this came to my email....a friendly reminder from Mat.
February 11, 2021
Dear Cold Lake Ice Fishing Tournament Anglers:
Welcome to the 1st Annual Cold Lake Ice Fishing Tournament in support of the Cold Lake Men’s Shed!
First of all, I would like to thank all of our fantastic sponsors for the support and generosity that they
have provided. For a full list of our sponsors, please visit the Fish Donkey App, our sponsorship banner
(located at the Marina), or our Facebook page. Also, a huge thank you to you, all of the Anglers, who
have registered to join us on Family Day long weekend. We have officially hit 400 registrants and our
registration is FULL! WOW – Thank you for your support!! We are proud to announce that the prize
pool now exceeds $25,000!! This wouldn’t have been possible without the enormous support from our
sponsors & those participating in the tournament! So again, thank you!!
Since there will not be a formal ‘Rules Meeting,’ due to COVID restrictions, the purpose of this letter is
to touch on a few frequently asked questions regarding the rules to ensure clarity. Please ensure you
read and understand ALL of the official tournament rules; these can be found on the Fish Donkey App
under Rules and Regulations. There will be Tournament Staff out enforcing rules and likely both Fish &
Wildlife and the RCMP.
Ø Please do your part and follow the current COVID guidelines & restrictions in place at the time
of the event. We have put a lot of effort into planning this event with COVID restrictions in
mind. Refer directly to Alberta Health Services with any questions regarding current guidelines
and restrictions.
o Alberta Health Services wanted to reiterate that current restriction, as of February 10, state
that only household members can be in the same shelter so please do your part.
Ø You must have a Schedule ‘A’ Form printed, filled out and signed. This is equally important as
your fishing licence and acts as a legal document to allow you to fish in the tournament. There
will be printed forms available at the Marina and Anglers Bait and Tackle on the ice. The
Schedule ‘A’ Form can be found HERE.
Ø As for Fishing licences, an Alberta licence will be required for Friday only as stated by Alberta
Fisheries on the Schedule ‘A’ Form. However, anyone can fish without a license on Saturday and
Sunday as it is free fishing weekend.
Ø This tournament is barbless - yes, we will be out on the ice doing spot checks and there will be
NO second chances.
Ø It is a catch and release event which is why we require the video portion of our entry. This video
portion is critical to ensure the fish was released healthy and to see the fish coming off the bump
board to ensure there is no tampering of the board.
Ø Due to the cold weather expected, it is highly recommended to measure your fish inside a
fishing shelter. This is to protect the fish from freezing and to ensure all fish are released in the
best health condition possible.
Ø You can only enter a maximum of 3 fish per calendar day. There is no way to select your best 3
fish so be aware of this when deciding on which fish to document and enter through the app. If
you are caught with more than 3 fish submissions, per calendar day, you will be disqualified.
Another thing to keep in mind, is that the fish you enter also counts as an entry into the Wild
Card Draws. There is over 50 great Wild Card Draw prizes up for grabs!!
Ø All pictures and videos MUST be taken through the app. Ensure your pictures are clear with good
lighting so reading the numbers on the bump board is attainable. Ensure the fish is firmly
pressed against the 90-degree bend with the mouth closed.
o Here is a great video to show how to measure the fish properly. It hits all the points we will
be looking for to verify a fish entry Click for Video. It is best to practice at home before you
come out. Fish Donkey App has a practice tournament that you are able to practice
entering a fish in a tournament. It is highly recommended to sign up for that and try
measuring with an object around your house to ensure you know how to properly navigate
the app when entering a fish.
Ø You MUST use a certified bump board. A full list of approved bump boards is available under
the Rules tab on the Fish Donkey App. Please ensure you have an APPROVED bump board.
Anything that was not already pre-approved or any home-made boards will disqualify your
entry.
o There were a few more bump boards added to the approved list as they seemed the most
common findings in our area. They include: The aluminum bump board from Cabela’s, The
Fishing Hole’s and Big Sky Tackle’s.
Ø Please know, you do not have to fish all 3 days if you don’t want to. This allows you the
opportunity to still be eligible for great prizes even if you can only make it out for a one day.
Ø Prizes – There is two separate categories for Youth & Open Prizes. The Anglers registered in
the Youth Category (12 and under) are only eligible to win the prizes in the Youth Event.
FINAL IMPORTANT REMINDER: Please remember to have your Schedule ‘A’ form (printed and singed)
with you at all times and your certified bump board to ensure your entries are valid and qualify for the
leaderboard and prizes.
In closing, I want to thank the Cold Lake Ice Fishing Tournament organizing committee for the many
hours of planning and preparing for this event in support of the Cold Lake Men’s Shed. Once again,
thank you to the anglers, our sponsors and volunteers for your support and generosity in the 1st Annual
Cold Lake Ice Fishing Tournament! I truly can’t thank everyone enough. If you have any further
questions or need clarification on something please reach out to me at
mweaver@weaversbentrods.com or my cell 780-312-9962
Good Luck! See you on the ice!
Regards,
Mat Weaver
On Behalf Of: Cold Lake Ice Fishing Tournament
In Support Of: Cold Lake Men’s
https://www.facebook.com/Cold-Lake-I...09534257647525