Nipigon Fall Fishing Festival 2025

Saturday, August 30, 2025

Tournament Director/Derby Official: Matt Dupuis (807)633-7859

Tournament Rules:

1. The format is a per ticket format, multi species fishing for one day, heaviest species tournament.

2. The species are as follows:  Salmon (all species), Rainbow Trout, and Northern Pike.

3.  Eligible salmon will be Chinook/King salmon, Coho salmon, and Pink salmon

4. Anglers are allowed to enter one of each species of fish per ticket. Prize for the heaviest salmon is $1000.00 and additional mystery weight prizes will be awarded.

5. Start time is 6:00 AM EST Saturday, August 30, 2025.

6. Under no circumstances can fish be purposely altered.

7. Any fish mauled, stringered, and injected with water or other fluids, containing foreign matter to add weight, or showing white gill, soft flesh, grey eyes, or any other questionable conditions of the salmon will result in the team(s) immediate disqualification.

8. The Tournament Director has the right to delay or shorten the Tournament, subject to weather and/or safety considerations.

9. The Tournament Director retains the right to change and/or amend these rules at their discretion without prior notification. 

10. The Nipigon Fall Fishing Festival One Day Fish Derby, its promoters, employees, sponsors, organizers, hosts, Directors, Officers, and affiliated organizations assisting the operations of any of the tournament, their agents and assigns are NOT responsible for any death, injury, damage, liability, fire, theft, or loss that may result prior to, during, or after Derby whosever caused.

11. ALL COMPETITORS MUST SIGN THE WAIVER OF CLAIM, RELEASE AND INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT, this can be emailed back to mdupuis@northernmat.ca.

12. Entry fee per ticket is $50.00.

Tackle:

1. Fish that are entered into the Derby must be caught with rod and reel. Derby entrants shall fish using ONE POLE ONLY. (One Person=one rod, 2 people=2 rods, etc.). Violations to these rules will disqualify any individual on shore, or any boat and all of its occupants.

2. Landing nets may be used.

Weigh In:

1. The weigh in will be from 2:00 PM – 4:30 PM, on Saturday August 30th, 2025

2. FINAL WEIGH-IN WILL BE AT 4:30 PM ---- NO EXCEPTIONS

3. Weigh-In will be located in the arena by the stage.

4. The entrant must be in attendance during the weighin to verify weight and sign the weigh in form, official weight will be in kilograms. 

5. After the weigh-in, the MNRF will be there to sample the fish.

6. Sportsmanship and courtesy must be given to other competitors during the weigh in.

7. It is strictly prohibited for any competitor to give, offer, accept or suggest the exchange of any weigh able fish.

8. Maximum courtesy and respect must be practised at all times, particularly with regard to boating and fishing in vicinity of a non-competitor.

9. All data recorded on the official weigh in form shall be FINAL.

Prizes:

1. Grand Prize ($1000.00) will be awarded to the entrant with the heaviest weight, legal salmon.

2. In case of a tie – the team that weighed in first will be declared the winner.

3. Prizes will be drawn the following:

a. 1st place: Salmon: $1000.00, random draw (for prize order) for 1st place Rainbow Trout and Northern Pike.

b. Random draw (for prize order) for 2nd place Salmon, Rainbow Trout, and Northern Pike.

c. Random draw (for prize order) for 3rd place Salmon, Rainbow Trout, and Northern Pike.

4. Remainder of prizes will be awarded randomly via mystery weight (all entered fish)

5. If there are prizes remaining after mystery weight entrants have been exhausted, then prizes will be awarded via luck of the draw to entrants that did not enter a fish.

6. Participants NEED to be in attendance or have an approved proxy by the tournament director to receive prizes.

Boundaries:

1. The NFFODFD is open to all bodies of water.

Official Decisions:

Derby official decisions and rules of the derby herein outlined shall be considered final and binding upon the participants and sponsors. The NFFODFD reserves the right to make decision on all matter pertaining to the derby, eligibility, weights, time limits, right to receive awards, and all matter relative to participation in conduct of the derby. Officials may disqualify a fish or a fisher person for any reason whatsoever, and decisions of officials on all matter pertaining to this derby.

Photographs:

Photographs of all participants and any fish entered the sole property of the NFFODFD and may be used for publicity purposes without compensation.

Safety:

1. All competitors must always practice safe boating during the practice and derby fishing.

2. Every competitor, and especially children under the age of eighteen must wear a full secured Coast Guard approved life jacket or chest type of floating device whenever the main combustion engine is in operation.

3. NO alcoholic beverages may be consumed by competitors during the derby or on their boat.

4. In the event of a thunderstorm, lightning, or severe weather, teams may pull onto the nearest shoreline until it is safe to continue fishing.

GOOD LUCK AND SAFE BOATING!