The Manitoba High School Ice Fishing Championship continues to grow, returning to Balsam Bay for its third year on March 10. Balsam Bay is located on the southwest shore of Lake Winnipeg, just south of Gimli and north of Winnipeg Beach. Tournament organizer Dustin Bruce expects approximately 1,500 students from more than 70 schools to attend, with space still available for high schools looking to participate.
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Registration is now open for the Manitoba High School Ice Fishing Championship, set for March 10 on Balsam Bay
Bruce and co-convenor J.J. Ross first began hosting ice fishing derbies more than five years ago for St. James-Assiniboine School Division high schools. After receiving repeated requests from schools outside the division, the pair coordinated the inaugural provincial championship in 2024.
Since its inception, the event has expanded rapidly, and registration numbers for this year already point to a record-breaking turnout. For Bruce, the championship is about far more than competition — it’s a hands-on way to teach fishing skills, responsibility and conservation.
“It’s opened up a lot of different ways to teach about fishing and fisheries,” Bruce said. “It teaches students how to prepare, and for us, it wraps up our fishing unit in a fun way. It also enables us to have important conversations about conservation. It’s rewarding knowing we’re leaving our resources in capable hands. That’s the legacy behind it — teach them young and teach them the right way.”
In the classroom, Bruce prepares his students by teaching them how to tie knots, prepare tackle, review the angling guide, identify fish and understand the full fishing process.
“I want to make myself as useless as possible come championship day,” he said. “I love seeing students able to do everything on their own.”
The championship is a full-day event that blends education, community and friendly competition. Students have opportunities to engage with fishing and conservation professionals while competing for hundreds of prizes. Awards include trophies, banners and bragging rights for schools that reel in the biggest catches.
Schools from across Manitoba — including several from the north — have attended in past years. Bruce credits the strength of the fishing community for the championship’s continued success.
“What’s cool is that all the organizations involved share similar goals of protecting our resources so we can all enjoy them,” he said.
While teaching conservation to such a large number of students presents challenges, Bruce called the record-setting attendance an “awesome problem to have.”
There is no cap on registration numbers, but teachers or group leaders must register their teams by 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 27. Individual students without adult supervision, and teams without wristbands received through pre-registration, will not be permitted to participate.
New for 2026, the championship will introduce three divisions based on school size:
A: fewer than 14 anglers;
AA: 14–29 anglers;
AAA/AAAA: more than 30 anglers.
Registration closes two weeks before the event to allow organizers and volunteers time to prepare prizes and pre-drill holes — an intensive, full-day task.
“It takes a lot of volunteers and manpower,” Bruce said. “We drill 25 per cent more holes than kids. We head out Monday, camp on the ice, and drill more holes at 4 a.m. It’s exhausting, but another awesome problem to have.”
Registration costs $20 per student and includes a fishing licence for the duration of the derby, a pre-drilled hole, and coverage for supplies and services. All remaining funds go toward prizes, as the event is non-profit. Each registered school also receives a welcome package designed to help build or sustain a fishing program.
“Our goal is to make it as easy as possible to just show up and start fishing,” Bruce said.
Students are only required to bring a rod, bait, a chair and warm clothing. Food vendors will be on site, with lunch available for purchase.
Bruce emphasized the event is designed to be enjoyable regardless of fishing success. Based on feedback from previous years, schools understand the experience goes beyond catching fish.
“Just being in the atmosphere with so many schools together makes it a once-in-a-kind event,” he said. “Just being here is a reward in itself.”
In addition to prizes for the longest and smallest fish, teams can win awards for catching no fish, as well as individual student prizes. Other activities include a fan-favourite push-up contest, ice plank challenge, casting contest, trivia and more.
“There are lots of ways to have fun,” Bruce said. “We’re more than just about fishing.”
New this year is a photo contest encouraging schools to go ice fishing before the championship. Bruce said it promotes practice, helps students prepare and increases the likelihood of catching fish in a quieter environment.
Bruce’s favourite moment of the day comes at the very beginning.
“Seeing all the students dash for a hole when the starting horn goes off — it’s just the coolest thing,” he said. “I still get goosebumps every year.”
He extended thanks to the many sponsors and volunteers who make the event possible, with a special shout-out to the Fishin’ Hole in Winnipeg for donating prizes and offering school-wide discounts to educators.
“I encourage any teacher looking to buy supplies to go through the Fishin’ Hole,” Bruce said.
A full list of sponsors will be displayed at the championship. Anyone interested in volunteering — either by pre-drilling holes or helping measure and identify fish — is asked to email Bruce at dustin.bruce@sjasd.ca or scan the QR code on the event poster. Registration for the derby is also completed online through the QR code.
