Walleye Festival

The Quinte Walleye Festival Categories

Tagged Fish

Tagged Walleye will be released by the Quinte Walleye Festival Organizers prior to the event, all tagged fish can be claimed up until 4:00 pm on Sunday, May 3, 2026. Tagged fish caught during the Quinte Walleye Festival must be brought to the Official Weigh Station Headquarters located at the Duncan McDonald Memorial Arena (8 Couch Crescent, Trenton) to be claimed. 

Weigh-In Fish

Walleye and Pike caught during the Quinte Walleye Festival (May 2 and 3) must be weighed at one of the Official Weigh Stations, Quinte West Headquarters (Duncan McDonald Memorial Arena), Picton (Picton Marina) or Brighton (Harbourview Motel + Marina) to be recorded. A Live Leaderboard will be available on www.csfl.ca for all participants to view to keep track of all fish brought to scales. Participants may upgrade their leaderboard standing for one of the top 10 prizes.  All participants who weigh in during the Quinte Walleye Festival will be eligible for the Grand Prize!

Awards Ceremony Draw

All participants, whether they weighed in or not, are eligible and must be present for the Awards Ceremony Draws which take place during the Closing Ceremonies (Sunday, May 3 at 4:00 pm).

Social Media Picture Fish

All participants of the 2026 Quinte Walleye Festival are eligible to participate in the Social Media Picture Fish.  Pictures and videos can be submitted through Facebook and/or Instagram. Please ensure you are following the Quinte Walleye Festival Account Social Pages and be sure to tag the account and include “#2026quintewalleyefestival” within the caption! Participants can upload multiple photos throughout May 2 and 3, 2026. Contest closes at 11:59 pm on Sunday, May 3, 2026.

Pike-Eye Lunkerbowl Add On

Participants may opt into the Pike-Eye Lunkerbowl Quarterly Add On, an event within the event that awards cash prizes for the largest fish during designated time windows.

• Saturday: Walleye

• Sunday: Pike

Quarterly windows run 7–9 AM, 9–11 AM, 11 AM–1 PM, and 1–3 PM.The Lunkerbowl is a separate optional category with cash prizes based on entries.

2026 Quinte Walleye Festival Rules & Regulations

1. All ticket sales are final, non-refundable, non-transferable, no exceptions.

2. The event will begin Saturday, May 2nd at 12:01 a.m. and end Sunday, May 3rd at 4:00 p.m. 

3. All participants must be registered in the Quinte Walleye Festival prior to the deadline. Tickets may be purchased online or at participating retailers. The purchasing deadline is 11:59 pm on Friday, May 1, 2026.

4. Anglers can only claim one of the Top 10 Weighted Fish Spots, Anglers may upgrade their catch to improve their standing on the Official Leaderboard.

5. The official Quinte Walleye Festival Weigh Stations will be located at Quinte West Headquarters (Duncan McDonald Memorial Arena), Picton (Picton Marina) or Brighton (Harbourview Motel + Marina) and will be open, Saturday, May 2, 7:00 am through 5:00 pm; Sunday, May 3, 7:00 am through 4:00 pm.

6. The Quinte Walleye Festival and CSFL are not responsible for Tagged Walleye caught from previous years. They have no cash or prize value.

7. All eligible fish must be caught by the ticket holder.

8. Participants must be in possession of their ticket at all times and must retain their ticket to qualify and verify for the collection of prizes.

9. The eligible fish species are walleye and pike.

10. A fish shall be entered only once and shall be marked at the weigh station. A tagged walleye may also be entered for the Weigh In Prize and the Social Media Contest.

11. A clipped fish is not eligible to be weighed in.

12. Live or artificial baits may be used. All fish entered must be legally hooked. Any evidence of net, gaff, snag marks, frozen, badly deteriorated, gutted, artificially weighed, excessive internal water, or in any way tampered with shall immediately be disqualified. 

13. All fish, regardless of size, are eligible for prizes. Anglers are encouraged to practice Catch & Release.

14. Dead Fish Penalty: A 0.50 lb penalty will be applied to a dead fish. A Fish will be determined alive or dead at the weigh station. Dead fish will be examined, including biological examination therefore fish must remain intact and untampered with and will remain with the Quinte Walleye Festival Officials.

15. A fishing license is required and you may be asked to produce it at any time, unless otherwise exempt. Please ensure it is on your person at all times during the tournament. Boaters are required to attain a boater’s license, Boaters may be asked to produce it at any time. Please ensure it is on your person at all times during the tournament

16. All Federal and Provincial fishing, boating and criminal laws must be obeyed at all times. Participants agree to abide by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Game and Fish Act and regulations, the Small Vessel Regulations and the Rules and Regulations of the Quinte Walleye Festival.

