are located under the colored fishing holes  36 . On any given turn a player may move his game piece  142 , as described above, or fish. A player may not do both during the same turn. Once a player&#39;s game piece  142  is on a fishing hole  36  and the fish are biting, the player may start fishing. The fish are biting when the color of the fishing hole  36  upon which a player&#39;s game piece  142  sits is the same color  74  as at least one of the top color cards  72  placed upon the color card slots  38  of the gameboard  30 . 
     When a player elects to fish the player&#39;s turn is concluded by catching a fish or playing a playing card  88  other than a sequential fishing card  90 . A player fishes by drawing a playing card  88  from the playing card draw slot  42 . After drawing a playing card  88  the player must discard a playing card  88 . There are several ways to discard. The playing card  88  may be discarded face down into the playing card discard slot  44 . Certain playing cards  88  may be played upon an opponent by placing the playing card  88  in front of the opponent. Other playing cards  88  may be played by the player upon himself. The playing cards  88  which may be played upon an opponent or upon the player himself are described below. 
     The sequential fishing cards  90  are used to catch a fish. The sequential fishing cards  90  are comprised of cast cards  92 , bite cards  94 , hook cards  96 , fight cards  98  and caught cards  100 . The sequential playing cards  90  must be played in the order stated. Thus, the order of play is cast, bite, hook, fight and caught. Sequential fishing cards  90  may be continuously played during a turn until a break in the sequence occurrs. The optimum sequence is called a perfect run and occurs as follows. A player plays a cast card  92  in front of the player and draws another playing card  88 . Following this the player plays a bite card  94  and draws again. Then the player plays a hook card  96  and draws. This sequence continues with the player playing the fight card  98  and the caught card  100 . If the player is unable to continue the sequence because the player lacks the next sequential fishing card  90  the player&#39;s turn ends. However, the sequential fishing cards  90  previously played remain in front of the player and arc not discarded. If a player is ever on a fishing hole  36  when the fish are not biting (the color of the fishing hole  36  does not match the color  74  of any color card  72  on the top of a color card pile located upon a color card slot  38 ), the player must discard all of the player&#39;s sequential fishing cards  90 . All other cards which have been played in front of the player remain. This loss of sequential playing cards  90  only occurs during the player&#39;s turn. 
     A fish is caught when the caught card  100  is played. The caught card  100  cannot be played until a cast card  92 , a bite card  94 , a hook card  96  and a fight card  98  have been played in order in front of the player. When a fish is caught, the player catching the fish selects a color card  72  from one of the color card slots  38 . The color  74  of the color card  72  must match the color of the fishing hole  36  upon which the player&#39;s game piece  142  sits. If the bait selector  58  shows a match between the bait designator  56  on the player&#39;s bait board  50  and the bait designator  76  on the selected color card  72 , the player is awarded the points indicated by the bait designator  76 , fish  78  and point value  80  combination  82  on the selected color card  72 . If there is no bait match, the player is awarded the points indicated by the fish and point combination not associated with a bait  84 . If the fish caught matches the fish indicated by the player&#39;s fish card  64 , the points awarded are doubled. 
     Once a fish is caught the player discards all playing cards  88  in front of the player and discards the player&#39;s fish card  64 . A new fish card  64  is drawn from the fish card slot  40 . At the conclusion of a player&#39;s turn, the player will have six playing cards  88  irrespective of whether or not the player is involved in making a run by playing sequential fishing cards  90  or plays a single playing card  88  elsewhere. 
     Fishing license cards  102  protect a player from game wardens. Game warden cards  108  are given to opposing players by playing the game warden card  108  in front of the opponent. A player plays a fishing license card  102  on himself or herself. The penalty for catching a fish with the game warden card  108  present is termed a “weigh in”. Standard fishing license cards  104  protect standard fish species only. Premium fishing license cards  106  protect standard and premium fish species. Panfish and rough fish do not need to be protected from game wardens. If there is no game warden present on the catch, then there is no “weigh in.” The only time that a “weigh in” occurs is when a game warden is present and the player does not have the proper license. 
     To conduct a “weigh in” a player rolls the dice  47 . The number rolled must match or be higher than the point value of the fish. If it is lower than the point value, then the angler must take the dice roll value as the player&#39;s points. The following table shows the value of points awarded for various dice rolls and fish point values  80 : 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Dice Roll 
                 Fish Point Value 
                 Player&#39;s awarded points after “weigh in” 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 2 
                 7 
                 2 
               
