In 2000 a new fishing club was founded to host shore-based angling tournaments in Ontario. The Match Angling Club of Ontario (MACO) is a non-profit organization that holds an annual series of live release shore-based fishing tournaments. MACO events offer an excellent payback and prize structure and provide an exceptional atmosphere of sportsmanship, which allows both novice and experienced anglers to participate in world-class fishing competitions. One of the club’s main objectives is to emphasize respect for all species of fish and their environment and to aspire to the highest level of sportsmanship among anglers.

Match angling is an exciting form of competitive fishing, which originated in Europe. Match angling competitions differ from traditional North American tournaments in several major ways. Matches are fished from shore rather than from a boat. This allows for anglers of all ages, incomes and physical condition to take part in the competitions. Matches are not usually limited to one species of fish such as in bass or walleye tournaments, instead all in-season species count in a total weight format. For example, 40 bluegills, carp and catfish weighing 20lbs would win a match over a 16lb catch made up of 6 largemouth bass. This provides the angler with a large variety of tactical choices to make during a match. 

What species to fish for? What size of fish to go after? All of this makes match fishing a highly competitive and exciting sport. At the start of a match, entrants draw for a ‘peg’ or a spot on the shore. The pegs are about 10 meters apart and are evenly spaced along the bank. The peg is where you fish for the duration of the match, trying to catch the highest total weight of fish possible from your peg. The fish are kept alive and healthy until they are weighed in a large, fish-friendly, fine mesh net called a keepnet and are all released unharmed after being weighed.

While you don’t require very sophisticated tackle to start out in match fishing, it can become as highly specialized as any bass or walleye pro’s gear – maybe even more so. Anglers in Europe routinely use poles of 12 to 16 meters in length for accurate and efficient fishing with floats (bobbers), but don’t let this scare you off, as many matches in Ontario can be won with the very tackle you probably already own. Watch out, however, because you may find yourself catching the match fishing fever and begin to assemble your own arsenal of highly specialized shore fishing gear!