What is MACO?
Match Angling Club of Ontario, or MACO for short, is a non-profit fishing club that runs a series of tournaments, each 5 hours in length, at different venues across Southern Ontario every year. Schedule of events and their locations is posted on the Calendar page of our website. Contestants must be at least 16 years of age, own a sport or conservation fishing license and follow club rules and Ontario fishing regulations.
What are the benefits of membership and how do I join?
To join MACO you have to fish at least one MACO tournament as a non-member and complete a membership application. The annual membership fee is $50.00.
We recommend that members fish as many tournaments as possible, as the end-of-year member-only prizes are based on annual performance and angler standings. For example:
Angler of the Year will receive a prize worth $120, second place - $100, and third place - $80. By fishing each match, members will collect points for the annual classification. Anglers with higher standing in a match will receive more points, and the more matches fished, the more points collected, resulting in a higher standing in the final classification. In addition, there are other annual member-only prizes (Biggest Fish, Biggest Bag and Bulk Bag). Most of the tournament fees collected by the club are spent on prizes given away at the Invitational Tournament in September. This tournament is only open to members who have fished at least 50% of the matches in one year. Our annual points system is very simple. Standings are updated after each match and posted on the club website.
Do I need to be a member to fish a tournament?
To fish with MACO, there is no need to be a club member. The tournament fee is the same for members and non-members. The only difference is that the members can collect points for the Angler of the Year classification and other annual prizes. This way, an angler new to shore-based fishing competitions can try them out without having to join the club. If interested in this style of fishing however, it would be a good idea to join MACO to enjoy member benefits.
I would like to fish a tournament. What do I do?
Anglers need to pre-register via email (
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
) for a chosen tournament at least 3 days before the event date. It is very important to notify organizers if you want to fish a match. Our fishing venues are limited in size. Coming to a match without a reservation is not advisable. MACO members have the priority when registering and then the first come, first serve rule applies.
What is the tournament entry fee and prize structure?
Tournament fee for most matches is $20. 75% of that goes to cash prizes, 25% is for medals, trophy and other costs associated with running the club.
Example: If 25 anglers fish the match (25 x $20 = $500), $125 is reserved for the trophy, medals and club costs, while the remaining $375 is divided between the 3 finalists as follows:
1st place - $187.50
2nd place - $125
3rd place - $62.50
All finalists receive medals and the winner also receives a trophy. Match results and photos are posted on our website after every tournament.
In addition, we have an optional Big Fish pool for $5. 100% of the pool money goes to the winner. For example, if every angler enters the pool, the prize money in a 25-person tournament would be $125, (25 x $5). The entire amount of $125 is given to the angler who catches the biggest fish during the match.
How should I fish?
Anglers can fish with a float rod, pole, feeder, carp rod or any other type of rod that they own. Some contestants prefer one method over another, while other anglers use different styles interchangeably during a tournament. Only natural bait or bait composed of natural ingredients is allowed. Artificial bait may not be used, as stated in the club regulations. Which fishing method to use is dictated by the venue. Shallow or deep water, current or still water and different casting distances all require their own approach. MACO matches target all species of fish that are in season. The winner is determined by the overall weight of his or her catch. Naturally it is advantageous to target bigger fish, but a large catch of smaller fish that bite more frequently may easily outweigh 1 or 2 big carp. Please note that all caught fish must be returned safely into the water after being weighed, so you must have a full-sized keepnet to keep the fish alive during the match. Keepnets may be borrowed from the club for a nominal fee.
What is the structure of a typical tournament?
Registration 6:10am – 6: 40am
Briefing 6:40am
Peg draw 6:50am
Set-up time 7:00-8:00am (chumming allowed)
Begin fishing 8:00am
All-out signal 1:00pm
The fishing stops after the 1pm all-out signal. Judges will weigh the catches to determine the winner. Results are announced during the awards ceremony. Often there is a post-tournament BBQ where anglers have an opportunity talk with other competitors about the tournament and upcoming events.