Ottawa Riverkeeper 2008 Casting for Clean Water Fishing Tournament -Registration Now Open!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Objectives:
This tournament is designed to be a fun, social event, emphasizing the fact that the Ottawa River is a great recreational resource, if we keep it clean and protected. Because the river runs through the heart of the city, you can easily enjoy it anytime, for an hour of healthy, self-propelled, non-polluting exercise like fishing or paddling. The Ottawa Riverkeeper team represent all of us when they lobby to maintain the river’s water quality and shoreline habitat.
Location, Dates and Times:
Wednesday, August 20th, 2008 from 6.00 am to 7.00 pm. Book any of the following 4 hour periods: “Earlybird” from 6 am to 10 am, “Lunchbreak” from 10 am to 3 pm, “Rushhour” from 3 pm to 7 pm, or come and fish during the “Sunset” period from 4 pm to 9 pm the evening before, on Tuesday the 19th. The tournament will be based at Westboro Beach, also known as the Kitchissippi Lookout, off the Westbound Ottawa River Parkway. This will be the Wednesday base camp for canoe and kayak rentals, entry submissions and a post-tournament BBQ Banquet and Awards Ceremony.
Join Ottawa Riverkeeper and Trailhead anytime on August 20th, or if you prefer evening fishing, catch the winning entry between 4 pm and 9 pm on August 19th, and submit your digital photos to the judges the next day. Please be advised that a base camp will not be set up at Westboro Beach on August 19th. All canoe and kayak rentals for the 19th will have to be picked up at Trailhead. Bring your own self-propelled craft or rent a kayak or canoe on site. Invite friends and family to join you at 7.30 pm for the BBQ Banquet and Awards Ceremony at the Westboro Yacht Club Café where you can share stories and win one of many prizes.
Support a Community Organization!
All proceeds will be donated to Ottawa Riverkeeper who, in turn, will re-invest the proceeds for the care and protection of the Ottawa River. We encourage additional donations.
Registration and Fees
You must register before August 17th, 2008 at Trailhead, either in person, at 1960 Scott Street, in Ottawa, or at www.trailhead.ca. Fees include entry to fishing tournament, post-tournament BBQ dinner, 2 raffle tickets and Captain’s loot bag. Adults: $35 Seniors (over 60) and Teens (13 to 17): $20 Youth (12 & under): $10 when accompanied by an adult Teams of 4: $120 Additional BBQ Banquet Tickets: $10 Late Registration Fee: $5.00 Boat Rental: $5.00 per hour
Winner Categories and Prizes
1. Top Rod: longest overall catch for each species of Bass, Trout, Muskie, Pickerel or Pike, whether fly fishing or using the spinning method, for 1st prizes, 2nd prizes and 3rd prizes valued at $200, $100 and $50 respectively. 2. Top Fly Rod: longest overall catch for a 1st prize, 2nd prize and 3rd prize valued at $200, $100 and $50 respectively. 3. Top Ladies Rod: longest overall catch by a female for merchandise valued at $100. 4. Top Senior Rod: longest overall catch by a person over the age of 60 for merchandise valued at $100. 5. Top Junior Rod: longest overall catch by a youth 13-17 years of age for merchandise valued at $100. 6. Top Youth Rod: longest overall catch by a youth under 12 years of age for merchandise valued at $50. 7. Top Team Rod: greatest combined lengths of each team member’s longest catch, regardless of species, whether fly fishing or using the spinning method, for prizes valued at $50 per team member. The number of participants in each team must be no more or no less than 4. 8. Raffle: 2 entry fee raffle tickets will be awarded to each contestant for many other prizes. Additional raffle tickets can be purchased on the day of the event. Prize winners will be able to select their prize from a table of merchandise. Any winners that are not able to attend the Award Ceremony will be able to pick up their prize from Trailhead.
