The 2023 Ontario Ice Fishing Challenge Fishing Tournament is an online tournament run through Angler’s Atlas website and their mobile app MyCatch.
Anyone can participate in the 2023 Ontario Ice Fishing Challenge and it is for all ages. Registration is currently only able to support individual registration. For those participants sharing a mobile device, participants must login to their own account to submit their catches.
There is a $20.00 registration fee to enter the tournament. You may enter the adult or the youth category - for this event, youth are anyone under 18. All angler's fish for the overall prizes. Youth categories may be applicable only for local community prizing if applicable.
Catches must be submitted through the MyCatch app for judging anytime during that period.
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.
All contestants must register for the tournament via this URL: https://www.anglersatlas.com/tournament/609/2023-ontario-ice-fishing-challenge-2023
You will receive an automatic email confirming that you have entered the tournament and that your payment has gone through.
If your entry was purchased for you, you will receive an email with a registration code. You must still register for the event using the links on the email. Again, every person in the event will also need to set up a free Angerls Atlas account.
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)
By participating in this event your name may be publicly visible.
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.
A great resource on how to register for an event can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o3PzcIoGo4&t=8s
In order for each catch to qualify, a photograph of the fish with a measuring device (instructions below) must be taken using the MyCatch app (ie. photos cannot be uploaded from a photo gallery or other source). Our app now tags each entry with a unique QR code. No entry will be allowed that does not have this feature.
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.
This is a total length measurement tournament. NOT fork length. See pic for reference. The total length of a fish is measured from the tip of the nose or jaw to the tip of the tail with the tail pinched.
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 aligns with measurements on a measuring device. All catches will be approved to the last physical line on a measuring device. If it extends past a mark but there are no physical lines to confirm the true length, the last mark it crosses will be used.
The photo must be taken from a birds-eye view looking down on the fish.
If you measure your fish entry on a commercially produced bumpboard, the measurement rules are as follows. The nose of the fish must be visibly touching the bump end of the board, the fish must be placed on top of the board and the entire fish showing the head and tail must be visible in the measurement photo. We must also see past the head and tail in the photo - do not cut off the head in the photo.
If you measure your fish entry on a homemade bumpboard, the measurement rules are the same as above BUT you must provide a photo to the organizer of the empty board to verify proof of measurement accuracy. Homemade bumpboards must have a solid edge or "bump" for the fish to be set against and it must line up with the 0 mark on the tape. Unverified boards will NOT be accepted.
If you measure your fish using a tape measure, the measurement rules are as follows. The fish nose and the start of the tape must be aligned by placing both against a solid edge. The fish's nose must be aligned with the zero mark on the tape, the fish cannot be on top of the tape measure or cover it in any way, and the entire fish showing the head and tail and past the tail must be visible in the measurement photo. Do not use fabric or flexible measuring tapes.
If an entry submission comes in where a measuring rule is not followed, such as the nose is not touching the bump or at the zero mark, the fish may still be approved but a 10% length penalty will be applied. The penalty will apply to the observable length of the fish at the discretion of the Organizer. The entry may also be rejected.
The mouth is allowed to be open, closed, or anywhere in between, so long as the fish meets the other above requirements
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. This rule applies to the Measurement photo only (not the hero or release video)
A second photo, often called the Hero Shot, is to be used as a hero shot and is optional for this event BUT there may be prizes attributed to the Hero Photos for your local area or the whole event.
A third option is a live video release of the fish and is optional as proof of releasing the fish for this event as well BUT there may be prizes showing the proper fish handling techniques.
For species diversity categories, the photo must show the entire fish so it can be identified by tournament organizers.
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.
Catches that are submitted will be reviewed for approval at least once per day during the week. Our Catch Approval Team made up of trained biology students will be reviewing and approving all fish. Once the submissions are reviewed and approved, they appear immediately on the appropriate leaderboard(s). DO NOT EXPECT to see entries show up immediately after you log them.
A great resource is the MyCatch video that shows how to complete an entry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqwbAFFQE-w
Tournament boundaries are anywhere within the Province of Ontario.
