After running on the treadmill for hours watching fishing shows I had an epiphany. I really have no respect for fat guys in power boats and electronic gizmos galore sitting above a school of fish dropping hooked leaches in front of them. Seems more like aqua harvesting than fishing. I propose a Quiet Journey fishing contest on Kawnipi at the entrance to Mackenzie bay where there are several large campsites in June of 2013/2014 or 2015. Each entrant could put in $50 or $100 or some other agreed upon amount. All entrants would gather at the largest site each morning at 6AM or so and throw their name in a hat. After drawing partners fish together until noon. Draw a new partner at 1PM and fish until 6. (Or draw a new partner at 4 and fish until 9PM). Do this for 2 days and split the pot between biggest fish and most fish. Partners verify catches and could even provide photographic evidence. Could break it down by species or do another area. Could break up into different camps, MT could lead the right wing Jesus freaks, Azelea could have a liberal academia campsite, somebody else could establish the 420 friendly site and so on.  I think we would all get along fabulously irregardless of our personal proclivities if we were in the Quetico fishing together. These are the thoughts that 3.5 hours on a treadmill can excite.
Jon Bratt Bird Island 

While not wishing to throw cold water on your idea, my opinion is that fishing in Q is the antithesis of a contest. Personally, I have no need for contests, and I would feel 'guilty' about taking your money... :o

Besides, there seems to be some difference of opinion about using fish finders here. I'm one of the users.

You are exactly right Old Salt fishing in the Quetico is exactly the opposite of a traditional fishing contest. But I submit it would be a real fishing contest. Unlike the lame contests conducted on motorboat accessible lakes this would be completely self propelled, barbless,without live bait, and a real test of fishing skills with or without depth finders. If any of you have read the book "Born to Run" this could be the fishing equivalent to the "Greatest race the world has never seen". Every Quetico trip is a real fishing contest but with only a few participants. I am going to listen to MT on this issue and buy and bring a depth finder this year.
Jon Bratt Bird Island

sounds like good clean fun Jon........$50 is a bit much though......we might need that extra dough just to get there considering what the price of gas might be this summer.......ouch!

Sounds like a great idea and a nice donation to someones gas funds given my fishing skills ;)

//Windsailor

Heck, why not make it a REAL contest and hold it on Zephira Lake?

Kingfisher wrote on Feb 27^th, 2012 at 5:33am:

Heck, why not make it a REAL contest and hold it on Zephira Lake?

"Zephira"? Zephyr is the greek variant meaning west wind. ( just thought you might want to know  :D )

I see no one, at least so far, took you up on having the contest at said location where I suspect part of the challenge is arriving in one piece. That would certainly add a little wrinkle to the contest would it not? 

I have been walleye fishing Kawnipi/ McKenzie bay area usually the last week of June and over the 4th of July for over 25 years. I am usually on the big water of Kawnipi when winds allow and in McKenzie Bay when I can't be on Kawnipi. Great fishing. I used to bring in a flat of 500 nightcrawlers before live bait was banned and I had tremendous numbers and size. Since then I have used gulp/powerbait on Lindy rigs and jigs and have trolled hard plastic lures and my catch rate and size has gone down by a 1/3. However, it is still great fishing.

For the past 4 years I have been hitting Brent/Comnee lakes for walleyes and smallies. I believe my catch rate is comparable to Kawnipi but I have caught larger walleye in Brent/Comnee on average.  Also, there seem to be fewer paddlers in the Brent/Comnee area but still more vrowded than I would like.

I would be up for a fishing contest for sure.

I think it sounds like an awesome idea, and my old man and myself would definitely be willing to put some money in the hat...

I've had some bad experiences with fishing contests.

1st year I went I didn't know how to fish, but caught the biggest Walleye, only one I caught too.

The pay-off was swept under the rug.

2nd trip I caught the only smallie.

Same guy complained to the trip leader that smallies shouldn't count that year. So nada again.

No more fish contest for me. I had suspected it wasn't a very honest contest, i.e. "1st liar doesn't stand a chance". On a later trip I witnessed my fishing partner trying to add length to his catch. Of course I spoke up and told the truth. He wasn't happy. Seems he felt it was every body's right to fug the numbers.

I don't trip with these guys now for various reasons. Not that all fisherman are like this group, but I read this and thought I'd share. Glad I don't trip with these guys anymore.
Hope everyone enjoys a friendly contest.

Yes, you need new friends.

In my group, we all lie equally so it is fair. We watch each other like hawks. Because we each know how deceitful the other is, we end up honest.  :)

I might point out that if you catch one smallie on a Quetico trip you should lower your expectations generally!

My skills have improved a lot since my first couple trips. That's more a statement of how low my skills were to begin with. I was losing lures cause I didn't even know how to tie a good knot. You mean you spit on it? Duh?  ;D ;D