2024 Missouri - Midwest Walleye Challenge

March 30 - June 30 2024

Rules

1. Getting Started

1. The 2024 Missouri - Midwest Walleye Challenge  event is an online tournament run through Angler’s Atlas website and the mobile app MyCatch.

2. Anyone can participate in the 2024 Missouri - Midwest Walleye Challenge and it is for all ages. For those participants sharing a mobile device, participants must login to their own account to submit their catches.

3. Anglers can participate in one of two categories: the free entry cateogry or the paid entry category. The paid entry fee of $25.00 allows participants to qualify for all prizing including cash payouts. The free entry only entitles participants to qualify for non-cash prizing. Further details on prizing is provided in section 4 below.

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

5. 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.

6. All contestants must register for the tournament via this URL: 2024 Missouri - Midwest Walleye Challenge

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

8. 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. (https://www.anglersatlas.com/mycatch)

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

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. Watch our How To Register For A Tournament video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o3PzcIoGo4&t=8s
    
    

2. Catch Reporting Rules

1. Eligible species include only Walleye, Sauger and Saugeye. Catch and release is suggested but not mandatory if the regulations allow for harvest.

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). 

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. This is a total length measurement tournament. NOT fork length. See picture 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. Tail can be pinched to the width of the measuring board.
   
   

   

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. 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.

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 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. Sliding expandable boards will not be allowed either. 

9. Fish will be approved for length only to the last physical mark crossed. Tournament organizers reserve the right to adjust entries.

10. A photo that does not clearly show the overall length of the fish, including head and tail, on the ruler may not be scored for length. 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. Organizers reserve the right to adjust entries. Where a fish is not aligned with the zero mark, a length penalty of 1 inch will be applied. 

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

12. 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 

13. A second photo, often called the Hero Shot, is to be used as a hero shot and is optional for this event. 

14. A third option is a live video release of the fish and is optional for this event as well. 

15. 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. If the catches are not synced by the prizing deadline, they will not qualify for prizes.

16. Catches that are submitted will be reviewed for approval at least once per day during the event. Our Catch Approval Team 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 entries to show up immediately after you sync them them.

17. To learn how to submit a catch into the event you can watch this MyCatch video for more information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS65wMakQHA
    
    

3. Tournament Location and Times

1. Tournament boundaries are water bodies within the State of Missouri. Where the states border has a shared water course with another sttate, angler's can fish the full width of the water body. Anglers should be aware of and follow all regulations of adjacent states per reciprocal agreements where applicable when fishing any border rivers.

2. The tournament runs from:

Saturday March 30, 2024 starting at 6:00:00 am Central time through to

Sunday June 30, 2024 at 6:00:00 pm Central 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. Proceeds from the tournament or equivalent gift cards 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 - see 4B

i. Paid Entry - Eligible Cash Prizes:

Event Wide 1st Place Longest Walleye = $500 

Event Wide 2nd Place Longest Walleye = $300 

Event Wide 3rd Place Longest Walleye = $125 

Event Wide 1st Place Most Water Bodies Fished = $500 

Event Wide 2nd Place Most Water Bodies Fished = $300

Event Wide 3rd Place Most Water Bodies Fished = $125 

Biweekly #1 Longest Walleye/Sauger Entered = $150

Biweekly #2 Longest Walleye/Sauger Entered = $150

Biweekly #3 Longest Walleye/Sauger Entered = $150

Biweekly #4 Longest Walleye/Sauger Entered = $150

Biweekly #5 Longest Walleye/Sauger Entered = $150

Biweekly #6 Longest Walleye/Sauger Entered = $150

Biweekly #7 Longest Walleye/Sauger Entered = $150

Biweekly #1 Most Water Bodies Fished = $125

Biweekly #2 Most Water Bodies Fished = $125

Biweekly #3 Most Water Bodies Fished = $125

Biweekly #4 Most Water Bodies Fished = $125

Biweekly #5 Most Water Bodies Fished = $125

Biweekly #6 Most Water Bodies Fished = $125

Biweekly #7 Most Water Bodies Fished = $125

Biweekly #1 Random Draw = $100

Biweekly #2 Random Draw = $100

Biweekly #3 Random Draw = $100

Biweekly #4 Random Draw = $100

Biweekly #5 Random Draw = $100

Biweekly #6 Random Draw = $100

Biweekly #7 Random Draw = $100

Biweekly #1 Tough Luck Draw = $75

Biweekly #2 Tough Luck Draw = $75

Biweekly #3 Tough Luck Draw = $75

Biweekly #4 Tough Luck Draw = $75

Biweekly #5 Tough Luck Draw = $75

Biweekly #6 Tough Luck Draw = $75

Biweekly #7 Tough Luck Draw = $75

 

ii. Additional Prizing for PAID and FREE events will be added as new prizes come in, so stay tuned.

 

2. Cash prize amounts are based on a full field of 250 anglers. If the tournament doesn’t fill, the payout percentages for each paid position will remain the same but may be adjusted according to number of paid participants. Cash prizes are awarded through E-transfer, cheque, or entry fee refund.

3. A participant can only win one prize placing per species, and one prize in the weekly categories.

4. Awards will be announced on or by July 5th 2024 and anglers will be contacted directly using the contact information provided in the tournament registration process.

5. In the case of a tie, the tie break will go to the person with the highest number of fish reported. If a tie still exists, the tie break will be the time of the first fish recorded.

6. 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 this 2024 Missouri - Midwest Walleye Challenge event rules.

2. 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.

3. 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.

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

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

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

7. 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.

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

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 MyCatch 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 email for this event is [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 $50.00 dollar protest fee may need to accompany the protest. The fee will be returned if the protest is found to be valid.

12. 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

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

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]).