NORTHERN ONTARIO – The countdown is on as we are now less than a week away from the start of the Northern Ontario Ice Extravaganza. Registrations are coming in steadily and the prize pool is constantly growing for the two-week virtual derby, however, Fish Manitoulin still anticipates a large influx of registrations this week as we get closer to Friday’s kickoff for this COVID-19 compliant event. Fish Manitoulin has already seen a large portion of the registrations come in from the Algoma and Sudbury regions, which is sure to make this a fun and unique event.
With a virtual measurement process in place, anglers do not have to report to a weigh station, but rather submit their measurements online where they will be recorded by the organizing group. A demonstration video is now available on the Fish Manitoulin Facebook page, as well as the Northern Ontario Ice Extravaganza event page to provide clarity on what the organizers are looking for when submitting your measurements. The two-week duration of the event will also provide anglers who run into technical issues with a nice cushion to submit their videos, and if further support is required, Fish Manitoulin and Wikwemikong Tourism staff are just a message, email or phone call away to ensure your prize-winning catch makes it onto the leaderboard.
Anglers will be required to submit a video via Facebook or by email using their own measurements, while also stating the pass code during recording that will be provided hours prior to the event. The combination of live release and the passcode will ensure that fish are both caught within the event time frame, and also legally in accordance with the event rules.
This multi-species fishing derby has something for every type of angler with cash prizes for first, second and third place across each of the five divisions (pike, walleye, whitefish, rainbow trout and lake trout), as well as a guaranteed registration draw for $500 for all paid participants. Participants are also allowed multiple submissions, meaning they will have the opportunity to place across multiple categories for the chance to win multiple cash prizes.
Tournament information and tickets are now available on fishmanitoulin.com, and on the event page on Facebook. To register for the derby, online payment can be made at fishmanitoulin.com, or in person at Moxy’s Bait and Tackle in Lively, and the Wikwemikong Tourism and Manitoulin Expositor offices. Registration is $60 per person and includes your entry into the derby for two weeks.
The Manitoulin Expositor, Wikwemikong Tourism and the Wiikwemkoong Anglers’ Group look forward to a safe and fun two weeks of fishing for all participants. Full contest details are available at fishmanitoulin.com and @fishmanitoulin on Facebook.
