Cold Lake Summer Fishing Derby

June 14 - 15, 2025

Cfe # 628742

Official Rules

1. General Information

1. The 2025 Cold Lake Summer Fishing Derby (CLFD) is a Catch, Photo, Release event 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 2025 Cold Lake Summer Fishing Derby (CLFD) - is an online event run through Angler’s Atlas website and the mobile app MyCatch. Cellular phones are required for the purpose of recording fish through the approved event app MyCatch. The app is available for both iOS (Apple App Store) and Android (Google Play Store).Cell phones can also be used for business and/or emergency use.

4. Anyone can participate in the 2025 Cold Lake Summer Fishing Derby (CLFD) - and it is for all ages. For those participants sharing a mobile device, participants must login to their own account to submit their catches

5. The entry fee is $150.00 per person.

6. Due to the nature of competitive fishing events, there will be no refunds, no exceptions. If an angler cannot make the event, 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.

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

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

9. There is no limit to the number of anglers fishing in one boat. Patrons in a boat but not registered in the event may not have a line in the water during event times

10. Check in and boat checks will be held daily at the Energy Centre on Thursday, June 12th from 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm and Friday, June 13th from 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm. You will receive your welcome packages and Event Rules will be discussed at this time.

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

12. Anglers may record fish between Saturday, June 14, 2025 starting at 7:00 am through to 4:00 pm and again on Sunday, June 15, 2025 starting at 7:00 am through to 3:00 pm.

13. 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.

14. Contestants must register for this event through the Angler’s Atlas website or the MyCatch app. We recommend anglers practice using the app before the event begins. Here is a link to some helpful videos to familiarize yourself with the app. 

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

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

17. 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.

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

2. Catch Reporting Rules

1. This is a Catch, Photo, Record, Release event for Lake Trout only fishing event, 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). 

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. 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. 

9. This is a total length measurement event, not fork length. The total length of a fish is measured from the tip of the nose or jaw to the tip of the tail (see picture below). The tail can be naturally* pinched or left unpinched. 
   *You may only use fingers to pinch the tail - no artificial means are allowed IE ties, cables etc

               

10. The nose of the fish must be at the start or zero mark on all measuring devices.

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

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

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 event officials and may result in disqualification for the day or the event.

14. 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 event. 

• The bumpboards will be provided to each registered participant during boat checks on June 12 and 13. 

• 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 15, 2025

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

• 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 event and, at the discretion of the officials, may receive a lifetime ban from the event.

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

15. 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 event officials.

16. 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. 

17. 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

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. Our Catch Approval Team (OR The Approval Team) reviews and judges all fish. Once a submission has been approved, it will appear on the appropriate leaderboard(s). Entries will not show up immediately after you sync them.

20. 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.

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

22. 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.

23. The app will work even when out of cell range, however for catches to qualify they must be synced with Angler’s Atlas server. 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. Event Location and Times

1. Event boundaries are all legal for fishing water bodies within the water body of Cold lake Alberta. See the map attached to this event.

2. The event runs from:

Saturday, June 14, 2025 starting at 7:00 am through to 4:00 pm and again on 

Sunday, June 15, 2025 starting at 7:00 am through to 3:00 pm.

3. Each boat is required to pass a boat inspection each day of the event 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 event. 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 an event angler/boat. It is to be placed on the passenger (Port) side of the boat for easy identification by event officials.

7. Boat Launch fees for the Cold Lake Marina are included for participants in the event 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 event 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 event Organizor, event days may be shortened, postponed or canceled due to unsafe weather or water conditions. This includes but not limited to wind speeds above 40km/hr and lightning.

11. In the event of severe fog, the event start will be delayed to ensure the safety of participants.

 

4. Awards &  Prizes

1. We will have Live Leaderboards (available both on the MyCatch app as well as the Event 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 event. 

 

PRIZES:

Cash prize amounts are guaranteed. 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 event 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 6:00 pm on Sunday, June 15, 2025 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. In the event a tie still exists, the tie break 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 

 

5. General Rules

1. By registering and participating in this event, all participants agree to abide by the rules and regulations they have received as set out in this 2025 Cold Lake Summer Fishing Derby (CLFD) event rules.

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

3. 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 a reason for disqualification.

4. No live wells are required to compete in the event. Any existing live wells on boats must not have water in them at any time during the event. 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.

5. 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. 

6. Barbless hooks are mandatory for this event.

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

8. 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.

9. All fish entered for this event must be caught via angling i.e. using hook, line, rod and reel. Fish caught by non angling (i.e. use of traps, trap nets or cages) is not permitted. Usage of a landing net to land a hooked fish is allowed.

10. 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. 

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

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

13. Promoters and organizers hosting/assisting in the event 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.

14. All questions or concerns relating to the rules of this event 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 event. 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).

15. The interpretation and enforcement of the rules is at the sole discretion of the Organizer. The event 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 events.  All decisions made by the event Organizer are final.

16. Abuse of event officials and volunteers will not be tolerated.

17. Any angler found to be cheating, breaking the law or disobeying the rules will be disqualified from the event. Failure to comply with any event rules subjects participants to disqualification and removal from the event, as determined by the event 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.

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

19. 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 event. 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.

20. All rules have loopholes. It is the intention of the City of Cold Lake to provide an honest sportsmanlike Event. 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 event officials. 

21. 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. 

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

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

24. 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.

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

26. 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.

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

 

6. 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.

 

7.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]).

8. CFE particulars