               
                 4 
                 8 
                 4 
               
               
                 6 
                 6 
                 6 
               
               
                 9 
                 8 
                 8 
               
               
                 11  
                 7 
                 7 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     If a player&#39;s catch is worth 8 points, then the player must roll an 8 or higher. If the player rolls lower than an 8, the player collects the dice roll value as a penalty. 
     Bogus bait cards  120  are given to an opponent, while bonus bait cards  110  are played in front of the player playing the card. When a bonus bait card  110  has been played, the player can play two baits on the player&#39;s bait board  50 . However, one of the baits must be from the group of baits associated with that bonus bait card  110 . The groupings are shown on the bait board  50  by the bait group label  54 . For example, the bait group label  54  “trolling” on the bait board  50  indicates the following baits: crankbaits, spinners, spoons and plugs. Therefore, if a player plays the trolling motor bonus bait card  118  in front of the player, the player may select one of the following as the player&#39;s second bait on the player&#39;s bait board  50 : crankbaits, spinners, spoons and plugs. 
     When a bogus bait card  120  has been played on a player by an opponent, the player cannot use bait from that group. For example, if the “dead trolling motor” bogus bait card  128  has been played in front of a player, the player may not select crankbaits, spinners, spoons or plugs as the player&#39;s bait on the player&#39;s bait board  50 . If a player happens to have both related bait cards (i.e. live bait  112  and lost  122 ), those cards simply offset each other. The offsetting cards are not discarded. 
     A master angler card  132  may be played in front of a player. This gives a player two advantages. The player can discard any playing cards  88  which have been played in front of the player, with the exception of the snag card  140 . If a player having a master angler card  132  in front of the player is snagged by an opponent playing a snag card  140  in front of the player, the player is given two dice rolls, instead of one, when determining the player&#39;s snag fate as described below. The player may pick the better of the two rolls. 
     A player may play a fishing guide card  134  in front of the player to determine what fish are biting. When this card is played, the player can look at all top color cards  72  which match the color of the player&#39;s fishing hole  36 . Therefore, the player will know in advance the possible fish  78 , bait designator  76  and point value  80  combinations  82  which may result from a catch. The player can look at the color cards  72  after the card is played and before every future turn, as long as the fishing guide card  134  remains showing. 
     After a player plays a wildlife card  136  in front of himself or herself, the player may pick any available target fish. This is accomplished by the player looking at all fish cards  64  within the fish card slot  40  and selecting a desired fish card  64 . The player&#39;s prior fish card  64  is discarded. 
     Snag cards  140  are given to a player&#39;s opponent. They may only be played on a player&#39;s sequential fishing card  90  pile. If an opposing player is moving or does not have a sequential fishing card  90  showing, then the snag card  140  may not be played on that player. One sure way of avoiding a snag is for a player to make a perfect run. A perfect run occurs when a player plays a cast card  92 , a bite card  94 , a hook card  96 , a fight card  98  and a caught card  100  during one turn. If a player docs get snagged, when it comes around to the player&#39;s turn the player rolls the dice  47  to determine the player&#39;s fate. The players fate is determined as follows: 
     
       
         
               
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Dice 
                   
               
               
                 Roll 
                 Fishing fate 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 2 
                 Accident. Lose all cards 88. Move boat to dock (starting area 32). 
               
               
                 3 
                 Snagged weeds. Lose all cards 88. Move boat off of fishing hole 
               
               
                   
                 36 to nearest fishing point which is not a fishing hole 36. 
               
               
                 4 
                 Caught turtle. Lose all cards 88. 
               
               
                 5 
                 Unlawful fishing. Lose fishing license 102. 
               
               
                 6 
                 Snap! Lost it. Lose sequential fishing cards 90. 
               
               
                 7 
                 Roll again. 
               
               
                 8 
                 Broke free. Loss snag card 140. 
               
               
                 9 
                 The fish is still on. Lose snag card 140 and take your turn. 
               
               
                 10 
                 Caught the fish. 
               
               
                 11 
                 Caught trophy (target) fish. 
               
               
                 12 
                 Master angler trophy fish (equivalent to playing a master angler 
               
               
                   
                 card and catching a trophy (target) fish). 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     Game Variations 
     The gameboard  30  may be constructed so that it contains a crank. The turning of the crank would change the colors and locations of the fishing holes  36 . Some color cards  72  would indicate “Fish Movement.” If a fish is caught with such a color card  72 , the crank would be turned to change the colors and locations of the fishing holes  36 . 
     Another variation of the game involves the determination of the number of points awarded for catching a target panfish. This would occur when a player catches a panfish which matches the player&#39;s fish card  64 . Instead of doubling the point value for catching the target fish, the player gets a stringer of fish. If a player were to catch a target bluegill, the player would be awarded the point value for that fish plus all other bluegill on that particular color card  72 . For example, a player may catch a fish with a white color card  72  having the following bait designator  76 , fish  78  and point value  80  combinations  82 : 
     
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                   
                 Bluegill 
                 1 
               
               
                   
                 L 
                 Bluegill 
                 2 
               
               
                   
                 F 
                 Bluegill 
                 3 
               
               
                   
                 C 
                 Crappie 
                 3 
               
               
                   
                 B 
                 Crappie 
                 3 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     If the player&#39;s target fish were a crappie, the player would be awarded six points. If the player&#39;s target fish were a bluegill, the player would be awarded six points. The stringer rule would be good for panfish only.