WCKAS 2023 Kayak Derby Saltwater Slam
Fish Your Home Waters Event
May 1 - September 30, 2023
Rules and Regualtions
This document is intended to provide West Coast Kayak Angler Series (“WCKAS”) participants with tournament related details to enable them to safely and successfully participate in any West Coast Kayak Angler Series event. Please be sure you read and fully understand these rules prior to competing in these events. Not knowing these on the days of the event is not an excuse for not following them.
Any questions can be directed to the Committee at [email protected] prior to an event. Some of this will be reviewed at On Site Check In / Registration, an equivalent Anglers Meeting or through online or direct email communication before the event; but don’t rely on that for answers to any specific questions you may have.
Specific Rules may apply to different events and will be identified during Check-In or online prior to the event.
Reminder to all
The goal of the West Coast Kayak Angler Series is to create a season long series of kayak angling events on British Columbia’s West Coast (Vancouver Island) to promote the sport and provide a place for all those interested in the sport to share their experiences. Above all, it is for family, fun, friendship and fishing.
We will follow the rules / guidelines established here and continue our focus to educate wherever possible.
CONTENTS:
1. Registration
2. Cancellation
3. Check- In / Captain’s Meeting
4. Fishing Boundaries
5. Pre-Fishing
6. Watercraft
7. Angling Methods
8. Provincial and Federal Regulations
9. Small Vessel Regulations and Safe Boating
10. Participant Conduct
11. Photo Submission / Measuring &/or Weighing of Catch
12. Penalties & General Officiating Guidelines (we hope we don’t have to use these ever) 13. Format & Scoring
14. Awards and Prizes
15. Prize Retention
16. Appeals and Disputes
17. Personal Conduct Outside WCKAS Events
18. Registration, Waiver & Releases
1. Registration
Part 1
Registration opens on the day the events for that year are announced. Registrations will be taken up to and including the day of the event, however early registration is requested for appropriate planning. For passes, registration will be open up until the first event.
Entry Fee – (if applicable) must be paid by the deadline to guarantee your acceptance to that tournament.
Payments – Payment can be made in person or via e-transfer to [email protected].
Eligibility – our events are open to all interested parties subject to execution of the WCKAS Waiver and Code of Conduct. WCKAS reserves the right to refuse individuals based on unwelcome or unacceptable conduct relating to any of our events or our social media pages
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Part 2
The WCKAS 2023 Kayak Derby Saltwater Slam Fish Your Home Waters Event is an online tournament run through Angler’s Atlas website and their mobile app MyCatch.
WCKAS events are for all ages, anyone can register - MyCatch 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 through the manage accounts feature.
All participants must register for the tournament via this link: https://www.anglersatlas.com/event/704/wckas-kayak-derby-saltwater-slam-2023-fish-your-home-waters-event-2023
All catches must be submitted through the MyCatch app for approval and catches will be automatically culled if you submit a longer fish of the same species.
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.
You will receive an automatic email confirming that you have entered the tournament and that your payment (if applicale) has gone through.
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 using the same login email and password that you used to register in the tournament.
By participating in this event your name may be publicly visible.
A great resource to refer to is our How To Register For A Tournament video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o3PzcIoGo4&t=8s
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.
2. Cancellation
Participant Cancellation is allowed with full refund if requested 14 days or more prior to the event (no refunds for Seasons Pass or Mini Pass unless extenuating circumstances at the sole discretion of the committee). Participants are encouraged to apply their fee to a future WCKAS event since this is a charity-based tournament series.
a) If a Participant wishes to cancel after that period; a $20 administration fee will be charged.
b) Cancellations in the 7 days leading up to the event are not eligible for refund, only deferral.
c) Canceling in the last 48 hrs forfeits the entry fee and deferral option.
Organizer Cancellation can occur when the Organizer or WCKAS Committee Member(s) feel the safety of the Participants may be jeopardized by following through with the event. This is generally weather oriented.
Other organizational cancellations at no fault of the Participants could be eligible for refund, but again, Participants are encouraged to apply their fees to a future event.
