Florida Fish Art Contest

The Fish Art Contest, the national contest organized by Wildlife Forever, was inspired by a 5th grader's homework assignment that has grown into an international competition introducing youth to the wonders of fishing and the outdoors. Wildlife Forever organizes the competition each year and coordinates their efforts with states around the country. The FWC works with Wildlife Forever as a host state to run the Florida Fish Art Contest. The winners from Florida are submitted to Wildlife Forever for national recognition.

Approximately one month after the closing of the contest, Wildlife Forever will announce the winners on their website and the FWC will announce the winners on social media, in a press release, and on our website below.

The contest is open, make sure to submit your entry by February 28, 2026.

The Florida Fish Art Contest is open to all youth in grades K-12 (ages 5-18). To participate each youth will need to submit one original artwork and creative writing submission, following all Wildlife Forever Rules and Guidelines, using the entry form. The artwork must depict one or more of the Florida native species below from the same category.

• Category 1 – Freshwater: Florida Bass, Striped Bass, Black Crappie, Bluegill, Redear Sunfish, Spotted Sunfish, Channel Catfish, Florida Gar, Chain Pickerel, Bowfin
• Category 2 – Saltwater: Snook, Redfish, Spotted Seatrout, Wahoo, Tarpon, Mahi-Mahi, Spanish Mackerel, Hogfish, Queen Snapper, Red Grouper

Dive into the world of science, art, and conservation with the Wildlife Forever's FishOn! Lesson Plans! Explore their collection of lesson plans designed to accompany the Art of Conservation Fish Art Contest. Featuring captivating science explorations, their lessons offer a cross curricular way to ignite curiosity and foster a deeper understanding of the natural world. This program is designed for teachers seeking innovative resources, and can be customized to suite a range of classrooms and age ranges. Join us in empowering the next generation of conservationists through creativity and education.

One first-place winner and one runner-up will be selected from each grade bracket (kindergarten through third grade, fourth through sixth grade, seventh through ninth grade, and tenth through twelfth grade), one for illustrating the best freshwater fish species and one for the best saltwater fish species.

First-place Prizes:

• All first-place winners will receive one fishing rod and reel combo, one Create-a-Lure, and have their artwork advance to the national competition, displayed in FWC offices in Tallahassee, displayed in the FWC’s freshwater or saltwater regulations guide, and receive a signed certificate by either the Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management Director or the Division of Marine Fisheries Management Director.

• In addition, winners in the 10-12 grade bracket will receive 10 t-shirts printed with their artwork to give to family and friends from our partner The Florida Nomad.

* A copy of the regulations guide will be sent in July when the new issue is published.

Runners-up Prizes:

• All runners-up will receive one fishing rod and reel combo, one Create-a-Lure, and a signed certificate by either the Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management Director or the Division of Marine Fisheries Management Director.

GoOutdoorsFlorida Hard Card Recognition: One lucky artist may be selected from among all artwork submissions, from any grade bracket, to have their artwork available as a hard card selection for their fishing license. Hard cards are available to purchase, at an additional fee, to anyone who obtains or already holds a fishing or hunting license from the Go Outdoors Florida licensing system. A hard card is a collectible, credit-card style document that is an alternative to an electronic or paper license. The selected artist will NOT be sent a complimentary license or hard card.

The Florida Nomad Artist Spotlight: One lucky artist may be selected from among all artwork submissions, from any grade bracket, to have their artwork highlighted by The Florida Nomad as an Artist Spotlight on their website and receive a small prize package. Artists selected for this award will need to provide a photo of yourself, with parent permission, and a short bio.

The FWC partners with organizations in the fishing industry to support the Florida Fish Art Contest. Our partners donate prizing to the contest which are given to the top student artists.

Note: Neither the FWC nor the State of Florida endorse any individual company, and each company is solely responsible for their products/services and fulfillment of any offers. State laws prohibit false claims or fraud when claiming prizes.