2022 RULES

GENERAL RULES

1. The team with the most points at the end of the tournament wins and is crowned the 2022 CFN Fish Off Champion!

2. Teams consist of 2 anglers from the same province. Both anglers need to be registered before competing.

3. Tournament dates
   START DATE: Saturday, May 21, 2022 at 12:00:01 am EST
   END DATE: Sunday, June 19, 2022 at 11:59:59 pm EST

POINT SYSTEM

4. Every species can earn a team a maximum of 4 points depending on length. Points are calculated as follows:
   4 pts - longest fish
   3 pts - second longest fish
   2 pts - third longest fish
   1 pt - for every other entry for that species not in the top 3 lengths
   **In this tournament size matters!
   **NOTE: Points fluctuate every week depending on the submissions of other teams.
   
   

5. Teams can only hold a single point position per species. Eg. Even if Team A has the longest northern pike and second longest northern pike, Team A will only be awarded 4 points. The team with the second longest fish gets 3 points even if their fish is smaller than the other 2nd largest pike caught by Team A. 

6. Tie Breakers - In the event that 2 or more teams are tied in points after the 4 week tournament, the following will act as tie breakers until a winner is declared. 

1. Total number of species

2. If still tied, total number of 4 point fish

3. If still tied, total number of 3 point fish

4. If still tied, total number of 2 point fish

5. If still tied, head-to-head live fish off. The first team to catch a total of 4 fish wins (2 catches per teammate).

PRIZES

7. Points can only be calculated for entries submitted using the MyCatch App. The top 3 overall all teams on the MyCatch leaderboard will receive 2 Shimano Symetre reels and 2 Shimano Symetre rods.

8. The top overall team will be invited to participate in the next season of the CFN Fish Off TV Show that airs on the World Fishing Network and Sportsman Channel Canada. Additional teams may also be invited to compete on the CFN Fish Off TV show. 

9. The top team in the following provinces or regions will receive a sponsored prize pack: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, East Coast (NFLD, NS, PEI, NB), and Northern Canada (NWT, YT, NT)

10. There will be weekly category specific Shimano draws. To qualify, anglers need to submit a video entry on the CFN Fish Off Facebook page with the following 5 requirements. 

1. Show angler’s face. 

2. State angler’s name. 

3. State angler’s team name.

4. Clearly show species submitted (no measurement is required on the video).

5. Angler must say the weekly tournament code

11. Only video submissions posted to the CFN Fish Off Facebook page will qualify for the weekly Shimano draw. Videos taken using the MyCatch app are not automatically shared on Facebook. In order for your video submission to be eligible for weekly Shimano category draw,  anglers MUST upload their recorded video onto the CFN Fish Off Facebook page. Note: All recordings using the MyCatch app are saved automatically in your device's camera roll. 

12. Pre-tournament Prizes. If a team or individual wins a pre-tournament prize pack, that team or individual needs to submit at least 1 entry in the CFN Fish Off online tournament to be eligible to win the pre-tournament prize pack. We want to ensure that teams that have registered, do so with the intention of participating in the online tournament and not to just win pre-tournament prizes without ever fishing.

WEEKLY CATEGORY DRAWS

13. Weekly Shimano category draws will take place live on Facebook during the Tourney Tuesday broadcast at 7:00 pm EST. 

14. Eligible entries can be caught from the beginning of the tournament date up until the category draw deadline date. See deadline dates below. 

15. Perch Family (yellow perch, walleye, sauger). Earn up to 3 team ballots for this Shimano Draw. Catches and video entries need to be submitted between Saturday, May 21 at 12:00:01 am and Sunday, May 29 at 11:59:59 pm. Draw Date. Tuesday, May 31. 

16. Trout / Salmon / Char (any trout, salmon, char and salmonids including Grayling and Whitefish). Earn multiple ballots for this Shimano Draw. Catches and video entries need to be submitted between Saturday, May 21 at 12:00:01 am and Sunday, June 5 at 11:59:59 pm. Draw Date. Tuesday, June 7.

17. Sucker Mouth (any species with a sucker mouth including Castosmus gunus, Redhorses, sturgeon, tench, buffalo, common carp, goldfish, quillback, prussian carp).  Earn multiple ballots for this Shimano Draw. Catches and video entries need to be submitted between Saturday, May 21 at 12:00:01 am and Sunday, June 12 at 11:59:59 pm. Draw Date. Tuesday, June 14.

