Fishing Contest
Annual glory. Eternal bragging rights. Moriarty remains undefeated.
"Drop that fish!" — Grandpa Gustafson
🎣 Don't forget: A valid Arizona fishing license is required. Buy before you arrive — printing on-site costs an extra $5.
Buy AZ Fishing License →🐟
Moriarty
The legendary catfish of Woods Canyon Lake. Rumored to have seen things. Never caught. Every year, someone's convinced this is the year. Every year, Moriarty disagrees. He has been mocking ManCamp since 2022.
Record: 0 captures in 5 years. Current status: laughing.
"John! Are you dead?" / "Not yet. But I don't want to die looking at your ugly face." — Max & John
🏆 2027 Contest
🎣 Theme: TBD
This year's theme is decided by group vote. Once it's set, the theme category winner is whoever lands the most fish playing the theme. Watch the WhatsApp group.
Past themes: Fishing with a Stick · Technology · Kids Gear · Unique Lures
Defending Champion · 2026
🏆 Erik Anderson
Most Fish Caught in 2026 — back-to-back champ. Title's up for grabs this year.
Trophy presented by Jon Cordoba
Standard Categories (every year)
🏆 Most Fish Caught
Total fish landed over the weekend. Quantity over quality.
📏 Biggest Fish
Length in inches. Measured, witnessed, photographed, or it did not happen.
⚖️ Heaviest Fish
Weight in pounds. Bring a scale or argue all you want.
🌅 First Fish of the Trip
Bragging rights and absolutely nothing else.
🪝 Unique Lures
Most fish caught on a unique/unusual lure. Bring your weirdest — the more creative the better.
📊 2027 Leaderboard
🎣 Log a catchLoading...
"You could retire in Florida just from selling me worms." — John Gustafson
🏛️ Hall of Fame
Overall Champion
Unknown
Lost to campfire smoke
Stick Fishing Champion
Zac Leach
Bamboo only, no reels
Technology Champion
Jon Cordoba
High-tech gear throwdown
Kids Gear Champion
Erik Anderson
Kids rod & reel — gear donated to Fishing for Life
Most Fish Champion
Erik Anderson
Most fish caught — back-to-back ManCamp champion
Theme TBD
Unknown — Jon Cordoba?
Theme decided by group vote — the contest is wide open
📜 Contest Rules
- 1.
Valid AZ fishing license required. No license, no contest eligibility, no excuses.
- 2.
All catches must be witnessed or photographed. Self-reported fish are taken with a block of salt.
- 3.
Measurement is king. Bring a measuring tape and scale. The longest fish wins biggest-fish, not the one that "felt huge."
- 4.
2027 theme: TBD (decided by group vote). Once it's set, you must play the theme to be eligible for the theme category. Cheating the theme disqualifies all entries for that category. We're watching.
- 5.
Jon Cordoba's ruling is final. Appeals are heard, considered, and then dismissed.
- 6.
Moriarty does not count. If you somehow catch Moriarty, you win everything. This has not happened in 4 years.
🐟 What's in the Lake
Woods Canyon Lake is stocked regularly by AZGFD with:
Rainbow Trout
Most common catch. 10–16" typical.
Brown Trout
Harder to catch. More satisfying.
Channel Catfish
Bottom dwellers. Moriarty's species.
📅 2027 AZGFD Stocking Schedule — Pre-ManCamp
AZGFD publishes the spring trout-stocking schedule closer to the season. Woods Canyon Lake is typically stocked with rainbow trout through April and May — so there should be fresh fish in the water when we arrive in mid-May.
Check the 2027 stocking schedule at azgfd.com →