The tournament runs from:
Wednesday, Feb 1, 2023 starting at 6 am EST
TO
Tuesday, Feb 28, 2023 at 12 pm EST
All catches made within the start and end times must be synchronized with the Angler’s Atlas server by March 1 at 12 pm to qualify.
At the discretion of the tournament director, tournament days may be shortened, postponed or canceled due to unsafe weather or water conditions.
Proceeds from the tournament will be distributed as prizes in accordance with the prizing categories below. Prize payouts will be adjusted if the event does not fill to the expected 500 number of participants - see 4 f
Tournament Wide Prizes:
First Place overall longest Northern Pike - $1000.00
Second Place overall longest Northern Pike - $350.00
Third Place overall longest Northern Pike - $175.00
First Place overall longest Walleye - $1000.00
Second Place overall longest Walleye - $350.00
Third Place overall longest Walleye - $175.00
First Place overall longest Lake Trout - $1000.00
Second Place overall longest Lake Trout - $350.00
Third Place overall longest Lake Trout - $175.00
First Place overall longest Brook Trout - $1000.00
Second Place overall longest Brook Trout - $350.00
Third Place overall longest Brook Trout - $175.00
First Place overall longest Yellow Perch - $1000.00
Second Place overall longest Yellow Perch - $350.00
Third Place overall longest Yellow Perch - $175.00
Greatest Diversity of fish species entered by a participant (no minnow species) - $375.00
Local Town Sponsorship Prizes: These will be listed upon availability and will be posted to the website. These local prizes are only eligible for local anglers of the sponsoring community and will be picked accordingly.
For all Random Draws - to be eligible, angler's must have entered at least 1 fish unless otherwise noted.
Cash prize amounts are based on a full field of 500 anglers. If the tournament doesn’t fill, the payout percentages for each paid position will remain the same and will be adjusted accordingly. Cash prizes may be awarded through either E-transfer or cheque.
A participant can only win one prize placing per species.
Awards will be announced on or by Friday, March 3, 2023 after a full review of entries has been completed and anglers will be contacted directly using the contact information provided in the tournament registration process.
In the case of a tie, the tie break will go to the person with the highest number of fish reported.
Tournament organizers reserve the right to adjust entries.
Anglers have up to 60 days to claim their prize. Anglers that do not claim their prize within this period forfeit their prize
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 2023 Ontario Ice Fishing Challenge Fishing Tournament event rules
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.
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.
Each contestant must have in their possession a valid fishing license for their respective jurisdiction or be exempt under regulations of their jurisdiction.
Each contestant must conform to the fishing rules and regulations that are in place for the jurisdiction in which they are fishing.
Promoters and organizers assisting in the tournament operation are not responsible for death, injury, damage, liability, theft, fire or any loss to any contestants.
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.
In the event of disqualification, any paid entry fees will be forfeited and not refunded.
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.
All questions or concerns relating to the rules of this tournament are to be referred to the 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 The MyCatch Approval team and can be reached by email at [email protected]
Any contestant has the right to make a protest against another contestant by contacting an 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.
To ensure the best chances of survival for all released fish, all participants are to handle fish safely.
This is an ice fishing only derby. Practice ice safety at all times! Fishing is only allowed on a minimum of at least 4 inches of ice. Only walk and fish where it is safe to do so.
Measure fish inside tents or ice shacks whenever possible, especially when temperatures dip below -10 degrees celsius.
Wet your boards/rulers prior to measuring fish in cold conditions to help prevent freezing the fish to the board, especially if you are using a Judge or other aluminum/metal boards.
All photo and video submissions may be used by MyCatch by Angler's Atlas for future use.
“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?
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.
Every research team we work with must sign a data sharing agreement that sets the terms of use for the data.
Data is anonymized before it is provided to the researcher.
Researchers agree not to share the data with anyone else.
Researchers cannot use the data for any purpose other than the research specified in the agreement.
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.
Angler’s Atlas may release data to a law enforcement agency if compelled to do so under court order.
Events 
Places 
Fish 
Research 
Sign in 
New Catch Log 
New Trip Log 
