2023 Kootenay Lake Angler Incentive Event

July 1 - Oct 31 2023

Official Rules

This event is to encourage harvest of both Bull Trout and Rainbow Trout out of Kootenay Lake as part of the program to recover Kokanee. Every entry submission of either Bull Trout or Rainbow Trout must have an overall length photo and be accompanied by a "hero photo" that shows either the eviscerated or headless fish.

All participants who enter this season long event are also automatically eligible for the 4 special long weekend events.
Main event July 1 - Oct 31, 2023
July 1-3 Long Weekend Event 
August 5-7 Long Weekend Event 
September 2-4 Long Weekend Event 
October  7-9 Long Weekend Event 

1. Getting Started

1. The 2023 Kootenay Lake Angler Icentive Event is an online tournament run through Angler’s Atlas website and their mobile app MyCatch.

2. Anyone can participate in the 2023 Kootenay Lake Angler Icentive Event and it is for all ages. Registration is 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.

3. This event is free to enter the tournament. .

4. Catches must be submitted through the MyCatch app for approval.

5. Everyone entering the event must 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. If you previously have had the app, we suggest doing a check to see if there are updates or simply reload the app.

6. 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.

7. All contestants must register for the tournament via this URL: https://www.anglersatlas.com/event/735/2023-kootenay-lake-summer-angler-incentive-derby-2023

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

9. Practice using the MyCatch app ahead of time

1. Watch all four videos available at this link to familiarize yourself with the app: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1Yp9OqZ6saBgaKklT5jh6DkuTbai3NeJ

2. Test the app before you go out fishing (note: the app allows you to record fish for your own personal logbook while not in an active event. Some features will appear slightly different when you are not in an active event, so please make sure you watch the YouTube videos at the link above).

11. By participating in this event your name may be publicly visible.

12. 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.

13. 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

2. Catch Reporting Rules

1. This event is to encourage harvest of both Bull Trout and Rainbow Trout out of Kootenay Lake as part of the program to recover Kokanee. Each entry submission of either Bull Trout or Rainbow Trout must have an overall length photo and be accompanied by a "hero photo" that shows either the eviscerated or headless fish.

2. This event is for Bull Trout and Rainbow Trout only. To recognize the differences between Rainbow Trout and Kokanee, click here 

3. 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). 

4. 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.

5. 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. 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. If a fish is longer than the angler's bump board, the longest measurement on the board will be counted.

   

6. 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.

7. The photo entry must be taken from a birds-eye view looking down on the fish. 

8. 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.   

9. 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.

10. 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.

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

12. Soft measuring tapes are not allowed for this event.

13. 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 2.5 cm 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. 

14. Tournament organizers reserve the right to adjust entries.

15. A photo that does not clearly show the overall length of the fish, including head and tail, on the measuring device 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.

16. The mouth is allowed to be open, closed, or anywhere in between, so long as the fish meets the other above requirements 

17. A second photo, often called the Hero Shot will be prompted in the entry procedure. For this you must submit a required photo of the eviscerated or headless fish for the entry to be accepted.

18. A third option in the entry procedure is a video which is not required for this event, but may be used to demonstrate harvest.

19. 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.

20. 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.

21. 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.

22. A great resource is the MyCatch video that shows how to complete an entry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS65wMakQHA

3. Tournament Location and Times

1. Tournament boundaries are within the limits of the Kootenay Lake water body NOT include the West Arm. See attached main map and below inset map showing closure of west arm.....
   
   

2. The tournament runs from:

Saturday, July 1, 2023 starting at 12:00 am (Pacific Daylight Time) through to

Tuesday, Oct 31, 2023 at 11:59 pm (Pacific Daylight Time)

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

4. Awards &  Prizes

1. Prizing for the tournament will be distributed as prizes in accordance with the prizing categories below (GC means Gift Cards). 

2. Prize payout may be adjusted based on supporting partner contributions.

3. Cash prizes may be awarded through either E-transfer or cheque.
   Sponsor prizing / Gift Certificates will have to be picked up by the winning angler from the supplier.
   

4. A participant can only win one prize placing per category/leaderboard for each weekend event, as well as only one prize placing per category/leaderboard for the final end event.

5. Awards will be announced within one week of the end of each long weekend and at the end of the event. Anglers will be contacted directly using the contact information provided in the tournament registration process.

6. In the case of a tie, the tie break will go to the participant who first entered a qualifying fish. 

7. Anglers have up to 60 days to claim their prize. Anglers that do not claim their prize within this period forfeit their prize.

5. Other Rules

1. By registering and participating in the tournament, all participants agree to abide by the rules and regulations they have received as set out in these rules.

2. This tournament is catch and harvest for Bull Trout and Rainbow Trout only. 

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. Each contestant must have in their possession a valid fishing license and or the applicable Kootenay Lake Conservation Surcharge Stamp for retention of Rainbow Trout over 50 cm for their respective jurisdiction or be exempt under regulations of their jurisdiction.

6. Each contestant must conform to the general sport fishing rules and regulations that are in place for the jurisdiction in which they are fishing. You must follow all regulations pertaining to possession limits.

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

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. All questions or concerns relating to the rules of this tournament are to be referred to the Catch Approval Team. 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 Catch Approval Team and can be reached by email at [email protected] (please include the name of the event in your email).

11. 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 $25.00 dollar protest fee may need to accompany the protest. The fee will be returned if the protest is found to be valid.

12. All participants must follow boating safety regulations in your jurisdiction.

13. All fish entries must be freshly caught. Frozen fish will be rejected.

14. All photo and video submissions may be used by MyCatch by Angler's 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?

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.

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]).