RULES & REGULATIONS

    1.   May enter fish on the day caught in the U.S. and Canadian waters of Lake Ontario by hook and line and retrieved and brought to net by rod and reel in a legal manner as designated by New York State DEC or Province of Ontario MNR. Derby waters are limited to those where lake regulations are in effect. Niagara River boundaries are the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge for shore anglers and Devils Hole for boat anglers. Tributary and special regulation waters are excluded.

2.   Must officially register by 7:00 A.M. on the day you wish to fish and prior to fishing and be in possession of his/her store registration card or online invoice number at all times and present the card to any official Derby personnel upon request. 

3.  Anyone 10 to 15 at the time of registration will be registered as a youth. Minimum age for entry into any LOC Derby is 10. Anyone 16 or older must register as an adult. All registrants compete for the same divisional and daily prizes.

4.   Agrees to abide by the LOC Official Rules and Regulations and agrees that failure to comply with any of the rules will result in automatic disqualification, forfeiture of all prizes, recognition as a prize winner and the right to enter any future LOC Derby. LOC Derby reserves the right to deny participation in a LOC Derby to anyone.

5.   Anyone disqualified in another Lake Ontario fishing Derby or tournament such as, but not limited to, the Lake Ontario Pro-Am, Niagara County Fish Odyssey, Orleans County Derby, or Wayne County Derby will be ineligible for any prize consideration in and LOC Derby. 

6.   Agrees that all persons aboard the same boat (private or charter) must be registered in the Derby, including captain and mate. In the event that there are any persons on board the boat who are not registered (whether they are fishing or not), all fish caught during that particular outing may not be offered or considered for any prizes. A supporting affidavit may be required by all registered contestants aboard the same boat, affirming the integrity of the catch and also that no unregistered person was aboard the boat. EXCEPTION: Youths under the age of 10 are allowed on the boat or charter as observers only! Numbers of rods and fish limits are based solely on the number of registered participants.

7.   Must be fishing with at least (1) other LOC Derby registered participant (minimum of two (2) persons per boat). In the case of stream, pier, shore fishing, etc. the witness must be in the immediate company of the person who caught the fish. When entering their fish, must be accompanied by their witness who signs an affidavit which corroborates the method, time and location of the catch, which will not be official until signed by the Weigh Master. The minimum age of a witness is 10 years old.

8.   Official weigh-in will not take place until the entrant and their accompanying witnesses present their official  LOC store registration  or online invoice number to the Weigh Master in charge.

9.   Agrees that each contestant who offers a prize winning fish and all registered affirming witnesses will be subject to a polygraph (lie detector) or voice stress test if so specified by the Derby Rules Committee. And further agrees that failure to pass the test will result in disqualification. Disqualification will result if an entrant refuses a polygraph or is determined to be unfit for a polygraph due to drug or alcohol consumption. The official LOC polygraphist shall make this determination. Polygraph tests will be administered on the day of the awards ceremony.

10. Agrees that the Weigh Master must weigh in all fish entered in the LOC Derby at an official LOC Weigh Station on the day caught. CHECK WITH WEIGH IN STATION FOR HOURS! Maximum hours are 9AM to 8pm for every Derby but not all stations are open those hours. (Check on the weigh in stations page for the most current hours) 

2025 Spring Derby May 2nd - 11th. Derby ends 1:00 pm May 11th  
2025 Summer Derby June 28th - July 27th. Derby ends 1:00 pm July 27th.
2025 Fall Derby Aug 15th – Sept 1st. Derby Ends 1:00 pm Sept 1st.

11.  Must enter the fish whole, not gaffed, gutted or snagged and winners will be determined by the weight of the fish only. Any fish containing any foreign materials (including but not limited to  water, ice, and weights) will disqualify that fish from consideration for any prize. Black salmon will not be eligible for entry in this Derby. Fish will be examined for gill net marks, bleached or slimy gills, hook and/or gaff marks, fin rot or fungus, freezer burn, clouded eyes, unresponsive  flesh – any of which can disqualify the fish. disqualify the fish.