PARTICIPATION, REGISTRATION AND ELIGIBILITY:
Participation is open to anyone 18 years of age or older. Minors are eligible to participate with a parent or legal guardian’s signature on the Release of Liability documentation. Minors under the age of 12 must also be accompanied by an adult. A completed registration, Release of Liability form and entry fee must be received no later than midnight, on August 17th, 2008. A penalty of $5.00 will apply to those registering after the deadline. The entry fee includes the rights to participate in the fishing tournament, a post-tournament BBQ dinner, 2 raffle tickets and a Captain’s loot bag.
1. FISHING LICENCE: All contestants between Age 18 and 65 must hold a valid Ontario or Quebec fishing licence.
2. SAFETY: Safe boating must be observed at all times. Each participant must have a Department of Transportation Approved lifejacket, paddle, whistle, throw bag and bailer in their boat. We encourage fishing in teams for safety purposes.
3. SPORTMANSHIP: All contestants are required to follow high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy and conservation, including a high standard regarding the “Catch, Photo and Release” of all fish. Any use of alcohol or illegal drugs, participation in illegal activities or other conduct reflecting unfavourably upon our efforts to promote safe boating, sportsmanship, fair competition and compliance with tournament rules are grounds for immediate disqualification.
4. PERMITTED FISHING METHODS: All contestants must be fishing or access the shorelines or wading areas for fishing by kayak, canoe, float tube, raft, rowboat or other self-propelled craft. Fly fishing gear and spinning gear is permitted. The use of live bait is not permitted. All hooks must be barbless and every effort must be made to not harm the fish.
5. PERMITTED FISHING ZONE: All contestants must fish in the zone below Britannia Rapids up to the Railway Bridge, East of Lemieux Island (see map).
6. SCORING: This will be determined by the length of the fish using catch-photo-release scoring. Each angler will be issued, upon registration, a uniform measuring device and a unique identification card. The contestant or another angler must take a photo of the fish on the provided measuring tool, clearly showing the length of the fish with the scoring marker and the contestant’s unique identification card visible. The length is determined from the forward-most point of the fish to the natural un-pinched top of the tail. The maximum fish size is the length of the measuring tool. In the event of a tie, the entry checked in earliest will be declared the winner.
7. DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY: Contestants may only use digital cameras for recording scoring fish. Entrants must present themselves to the Westboro Beach base camp between 6 am and 7 pm on Wednesday, August 20th, in order to submit their digital photos. Entrants must bring in their unique identification marker, as well as their storage chip or download cable so that the judges may retrieve their photos. Contestants may want to ensure, before fishing, that their digital cameras are compatible with the judges’ computer for downloading of entry images.
8. TANDEMS/SHARING: Contestants may share the same paddle vessel with another contestant. Each paddler must be registered and will be scored separately. Fish may never be shared among entrants. The use of an extra person, simply as a paddler, is strictly forbidden.
9. PROTEST: All protests must be made in writing and delivered to a tournament official no later than 7.00 pm on August 20th, 2008. The tournament director is the final authority in all considerations.
10. RELEASE OF LIABILITY AND COVENANT NOT TO SUE: A waiver, release of liability and covenant not to sue are part of the registration process.
It is required that all contestants sign this documentation and take responsibility for themselves while participating in tournament activities.
11. PHOTO RELEASE: Scoring photos remain the sole ownership of Ottawa Riverkeeper and Trailhead, to be used at their own discretion. Contestants grant Ottawa Riverkeeper, Trailhead and other sponsors the unconditional right to use their name, voice, photographic likeness and biographical information in connection with Ottawa Riverkeeper Fishing Tournaments, productions, promotions, and/or articles and press releases, and shall not be entitled to receive any royalties or other compensation in connection with such use. 12. RULE CHANGES: Rules interpretation is exclusively left to the Tournament Director. The decisions of the Tournament Director are final in all matters. Rules and Regulations
Can’t make it out? Make a donation to support a clean river for future fishing tournaments!
