Cold Lake Summer Fishing Derby

June 15, 2024 - Changed to one day only for safety
Today's portion of the event has been cancelled due to unsafe water and high winds!! 
Each participant will be getting a notification about this as well

Cfe # 621740

Official Rules

1. General Information

1. The Cold Lake Summer Fishing Derby (CLFD) is a Catch, Photo, Release tournament to be held on Cold Lake Alberta. Please handle all fish caught with care. There will be a MAXIMUM of 300 participants in this event.  

2. Refer to the map attached to this event for the official boundaries. 

3. The tournament will be run using the MyCatch mobile app, which is a property of Angler’s Atlas.

4. Anyone can participate in the CLFD  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.

5. The entry fee is $150.00 per person.

6. If an entrant is less than 18 years of age, they must be accompanied by an adult.

7. Each contestant must have a valid Alberta or Saskatchewan Sportfishing licence or otherwise be exempt from needing one. All anglers in the event must follow the general sportfishing regulations.  

8. Check in and boat checks will be held daily at the Energy Centre on Thursday, June 13th from 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm and Friday, June 14th from 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm. You will receive your welcome packages and Tournament Rules will be discussed at this time.

9. Participants that have their boat in the Cold Lake Marina are to contact [email protected] to set a time for their boat checks.

10. Anglers may record fish between Saturday, June 15, 2024 starting at 7:00 am through to 4:00 pm and again on Sunday, June 16, 2024 starting at 7:00 am through to 3:00 pm.

11. Keep mobile phones on throughout the tournament in order to receive communication from the Organizer in the event of postponement or cancellation.  

2.Getting Started

1. Anyone can participate in the 2024 CLFD 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. 

2. Cellular phones are required for the purpose of recording fish through the approved tournament app MyCatch. The MyCatch App is available free on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Cellular phones can also be used for business and/or emergency use. 

3. 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.

4. 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. 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.  

5. Anglers must then also register and pay the entry fee for the tournament online at https://www.anglersatlas.com/event/782/2024-cold-lake-fishing-derby-june-1516-2024 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  

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

7. Due to the nature of tournament fishing, there will be no refunds, no exceptions. If an angler cannot make the tournament, it is the angler’s responsibility to sell the registration, handle the transfer of funds, and contact Angler’s Atlas ([email protected]) to have the registration name transferred to the new registrant. Remember, the new registrant must have a free Angler’s Atlas account and the email they used is needed for the transfer. No transfers will be allowed in the final 7 days before the start of the event.

8. 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).

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

10. 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.  

11. 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

1. This is a Catch, Photo, Record, Release event for Lake Trout only fishing tournament, no other species will be permitted.  

2. Recognize fish species using the information from Alberta fishing regulations: https://albertaregulations.ca/pdfs/fishing-regs/Sport-Fish-Identification.pdf

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

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 section 8 below for details. 

5. Each fish must be entered only once.

6. Fish must be recorded immediately after they’ve been caught. All fish entries must be freshly caught. Frozen fish will be rejected.

7. In the instance when two or more fish are caught at the same time, the Catch-Picture Release process requires that one fish be measured, photographed, and released as quickly as possible before the next fish can be processed.

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. 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. 

                                           

10. 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. 

11. 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. 

12. 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. 

13. 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) Any fish that appears to have been mangled, mashed, mauled, or otherwise altered will be credited only at the discretion of the tournament officials and may result in disqualification for the day or the event.

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

15. Anglers can only submit catches that they have caught themselves. This is an individual event, so you cannot enter as a partnership or team, and under no circumstances can you share fish with any other angler. Any angler who is caught recording another angler’s fish will be automatically disqualified. 

16. For this event, Bumpboards will be supplied by the City of Cold Lake. They will be the only Bumpboard that can be used to submit entry photos. This is to ensure consistency throughout the tournament. 

    • - The bumpboards will be provided to each registered participant during boat checks on June 13 and 14. 

    • - Bumpboards must be returned to staff at the Marina boat launch or the provincial boat launch no later than 4:00 pm on Sunday June 16, 2024

    • - Bumpboards that are not returned by the deadline will result in disqualification from the tournament.

