How it works

Ontario students are invited to enter the Kids’ Fish Art Contest. This free annual contest lets you show off your artistic talents and learn about Ontario’s native fish and their habitats. Winners will be chosen by judges and a partial vote will be counted through public votes on the Fish and Wildlife Facebook page. There is 1 winner for each of the 3 categories:

  • Grades 4-6
  • Grades 7-9
  • Grades 10-12

Eligibility

The contest is open to all students who are:

  • residents of Ontario
  • currently attending elementary or secondary school (or homeschooled)
  • between the Grades of 4-12

Only 1 entry per student will be accepted. All entries must include:

  • a completed entry form
  • the original artwork

Kids' Fish Art Contest is not open to the immediate relatives of employees of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry

Prizes

Winners will receive a fishing prize pack including items from Lucky Strike Bait Works.

Winners will also receive a personalized Learn to Fish session for their classroom.

Artwork requirements

The artwork must:

  • call attention to the fish species and be depicted in its natural habitat
  • be the contestant’s original, handmade creation

The judges want to see an original approach and your artistic inspiration.

Art techniques may include acrylics, oil, dry brush, watercolour, pencil crayon, crosshatch, collage, linoleum printing, crayon or anything else of your choosing. Artwork must not exceed 1/4” in total thickness.

Photographs, tracing, and computer-generated artwork will not be accepted. If submitted artwork does not meet these requirements, it will not be considered. No lettering, signatures, or initials may appear on the front of the design. Any artwork with such identifying characteristics will be disqualified and eliminated from the competition.

If the artwork is part of a classroom project, complete the school information before photocopying and distributing the entry forms to students.

Announcing the winners

The winners will be contacted by February 2024. All winning entries will be displayed online at ontario.ca/FishArtContest.

Any monies realized from the sale or licensing of the artwork will be used to support the contest, fish and wildlife conservation, and education initiatives. The winning artists must provide autographs without charge to the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. The Kids’ Fish Art Contest retains all winning entries. The contest will not ensure entries it receives, be responsible for loss or damage of the entries, and the entries may not be returned.

20th annual contest winners

For the 20th annual contest, students chose between longnose gar and lake trout.

Thank you to all students who entered and to our generous contest partners, Lucky Strike.

Grades 10-12 and grand prize winner

Yasmine Toubache of Kingston, Ontario

Yasmine won fishing gear from Lucky Strike Bait Works and will have their artwork featured in the 2024 Ontario Fishing Regulations. Congratulations, Yasmine!

Grades 7-9

Brooke Linde of Wellandport, Ontario

Brooke won fishing gear from Lucky Strike Bait Works and will have their artwork featured in the 2024 Ontario Fishing Regulations. Congratulations, Brooke!

Grades 4-6

Wendy Xie of Mississauga, Ontario

Wendy won fishing gear from Lucky Strike Bait Works and will have their artwork featured in the 2024 Ontario Fishing Regulations. Congratulations, Wendy!