3. Check-In / Anglers Meetings / Online
As this WCKAS 2023 Kayak Derby - Saltwater Slam Fish Your Home Waters is an online event, there will be NO requirements for check in or an Angler's meeting. All announcements for this event will be posted here within the rules of this event. Anglers are expected to have suitable measuring devices.
4. Fishing Boundaries
For this event, all Pacific Management Areas (PMA’S) off the BC coast will be applicable.
5. Pre-Fishing
Not applicable for this event.
6. Watercraft Generally, only watercraft designed to be human powered are permitted, this includes but is not limited to, canoes, SUP boards, row boats, pontoons, float tubes and kayaks. While the use of powered watercraft is allowed, WCKAS reserves the right to rule on eligibility of any modified vessel, powered watercraft or any two-person watercraft. The committee reserves the right to implement specific requirements for motorized kayaks to optimize fairness in accessing the fishing grounds. Regulations permitting powered craft may also be implemented on specific events if deemed necessary by the committee. Additionally, watercraft must be operated by a single occupant unless the purpose is for taking children to fish or otherwise approved by the committee
7. Angling Methods
Only standard rod and reel sportfish angling methods may be practiced at any WCKAS event. Participants must adhere to all provincial and federal regulations and any specific local restrictions that may apply. Be certain to fully understand all British Columbia Freshwater Fisheries regulations for freshwater events and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) regulations for saltwater events prior to start time of the event you plan to fish. A valid British Columbia freshwater fishing license (including any applicable stamps) is required at all time for freshwater events and a Federal Tidal Waters license (including any applicable stamps) from DFO is required for all Saltwater events.
8. Provincial and Federal Regulations
It is 100% the angler’s responsibility to read and understand ALL provincial and federal fishing rules and regulations that may apply for the waterbody they intend to compete in. Participants are also required to adhere to all rules and regulations associated with the facilities used to host our events as well as all Transportation Canada regulations related to small watercraft. Resources are available online.
9. Small Vessel Regulations - Safe Boating Practice & PFDs
It is the participants responsibility to read and fully understand all vessel and safe boating laws and regulations prior to competing in any WCKAS tournaments.
Compliance with Transport Canada’s Small Vessel Regulations and Safe Boating Guide are the responsibility of the participants not the event or its organizers.
PFDs are required at all WCKAS tourneys, and any angler in violation may be disqualified from that event. All PFDs must be CSA approved and meet the safety guidelines for the province/Canada. PFD’s must be visible in all Hero shots to be eligible for posting
Participants are expected to have all required safety equipment.
10. Participant Conduct
Any form of unethical conduct at an WCKAS event will not be tolerated. Disrespect for the host or their partners, host site, fellow angler(s) or their property, slandering or malicious behavior, report or suspicion of rule violations, and any type of behavior or talk that may be perceived as undermining the event; all will be treated accordingly. This may involve a warning, disqualification, banning from the series or host site, and involvement with local authorities if necessary.
11. Photo Submission / Measuring of Catch
Our series objective is to encourage a Catch, Photograph & Release (CPR) for all events. As per Provincial regulations (freshwater) and Federal Regulations (saltwater) fish may be retained at any event so long as the retained fish are in accordance with the appropriate regulations. In respect of each fishery and the sport, we ask that all fish retained are done so for personal consumption.
We encourage catch and release fishing so the MyCatch platform uses a Catch-Photo-Release format. All fish entered must be at a minimum of 12 inches. For fish that have a regulated minimum slot size, you msut adhere to that. Also NOTE: Yelloweye Rockfish are not applicable in this event and must be released immediately.
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 any other source).
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 crosses the measurements on the measuring device.
The photo must be taken from a birds-eye view looking down on the fish.
All fish must be measured with the right side down (the right side of the fish must be facing down or touching the board) and the left side of the fish facing upwards.
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 and past the tail must be visible in the measurement 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. Unverified boards will NOT be accepted.
Soft measuring tapes are not allowed for this event.
Tournament organizers reserve the right to adjust entries.
A photo that does not clearly show the overall length of the fish, including head and tail, on the ruler WILL NOT BE SCORED for length but it may be counted towards total fish/species. 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.
The mouth of all fish entries must be closed.
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 a optional for this event.
A third option is a live video release of the fish and is also optional for this event as well.
