1. Getting Started

A. The Western Canada Kayak Fishing Trail - WCKFT Cold Lake Classic - CFE licence
#602256 - is an online tournament run through Angler’s Atlas website and their mobile app
MyCatch.
B. There is a licensed limit of 25 anglers. Anyone can participate in the WCKFT 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.
C. There is a $50 registration fee to enter the tournament. Payment may also be made in
person to the Tournament Organizer on the day of the event.
D. Catches must be submitted through the MyCatch app for judging anytime during that
period. If no cell service is available to the user, catches may be logged manually onsite,
after event completion. No catches will be accepted beyond the tournament window.
E. 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.
F. All contestants must register for the tournament via this URL:
https://www.anglersatlas.com/tournament/513/wckft-cold-lake-classic-2021
G. You will receive an automatic email confirming that you have entered the tournament.
You will receive a separate email confirming official entry once payment is received.
H. 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)
I. 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.
J. A WCKFT Tournament Identification Card will be issued to you via email once registration
is complete. Print and complete the Identification card and have it with you during the
duration of the event. Armbands will be made available through the WCKFT Facebook page
or by emailing [email protected].

2. Catch Reporting Rules

A. This event is catch and release only. Eligible species include: Lake Trout. The
tournament will be best of 3 of the target species. Recognize fish species using the
information below:
https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-game-fish-species.aspx
http://www.albertafishingguide.com/fish
B. 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).
C. 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.
D. 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.
E. This is a pinched tail measurement tournament. NOT fork length.
F. Fish must be placed on top of the measuring device.
G. The fish must be measured belly-to-belly (the belly of the fish facing the belly of the
person/angler holding the fish). The head of the fish must be on the left side of the photo,
with the tail on the right.
H. While the fish is being held on the ruler, 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.
I. There are to be no fingers placed in the gills or mouth of the fish. Any fingers in the gills or
mouth of the fish will disqualify that fish.
J. Blatant abuse to fish or the resource is reason for disqualification
K. For species diversity categories, the photo must show the entire fish so it can be
identified by tournament organizers.
L. 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.
M. Catches that are submitted will be reviewed on a timely basis. Once the submissions are
reviewed, they will be immediately visible on the appropriate Leaderboards. (Cellular
service permitting)
N. 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=8s

3. Tournament Location and Times

A. Tournament boundaries are within the limits of French Bay within the water body of Cold
Lake near Cold Lake, AB.
B. All pre-fishing inside the tournament boundaries must end by 6 pm on Friday, August 13,
2021.
C. The tournament runs on: August 14, 2021 from 6 am to 5 pm
D. 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. Awards & Prizes

A. Proceeds from the tournament will be distributed as prizes in accordance with the prizing
categories below.
First prize=$400, Second Prize=$240, Third=$160.
B. Prize amounts are based on a full field of 25 anglers. If the tournament doesn’t fill, the
payout percentages for each paid position will remain the same and will be adjusted
accordingly.
C. A participant can only win one prize placing per event.
D. Awards will be announced following the event and winners will be contacted directly
using the contact information provided in the tournament registration process.
E. In the case of a tie, the tie break will go to the person with the highest number of fish
reported.
F. Tournament organizers reserve the right to adjust entries and all decisions by
Tournament Organizers are final.

5. Other Rules

A. All watercraft used in this event must be human powered the entire duration of the
tournament. The watercraft must meet or exceed all federal and provincial watercraft safety
regulations.
B. 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 WCKFT Tournament event rules
and the Competitive Fishing Event License issued by the Government of Alberta.
C. This tournament is catch and release ONLY. Harvesting fish will result in disqualification.
The goal is to achieve a 0% mortality rate.
D. Harvesting fish will result in disqualification.
E. All participants must use barbless hooks only. For the purposes of interpreting this
condition:
i. A hook means a single, double, or triple pointed hook on a common shaft, and
includes hooks and attached to a line or lure and:
ii: Barbless hooks include hooks with barbs removed or hooks with pinched
barbs lying flat against the shaft of the hook such that they are not functional.

F. 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.
G. 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.
H. Each contestant must have in their possession a valid fishing license for their respective
jurisdiction or be exempt under regulations of their jurisdiction.
I. Each contestant must conform to the fishing rules and regulations that are in place for the
jurisdiction in which they are fishing.
J. Promoters and organizers assisting in the tournament operation are not responsible for
death, injury, damage, liability, theft, fire or any loss to any contestants.
K. Any angler found to be cheating will be disqualified from the tournament. Angler’s Atlas
and the WCFKT also reserves the right to ban anglers from competing in future events.
L. In the event of disqualification, any entry fees will be forfeited and not refunded.
M. All rules have loopholes. It is our intention to provide an honest sportsmanlike
tournament. In the interest of good sportsmanship, contestants are reminded that the spirit
of the rule will prevail in all judgments.
N. All questions or concerns relating to the rules of this tournament are to be referred to the
Organizer or their designated Authorized Tournament Protest and Appeals Committee.
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 Chris Fonos and can
be reached via email at: [email protected]
O. Any contestant has the right to make a protest against another contestant by contacting
an Organizer or an Authorized Tournament Protest and Appeals Committee 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
form. The fee will be returned if the protest is found to be valid.
P. An infraction witnessed by a competitor can be reported to the Organizer or the
Authorized Tournament Protest and Appeal Committee. In the event that an infraction is
reported or a protest is entered, the Organizer or the Committee, appointed prior to the
tournament; may convene.
Q. To ensure the best chances of survival for the fish, all participants are required to handle
fish safely.
R. All Covid-19 Public Health orders and Gathering Restrictions at the time of the event
must be followed by all participants
S. All participants must wear a personal flotation device (PFD) at all times while on the
water.
T. All photo submissions may be used by MyCatch by Angler & Atlas for future use.