18. Open Category (every tournament eligible species caught equals one ballot).  Earn multiple ballots for this Shimano Draw. In other words, earn 1 ballot for each species your team submits via video entry between Saturday, May 21 at 12:00:01 am and Sunday, June 19 at 11:59:59 pm. Draw Date. Tuesday, June 21. 

MEASURING DEVICES

19. Acceptable measuring devices include:

1. Commercially manufactured bump boards

2. Metal measuring tapes used in construction 

3. Metal or plastic ruler

4. If a homemade bump board is used, the CFN Judges need to verify accurate measurement increments before it can be accepted. The CFN Judges have the right NOT to accept a homemade bump board if the accuracy of the device cannot be easily verified against a commercially manufactured hard measuring tape. Please send verification photos of your homemade bump board to [email protected]. 

20. All fish measured with a soft measuring device (Ex. ribbon tape measure  or roll up tape measure) will automatically be judged as a 1 point fish. 

1. Exception: If an 8 inch fish is measured with a soft measuring tape, the judges have the right not to accept this submission if they deem any folding or curvature in the soft measuring tape.  

21. To ensure accurate measurements, the measuring device must lie on a flat surface with the fish being placed on top of or beside the measuring device. 

1. Any curvature in the measuring device (ex. bent measuring tape placed on top of fish) will result in a minimum 1 inch deduction (more if deemed necessary but the CFN Judges).

22. Judges can only verify lengths based upon the increments available on the participant’s measuring device. For example, if your bump board only has quarter inch (0.25”) increments, then the smallest measurement judges can verify will be to the quarter of an inch. 

23. The smallest measurement increment evaluated will be an eighth of an inch (0.125”) provided that your measuring device shows eighth of an inch increments. A fish that does not reach the next eighth of an inch (0.125”) increment, will be rounded down to the closest 0.125” of an inch. (Ex. A bluegill that measures 10.0625 inches will be rounded down to an even 10 inches).

24. To determine the length of a fish, lay it flat with a pinched tail and measure it from the nose or jaw (whatever is longer).

25. The fish’s mouth must lay in a natural, relaxed, and unforced position (open or closed). If a fish’s mouth is deemed to be pried or forced open by any fashion to achieve a longer measurement, the CFN Judges have the right to disqualify the entry or deduct from its total length as they see fit. 

26. The CFN Judges have the right to reject any unclear measurements. All unclear measurements will be deemed as a 1 point unmeasured entry.  

SPECIES / CATCH RULES

27. All species listed on the MyCatch app can be submitted. CFN Judges will verify and determine the official species entered. 

28. If an angler catches a species not listed on the app, the angler can submit it as a “Species not listed.” The CFN Judges will review the entry and add it to the scoreboard. 

29. Species need to be “in-season” in order to qualify (please check provincial and zone regulations). 

30. All species need to be caught within Canada. Anglers may travel outside of their own zone/region to target any species. 

31. Fish must be caught by hook and line using legal angling techniques according to provincial and body of water regulations (ex. no snagging). Bow & arrow fishing, spearing, and netting techniques are not permitted. 

32. There is an 8″ minimum length to qualify for any species to qualify. 

33. Fish must be caught by the angler in the tournament versus another angler whom the registered angler is fishing with.

34. Since this is a nationwide tournament to promote fishing across our great country, teams are allowed to fish both freshwater and saltwater bodies of water located within Canadian borders. 

35. Anglers may not submit fish caught in private ponds that are not open to the public. If a body of water is not open to the public, catches from this private body of water cannot be submitted since it cannot be accessed by other teams. All bodies of water fished must be open to the public. 

36. Fish caught from a pay-per-fish privately owned facility can be submitted since this body of water is open to the public and any team potentially has the opportunity to fish places as such. 

37. Fish / species caught on a charter can also be submitted. We encourage you to support your local charters and outfitters.

38. Fish / species caught using a guide can also be submitted. We encourage you to support your local guides, get out with friends, and connect with other CFNers.