For species diversity categories, the photo must show the entire fish so it can be identified by tournament organizers.
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.
Catches that are submitted will be reviewed on a bi-weekly basis. Once the submissions are reviewed and approved, they will appear immediately on the appropriate leaderboard(s). DO NOT EXPECT to see entries show up immediately after you log them.
IMPORTANT: Arguing against or trying to attribute reason as to why any of the above rules could not be followed will have ZERO bearing on the ruling of a rejected fish. “It was cold/windy” or “My buddy can verify...” will not be considered, and NO exceptions will be made. It is on the angler to review their photo thoroughly and submit an acceptable photo based on the above rules.
A great resource is the MyCatch video that shows how to complete an entry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS65wMakQHA
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?
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.
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]).
12. Penalties & General Officiating Guidelines
13. Format & Scoring
Prizing will be awarded to top 3 places of each of the target species.
Target species for this event include: CHinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Sockeye Salmon, Pink Salmon, Halibut (Pacific), Lingcod, and Rockfish (which include Quillback, Black, Tiger, China, Brown, Copper, Dusky, Vermilion & Yellowtail)
Details on prize categories will be posted on line prior to each event and where possible at the event site.
14. Awards & Prizes
Winners of all prizes will be contacted by the organizer to arrange awarding of prizes.
15. Prize Retention
Not applicable for this event
16. Appeals and Disputes
Participants who feel they can provide evidence that may dispute a judgment or catch record are encouraged to disclose this to a committee member. The appeal will be heard, and a judgment rendered after those committee members available at the event have time to evaluate the claim. The WCKAS committee has the right to make this judgment as an individual or together. All judgements at this point are final.
17. Personal Conduct Outside WCKAS Events
Any activity or comments that may be deemed as inflammatory and detrimental to the WCKAS, or negatively reflect our: Sponsors, participants, organizers, and host sites will be dealt with accordingly. This may include but not limited to:
a) Social Media such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other forms.
b) Online fishing and kayak fishing forums.
c) Statements made in public that are verifiable.
18. Registration, Waivers and Releases Waivers are required to be sent in!
Link for waiver: https://www.westcoastkayakanglerseries.com/event-rules-and-waivers/
All three of the following forms MUST be signed and submitted prior to participation to avoid ineligibility.
a) Registration Form
b) Participation Form – PG 1 of 2 Liability Waiver (attached above)
c) Participation Form – PG 2 of 2 Code of Conduct (attached above) & Photo Waiver
WCKAS CODE OF CONDUCT:
AT ALL TIMES I, (print name) understand that while participating in any WCKAS event, I will be responsible for my behavior towards other persons and towards the environment, both on the land and the water. I will also be responsible for the actions and behavior of those who accompany me, both on the land and the water. I understand that this responsibility starts at the time I enter the Tournament Site, until the time I leave the Tournament Site to go home. I pledge that I will behave in a manner becoming a sportsperson and that I will be considerate in my attitude towards other people. I agree to abide by all the “WCKAS General Rules”, a copy of which has been made available to me. I understand that these commitments are made for the safety of all parties involved, and I understand that by signing my name to this document, I agree to these pledges and commitments.
AGREEMENT:
1. I HOLD A VALID ON FISHING LICENSE
2. I AGREE TO ABIDE BY THE ‘WCKAS GENERAL RULES’ WHICH I HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND.
3. I AGREE TO COMPLY WITH ALL FISHING REGULATIONS FOR BRITISH COLUMBIA.
4. I HAVE READ THE KAYAK TOURNAMENT LIABILITY WAIVER AND SIGNED IT.
5. I AGREE THAT TOURNAMENT SPONSORS, AFFILIATES AND ORGANIZERS, ALONG WITH THE TOURNEY ITSELF, ACCEPT NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR INJURY OR LOSS DURING THE TOURNEY OR ANY EVENTS CONNECTED WITH THE TOURNEY.
6. I AGREE TO ALLOW BEING PHOTOGRAPHED FOR THE PROMOTION OF THE KAYAK FISHING TOURNEY AND THE USE OF ANY PHOTOGRAPHS WITHOUT COMPENSATION.
This Code of Conduct is agreed to by:
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