Top 5 BIG Fishing Tournaments

By Mathew Koprash Mat is an avid hunter, angler, and tournament fisherman who lives in Northeastern Ontario.

April 12, 2023

I hope everyone is as excited as I am to get out on the water and add a competitive edge to your weekend. Whether you are a seasoned tournament angler or thinking about getting started, there are all different kinds of events available to you. I’d like to share my top 5 tournaments along with some of the local clubs and series in Northeastern Ontario. There are many opportunities to be had, so why not test your skills against other anglers like yourself?

1. Nickel City Bass – Ramsey Lake, Sudbury

The Nickel City Bass Club started in 2013 and has been growing in numbers ever since. With a very experienced and eager executive backed by their members' involvement, the club is off to a great start. This is a fun local series showcasing some of the best lakes in the area. All of their events are open to the public this year providing opportunities for the local anglers to participate.

This body of water may surprise some people with it being in the heart of the City of Greater Sudbury, and sustaining a very healthy fishery. The lake has a high volume of fishing and recreational boating along with various events taking place. Science North, Bell Park, and Moonlight Beach are all great places to visit while in town.

The Ramsey Lake Tournament has become one of my favorite events for the last two seasons. The event usually marks the start of a very busy and exciting bass tournament fishing season! This year’s event will be held on May 14th. I know the fish will be hungry and a great group of anglers will be there for you to compete against!

2. North Bay Bassmasters – Cache Bay, Verner

The North Bay Bassmasters have been around in one way or another for close to 20 years and have always had a great group of local anglers showing their support. All of the members are looking forward to another great year of fishing all the lakes surrounding

North Bay, Ontario.

The club is affiliated with B.A.S.S., which is the leading name in professional tournament fishing. Winning the Bassmaster Classic for Anglers is comparable to winning the Stanley Cup for hockey players. The North Bay club can provide that opportunity through an Ontario Qualifier with all the other clubs in Ontario. The club also puts time in with the community and will be completing a fundraising event this year with all proceeds going towards Scouts Canada.

I am really looking forward to their event on Cache Bay, Lake Nipissing, as this is one of the only events in the area where mainly largemouth bass are weighed in. These fish are an absolute blast to target and aren’t as readily accessible as their cousins, the smallmouth bass. Techniques are totally different, and tossing frogs over the weeds or flipping and pitching jigs all day can be tiring but that one BIG bite can make the day worth it. Let’s hope I get the five key bites needed that day!

3. Temiskaming Smallmouth Bass Series – Nipissing Challenge, North Bay

The Temiskaming Smallmouth Bass Series is one of the longest running bass tournament series in Northeastern Ontario. This event will have over $20,000 payback based on a full field of 50 teams on Northeastern Ontario’s BIGGEST and best bass lake! The tournament dates and details for this year are still waiting to be announced.. A tournament of this magnitude hasn’t been seen in Northern Ontario for quite a few years and should bring out some of the biggest names in the industry.

Lake Nipissing is notorious for having five-fish daily tournament bags that weigh in at over 20lb. Some bass are even weighing over 5 lbs! These are trophy-sized fish no matter where you are in the province. This is why anglers from all over Ontario have been asking for this kind of tournament and know its potential for BIG Bass! I can’t wait for this event to get here and will have fun all summer long exploring what seems like endless fishing possibilities.

4. Bassin’ for Kids – Lake Temagami, Temagami

I hold Bassin’ for Kids in high regard because it was the first tournament I ever competed in - and it got me hooked! This invite-only event is focused on everyone having fun and creating a great environment to do just that. Camp Wabikon located on Temagami Island provides accommodations along with the full use of all the amenities they have to offer. This is a full-weekend event in September, and Saturday is tournament day, based on the biggest five bass with bonus categories for trout, walleye, and pike.

The event is for a great cause and $735,000.00 has been raised for kids' charities in the last 30 years. Over the last two years alone, an average of $55,000.00 has been raised over the weekend. I can only imagine the fun I will have and what the total donation amount will be!

5. NOWT Sagamok Fall Walleye Classic – Spanish River, Massey

The Sagamok Anishnawbek, in conjunction with the Northern Ontario Walleye Trail (NOWT), always knows how to close out a year in style. Every part of this event gets me excited—the venue, the delicious meals provided, the group of anglers, and the Spanish River system. This is the final event of the season for the NOWT and the Angler of the Year title is awarded at the end of the weekend.

The Classic is a two-day tournament with over $35,000.00 in cash and prizes. Big changes can happen on the leader board at any time as there are some serious fish to be caught in this river system! The event is held September 24and 25 out of Massey, Ontario.

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About Mathew Koprash

Mathew Koprash has been passionate about fishing for his whole life, and is dedicated to sharing his tips and techniques with others who share his passion.