The 2024 NB Game of Inches Ice Fishing Tournament

Weekends of Feb 23-25 & March 1-3, 2024

Rules

1. Getting Started

1. The 2024 NB Game of Inches Ice Fishing Tournament is an online tournament run through Angler’s Atlas website and their mobile app MyCatch.

2. Anyone can participate in the 2024 NB Game of Inches Ice Fishing Tournament and it is for all ages. For those participants sharing a mobile device, participants must login to their own account to submit their catches through the manage accounts feature.

3. There is a $40.00 registration fee to enter the tournament for adults (anyone 16 years of age and over) and there is a FREE entry for all youth (15 & under) Youth can enter the adult category but won't be eligible for youth prizing. 

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 event on the app using the same login email and password that you use to register in the event. 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/758/2024-nb-game-of-inches-ice-fishing-tournament-2024

8. You will receive an automatic email confirming that you have entered the tournament and that your payment has gone through.

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).

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

11. 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.

12. 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 for the following species: Main Category - Yellow Perch, White Perch, Pumpkinseed Sunfish, Brook Trout, Chain Pickerel & Burbot. The Bonus Draw species are: Lake Trout, Lake Whitefish, Landlocked Salmon, Largemouth Bass & Smallmouth Bass.

2. 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). Our app now tags each entry with a unique QR code.

3. 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.

4. Fish must be recorded immediately after they’ve been caught.

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 naturally pinched. 

6. 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.

5. 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.

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

7. 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.

8. If you measure your fish using a homemade made 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. Email this picture to [email protected] 

9. Soft / flexible measuring tapes are not allowed for this event. Expandable bump boards are allowed, but a penalty may be applied if any numbers are unclear or the board doesn't appear to be fully expanded.

10. 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 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.

11. Tournament organizers reserve the right to adjust entries. They also have the right to ask for a picture sent to them of your measuring device.

12. 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.

13. The mouth of the fish is allowed to be closed, open or anywhere in between, so long as the upper and/or lower jaw of the head of the fish is clearly touching the bump of the board at 0 cm and the fish submission meets all of the requirements outlined in this section.

14. During the entry process you will be prompted for a second photo, often called the Hero Shot, which is optional for this event.

15. A third option in the entry procedure is a live video which usually depicts the release of the fish. This is also optional for this event

16. 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.

17. DO NOT EXPECT to see entries show up immediately after you log them. Fish DO NOT show up on the leaderboard until they have been approved by the Organizer or their team; so don’t expect to see them reflected on the leaderboard immediately.  If you want to ensure that your fish was recorded successfully, check the Log View of your app (2nd icon from the left at the bottom).  If your fish is there, it logged successfully.

18. 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. 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.

19. 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 Province of New Brunswick. All fish entered must be caught in public waters. Fish caught in private ponds or lakes will be disqualified. See the map attached to this event. 

2. The tournament runs from:

Friday, February 23, 2024 @ 6:00:00 am to Sunday February 25, 2024 at 6:00:00 pm and
Friday, March 1, 2023 @ 6:00:00 am to Sunday March 3, 2024 at 6:00:00 pm and 

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 ice/water conditions.

4. Awards &  Prizes

1. 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 number of participants.
   Main Division - Best Game of Inches (GOI) Score
   
   Each angler's Game Of Inches score takes their longest fish of each species and combines them into one total length.
   
   Youth Category - Overall 1st Place Best GOI Score - wins TBD

• 1st Place Best GOI Score - wins 50% of available money pot. 

• 2nd Place Best GOI Score - wins 30% of available money pot

• 3rd Place Best GOI Score - wins 20% of available money pot
  The above categories are for the following species COMBINED: Yellow Perch, White Perch, Pumpkinseed Sunfish, Brook Trout, Chain Pickerel & Burbot
  
  Bonus Division:

• One point will be awarded for each bonus species caught (max one point per species, 5 total), and the participant with the most points wins. In the event of a tie, the winner will be determined by the longest bonus fish registered This is for both Adult and Youth anglers. Prize is TBD
  The above Bonus Draw species are: Lake Trout, Lake Whitefish, Landlocked Salmon, Largemouth Bass & Smallmouth Bass
  
  

2. Awards will be announced on or by March 7, 2024 and anglers will be contacted directly using the contact information provided in the tournament registration process.

3. In case of a tie in the main division, the most fish entered wins

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 the 2024 NB Game Of Inches Ice Fishing Tournament event rules.

2. All federal, provincial, local laws and all sport fishing rules must be abided by.

3. Catch and release is not required, but strongly encouraged. Fish must appear alive in entry photos. 

4. 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..

5. All fish entered for this event must be caught via angling i.e. using hook, line, rod and reel. For ice fishing, tip ups are allowed. At no time will fish caught by non angling (i.e. use of traps, trap nets or cages) be allowed to be entered. All fish entered must be caught in public waters. Fish caught in private ponds or lakes will be disqualified.

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

7. 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.

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

9. 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.

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

11. 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.

12. All questions or concerns relating to the rules of this tournament are to be referred to the Organizer or their designated 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 Gregory Richard and can be reached by email at [email protected] 

13. The interpretation and enforcement of the rules is at the sole discretion of the Organizer.  The tournament Organizer may change rules or impose sanctions as they deem appropriate, including but not limited to disqualifications, forfeiture of prizes, and prohibition from competing in future tournaments.  All decisions made by the tournament Organizer are final.

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

15. Participants are responsible for their own safety, actions, and property at all times.

16. This is an ICE FISHING ONLY EVENT. 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. 

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

18. Wet your boards prior to measuring fish in cold conditions to help prevent freezing the fish to the board, especially if you are using a metal/aluminum board.

19. Ice on the eyes or in the gills may be a reason for disqualification.

20. 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]).