Tournament Overview

Welcome to our 2nd Annual Live Release Smallmouth Bass Fishing Derby

50% of total entry fees to be won for LONGEST SMALLMOUTH BASS

*Remaining 50%of total entry fees for Noëlville & District Rod & Gun Club to help with up-keep, repairs, and new additions!

Entry Fee:

$50.00 for every entry (+$5.00 non-refundable fee through fishdonkey, +credit card fees)

Each Adult entry will require their own Fish Donkey login. Kids under 18 will need to be posted under the adult login, you can set up under Divisions for how many children will be with you. When submitting a fish please make sure to enter it into the correct species so we can keep track of what the kids are catching vs. what the adults are catching. Regardless of whether an adult or child has caught the LONGEST Smallmouth Bass there will be only one (1) winner! Every photo submitted must be on a measuring bump board.

How to make your own DIY Measuring Bump Board

Adhesive Fish Rulers can be purchased at Mayer’s Esso in Noëlville, or most outdoor sporting goods stores.

All fish entered in the tournament will be photographed, measured, and  recorded through the FishDonkey app. How to Enter a Fish

How to properly Measure a Fish video

Leaderboards will update throughout the contest so check the app to follow the tournament progress.

The standard award categories are:

1. Longest smallmouth bass - measured by total length mouth closed tail pinched

Awards are presented on the basis of length and verified by tournament judges.  The categories, species, and official rules can be found in the FishDonkey app.

IT WILL TAKE 3 TO 5 BUSINESS DAYS FOR TOURNAMENT WINNER TO RECEIVE THEIR CHEQUE.

Have fun and FISH ON!

Rules and Regulations

Angler Responsibility

Read the Rules!  Every angler is responsible for checking their Digital Livewell® at the end of the day to make sure all of their fish submissions have been RECEIVED.  Tap on the Digital Livewell® (fish icon).  You will need a minimum of 2 bars of service or strong wifi.  If any entries have a message that reads NOT RECEIVED, leave that screen open until all fish read RECEIVED to the leaderboard.  If you cannot get your entry to say RECEIVED, try this:  https://tinyurl.com/LivewellHelp

FishDonkey App

All registration and payment must be completed using the app.  The FishDonkey App will be used to photo document fish and will generate live leaderboards. The leaderboards will update throughout the event as fish are submitted.  All entries will be considered unofficial until verified.

Measuring & Photo Documenting

• All photos must be taken through the FishDonkey app and measurements must be on a valid measuring board.

• Fish should be recorded immediately and measurements noted by total length.

• All submissions must include at least a photograph  1)  A pic of the fish on the measuring board WITH PINCHED TAIL AND CLOSED MOUTH

• One video is required:  2) A RELEASE VIDEO  of the fish going back into the water.  Prove the fish is alive and that it swims away 

• When measuring: Close the fish’s mouth. The nose must touch the bump of the measuring board (belly is facing you). The photo needs to include the entire fish on the board.  Do not put fingers under the fish or in the gills. The tip of the tail must touch the board (not lifted).  Do not stretch or compress fish.  

• If the fish tail is touching the graduation line on the board then that is the exact measurement.  If the tail crosses a graduation line, round up ¼”.

• Check the Digital Livewell ® All participants must have their fish submitted and received at the end of the tournament.

• Entries with an open mouth will receive a deduction penalty of 1" or as determined by a judge.  An open mouth can extend the length of the fish.  Exceptions may be made for certain species such as northern pike.

• Teams of 2 per boat

• 50% of entry fee will go to the winning team​

Practice the FishDonkey App ahead of time

Watch a 1 minute tutorial on How to Enter a Fish

Test the app before you get out on the water.  

1.  Download the app

2. Join "Practice Entering a Fish"

Here's a video on How to Measure a Fish

FishDonkey in poor reception areas

The app will work without the internet.  Open the app before heading out to poorly covered areas and tap on the name of the tourney.  That is all it takes to fully load your tournament. You are ready!  Fish should be entered as normal in bad reception areas, through the button 'Enter a Fish'.  Your Digital Livewell® (fish icon) will show you if there are fish waiting for an internet connection to get pushed into the leaderboard.  When you get back to a well connected area, open your Digital Livewell®  and leave that screen open/active until all fish are “Received”. If your pictures are missing from the leaderboard, this is what you need to do.  Until your pictures are received, do not delete or alter the photos on your phone, as the software will not accept your photos as originals.

Missing pictures on the leaderboard?

