This event is catch and release ONLY. Harvesting fish will result in disqualification. Use barbless hooks only.
Eligible species include Walleye, Burbot, Lake Whitefish, and Yellow Perch.
Northern Pike are ineligible. If caught, release immediately – any photographs of pike submitted will result in disqualification.
The maximum depth permitted to fish is 7.5 meters (24.5 feet)
In the event of disqualification, any entry fees will be forfeited and not refunded.
By registering and participating in the tournament, all participants agree to abide by the rules and regulations as set out in the 2024 Big Jig Fishing Event Rules and Competitive Fishing Event License issued by the Government of Alberta.
All rules below must be adhered to.
1. General Information
This is a Catch, Photo, Record, Release tournament to be held at Sylvan Lake Alberta. Refer to the map attached to this event for the official boundaries.
The tournament will be run using the MyCatch mobile app, which is a property of Angler’s Atlas.
Anyone can participate in the 2024 Big Jig Ice Fishing Tournament 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.
The entry fee is $35.00 per Adult and $10 for Youth - for this event, youth is anyone 15 & under. Youths may choose to enter under the Adult division.
Each contestant must have a valid Alberta sport fishing license or otherwise be exempt from needing one.
Anglers may record fish between 6:00 am to 9:00 pm Friday January 19 & Saturday January 20 and 6:00 am to 3:00 pm Sunday January 21, 2024.
Keep mobile phones on throughout the tournament in order to receive communication from the Organizer in the event of shortening the duration, postponement or cancellation. This may be due to unsafe weather or ice/water conditions. Due to the nature of tournament fishing, no refunds will be issued. This is at the discretion of your tournament Organizer.
2.Getting Started
Anyone can participate in the 2024 Big JIg Ice Fishing Tournament 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.
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.
Anglers will need to download and use the free MyCatch app (available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store) to submit their fish entries for the tournament. https://www.anglersatlas.com/event/763/the-big-jig-2024-2024 For first time users, you must set up your account first. To do this, please complete the following: https://www.anglersatlas.com/sign-up If you previously have had the app, we suggest doing a check to see if there are updates or simply reload the app. 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.
Anglers must then also register and pay the entry fee for the tournament online at using a credit card or PayPal. You cannot pay via cash or eTransfer, and your spot is not reserved until payment has been received. If you need help with the registration process, please watch this short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o3PzcIoGo4
You will receive an automatic email confirming that you have entered the event and that your payment has gone through.
If you enter after the tournament starts, you must wait 4 hours before you can submit a fish for entry. This is an automatic feature of the registration process
Practice using the MyCatch app ahead of time
Watch all four videos available at this link to familiarize yourself with the app: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1Yp9OqZ6saBgaKklT5jh6DkuTbai3NeJ
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).
By participating in this event your name may be publicly visible.
Protecting anglers’ privacy is a priority, and any location data collected during the event 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 to refer to is our How To Register For A Event video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o3PzcIoGo4&t=8s
3. Catch Reporting Rules
This is a Catch, Photo, Record, Release event. Eligible species include Walleye, Burbot, Lake Whitefish and Yellow Perch, no other species will be permitted. Northern Pike are ineligible. If a Northern Pike is caught, it must be released immediately. Any submitted photos of Northern Pike will result in disqualification.
Recognize fish species using the information below: https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-game-fish-species
Catches must be submitted through the MyCatch app for judging anytime during the listed tournament times.
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 tags each entry with a unique, identifiable QR code.
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 section 8 below for details.
Each fish must be entered only once.
Fish must be recorded immediately after they’ve been caught. All fish entries must be freshly caught. Frozen fish will be rejected.
This is a total length measurement tournament. NOT fork length. See pic below 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. The tail may be pinched to the width of the board or left unpinched.
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.
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.
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 or at 0 cm and the fish submission meets all of the requirements outlined in this section.
There are to be no fingers placed in the gills or mouth area of the fish. Anything in the gills or mouth area of the fish will disqualify that fish. This rule applies to the Measurement photo only (not the hero or release video).
The measurement photo entry 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.
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.
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. *Rapala roll out tapes will be treated as a tape measure*
Soft/Flexible measuring tapes and Expandable Bump boards are not allowed for this event.
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. Length penalties applied will be 2 inches regardless of fish species. The entry may also be rejected.
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.
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 measurement photo or retake a photo.
During the entry process, a second photo; often called the Hero Shot consisting of the angler holding the fish, will be prompted in the entry procedure which is optional for this event..
You will also be prompted with a third option which is a video of the release of your fish and this is also optional for this event.
During the event, 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.
Fish DO NOT show up on any of the leaderboards until they have been approved by the Organizer’s 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.
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.
A great resource is the MyCatch video that shows how to complete an entry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS65wMakQHA
4. Tournament Location and Times
Tournament boundaries are within the water body of Sylvan Lake in Alberta Canada. Refer to the map attached to this event.
The tournament runs from:
Friday, January 19, 2024 from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm
Saturday, January 20, 2024 from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm
Sunday, January 21, 2024 from 6:00 am to 3:00 pm
All catches made within the start and end times must be synchronized with the Angler’s Atlas server within the event times to qualify. Any fish synced to the app after 3:00 pm on Sunday January 21 will not be judged. It is the applicant’s duty to ensure they have full cell service and all fish are synced before the deadline.
Once the tournament concludes, a full review process will begin between the Organizer and their team. Results will not be confirmed, announced, or made public until the morning of Wednesday January 24th, 2024 and no cash prizes will be awarded or sent until after the winner’s announcement has been made. Following this review process, the results will be final.
5. Awards & Prizes
Proceeds from the tournament will be distributed as prizes in accordance with the prizing categories below.