17. It is illegal to transport live fish across land, therefore fish that have been transported across land in a vehicle will not qualify. 

18. All participants competing from a boat must carry adequate insurance. Proof of insurance must be made available upon request.

19. All participants competing from a boat must be within the maximum horsepower rated for your vessel. Kickers are permitted.

20. All motors must have a working kill switch which must be worn when outboard is running.

21. For anglers competing from a boat, participants must wear an approved flotation device while the outboard is running. 

22. Boundaries: Areas north of No. 1 dam in Trenton and north of CPR bridge in Belleville are ineligible.

23. All persons aboard the same boat must be registered in the Quinte Walleye Festival to be eligible for prizes. Random checks may be conducted by Quinte Walleye Festival officials at any time. 

24. Participants fishing from a boat must ensure rods in use reflect the amount of ticket holders.  

25. The Quinte Walleye Festival is solely responsible for the tagged fish prizes and over all cash prizes. The Quinte Walleye Festival is not responsible for sponsored prizes. Advertised prizes may be substituted with prizes of equal or greater value.

26. Sponsor prizes may be delayed due to supply chain issues, prizes will be delivered upon availability.

27. Official winners will be posted within 24 hours pending verification of information.

28. Prize winners will be notified at the conclusion of the Quinte Walleye Festival. 

29. Prizes must be collected at the Awards Ceremony, Sunday, May 3 after 4:00 pm.

30. Cash Prizes shall be delivered to the individual prize winners on or before May 31, 2026.

31. Adult Angler Ticket cost is $25.00.

32. Junior’s Angler Ticket cost is $15.00 - Juniors must be 15 years of age or younger, during active event days to be eligible for Junior Prizes.

33. Taxes are included in all ticket prices.

34. When purchasing tickets online be sure to print and sign the ticket immediately alternatively provide digital proof with photo ID. Falsified entries will result in immediate disqualification and prize forfeiture.

35. Proof of ticket and signing off will be required when registering a fish affirming the integrity of the catch.  All data recorded on the official weigh in form shall be final. 

36. Anyone can and should immediately report all suspicious practice or behaviour to Quinte Walleye Festival officials/director and/or official weigh stations.

37. All participants must produce their Quinte Walleye Festival ticket when weighing in a fish.

38. Quinte Walleye Festival officials may hold any fish for examination including biological examination therefore leader fish must remain intact and untampered with for 24 hours.

39. In case of extreme weather conditions, state of emergency or pandemic, the Quinte Walleye Festival Official Weigh In dates/hours may be delayed, restricted or canceled.

40. All fish shall be weighed in on the day they were caught.  Fish caught after scales close can be weighed in the following day during scale hours however must be reported by email (victoria@csfl.ca), voicemail or text message (416-802-2277) prior to midnight in order to be eligible.

41. At the discretion of the Quinte Walleye Festival officials, participants may be required to take a polygraph test. Disqualification shall result if a participant refuses to or is found to be unfit to take a polygraph test.

42. In the case of a tie based on weight, the winner shall be determined by the first fish recorded on the official weigh-in forms.

43. Participants of the Quinte Walleye Festival compete at their own risk.  By paying the entry fee the participant releases The Quinte Walleye Festival, Competitive Sport Fishing League (CSFL), The Spring Fishing & Boat Show, Canadian Outdoor Sports Shows and all event sponsors, weigh stations or anyone affiliated with The Quinte Walleye Festival from any and all liability, claims and responsibility of any nature to the participant or his/her heirs, executors, personal representatives, and representatives for any loss or damage of properties or for any injury suffered in any way from the Quinte Walleye Festival.

44. The Quinte Walleye Festival reserves the right to amend the rules and regulations as it sees fit.

45. The Quinte Walleye Festival officials’ decisions are final.

46. By paying the entry fee, each participant acknowledges that he/she has read, understood, and will abide by the rules of the Quinte Walleye Festival and agrees that failure to comply with any of the rules will result in immediate disqualification, forfeiture of all prizes and the right to enter any future Quinte Walleye Festival and CSFL events. 

47. Participants agree to allow, without charge, the Quinte Walleye Festival to use their names and photographs for promotional purposes.

48. The Quinte Walleye Festival reserves the right to deny any participants in its events.

49. Contact Quinte Walleye Festival Director via phone/text 416-802-2277 or email andrew@csfl.ca for any clarification of rules, after hour reporting, or suspicious activity.

Pike-Eye Lunkerbowl Rules & Regulations

In addition to the official Quinte Walleye Festival Rules & Regulations Above

Specific Pike-Eye Lunkerbowl Rules will be published shortly.