Getting Started

1. The Explore Rainy Lake Digital Fishing Tournament is an online tournament run through Angler’s Atlas website and their mobile app MyCatch.
2. Anyone can participate in the Explore Rainy Lake Digital Fishing Tournament and it is for all ages. Registration is currently only able to support individual registration. For those without a personal cell phone (such as children) the participant will need to submit through a parent’s account regardless of whether the parent is participating in the tournament or not.
3. There is a $25 registration fee for Adults and $10 fee for Youth to enter the tournament. Youth must be 15 and under at the start of the event to enter the Youth category
4. Catches must be submitted through the MyCatch app for judging anytime during that period.
5. In order for catches to be sent properly, you must use the same login email and password for both the Angler’s Atlas website and the MyCatch app.
6. All contestants must register for the tournament via this URL: https://www.anglersatlas.com/tournament/512/explore-rainy-lake-digital-fishing-tournament-2021
7. You will receive an automatic email confirming that you have entered the tournament and that your payment has gone through.
8. Once accepted into the tournament, download the free MyCatch mobile app which is available for both iOS (Apple App Store) and Android (Google Play Store) and login to activate the tournament on the app again using the same login email and password that you used to register in the tournament. (https://www.anglersatlas.com/mycatch)
9. Protecting anglers’ privacy is a priority, and any location data collected during the tournament will not be released to the public. Our promise to anglers is “Secret Fishing Spots Stay Secret”. See below for further details.

Catch Reporting Rules

1. This event is catch and release only. Eligible species include only Walleye and Sauger. Only fish entered from Canadian waters will be eligible.
2. In order for each catch to qualify, a photograph of the fish on a measuring device must be taken using the MyCatch app (ie. photos cannot be uploaded from a photo gallery or other source). 
3. All contestants must have GPS/location services enabled on your cell phone for their catches to qualify. Your location data will be protected. For more information, see details below.
4. All length-based prize categories require the use of a ‘bump board’ or other measuring device that clearly shows the length of the fish. The nose of the fish must be aligned with the start of the measuring device, with both the nose and the tail clearly visible in the photograph.The photo must be taken from a birds-eye view looking down on the fish.
5.  The nose of the fish must be at the start or zero mark on all measuring devices and the total length is taken where the longest length of the tail crosses the measurements on the measuring device
6. This is a pinched tail measurement tournament. NOT fork length.
7. Fish must be placed on top of a measuring board if used. If a measuring tape is used, it must be fully visible showing both sides of the tape and as close to the fish as possible. The head of the fish must be visible so that it starts at the zero mark on the measuring tape.
8. The head of the fish must be on the left side of the photo, with the tail on the right. Only photos of the left side of the fish will be eligible. 
9. While the fish is being held on the bump board, a “scoring” photo must be taken of the fish which clearly shows the overall length of the fish. The HEAD and TAIL of the fish as well as the start of the bump board and past the end of the tail must be included and shown clearly. A photo that does not clearly show the overall length of the fish, including head and tail, on the ruler WILL NOT BE SCORED. More than one attempt to get a valid scoring photo is allowed. The app will prompt you to either accept the photo or retake a photo.
10. The mouth is allowed to be open, closed, or anywhere in between, so long as the fish meets the other above requirements. 
11. A video of the release of the fish is required as proof of releasing the fish for this event as well. After the length photo is taken, you will be prompted for options including to “Add a Release Video”. This will be a requirement for all entries in the event. If a length photo is received without a video release attached, the entry will be disqualified.
12. The app works out of cell range, and catches will synchronize with the server once the user opens the app when back in cell range, or via a wifi signal. Photos are date, time, and location stamped to the moment that they are taken. If the catches are not synced by the prizing deadline, they will not qualify for prizes.
13. Catches that are submitted will be reviewed for approval as soon as possible. Once the submissions are reviewed and approved, they will be immediately visible on the appropriate Leaderboard. DO NOT EXPECT to see entries show up immediately after you log them. We have a team of staff that is scheduled for each event and does the approval for a 10 day event in a timely manner.
14. A great resource is the MyCatch video that shows how to complete an entry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqwbAFFQE-w&list=PL1Yp9OqZ6saBgaKklT5jh6DkuTbai3NeJ&index=1&t=64s

Tournament Location and Times

1. Tournament boundaries are within the limits of the Rainy Lake and the Rainy River extending from Rainy Lake to the International Bridge. No fishing above the bridge will be allowed.
2. The tournament runs from: 

   Friday, August 13 at 6am through to Sunday, August 22 at 4 pm

3. All catches made within the start and end times must be synchronized with the Angler’s Atlas server within the event times to qualify.
4. At the discretion of the tournament director, tournament days may be shortened, postponed or cancelled due to unsafe weather or water conditions.