$3000 - Adult Category - Longest Catch Overall
$750 - Adult Category - Longest Walleye
$750 - Adult Category - Longest Burbot
$750 - Adult Category - Longest Lake Whitefish
$750 - Adult Category - Longest Yellow Perch
$300 - First Catch on Friday, January 19, 2024
$300 - First Catch on Saturday, January 20, 2024
$300 - First Catch on Sunday, January 21, 2024
2 x $100 - 2 Random Draws from all Registered Entrants on Friday, January 19, 2024
2 x $100 - 2 Random Draws from all Registered Entrants on Saturday, January 20, 2024
$100 - Random Draw from all Registered Entrants on Sunday, January 21, 2024
Longest Catch – Youth Only Category – Prize Pack (TBD) Valued at a minimum $100.00
Payouts for each paid position will remain the same regardless of the number of tournament entries. Prizes will be awarded through cheque from the Town of Sylvan Lake.
Prize amounts listed are a minimum payout per category. Payouts may increase depending on the level of sponsorships secured. No additional categories will be created as part of the tournament.
A participant can only win for one prize category. One participant cannot win multiple prizes. Where a participant places in the same position of multiple species, the order of picking the category the angler will win is in the order of the listed leaderboards - IE if an angler places 1st in both Burbot and Walleye, the Burbot leaderboard is listed first in the event and that angler would win only that prize not both.
Awards will be announced by Wednesday February 22, 2023 and anglers will be contacted directly using the contact information provided in the tournament registration process.
In the case of a tie for any prize, the tie break will be the time of the first fish recorded.
Tournament organizers reserve the right to adjust entries.
6. General Rules
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 Big Jig Ice Fishing Tournament event rules and Competitive Fishing Event License issued by the Government of Alberta (CFE No. 620482)
This tournament is a catch and release ONLY. Harvesting fish will result in disqualification. Eligible species include Walleye, Burbot, Lake Whitefish, and Yellow Perch. Northern Pike is ineligible. If caught, release immediately – any submitted photographs of pike will result in disqualification.
Refer to the leaderboard often and do not submit photos of fish smaller than the leader in that category. This will help limit the impact on the fish caught and enhance the chances of survival in catch and release where the fish is put back into the water as quickly as possible.
Use only barbless hooks.
The maximum depth permitted to fish is 7.5 meters (24.5 feet). Anglers entering catches outside of this depth will be disqualified. Fizzing of fish is prohibited.
All fish entered for this event must be caught via angling i.e. using hook, line, rod and reel including tip ups. At no time will fish caught by non angling (i.e. use of traps, trap nets or cages) be allowed to be entered. Fish cannot be snagged, netted, speared etc. All participants must only use up to a maximum of 2 rods while ice fishing.
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 general sport fishing rules and regulations that are in place for the jurisdiction in which they are fishing.
All federal, provincial and local laws must be abided by.
Promoters and organizers assisting in the tournament operation are not responsible for death, injury, damage, liability, theft, fire or any loss to any contestants.
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 for this event is The MyCatch Approval Team and can be reached by email at [email protected] (please include the name of the event in your email).
The interpretation and enforcement of the rules is at the sole discretion of the Organizer aided by their committee and Angler’s Atlas representatives. 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.
Abuse of tournament officials and volunteers will not be tolerated.
Any angler found to be cheating, breaking the law or disobeying the rules will be disqualified from the tournament. Failure to comply with any tournament rules subjects participants to disqualification and removal from the tournament, as determined by the tournament officials. The right to refuse sale and/or revoke a competition entry to anyone is hereby reserved. Angler’s Atlas also reserves the right to ban anglers from competing in future events.
All protests must be brought to the Organizer’s attention before the end of the tournament. 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 $75.00 dollar protest fee may need to accompany the protest. The fee will be returned if the protest is found to be valid.
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 participants are expected to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, safety, and conservation. Any participant who displays poor sportsmanship, violates these rules, or brings unfavorable publicity to the sport of fishing could be disqualified. Encroachment is considered a sportsmanship rule.
Please show respect for the overall cleanliness of the lake. We ask that each angler be responsible for picking up any litter or garbage from your site once you have completed fishing for the day. Together we can work towards leaving the lake in a better condition by picking up garbage if found.
Participants are responsible for their own safety, actions, and property at all times.
This is an ice fishing event only. 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 the following: https://mywildalberta.ca/fishing/safety-procedures/ice-safety-tips/default.aspx
https://www.lifesaving.org/public-education/water-smart-tips2/ice-safety-tips
All photo and video submissions may be used by MyCatch by Angler's Atlas and the Town of Sylvan Lake for future use.
7. Proper Fish Handling
We highly encourage conservation and the proper handling of all fish caught. To ensure the best chances of survival for all released fish, all participants are to handle fish safely. These are general guidelines for safe fish handling below: https://mywildalberta.ca/fishing/safety-procedures/fish-handling/default.aspx
Whenever possible,Try to keep the fish in the water as long as possible.
Cut the line as close to the hook as possible if a swallowed hook can’t be easily removed
Have the camera ready prior to landing fish to minimize air exposure
Hold large fish horizontally and support its body to avoid damage to the internal organs
Do not hold or support the fish by its tills, gill covers or eyes.
Use wet hands when handling a fish. Handle the fish quickly and as little as possible.
When releasing a fish, never throw it into the water.
A fish's eyes and gills can freeze when exposed to sub-zero temperatures. Ice on the eyes or in the gills may be a reason for disqualification.
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 an Angler's Atlas, Judge or other aluminum/metal boards.
Measure fish inside tents or ice shacks whenever possible, especially when temperatures dip below -10 degrees celsius.
8.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]).
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