CFN Fish Off - 2023 Winter Fest

Feb 1 - 28 2023

Canada Wide Event

Rules

1. Overview

A. Anyone fishing in Canadian waters can participate in the CFN Winter Fest (all provinces and territories)

B. The Winterfish Fest is a FREE event for ALL ages.

C. All entries must be submitted using the MyCatch mobile app (available to download for any Apple and Android mobile device).

D. All fish species in season in the region you are fishing are eligible to be entered.

E. Every fish of any species of any length entered equals 1 ballot into our CFN Winter Fish Fest prize pack draw. 

Eg. 12 perch = 12 ballots

Eg. 8 Crappie, 9 perch, 2 burbot, 1 lake trout = 20 ballots

**The more fish you catch, the better your chances of winning.

F. All catches entered by anglers 17 years and younger will be entered into a separate Kid’s Prize pack draw. 

G. All catches are also eligible for Video Prize pack. Details below. 

H. Catches must be submitted through the MyCatch app for judging anytime during the tournament period (Feb. 1, 2023 to Feb. 28, 2023)

I. Register for the CFN Winter Fish Fest using this URL: https://www.anglersatlas.com/event/682/cfn-fish-off-2023-winter-fest-2023

J. Anglers participating in other Angler’s Atlas MyCatch tournaments are eligible to submit their same catches into the CFN Winter Fish Fest. 

Eg. If you are registered in the Ontario Ice Fishing Challenge, your catches in 

that event can be simultaneously entered in the CFN Winter Fish Fest.
**As long as you are registered for both events, your catches will automatically 

be entered in each tournament.

2. Getting Started

A. The CFN Winter Fest is an online tournament run through Angler’s Atlas website and their mobile app MyCatch.

B. Registration is now able to support multiple registrations. For those participants sharing one mobile device, participants must login to their own account before submitting their catches.

C. 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.

D. You will receive an automatic email confirming that you have entered the tournament.

E. 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. Make sure to use the same login email and password that you used to register in the tournament. (https://www.anglersatlas.com/mycatch)

F. Protecting anglers’ privacy is a priority. 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.

3. Prizes and Eligibility

A. CFN Winter Fish Fest Prize Pack (all ages, all provinces/territories) 

i. Courtesy of generous CFN sponsors 

ii. 1 ballot for every fish entered (any length, any species)

iii. Measurement photo using the MyCatch app required (photos cannot be 

uploaded from a photo gallery or other source)

iv. The more fish entered, the greater chances of winning

B. CFN Kid’s Prize Pack (17 years and younger, all provinces/territories)

i. Entries must be submitted using the child’s own account and login 

ii. 1 ballot for every fish entered (any length, any species)

iii. Measurement photo using the MyCatch app required (photos cannot be 

uploaded from a photo gallery or other source)

iv. The more fish entered, the greater chances of winning

C. Video Prize Pack (all ages, all provinces/territories)

i. 3 day, 2 night stay at Camp McIntosh (French River, Ontario)

ii. CFN Prize Pack available for those unable to travel to Ontario. 

iii. 1 ballot for every fish entered (any length, any species)

iv. In addition to a measurement photo, a VIDEO must be filmed using the 

“release video” function on the MyCatch App. The video will be automatically 

saved in your device’s camera roll / photo gallery

v. In your video, film yourself holding your fish while saying the phrase, “CFN, it’s 

a family thing!”

vi. SHARE your video with our community on the CFN Fish Off Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/cfnfishoff 

**Only videos that have the tournament phrase and are posted to Facebook are eligible for the Video Prize Pack.

4. Catch Reporting Rules

A. Catch and release is encouraged but not mandatory. All species are eligible for this event.

B. Your measurement photo will automatically be sent to our MyCatch judging team to be verified. 

C. After verification, each fish entry will receive 1 ballot into the appropriate prize draw(s).

D. All contestants must have GPS/location services enabled on their mobile device for catches to qualify. Your location data will be protected and will only be used for scientific and research purposes. For more information, see details below.

E. Although each entry is given a ballot regardless of length, we require all anglers to measure their fish for scientific and research purposes. The total length of a fish is measured from the tip of the nose or jaw to the tip of the tail.

○ Mouth needs to be in a natural and relaxed position (opened or closed).

○ Tail can be pinched to get maximum length.

F. 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.

G. If you measure your fish on a commercially produced bump board, 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.

○ The entire fish showing the head and past the tail must be visible in the measurement photo.

H. Tape measures are also permitted for this event. The measurement rules are as follows:

○ The fish’s 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.