Open your Digital Livewell (fish icon) when you get back to an area with good reception.  Leave that screen open until all fish are “Received”.  Never delete anything from your Digital Livewell.

Measuring Boards

All measuring devices must be commercially made.  You are required to have a board with a 90 degree bend which marks 0, and at least ¼” lines.  No handmade measuring boards, stickers, or tape measures allowed.  No sliding, retractable, or foldable measuring devices are allowed unless approved by the tournament director.  If your measurement is not clearly readable in your submission photo, it may not be accepted, or could be penalized. 

[DIRECTORS OPTION] Extra large fish are difficult to measure with a bump board and photographs.  For example, sturgeon can be measured more accurately by using video.  Bump the nose of the fish against a vertical surface and use a commercial measuring tape to measure the fish.  Video from nose to tail, covering the complete length of the fish.

Tournament Director

Your Tournament Director is Chad Purcell.  If you need to reach your director, their contact info is in the “ i “ Info icon within your tournament in the app.  

The interpretation and enforcement of the rules is at the sole discretion of the director.  The tournament director may change rules or impose sanctions as they deem appropriate, including but not limited to: disqualifications, forfeiture of prizes, and prohibition from competing in future tournaments.  All decisions made by the tournament director are final.

Sportsmanship

All participants are expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety and conservation. Any participant who displays poor sportsmanship, violates these rules or brings unfavorable publicity to the sport of fishing could be disqualified. Encroachment is considered a sportsmanship rule.

Body of Water

Participants must fish in the area specified for the event.  Fishing has to be legal and in public waters only:  no private ponds, streams, lakes or rivers.   Participants may fish in any water that is open to public fishing.

Inclement Weather/Cancelation

Keep your phones on throughout the tournament in order to receive communication from the director in the event of postponement or cancelation.  Due to the nature of tournament fishing, no refunds will be issued.  This is at the discretion of your tournament director. 

Tiebreakers

The tournament director will consider options for determining a tie, which could be 1) time of entry  2) the exact measurement instead of the ¼” measurement 3) the next largest fish submitted by each angler.  A tie could also result in shared prizes. 

Claiming Prizes

Ensure that your correct address, email, and mobile number appear in your app profile for prize announcements and delivery.  Prizes are the responsibility of the winners.  Transportation, taxes, and incidentals are the responsibility of the winner.

It is the responsibility of the tournament director to disburse all prizes.  

From our terms and conditions, you have agreed to the following.  

”FishDonkey makes no representations or warranties regarding the Service or the quality, features, conditions, rules, prizes, results, or other aspects of any tournament ORGANIZED THROUGH, OR hosted on, the Site. AS BETWEEN FISHDONKEY AND THE TOURNAMENT ORGANIZER, THE TOURNAMENT ORGANIZER IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RESULTS AND CONSEQUENCES OF THE TOURNAMENTS THEY ORGANIZE AND HOST USING THE SITE AND SERVICES.”   

As stated above, FishDonkey is not in any way responsible, but if you believe there is a problem with your tournament director or if something seems suspicious such as not paying out the funds or prizes, please contact FishDonkey and let us know ASAP. 

Laws and Regulations

All federal, state, and local laws and all fishing and boating rules must be abided by.

Failure to comply with any tournament rules subjects participants to disqualification and removal from the competition, as determined by the tournament officials. The right to refuse sale and/or revoke a competition ticket to anyone is hereby reserved.

Cheating

• All protests must be brought to the director’s attention before the end of the event.

• Anyone caught breaking the law or disobeying the rules will be disqualified.

• Fish must be hooked and caught live in a conventional manner.  Fish cannot be snagged, netted, speared, etc.

• Participants may be required to take polygraph exams as part of the tournament requirements. If deception is detected or the participant refuses to take the exam, the prize will be forfeited and the participant will be disqualified. Anglers taking a polygraph examination may be responsible for any and all costs incurred.

Safety

Participants are responsible for their own safety, actions, and property at all times.

Questions?

If there are any questions about the rules, ask the tournament director.

Lake Nipissing

• from the Hwy 535 bridge in West Arm to the Hay Narrows

French River

• all of the LOWER French River, including Murdock River to Hwy 64

For any questions, concerns, or comments please contact tournament director,

Chad Purcell

(705) 898-1980

c.p.trigger311@gmail.com

If you would like to send photos of yourself, or family from this tournament please email to:

noelvillerodgunclub@gmail.com

Subject: Smallmouth Bass 2025

*Photos submitted may be used for promotional purposes. This includes using the photos on websites, social media, brochures, and other promotional materials.