    • - Participants returning to shore prior to 3pm must bring their boards to the Marina location.

    • - Any alterations made to the bump boards will be disqualified from the tournament and, at the discretion of the officials, may receive a lifetime ban from the tournament.

    • - Any lost or severely damaged boards will incur a $100 replacement fee. 

17.  It is the responsibility of each person to carefully review all pictures and ensure no duplicates are submitted. Any duplication of fish will automatically receive a length of zero and the person may be disqualified at the discretion of the tournament officials.

18. 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. If a penalty is applied, it will be 15 cm (just under 6 inches). The entry may also be rejected. 

19. 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.

20. 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. Absolutely no video editing devices are allowed on any boat at any time.

21. 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 and is optional for this event. 

22. 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.

23. 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.

24. 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. All fish pictures will be reviewed and adjusted throughout each day by the Organizers Team. Any discrepancies or concerns will be judged by the executive board who will have final say. During this review, no objections will be heard.

25. 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.

26.  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

1. The boundary of the tournament fishing area shall be the entirety of Cold Lake.  See the map attached to this event. 

2. The tournament runs from:

Saturday, June 15, 2024 starting at 7:00 am through to 4:00 pm and again on 

Sunday, June 16, 2024 starting at 7:00 am through to 3:00 pm.

3. Each boat is required to pass a boat inspection each day of the tournament prior to start time.

4. At the start of each day, each boat will be required to check in at the Cold Lake Marina or Cold Lake Provincial Park boat launch. If completing your daily check in/inspection on land, you must launch your boat at the corresponding boat launch. Please ensure you go slowly through the launch area/no wake zone. Once clear of the area, teams may throttle up. Slower boats are asked to safely and immediately travel closer to the shore line to allow boat traffic to safely pass. On finish, each boat will be required to throttle down prior to entering the launch area/no wake zone. Any boat found not adhering to the foregoing rule may be disqualified from the tournament. Safety is paramount.

5. Boat inspections will begin at 6:00 am. It is your responsibility to be on time and allow for traffic lineups and waiting time.

6. All boats are required to display the CLFD decal for the purpose of identifying you/it as a tournament angler/boat. It is to be placed on the passenger (Port) side of the boat for easy identification by tournament officials.

7. Boat Launch fees for the Cold Lake Marina are included for participants in the tournament fee for Saturday and Sunday. Boats are allowed to launch elsewhere on Cold Lake, but launch fees at other locations are not included in the fee. All participants must come to the Cold Lake Marina or Cold Lake Provincial Park for their daily inspection. In-water boat checks will only be available at the marina.

8. All catches made within the start and end times must be synchronized with the Angler’s Atlas server by the close of the event. Any fish synced to the app after 3:00 pm on Sunday 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. 

9. 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 after the review process. Following this review process, the results will be final. 

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

5. Awards &  Prizes

1. We will have Live Leaderboards (available both on the MyCatch app as well as the Tournament Page) that will showcase live results. One of the leaderboards will be your "Best 3 fish Combined" for an overall total length combined of your best 3 fish. Additionally, we will have the “Daily Longest Lake Trout” leaderboard that will showcase the largest Lake Trout recorded each day of the tournament. 

PRIZES:

There will be prizes for the top 20 anglers in the "Best 3 fish Combined" category, and 1 (one) additional prize amount each day of the tournament for the “Daily Longest Lake Trout” category. Prize breakdown is as follows: 

2. Each angler will only be able to occupy one spot on each Live Leaderboard. (Reminder: sharing fish, such as allowing another angler to record a fish that you caught [or vice versa] is strictly prohibited, and any angler caught cheating will be automatically disqualified from the event).

3. Prizes will be awarded after 6:00pm on Sunday, June 16, 2024 at the Cold Lake Marina.

4. In the case of a tie, the tie break will go to the person who entered the tied fish first. If a tie still exists, the tie break will go to the person with the highest number of fish reported.