○ *Rapala roll out tapes will be treated as a tape measure*

I. If you measure your fish entry on a homemade bump board, the measurement rules are the same as above BUT you must provide a photo or your homemade bump board to the organizer to verify measurement accuracy. Unverified boards will NOT be accepted.

J. All photos must be taken from a birds-eye view looking down on the fish (not on an angle).

K. A photo that does not clearly show the overall length of the fish, including head and tail, on the ruler, WILL NOT BE RECORDED as a measured entry. However, this catch can still be entered as a non-measured fish and a ballot can still be awarded (at judges discretion). 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.

L. There are to be no fingers placed in the gills of the fish. Any fingers in the gills of the fish will disqualify that entry.

M. A second optional photo, of you holding the fish often can also be taken using the MyCatch App. We call this a “Hero Shot.” These pictures will be collected and potentially displayed on CFN social media pages and websites.

N. Photo entries must show the entire fish so it can be identified by tournament organizers.

○ Depending on the species, other distinguishing features should also be shown by video or pictures so our judges can properly identify what species is entered.

○ Ex. Anal rays on a bullhead

○ Ex. Dorsal fin shape, mouth shape/features, and tail colour of a redhorse

O. The app will work without WiFi or any or strong cell service. If you submit a fish without any or strong enough service, the app will tell you that the fish has been recorded, and that it will sync up to the server once you return to service. Every fish you log (whether in good service or not) will appear in your app’s Log View (2nd icon from the left at the bottom). If you have fish “awaiting sync,” it will indicate this here. The submissions will eventually come through on their own once you return to service, but you can help speed up the process by “manually syncing” those pending logs (see how here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YU-AwLc8OLY) once you’re in service. The logs are time/date/location stamped to the moment that they were taken, so even if the submission is delayed, the time on that submission will still be accurate.

P. Catches that are submitted will be reviewed for approval at least once per day during the week. 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.

Q. 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

5. Tournament Location and Times

A. Tournament boundaries are within the limits of Canada. Anglers can fish within fresh or saltwater.

B. The tournament runs from:

Wednesday, Feb 1st from 12:01 am to Tuesday, Feb 28th at 11:59 pm (EST), 2023.

C. All catches made within the start and end times must be synchronized with the Angler’s Atlas server within 12 hours of the end of the tournament.

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

5. Awards & Prizes

A. All prize winners will be contacted directly to arrange the delivery (Shipping charges may apply).

B. A participant can only win one prize per category. If an angler's name is drawn for more than one prize, he/she will be able to select the one prize of their choice. The remaining prize will be redrawn.

C. Awards will be announced on or by March 10th, 2022 and anglers will be contacted directly using the contact information provided in the tournament registration process.

D. Tournament organizers reserve the right to adjust entries.

6. Other Rules

A. By registering and participating in the tournament, all participants agree to abide by all the rules and regulations listed in this document and posted on the Anglers Atlas website.

B. 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 the app using their personal account and login. Anglers can submit their entries using the same mobile device provided that he/she logs on to the MyCatch app using their individual account.

C. 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.

D. Each participant who is required to have a valid fishing licence must have it in their possession when participating in the tournament. 

E. Each contestant must conform to the fishing rules and regulations that are in place for the jurisdiction in which they are fishing.

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

G. Any angler found to be cheating will be disqualified from the tournament. Angler’s Atlas, the Canadian Fishing Network, and The CFN Fish Off also reserve the right to ban anglers from competing in future events.

H. In the event of disqualification, any paid entry fees will be forfeited and not refunded.

I. 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.

J. All questions or concerns relating to the rules of this tournament are to be referred to the tournament 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 Michael Consul and can be reached at [email protected]

K. 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.

L. To ensure the best chances of survival for the fish, all participants are to handle fish safely. Blatant abuse to the fish or the resource is reason for disqualification.

M. 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. For ice safety information please see: https://www.lifesaving.org/public-education/water-smart-tips2/ice-safety-tips 

N. Measure fish inside tents or ice shacks whenever possible, especially when temperatures dip below -10 degrees celsius.

O. Wet boards/rulers prior to measuring fish in cold conditions to help prevent freezing the fish to the board, especially if you are using aluminium/metal boards.

P. For Ice Fishing events - ice on the eyes or in the gills, etc. are a reason for disqualification.

Q. All COVID-19 Public Health orders and gathering restrictions at the time of the event must be followed by all participants.

R. All photo submissions may be used by MyCatch by Angler's Atlas and the Canadian Fishing Network for future use.

7. 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. Ex. Angler names are not attached to data.

D. Researchers agree not to share the data with anyone outside of the agreement.

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, data has to be generalized to a larger region so the location cannot be reverse engineered.

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

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]).