41st Annual Ice Fishing Derby Rules & Regulations

​State Regulations - Due to COVID-19

• Participants fish only with immediate family members or members of their immediate household.
• Participants consistently maintain at least six feet of physical distance from anyone outside their immediate household and do not occupy shanties or popup shelters with individuals outside of their immediate household.
• Participants must wear cloth face coverings whenever six feet of physical distance from anyone outside their immediate household cannot be consistently maintained, and are encouraged to wear a face covering throughout the duration of the derby.

Official Derby Rules & Regulations
1. The Official Derby Headquarters is the VFW, on the corner of Route 78 and River Lane, in Swanton.  The building is on the village side of the Missisquoi Dam.

2. All fish must be registered in one  of the six weigh-in stations: Martin’s General Store*, Highgate Springs; Hog Island Market*, West Swanton; Harborside Harvest Market, North Hero; Keeler’s Bay Variety, South Hero; Lakeshore Ace Hardware, Colchester and J&S Fisheries, St. Albans*. The above * locations are weigh equipped to accommodate “Catch & Release” fish. There will be no bump boards at the weigh stations due to COVID-19 restrictions. Visit www.islandsderby.com or www.facebook.com/islandsderby for update results throughout the derby.

3. Weigh-in times vary at each location based on each location’s hours of operation. The Derby will officially close on Sunday at 3 p.m. After this time, no fish may be weighed in.

4. Prize winners will be announced at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday night live on Facebook at www.facebook.com/islandsderby 

5. Tickets are $25 US Funds. Online tickets are $27 US Funds. Tickets must be purchased by the end of business hours at individual locations, on Friday, Feb. 12. Online ticket sales close at 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 12
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6. Every fish entered must be freshly caught and becomes property of the Derby.

7. Derby judges will have final approval of all fish.

8. Any number of fish may be entered by one individual, but only three fish may be weighed in and entered into the Catch & Release drawing per ticket holder.

9. All prizes and awards are based on the weight of the fish entered. There are seven categories: Northern Pike (5lb minimum), Walleye, Lake Trout, Salmon (Brown Trout), Pickerel, Perch and Other (Ling, Bowfin, Hybrid, etc.)

10. The boundaries for the Lake Champlain Island’s Fishing Derby run from the Canadian Border between Alburgh and Highgate Springs, and from the South side on the Inland Sea to the Burlington-Port Kent ferry route. On the West side of the Islands, the boundary runs from the Canadian Border south to the Burlington-Port Kent ferry route. The New York State Line forms the Western boundary.