MCOA Fishing Tournament Details
MCOA is pleased to announce it’s second virtual fishing tournament! No mandatory weigh-ins, no excessive travelling, and 16 days (three weekends including Michigan’s free fishing weekend, 2/18 and 2/19) to get on the ice and compete with friends and family across the state!
Hit your LOCAL fishing hole for CASH prizes for the biggest walleye (by length), northern pike (by length), and best 5-fish stringer (by length) of any yellow perch/panfish combination! One lucky angler will also be chosen at random for a prize package valued at over $150!
Panfish which will be counted include perch, black and white crappie, bluegill, green and hybrid sunfish, longear, pumpkinseed, redear, rock bass, and warmouth.
The single largest walleye and single largest northern pike will be determined by length. The largest 5-fish stringer will be determined by adding the total of 5 fish submissions from an individual angler. The fishdonkey app will automatically “cull” fish, retaining an anglers longest 5 fish.
All DNR employees, MCOA members, friends, and family are welcome to join.
MCOA membership is not required to participate, although we encourage you to join us in our mission! Visit https://www.micoa.org/membership-details to learn more.
Tournament dates are: 02/11/2023 beginning at 6:00 AM, until 6:00 PM on 02/26/2023.
Tournament entry fee is $20, plus a $3 platform use fee (the app which will support the fishing tournament charges this fee per participant).
We highly encourage all participants to join MCOA and help us in our mission and promotion of Michigan’s Conservation Officers and our natural resources, but once again, joining MCOA is not a requirement to participate in this event.
TOURNAMENT OVERVIEW:
All PUBLIC waters within the state of Michigan are eligible for this tournament.
Participants must have a valid 2023 Michigan Fishing License and follow all fishing regulations.
Reminder: February 18th and 19th is Michigan’s free fishing weekend, therefore a fishing license is not required if an angler is only fishing on those dates.
This is a “virtual” fishing tournament. The app being used is “FishDonkey” and can be downloaded through your app store for free (see directions below). Once downloaded, follow the simple registration process, search in the current fishing tournaments for “MCOA Ice Fishing Tournament”, and enter the tournament. Payment for entry can only be made by credit or debit card through the FishDonkey app.
There is no central location you have to report to, there is no weigh-in (fish are judged solely by length), and there is only one start time and one end time.
Fish species being judged in this tournament are walleye, northern pike, and yellow perch/panfish. You are able to focus on one species or target all of them, it is your choice.
Panfish which will be counted include black and white crappie, bluegill, green and hybrid sunfish, longear, pumpkinseed, redear, rock bass, and warmouth.
The full list of rules for this event can be found in detail on the FishDonkey app under the “MCOA Ice Fishing Tournament”.
The more participants in this event, the higher the cash prizes will be, so invite your friends!
Prize pay out will be dependent on participation numbers, but will be set for each fish category (pike, walleye, perch/panfish) at 25% of total funds raised after transaction fees, with MCOA receiving 25% of total funds raised after transaction fees as well to be used in support of our mission.
Downloading the app:
1. Download the app at FishDonkey.com/app
2. Tap: Fish in a Tournament
3. Join: MCOA Ice Fishing Tournament
Watch a 1 minute tutorial on How to Enter a Fish
Watch a 1 minute video on How to Measure a Fish
You can test the app ahead of time.
1. Download the app
2. Join "Practice Entering a Fish"
Please feel free to contact the tournament director with any questions regarding the tournament rules or sign-up process;
C.O. Bob Watson
906-203-8582
Get signed up on the fishdonkey app and enjoy the incredible fishing opportunities Michigan has to offer while competing with others throughout the state!