5. In the event of a tie with the winner on any competition, it will be decided by the following manner:

1. First Tiebreaker by the fourth longest fish 

2. Second Tiebreaker (if necessary) by the fifth longest fish 

3. Third Tiebreaker (if necessary) by the sixth longest fish 

4. Fourth Tiebreaker (if necessary) by the seventh longest fish 

6. General Rules

1. By registering and participating in the 2024 CLFD tournament, all participants agree to abide by the rules and regulations they have received as set out in these tournament event rules. 

2. This tournament is catch and release ONLY. Harvesting fish will result in disqualification. All fish must  be immediately released back into the water after entering.  

3. No live wells are required to compete in the tournament. Any existing live wells on boats must not have water in them at any time during the tournament. No fish are to be placed in the live well, as It is not permissible to hold fish after registering them and all fish must be immediately released post registration. No fish are to be held via livewells,  nets, lines, stringers, etc. Delays in releasing fish may be grounds for disqualification. In order to speed up the process, while a fish is in the boat, anglers will not be allowed to place any fishing lines in the water. After all fish are processed and released, normal angling may resume.

4. Each participant will be allowed to have only one (1) line in the water at a time. Spare rods and equipment may be carried in the boat. 

5. Barbless hooks are mandatory for this event.

6. The use of bait (as defined in the Alberta sport fishing regulations) and the use of artificial lures is permissible.

7. 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. Fish cannot be snagged, netted, speared etc. Usage of a landing net to land a hooked fish is allowed. 

8. All anglers must possess a valid fishing license and comply with all Alberta Fishing Regulations. First Nations persons are not required to obtain a sportfishing licence, however, they are required to follow the sportfishing regulations during this event. 

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

10. All federal, provincial and local laws must be abided by. 

11. Promoters and organizers hosting/assisting in the tournament operation, their agencies and agents are not responsible for death, injury, damage, liability, theft, fire flood or any loss to any contestants or families and friends.

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 the MyCatch Approval team and can be reached by email at [email protected] (please include the name of the event in your email).

13. The interpretation and enforcement of the rules is at the sole discretion of the Organizer aided by their committee. 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. Abuse of tournament officials and volunteers will not be tolerated.

15. 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.

16. 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 1/2 hour of the close of the tournament. Their decision will be final in all cases. A $150.00 dollar protest fee may need to accompany the protest. The fee will be returned if the protest is found to be valid. 

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

18. All rules have loopholes. It is the intention of the City of Cold Lake 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 questions or problems concerning the rules are to be referred to the tournament officials.

19. 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. 

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

21. All participants are required to observe Canadian rules and regulations concerning boat safety.

22. All boats coming into Alberta require inspection to prevent the movement of aquatic invasive species. If you live outside of Alberta, and are planning to attend, you must provide proof of passing an inspection (proof of inspection sheet) at time of registration.

23. All boats are required to meet Canadian Safety Regulations and Canada Coast Guard Requirements. 

24. A boat must not come in contact with any other boat except the officials on the water. Please give other boats appropriate courtesy and consideration while fishing and/or while under throttle.

25. All photo and video submissions may be used by MyCatch by Angler's Atlas and the City of Cold Lake for future use.

7. Proper Fish Handling

1. 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

2. Whenever feasible, keep the fish in the water while handling as long as possible

3. Cut the line as close to the hook as possible if a swallowed hook can’t be easily removed

4. Have the camera ready prior to landing fish to minimize air exposure 

5. Hold large fish horizontally and support its body to avoid damage to the internal organs

6. Do not hold or support the fish by its gills, gill covers or eyes.

7. Use wet hands when handling a fish. Handle the fish quickly and as little as possible. 

8. When releasing a fish, never throw it into the water, rather; set it in the water and let it swim away under its own power.

8.Data Privacy and Fisheries Research

“Secret Fishing Spots Stay Secret” — This is our primary commitment to anglers who report their catches through MyCatch. Only a very select group of MyCatch employees have access to the data and no specific GPS data will ever be shared publicly 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]).

9. CFE particulars