Awards &  Prizes

1. Proceeds from the tournament will be distributed as prizes in accordance with the prizing categories below:

1. Prize amounts are Guaranteed.
2. A participant can only win one prize placing
3. Awards will be announced on or by Monday August 23 @ 5 pm and anglers will be contacted directly using the contact information provided in the tournament registration process. All top placing teams and back ups will be completely reviewed prior to prize announcements.
4. In the case of a tie, the tie break will go to the person with the highest number of fish reported.
5. Tournament organizers reserve the right to adjust entries.

Other Rules

1. By registering and participating in the tournament, all participants agree to abide by the rules and regulations they have received as set out in the Explore Rainy Lake Digital Fishing Tournament event rules 
2. This tournament is catch and release ONLY. Harvesting fish will result in disqualification. The goal is to achieve a 0% mortality rate. 
3. Anglers can only submit catches that they have caught themselves. This is an individual tournament, so you cannot enter as a partnership or team, and under no circumstances can you share fish with any other angler. Anglers are free to fish alone or with other tournament or non-tournament anglers, but each registered angler may only enter their own fish on their own app.
4. All fish entered for this event must be caught via angling i.e. using hook, line, rod and reel. At no time will fish caught by non angling (i.e. use of traps, trap nets or cages) be allowed to be entered. Usage of a landing net to land a hooked fish is allowed.
5. Each contestant must have in their possession a valid fishing license for their respective jurisdiction or be exempt under regulations of their jurisdiction.
6. Each contestant must conform to the fishing rules and regulations that are in place for the jurisdiction in which they are fishing.
7. Promoters and organizers assisting in the tournament operation are not responsible for death, injury, damage, liability, theft, fire or any loss to any contestants.
8. Any angler found to be cheating will be disqualified from the tournament. Angler’s Atlas also reserves the right to ban anglers from competing in future events.
9. In the event of disqualification, any paid entry fees will be forfeited and not refunded.
10. All rules have loopholes. It is our intention to provide an honest sportsmanlike tournament. In the interest of good sportsmanship, contestants are reminded the spirit of the rule will prevail in all judgments.
11. All questions or concerns relating to the rules of this tournament are to be referred to the designated organizer. Their decision will be final in all cases. No other person can be considered a spokesman for the rules during the tournament. The contact person for this event is: Shayna Hamilton and can be reached at 1-250-552-9277 or by email [email protected]
12. Any contestant has the right to make a protest against another contestant by contacting an designated organizer through email and must be completed and presented within 1 hour of the close of the tournament. Their decision will be final in all cases. A $100.00 dollar protest fee may need to accompany the protest. The fee will be returned if the protest is found to be valid.
13. An infraction witnessed by a competitor can be reported to the designated organizer. In the event that an infraction is reported or a protest is entered, the Organizer and their committee may convene.
14. To ensure the best chances of survival for the fish, all participants are to handle fish safely. Blatant abuse to fish or the resource is reason for disqualification
15. All participants must follow provincial safety standards for PFD and boating safety. 
16. All COVID-19 Public Health orders and Gathering Restrictions at the time of the event must be followed by all participants
17. All photo submissions may be used by MyCatch by Angler's Atlas for future use.

Data Privacy and Fisheries Research

“Secret Fishing Spots Stay Secret” — This is our primary commitment to anglers who report their catches through MyCatch. So what does this mean in practice?

1. Angler’s Atlas does not release MyCatch GPS data to the public. It is treated as confidential and is provided to fisheries researchers under strict conditions.
2. Every research team we work with must sign a data sharing agreement that sets the terms of use for the data.
3. Data is anonymized before it is provided to the researcher.
4. Researchers agree not to share the data with anyone else.
5. Researchers cannot use the data for any purpose other than the research specified in the agreement. 
6. Exact location data cannot be published as part of the scientific research. Instead, it has to be generalized to a larger region so the location cannot be reverse engineered. 

These data privacy rules are designed to protect our angler’s private data, to conserve the fisheries, and to make sure we maintain a trusting relationship with our anglers into the future. If anyone has any questions, please feel free to reach out to Angler’s Atlas President directly by email ([email protected]).