OFFICIAL RULES AND REGULATIONS

CONCERNING THE MANITOULIN EXPOSITOR SALMON CLASSIC 2022

1 – The Manitoulin Expositor Salmon Classic 2022 (M.E.S.C. 2022) will span the 3 weeks from 12:01 am Saturday, July 30, 2022, to 12 noon on Sunday, August 21, 2022.

2 – Anglers who are participating in the M.E.S.C. 2022 are limited to fishing within the territorial waters of Manitoulin Island and its adjacent, surrounding islands. Territorial waters in this instance is defined as

  • Northeast – Western tip of Phillip Edward Island;
  • Southeast – Southeastern tip of Fitzwilliam Island;
  • Southwest – Southwestern tip of Cockburn Island;
  • Northwest – The mouth of the Mississagi River;
  • North – The North Channel up to and including the North Shore;
  • South – Great Duck Island and/or 15kms from Manitoulin Island
  • Manitoulin Island streams, rivers, and inland lakes are also included in the area able to be fished for the purpose of participation in the M.E.S.C. 2022.

3 – To enter and participate in the M.E.S.C. 2022

A registration ticket must be purchased at a cost of $65 for Adult, $35 for Youth, $400 for boat (non-commercial) and $850 for a charter boat. Charter boat tickets are only available at The Manitoulin Expositor office in Little Current. A charter boat and boat ticket cover anyone fishing from the vessel. Boat tickets are not transferable to any other vessel. Charter boat tickets are only valid under a licensed charter boat that is operated by its registered captain. If the charter service has more than one boat the ticket may be used on the other vessels, however, only one vessel may use the ticket at any given time. Youth ticket holders must be accompanied by an immediate family member (parent, guardian or grandparent) who hold an adult entry into MESC 2022. Tickets may be purchased through the website, www.fishmanitoulin.com, or in person in Little Current at The Manitoulin Expositor office or in Gore Bay at the Manitoulin West Recorder office and at other select outlets. Tickets purchased during the four weeks of the M.E.S.C. 2022 are not valid on the day of purchase, a M.E.S.C. 2022 registration ticket becomes valid the day after it is purchased. Registered participants in M.E.S.C. 2022 fishing from boats must be able to guarantee that all other anglers fishing from their boat, regardless of age, are entered in M.E.S.C. 2022 and be eligible to enter fish in M.E.S.C. 2022.

4 – Success in the M.E.S.C. 2022 is defined as being achieved when an angler;

Is fishing with a valid Ontario fishing licence, if required to hold one

Holds a valid M.E.S.C. 2022 registration ticket

Is abiding by the Regulations of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, the Fisheries Act, The Department of Transport “Small Boat Safety Regulations,” and the Rules and Regulations of the Manitoulin Expositor Salmon Classic 2022

Is abiding by the Invasive Species Act in accordance with the rules and regulations as found in the Ontario Fishing Regulation and Rules Summary.

We sincerely hope everyone feels gratified by spending time on or by the waters of our beautiful Manitoulin Island. The organizers of the M.E.S.C. 2022 will consider this as our success.

5 – Prize Structure for the M.E.S.C. 2022 (Total Prize Money Awarded – $30,100)

  • Grand Prize Heaviest Salmon – $12,000
  • 2nd Heaviest Salmon – $4,000
  • 3rd Heaviest Salmon – $2,000
  • 4th Heaviest Salmon- $1,000
  • 5th Heaviest Salmon – $500
  • First Week Heaviest Fish (salmon or trout) – $1,000 (1 weeks X $1,000 = $1,000)
  • Heaviest Trout – $4,500
  • Daily Heaviest Fish (salmon or trout), $200 per day (23 days X $200 = $4,600)
  • Heaviest Fish (salmon or trout) Youth 14 years of age or under – $500

In the event of a tie, prizes in question will be awarded on the basis of the earliest fish entered. There may be other prizes awarded at any other time determined by the M.E.S.C. 2022.

6 – Terms of understanding for collecting a prize in the M.E.S.C. 2022.

All participants agree, upon winning a major prize, that they will if requested submit to validity tests and sign an affidavit confirming the fact that their fish was caught within the rules of the contest.

Participants agree that the organizers may, at their discretion, hold any fish for biological examination and testing. Therefore, any related prizes will not be released until such testing is completed.

Any participant guilty of an infraction of the rules will be disqualified from the contest, banned from all future M.E.S.C. events, and any prizes will be forfeited.

Prizes not picked up by October 31, 2018, will become the property of M.E.S.C.

7 – Entering your fish

All fish must be weighed at an official M.E.S.C. 2022 weigh-in station by the attendant of that station. All participants entering a fish will sign and date the official entry book at the end of the weigh-in. By signing the official entry book you are stating that you agree with all the registration information regarding yourself and the fish you are entering (ie. Species, weight) that is shown in the official entry book. A printed receipt will be issued for each fish entered.

During the course of the M.E.S.C. 2022, a leaderboard will be maintained and updated when new prize-winning weights are recorded at the weigh-in stations. Because the leading weights are readily available the organizers of M.E.S.C. 2022 would like to encourage the practice of catch and release for fish that would not be in contention for a prize.

The waters surrounding Manitoulin and the islands provide the angler with clean water and edible game fish. Any angler found guilty of wasting his catch will be disqualified from the M.E.S.C. 2022 and banned from all future M.E.S.C. events. Any angler disqualified for this reason will have all prizes forfeited.

A fish may be entered only once. Only fish that have been caught within the last 12 hours and are whole may be entered. Fish with a snag, foul hook, gill net marks, even if taken legitimately by the participant, will not be accepted; nor will fish that have been frozen or are badly deteriorated, washed out and have been dead for a long period of time.

8 – Also to consider   

Each participant in the M.E.S.C. 2022 agrees that the decisions of the officials of the M.E.S.C. 2022 are to be final in all matters concerning M.E.S.C. 2022.

Each participant in the M.E.S.C. 2022 agrees to hold the sponsors, organizers, officials, their agents and employees harmless from any liability of any nature and kind, any injuries and/or damages suffered during or after the period of the M.E.S.C. 2022 by the participant.

9 – Prize Structure

SALMON TOP 25

(HEAVIEST SALMON)

  1. $12,000
  2. $4,000
  3. $2,500
  4. $1,000
  5. $500

All Prizes will be handed out on the last day of the Manitoulin Expositor Salmon Classic at the closing ceremony in South Baymouth.

TROUT TOP 5
(HEAVIEST TROUT)

$4,500

YOUTH TOP 5
(HEAVIEST SALMON OR TROUT)

$500

FIRST WEEK WINNER – $1,000
(HEAVIEST SALMON OR TROUT)

Week 1 $1,000
(HEAVIEST SALMON OR TROUT)

DAILY WINNER – $200 per day
(HEAVIEST SALMON OR TROUT)