12. Agrees that the Weigh Master prior to weighing will remove all bait fish or ice visible in the mouth of any fish.

13. Agrees that fish weight is determined by full ounce only. No fractions of an ounce will be recorded. Partial ounce weights will be rounded down in all instances.

14. Agrees to submit, if required by a Derby official, their fish for microscopic tissue examination, internal examination, entering the cavity through an incision or use of a probe and not limited to temperature probes.

15. Agrees that LOC entrant who enters the prize-winning fish will be the sole recipient of cash or merchandise awards. Dividing of prizes will be handled by entrant, NOT the LOC Derby Committee. A prior written agreement as to the division of prizes is recommended.

16. Agrees that all trout must weigh a minimum of ten (10) pounds for all derbies. Walleye must weigh a minimum of eight (8) pounds (Spring & Fall).  Salmon must weigh a minimum of twenty (20) pounds for entry in the Spring and Summer Derbies and twenty-five (25) pounds for the Fall Derby. Only initial measurement by Weigh Master is valid due to imminent shrinkage. YOU MUST KEEP YOUR FISH UNTIL IT DROPS BELOW 4TH PLACE IN ANY DIVISION. 

17. Agrees that all fish in contention, as determined by the sole discretion of Derby officials, are property of the Derby until released by a Derby official. All weighed fish must be gill punched by the Weigh master. It is the sole responsibility of the entrant to retain any fish submitted for prize consideration until the Derby results are declared official.

18. Is entitled to only one division cash prize. No participant may win more than one of the division prizes, although contestants may enter more than one fish. If the succeeding fish is larger, the smaller of the fish with least weight will be withdrawn. You can win multiple daily/weekly prizes. Only Salmon are eligible for the Grand Prize. 

19. Agrees to submit all disputes to a designated Derby official within eight hours after the fish is entered and agrees that all disputes will be submitted to the Derby Rules Committee, whose decision will be final. The Derby Rules Committee shall consist of Derby Organizers.

20. Agrees that the decision of the judges will be final and not reviewable in any form. In the event of a tie, the person who enters the first fish according to the date and time recorded on the fish entry form will be the winner. The second or subsequent fish, entered at the same weight, will assume the next lowest division position, and so on until all positions are filled. If two or more fish of identical weight should be entered on the same date and time, a toss of the coin will determine the winner and the loser will assume the next lower position in the division.

21. Agrees that award recipients are responsible for payment of all taxes on prizes $600 and more. Refusal to submit proper Social Security information will result in disqualification. You must submit a W-9 form AND CASH YOUR CHECK by December 1st in the calendar year you caught your fish.  Failure to do so will result in forfeiture of any prize monies.

22. Agrees that the LOC Derby Employees and their families may enter and fish in the Derby, but are not eligible for prizes.

23. Agrees to hold the Derby officials, sponsors, their agents, servants and/or employees, harmless from any liability of any nature and kind for injuries and/or damages suffered by the entrant during the period that the Derby is held.

24. Agrees to use good judgment in regard to existing and projected weather conditions. Listen to and heed the warnings of the U.S. Coast Guard and local weather reports, before and during each day’s fishing and, not to place in jeopardy themselves or others on the boat during the Derby. To have personal floatation devices aboard and to operate under Coast Guard regulations.

25. There are four divisions in the Spring (Salmon, Brown Trout,  Lake Trout & Walleye) and Four divisions in the Summer LOC, (Salmon, Brown Trout, Lake Trout & Rainbow/Steelhead). There are four Divisions in the Fall LOC, (Salmon, Brown Trout,  Rainbow/Steelhead & Walleye). Steelhead and rainbow trout are considered the same species in the Derby for purposes of awarding prizes. Chinook, Coho & Atlantic are all considered salmon.

26. Agrees that all Grand Prize, First and Second place division winners and their witnesses must attend the Awards Ceremony and bring their fish whole to the Ceremony. Failure to attend will result in forfeiture of all prizes, including daily and weekly.  All awards ceremonies will take place the final day of each respective Derby.  Derby results will be certified as official by the LOC Derby Officials immediately prior to the Awards Ceremony. Winners must arrive by 3 pm and the awards ceremony will commence at 4:00. 

27. Must possess a valid New York State or Canadian fishing license unless exempted by law.