6. 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?
A. 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.
B. Every research team we work with must sign a data sharing agreement that sets the
terms of use for the data.
C. Data is anonymized before it is provided to the researcher.
D. Researchers agree not to share the data with anyone else.
E. Researchers cannot use the data for any purpose other than the research specified in
the agreement.
F. 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]).

7. Competitive Fishing Event Conditions from Alberta Environment and Parks re CFE event

licence conditions:

Organizer conditions:
1. The organizer must clearly post a copy of the event licence, conditions, and participant list
(see condition 5) with directions on how and where to contact the organizers.
2. All event advertisements or postings must include the Competitive Fishing Event licence
number issued for the event.
3. A copy of the event licence, a signed copy of Schedule ‘A” and the organizer’s Event Rules
must be provided to all registered participants. Organizers are responsible for enforcing all the
event rules.
4. The organizer must complete and return a Competitive Fishing Event Reporting Form and
associated worksheets within 14 days from the conclusion of the event.
5. The organizer must maintain a list of all participants that are registered for the event noting
which participants were issued a registration package.
6. The organizer shall ensure that all fish that are measured are handled in a manner that
causes them least harm and that they are released back into the waters from which they were
taken.
7. The organizer shall maintain a reporting form recording all dead fish and the number of
stressed fish that may not survive. All dead fish must be packed on ice and stored in a clean
insulated container. Mike Zilkowsky April 28, 2021 Schedule “A” which forms an integral part of
CFE # 602256 Summer (Open-water) – Small CFE 2 Classification: Protected A
8. All dead fish must be disposed of in the following manner: All dead fish must be collected and
frozen or kept in coolers on ice in edible condition and must be delivered in that state to the
Cold Lake Fish and Wildlife office (5013 51st Street, Cold Lake, Alberta) within 14 days after the
event.
9. No fish may be retained for the purpose of transportation or weighing. Fish eligible for
entrance in the competition may be measured and photographed. After a fish has been
measured for the purposes of the competition, no person shall transport that fish by boat to a
release location. After a fish is measured, it must be immediately released directly into the
waterbody from the site where it was angled.
10. Competitive Fishing Events must be planned and executed in a manner that complies with
the current Alberta Guide to Sportfishing Regulations applicable to the water body unless
otherwise specified in condition 21 below.
Organizer and Participant conditions:
11. Organizers/Participants shall only measure the species identified on the Competitive Fishing
Event licence.
12. Organizers/Participants shall not fizz* fish or attempt or practice fizzing fish (see the
definition of “fizz” and “fizzing” fish at the end of this document).
13. All event organizers and participants must, during the hours that the Competitive Fishing
Event is operating, wear a visible form of identification that indicates they are involved in the
event.
Participant conditions:
14. All participants in a licensed competitive fishing event must have a valid Alberta Sportfishing
Licence (except those legally exempted from the Alberta Sportfishing Licence requirement i.e.
youths and Alberta seniors).
15. Before participating in a Competitive Fishing Event, all participants must ensure they have
been registered by having their name included on a list of participants that is maintained for the
event, and that they have received a copy of the event licence, a signed copy of Schedule "A"
and the organizers event rules.
16. All participants fishing under the authority of a Competitive Fishing Event Licence must
follow the “Alberta Guide to Sportfishing Regulations” for the water body unless otherwise
specified in condition 21 and participants are restricted to French Bay.
17. Participants shall not intentionally kill any fish taken during the Competitive Fishing Event
during the period that the licence is valid to operate the Competitive Fishing Event. Schedule “A”
which forms an integral part of CFE # 602256 Summer (Open-water) – Small CFE 3
Classification: Protected A
18. Participants of Competitive Fishing Events who catch a fish, the possession of which is
prohibited by the “Alberta Guide to Sportfishing Regulations” or Event Rules, must immediately
return the fish to the waters from which it was caught, and release it in a manner that causes it
the least harm.
19. Participants in this Competitive Fishing Event must practice immediate catch-and-release for
all fish species caught during the event except for the species identified on the face of the
Competitive Fishing Event licence.
20. Fish that are not immediately returned to the water must be of a size of fish that is lawful to
retain under the daily catch limit for the water body as specified in the Alberta Guide to
Sportfishing Regulations.
21. Participants shall not retain for the purpose of submission in competition, in total on any day,
more fish than is allowed for that species in the “Alberta Guide to Sportfishing Regulations” for
that water body unless specified in a) below.
a) Cold Lake – a daily maximum of three ( 3 ) Lake Trout may be entered for judging
purposes only and must be released in a manner to maximize survival;
b) All other sportfishing regulations must be adhered to.
22. A fish can be kept only briefly and for the purposes of measuring and photographing. No fish
may be retained for the purpose of transport to any location. All fish caught for the purpose of
measuring and photographing must be immediately released in a manner that causes the least
harm.
23. All participants fishing in this competitive fishing event must fish using barbless hooks only.
For the purposes of interpreting this condition:
a) Hook means a single, double or triple pointed hook on a common shaft, and includes
hooks attached to a line or lure, and
b) Barbless hooks include hooks with barbs removed or hooks the barbs of which are
pressed against the shaft of the hook so that the barbs are not functional.
*“To fizz fish” or “to practice fizzing fish” refers to the practice of releasing, or attempting to
release air from the air bladder of a fish caught from deep water.