Every year, the Montreal Lake Walleye Ice Fishing Derby lures large crowds with promises of big walleyes and even bigger paychecks, with the grand prize topping out at a whopping $100K. The normally peaceful event took a turn when an angler was accused of cheating during the 18th annual event.
According to statements from the Montreal Lake Cree Nation, the individual was removed from the ice after allegedly violating derby rules. The case has since been referred to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency for further investigation. As of now, no charges have been filed.
The annual event, held on Montreal Lake in central Saskatchewan, routinely draws hundreds of anglers competing for the substantial grand prize for the largest walleye. The derby has grown significantly in recent years, though this is the first time there has been any accusations of cheating.
“This was an isolated incident,” the Montreal Lake Cree Nation said in a March 22 statement. “There have been no known incidents of fraud in previous years, and we remain committed to ensuring a fair and transparent process.”
Suspicion at the Weigh-In
The Montreal Lake derby has a somewhat unique format. As Wired2fish readers learned last year, the event features a roped-off fishing zone with pre-drilled holes, where anglers pay an entry fee for a shot at life-changing prize money. In 2025, angler Gregorio Roguel Jr. landed a 4.4-pound walleye worth $100,000. Organizer Chelsea Naytowhow said Roguel and four friends had driven six hours to compete in the derby.
With that level of competition and prize money on the line, people can be tempted to make poor decisions. While details remain limited, reporting from CBC News indicates the alleged incident may have impacted leaderboard standings during the event.
Drayden Morin hooked the first walleye of the tourney. He held first place until he was bumped by the angler under suspicion of cheating. But when Morin checked the leaderboard again, he noticed he was back in first.
“I came back around, and my name was back up on the leaderboard,” Morin said. “They told me they disqualified the guy.”
Morin ultimately secured the win with a 2.5-pound walleye he caught early in the competition — the tourney’s only weighed-in walleye. There was speculation online that some netting might have occurred near the area laid out by the event’s organizers in the days leading up to the contest. Anglers caught 61 northern pike, but no walleyes aside from Morin’s and the disqualified one were brought in. There was a prize issued for the largest northern pike, with Allister Nawakayas taking home $20,000 for the fish.
As for Morin’s big check? He said the prize money would go toward a down payment on a home for his family.
An Increasing Issue?
The investigation has raised some eyebrows amongst Saskatchewan’s competitive fishing scene. According to CBC, some anglers and organizers have raised concerns about repeat winners appearing across multiple high-stakes derbies in recent years.
Andrew Pallotta of the Competitive Sport Fishing League told CBC News that cheating in fishing tournaments often follows familiar patterns.
“Either you’re putting them in a cage or you’re going to weigh them down,” Pallotta said, describing two of the most common forms of fraud in competitive fishing.
He added that some organizations have begun implementing stricter enforcement measures. Those include polygraph tests, metal detector scans, and even cutting open fish to check for tampering.
“We want to make sure [of fairness], because it starts questioning the integrity of what the tournament’s all about.”
The Story Is Still Unfolding
For now, the case remains under investigation, and officials have not confirmed the exact nature of the alleged rule violation. However, the Montreal Lake Cree Nation emphasized it will support enforcement measures and potential prosecution if wrongdoing is proven.
“If violations are confirmed, [we] will support all enforcement measures and prosecutions,” the statement read.
Despite the controversy, organizers maintain that the derby’s reputation remains strong. Safeguards will continue to evolve alongside the event’s growth.
