Each year thousands of anglers participate in fishing tournaments across the Great Lakes region, with prizes ranging from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars. Some, like the Lake Erie Fall Brawl, offer new fishing boats valued at more than $100,000 as top prizes. Some events are aimed at professional fishermen, while others are paired with a professional fisherman and an amateur fisherman. Many are friends and family oriented, often taking advantage of a conservation corner or a local charity.
No matter the risks, it is always fun to see and land the biggest fish people can catch.
Two new championship trends that have gained traction in the past few years are the use of much smaller boats to chase fish and after catching fish it is much nicer for them.
Goodbye frying pan, hello cell phone
This is the crux of catch-and-release courses, such as those run by apps and sites like FishDonkey and TourneyX. The traditional “weighing” does not occur on the beach in front of spectators and other fishermen. Instead, it happens constantly in cyberspace, allowing fishermen and spectators to stay up-to-date with real-time fishing events. All fish are released after being caught with nets and documented.
“They will only take a good quality picture of the fish with something very subtle. Chuck Earls, the first licensed Lake Erie kayak guide from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, explained that the fish is folded to the end, mouth closed and nothing covering your hand.” They asked for it. Well.”
Some catch-and-release courses use a combination of weight and length to determine winners. And if you’ve been thinking about how easy it is to cheat, think again.
“If you can imagine it, it happened. People would cheat, you know?” said Earls. “There were guys who took pictures with different tails there, there were people who cut off the fish’s tails and then covered the gap with their hand holding the fish down. A friend of mine owns the Ketch Board, which is often the only legal measuring board you can use to measure fish.”
Earls said fishermen have been known to bend cheaper plastic gauge plates to produce a “longer” fish.
Those things can happen when people fish big, he said, like the $100,000 jackpot kayak trail bass fishing championship. This is why digital tournaments are comprehensive, and often include requirements that administrators can inspect the metadata of all photos and videos.
In addition to the big wins, Earls said, the rise of photo shooting tournaments is opening up new outdoor opportunities for anglers. These tournaments are particularly amenable to kayak anglers, who do not have live fish farming wells and are usually required to balance traditional live fish.
“I think the main thing that has to be promoted with kayak fishing is that these guys are trying to make sure they don’t just hit the fish, which is why the version of the shots is so big: Take a picture and take that thing back to where it’s going,” he said.
This is ideal for attracting new fishermen who may not be interested in killing or eating fish.
“It definitely brings those people,” Earls said. “I catch walleye and eat it, but I also let a lot go. I try to be very open with everyone so I say, ‘Whatever you decide to do is fine with me, I’m good with it.'”
Providing ample waterboating opportunities for a fraction of the costs associated with traditional fishing boats, kayak and championships are also attracting new anglers who want to take to the water – and fish competitively. And according to Earls, the happier it is.
He said at least one of the major championships in Lake Erie will soon announce the addition of kayaks either in a special class or in conjunction with the open class, plus Lake Erie Vale Brawl will also host a kayak section of the 2022 event.
Lake Erie kayak guide Chuck Earls sits offshore with a beautiful fish in Cleveland. (Photo courtesy of Chuck Earls)
Here is a short list of the 2022 Great Lakes Fishing Championships. Drop in the comments if you know more:
Lake Erie
Clemons Boats Great Lakes Largemouth . Series
largemouth bass
When: 20 events starting April 24
Where: Multiple locations from Toledo to the Cleveland area
FishCrazy Walleye Spring Derby
light gray
When: April 17 – May 28
Where: Lake Ohio and tributary waters
Lake Erie Fall Brawl
light gray
When: October 15 – November 27
Where: Lake Ohio, Michigan, and Pennsylvania Erie
Lake Erie Wally Trail
light gray
When: Eight events from March 26 to September 30
Where: Waters adjacent to Lake Erie
Lake Michigan
Garmin Trail Trail
Salmon and trout
When: 11 events starting April 29
Venue: Multiple locations
Great Lakes Kayak Fishing Series
Salmon (catch and release it digitally via TourneyX)
When: September 17
Location: Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Great Lakes Kayak Fishing Series
Bass (capture and digital release via TourneyX)
When: June 18
Where: Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Lake Ontario
New York State Championship Lake Ontario Pro / AM
Trout and salmon
When: 3-4 June
Where: Lake Ontario (launched in Olcott)
Lake Ontario Derby Provinces
Salmon, trout and walnuts
When: Spring 6 – 15 May, Summer 2 – 31 July, Autumn 19 August – 5 September
Where: Waters of New York and Ontario
Lake Huron
The classic Chantry Chinook fishing derby
Salmon and trout
When: July 23 – August 7
Where: Lake Huron, Georgia Bay, Ontario
Michigan Woolley Tour
light gray
When: June 17-18
Venue: Oskoda, Michigan
Ontario Kayak Bass Trail
Bass (capture and digital release via TourneyX)
When: August 13
Where: Georgian Bay Port Severn, Ontario
Lake Superior
South Beach Fishing Association Spring Penalty Shootout
Salmon and trout
When: May 7
Where: Marquette
South Beach Fall Classic Fishing Association
Salmon and trout
When: August 27
Where: Marquette
Lake St. Clair
Team fishing rink
Bass (Hunt and shoot a digital course via FishDonkey)
When: July 13
Where: Lake St. Clair, Harrison Township
Ontario Kayak Bass Trail
Bass (capture and digital release via TourneyX)
When: June 25
Where: Lake St. Clair, Windsor, Ontario
Find out more news at Great Lakes now:
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Featured image: The Lake Erie Walleye Trail paid $4,787 to the winning team at the Cast & Jig Open event on April 16, 2022. (Image source: James Proffitt)