PURCHASE TICKETS HERE:
The St Catharines Game & Fish Association is proud to announce that the 50th Annual Spring Salmon Derby presented by SCOTTY DOWNRIGGERS is set to run from Saturday April 4, 2026 to Saturday May 30, 2026.
Some of the highlights include:
Biggest Salmon overall will win $10,000 (yes we have DOUBLED this prize!)
Biggest Salmon every week will win $2000! ( Yes we have DOUBLED this too!)
Bonus $3,000 from Peters Tackle for the first Salmon to reach 30lbs!
We will again award the top 10 places for Salmon, and top 5 prizes for Rainbow, Brown & Lake Trout.
The biggest Brown Trout, Lake Trout & Rainbow Trout will each win a Scotty 1116 Pro Pack Downrigger
Biggest Salmon overall for the Jr Division will win again a DAS KING Fishing kayak from Broadline Outdoors
For the Junior division there will be 3 placings again for all 4 species.
Our ticket prices haven’t changed either!
Still $50 per person
$75 for a family ticket & $200 for a boat ticket.
Single daily tickets also available for $20 each.
Early Bird Draw Prize: All tickets purchased by Sun March 14, 5pm will qualify to win a Garmin UHD Echomap95SV !
Tickets will soon be available to purchase at our outlets and online .
Our Big Derby Kick off party & Spring Meeting will take place on Sat February 28.
We’ll have food drinks, door prizes, raffles and a panel discussion consisting of local charter boat captains. You won’t want to miss this! More details coming soon.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS!
ST. CATHARINES GAME & FISH ASSOCIATION
2026 SPRING DERBY RULES AND REGULATIONS
The 2026 SCGFA Spring Derby will commence on Saturday April 4, 2026, at 12:00am, and conclude on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at 6:00pm.
The eligible species and minimum weights are Salmon 20 lbs, Lake Trout 20 lbs, Rainbow Trout 8 lbs and Brown Trout 8 lbs. NO MINIMUM WEIGHTS FOR JUNIOR DIVISION
1. The Derby boundaries are all public waters of Lake Ontario & the lower Niagara River (ON & NY). Shore anglers are welcome to enter. Trespassing on private property is prohibited.
2. All participants must possess a valid fishing license for the waters they are fishing unless exempt by law and abide by all Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry and/or New York State Department of Environmental Conservation regulations when & where applicable.
3. Any fish with evidence of foul play or having been tampered with or artificially altered weight & any attempt to falsify entries will result in disqualification and prize forfeiture.
4. Ranking of all fish will be based upon the gross weight of the individual fish entered. In the event of a tie, the first fish weighed in according to the weigh-in sheet will be placed ahead.
5. When fishing from a boat, ALL OCCUPANTS of the boat must:
1. Possess a valid individual Spring Derby ticket or.
2. Be included in a Spring Derby family ticket (covers two spouses and their kids 16 & under, as well as any grandchildren 16 & under) or.
3. Be aboard a vessel registered with a 2026 Spring Derby Boat Ticket. A boat ticket covers everyone aboard the registered boat & may also be used as an individual derby ticket by only the listed “captain” if they are fishing aboard another boat.
4. Any anglers who own multiple boats must purchase a boat ticket for each vessel.
6. Derby tickets must be purchased a minimum of one day prior to derby fishing & entering a fish to be eligible for a prize. Daily tickets must be purchased the day before fishing by 11:59pm. All fish must be weighed & entered within 24 hours of being caught.
7. Every fish entered must have been caught by the named participant entering such fish. Entrants may enter as many fish as they wish, subject to minimum weights, but may only win one prize per species & per category.
8. All fish entered must be in good condition, with no deterioration or decomposition, for positive identification by the Derby judges.
9. All participants are required to retain any salmon that at the time of weighing could potentially be a weekly winner and/or the overall salmon division leader, until it has been inspected/verified by a derby official.
10. Entrants may be required to sign an affidavit attesting to the validity of any prize-winning entry and at the discretion of the Derby judges may be required to take a polygraph examination.
11. The SCGFA will not be liable to or for the loss of property, or for injury or death, to the person of any contestant or spectator. Participants compete in this derby at their own risk and by paying the entry fee agree to hold this association, the sponsors, the agents, and employees therefore harmless from any liabilities, claims, and costs of any nature whatsoever.
12. Prize winners will be notified by the Derby judges at the conclusion of the Derby. Prizes will be given at a date TBA.
13. Any dispute pertaining to the eligibility, the acceptability, the weight of any fish or the interpretation and application of these rules shall be determined by the Derby judges whose decision shall be final and binding.
14. Each entrant, by paying the entry fee, acknowledges that they have read and understand the rules of this derby, and agrees to abide by them.
15. All cash and prizes are valued and awarded in Canadian funds only.
16. Participants are welcome to weigh/enter a fish in more than one derby or tournament if all rules for all events are complied with accordingly. You may also enter the same fish in the Members Division. Everyone on the boat must have a 2026 SCGFA Membership to be eligible to enter the fish into the Members Division.
17. All participants must produce their Derby ticket(s) when weighing in their fish.
18. All participants will have their fish punched and inspected when entered if in contention. This is a shared responsibility of the weigh station and the angler. If possible, we ask that a nice clear picture of the angler holding their fish (or on the scale) be taken & submitted by text to 905-937-6335.
19. Fish must be weighed in at official Derby weigh stations during their regular business hours. Please note these hours vary station to station. It is the angler’s responsibility to be aware of this.
20. The Junior Division will run concurrently with the Main Derby and is open to any eligible angler 16 years of age or under at the time of the catch. The same fish cannot be entered in both the Main Derby and Junior Division. The same fish may be entered in both the Junior and Members Division.
21. The heaviest salmon weighed in every week will win $2000. Every fish entered must have been caught by the named participant entering such salmon. Entrants may enter as many salmon as they wish per week, subject to minimum weights. This weekly portion of the derby is a Calcutta to the spring derby. Cutoffs for this will be Friday April 10 at 6pm, Friday April 17 at 6pm, Friday April 24 at 6pm, Friday May 1 at 6pm, Friday May 8 at 6pm, Friday May 15 at 6pm, Friday May 22 at 6pm & Friday May 29 at 6pm. If there are no entries for a week, that week’s prize will roll over to the following week.
RANDOM CHECKS MAY BE CONDUCTED BY DERBY OFFICIALS AND CLUB EXECUTIVES TO ENSURE THAT ALL ANGLERS FISHING TOGETHER HAVE A VALID DERBY TICKET.
PLEASE REPORT ALL SUSPICIOUS PRACTICE OR BEHAVIOUR TO DERBY OFFICIALS IMMEDIATELY.
YOUR WEIGH STATION WILL BE GLAD TO ASSIST OR CALL 905-937-6335 AND DERBY OFFICIALS WILL INVESTIGATE FURTHER.