39. Recognized hybrid species (eg. Splake) listed on the MyCatch app can also be submitted. 

40. Non-recognized hybrid species (eg. Bluegill x Pumpkinseed) will be classified as the smaller-sized parent. 

41. Invasive, non-native, and introduced species that are listed on the MyCatch app can also be submitted. Please follow all local guidelines and regulations regarding invasive, non-native, and introduced species. If any regulations are broken, your entry is subject to removal. 

42. Live and artificial bait is permitted. Note that specific bodies of water sometimes have their own rules (ex. No live bait, barbless hooks, etc.). Please follow all local regulations. 

43. Only legal fishing techniques permitted (ie. types of live bait, number of hooks, methods, etc). CFN Judges reserve the right to disqualify any submissions or teams from the competition due to illegal fishing activity.

44. All fish need to be caught using a line and hook (fish caught by net alone without a line/hook cannot be entered even if the species caught can be legally caught by net). 

45. Any type of watercraft and/or type of motor (gas or electric) are permitted within the CFN Fish Off online tournament where permitted. All participants must follow boating safety regulations in your jurisdiction. NOTE: TV tournament rules differ from online tournament rules. 

46. Anglers are permitted to fish from shore where permitted and legal. 

47. Kid’s Rule - If registered anglers are fishing with children 17 and under, those children’s catches can be submitted. This rule is in place to promote children’s fishing. The Registered angler must show their face in the video to verify that the under-aged angler is in fact fishing with one registered team member.

48. CFN Judges reserve the right not to approve any submissions

49. If a fish does not show any signs of life, it may not be accepted (at the judges sole discretion). 

50. Anglers have the option of releasing or harvesting the fish they catch within local guidelines and regulations. 

51. Improper handling of fish will be dealt with as such (at judge’s sole discretion):

1. First offense: angler will be warned 

2. Second offense: entry will be disqualified

3. Third offense: team will be disqualified and may be banned from future competitions

4. Under extreme circumstances, CFN judges have the right to disqualify any entry or a team without warning

52. Sturgeon - If a sturgeon can be legally caught, measured, and submitted in a tournament according to local regulations you are fishing in, it can be entered. To ensure proper fish care, for a sturgeon measurement to count, the measurement must be taken while the sturgeon is still in the water. If a sturgeon is “measured” out of the water, it will automatically be deemed as a 1 point unmeasured fish regardless of size. 

53. Muskellunge - If a muskellunge can be legally caught, measured, and submitted in a tournament according to local regulations you are fishing in, it can be entered as part of the CFN Fish Off. 

SUBMISSIONS 

54. There are 2 types of submissions: 1) MyCatch App entries, 2) Facebook video submissions. An angler or team can choose to do either one or both. 

55. Only submissions using the MyCatch App can be given a point value and added to the overall leaderboard. 

56. Only videos uploaded to the CFN Fish Off Facebook page will be eligible for our weekly Shimano category draws and other undisclosed bonus prizes. 

57. Video entries can be recorded using the “Release Video” function on the MyCatch app. Videos captured using this feature will be saved to your device’s camera roll. Anglers will then be able to open their Facebook app, select and upload their video to the CFN Fish Off Facebook page. 

58. Video recordings using the MyCatch app that are not also uploaded to the CFN Fish Off Facebook page are ineligible for our weekly Shimano category draws. However, these entries will still be added to the leaderboard once verified. 

59. Video submissions submitted to the CFN Fish Off Facebook page independent of the MyCatch app, will not be assigned a point value or added to the leaderboard. However, these entries still make a team eligible for designated weekly Shimano category draws. 

60. Submissions (MyCatch app and Facebook video entries) must be made at the location where the fish was caught. For example, fish recorded at the boat launch, in the parking lot, or at home will not be accepted. 

61. Photos cannot be uploaded from a photo gallery or any other source when submitting catches onto the My Catch app. All photo measurement submissions must be taken using the My Catch app. 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.

62. Measurement photograph submissions using the MyCatch app need to be taken using a birdseye overhead view (not on an angle) of the ENTIRE fish from nose to (pinched) tail. 

TOURNAMENT CODE

63. A tournament code is not needed to make a submission through the MyCatch App. In other words, length verification, species verification, and points assigned per species do not require a tournament code. 

64. However, all video entries, whether recorded on the MyCatch app or your own device, still require the registered angler saying the tournament code within the submission video to be eligible for any weekly category draw. 

65. The CFN Judges have the right not to accept any videos that they deem may be edited or altered.  To avoid any accusations, we suggest filming one straight and uncut video. 

66. Exception: a printed code shown on camera with the fish can replace a verbalized code. However, to ensure that the proper angler is submitting the fish, the angler’s face still needs to be shown on camera at some point during the video.

67. The weekly tournament code will be released via Facebook live every Sunday night sometime between 11:00-11:59 pm. This verbal code is to be used for the following week. This code can only be used for that specific week and expires the following Sunday. (There will be a 1 day grace period in case teams don’t have internet access to look up the new code). 

68. The weekly tournament code will also be posted on the CFN Fish Off Facebook page (pinned as an announcement) and also posted on our website www.cfnfishoff.com

PENALTIES

69.  The CFN Judges have the right to:

1. Disqualify any submission (and a valid reason will be given in the event this happens).  

2. Disqualify any team (and a valid reason will be given in the event this happens).  

3. Implement a point deduction from a team's total score for any infraction they deem fit (and a valid reason will be given in the event this happens). 

70. Organizers of the CFN Fish Off have the sole right to penalize or remove any team, at any point, for any reason they see fit. Reasons may include but not exclusive to:

1. Breaking MNR Rules

2. Breaking CFN Fish Off Rules

3. Poor conduct or disrespectful demeanor

4. Negatively representing the CFN brand and community 

71. The winning team of the Online CFN Fish Off earns the “opportunity” but not the right to be part of the “next season” of the CFN Fish Off to be aired on the Sportsman Channel in Canada and the World Fishing Network in the USA.

72. The Canadian Fishing Network has the right and sole discretion not to select the winning online team to compete next TV season if the winning team does not reflect the image, values and goals of the Canadian Fishing Network. 

1. Example - online personalities are not kid friendly

2. Example - anglers are known MNR offenders

3. Example - any sort of conflict of interest

73. The Canadian Fishing Network has the right to select and invite any non-winning team to participate in the next season of the CFN Fish Off TV Show.

MYCATCH BY ANGLER’S ATLAS

74. Submissions using the MyCatch app may be used for fishing research. 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.

75. 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

76. All catches made within the start and end times must be synchronized with the Angler’s Atlas server within the event times to qualify.

77. 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 before the tournament deadline, they will not qualify for prizes.

78. A great resource is the MyCatch “how to video” that shows how to complete an entry: https://youtu.be/OqwbAFFQE-w

DATA PRIVACY AND FISHERIES RESEARCH

79. “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. 

7. Angler’s Atlas may release data to a law enforcement agency if compelled to do so under court order.

80. 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]).

GENERAL

81. Each contestant must have in their possession a valid fishing license for their respective jurisdiction or be exempt under the regulations of their jurisdiction. 

82. Promoters and organizers assisting in the tournament are not responsible for injury, damage, liability, theft, fire, death, or any loss to any contestant. 

83. 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 judgements. 

84. Ultimately, for this tournament to be successful, teams need to employ the honor system. Although there might be potential ways to abuse or manipulate the rules above, it is our hope that teams compete fairly and honestly. 

85. The goal of the CFN Fish Off is to create a fun and neighborly online community where participants - through friendly competition - add some additional entertainment and enjoyment to their fishing outings, learn from other anglers that share the same passion, and foster new friendships, while getting the opportunity to win some free prizes.

86. All photo and video submissions may be used by the Canadian Fish Network, the CFN Fish Off, and/or MyCatch by Angler’s Atlas for future use. 

87. Updated tournament info will be posted on our CFN Fish Off Facebook page. To stay up to date with all CFN Fish Off announcements, make sure to:

1. Read the FAQ section at www.cfnfishoff.com 

2. Read all the announcements posted at the top of the CFN Fish Off Facebook page. 

88. Watch our weekly live broadcast Tourney Tuesday’s every Tuesday night on the CFN Fish Off Facebook page at 7:00 pm EST.

89. Make sure to watch seasons 1, 2, and 3 of the CFN Fish Off on youtube. Episodes can be found on the Canadian Fishing Network Youtube channel. Watching the CFN Fish Off youtube series gives you a road map of what and how to catch many species as well as what strategies to employ during the competition. 

90. At the discretion of the tournament director, tournament days may be shortened, postponed or canceled due to unsafe weather or water conditions.

GOOD LUCK! TIGHT LINES! FISH ON!