GENERAL INFORMATION
1. By participating in the Lake Challenge (LC) Fishing Competition, all entrants agree to adhere strictly to the rules & regulations as set forth by Smart Angling Group Ltd (SAG) and Anglian Water (AW). These rules & regulations are accessible prior to the competition and participants should take time to understand them and voice any inquiries or concerns. Violation of these rules & regulations may result in penalties, including but not limited to disqualification from the competition, at the discretion of SAG and AW.
2. Any Angler grants to SAG and any third parties appointed by SAG for the purpose of organising and/or managing the competition and any Sponsor(s), permission to use their name and likeness for the purpose of organising and/or managing the Competition, for announcing the winner of the Competition and for any related promotional purposes.
3. Total respect must be shown to officials at all times. Participants must conduct themselves in a professional and sportsmanlike manner at all times. Any arguing, rude, or threatening behaviour towards officials, other participants, or spectators will not be tolerated and may result in immediate disqualification from the competition.
4. Interpretation of LC regulations belongs solely to the organiser. Any questions regarding the interpretation of the regulations or any other aspect of the competition must be directed to the organiser for resolution.
5. SAG reserves the right to amend, modify, or add to these rules and T&Cs at any time, and it is the responsibility of the participants to check for updates on the official competition Facebook fanpage, Website or through other official channels.
PARTICIPATION FEE
6. Participation Fee: £375 per team (2 anglers on 1 boat).
REFUND POLICY
7. All fees for the LC competition are non-refundable under normal circumstances. However, there are exceptions in the rare event that the organisers must cancel or reschedule the competition due to unforeseen circumstances, such as extreme weather conditions. In such instances, the organisers will make every reasonable effort to inform participants as soon as the decision is made. Participants will then have the choice to either:
- Receive a full refund of their entry fee, or
- Transfer their entry fee towards participation in a future SAG event.
Please note that the organisers cannot be held liable for any additional costs or losses incurred by participants due to event cancellation or rescheduling.
8. Please note that inability to attend the LC competition does not qualify as a valid reason for a refund. Once the competition fees have been paid, they are non-refundable except in the circumstances outlined in Rule 3.
COMPETITION SCHEDULE & CAMPSITE OPENING.
9. Competition & Training Schedule:
- Friday, June 20th: Official training day.
- Saturday, June 21st: First competition day.
- Sunday, June 22nd: Second competition day.
10 .Campsite Opening:
- The campsite will be open from Thursday, June 19th for all participants.
OFFICIAL TRAINING DAY REGULATIONS.
11. Each team is entitled to a full-day training session before the competition. Boats will be available to all competitors on this day.
12. Boat Costs: Teams are responsible for covering the cost of the boat. However, the purchase of a FLY licence is not permitted.
13. No Rods Allowed: Training may only take place without fishing rods.
14. To ensure fairness, FLY licence training is strictly prohibited for all LC participants from June 13, 2025. Any violation of this rule will result in immediate disqualification.
RISK ASSESSMENT.
15. A comprehensive Risk Assessment document will be emailed to all competitors, outlines potential risks associated with the event, as well as measures in place to mitigate these risks. It also provides guidance on best practices for safety during the competition.
Please note that it is crucial for all participants to read and understand this Risk Assessment document. Familiarising yourself with its contents will help you to be aware of potential hazards, understand the necessary precautions, and ultimately contribute to a safer event for everyone involved.
SAFETY DURING BOATS SET-UP.
16. Mandatory Life Jacket: Every participant on the jetty must wear a properly fitted and fastened life jacket.
17. Exercise Caution: Participants are required to exercise caution and care while setting up their boats. Handle equipment with care to avoid injury or damage, and use proper lifting techniques when moving heavy objects.
18. No Rushing: Avoid rushing, running or engaging in any activities that may endanger oneself or others. Take your time, safety is more important than speed.
19. Keep the Area Clean: Keep the jetty area clean and free of any obstacles or hazards that could lead to accidents. Dispose of any waste in the bins provided.
20. Follow Additional Instructions: Follow any additional safety instructions provided by the Rutland Rangers or event organisers. They are there to ensure everyone’s safety, so their instructions must be respected and followed.
DEPARTURE PROCEDURE.
The following procedures must be followed.
21. Teams take their place in the designated starting zone as indicated by the organisers.
22. Teams start together in one group upon a clear signal from the organisers.
23. No Unauthorised Departures: For safety reasons, no team is allowed to leave the port without explicit permission from the event officials. Unauthorised departures can lead to disqualification.
24. There will be no fixed start time. The start will occur within time period announced during briefing when all the participants enter the designated start area, but no later than time window end.
25. Late Departures: Any boat arriving late will have to start after the official start time, and no additional time will be granted.
26. Obstacle Avoidance: Teams must navigate around obstacles and other boats with caution and consideration. Always maintain a safe distance from other boats and be alert to potential hazards.
SAFETY DURING FISHING.
In order to ensure the safety and fair play during the LC competition, the following rules must be followed.
27. No alcohol or drugs.
28. Distance Between Boats: The minimum distance between boats on the water must be maintained at 50 metres. This rule ensures safe navigation and prevents any interference between teams.
29. No Standing on Board: For your own safety, it is strictly prohibited to stand on the boat while it’s in the water. Any movement should be done in a seated position to prevent tipping over or falling off.
30. Anchoring in the water tower areas is strictly prohibited.
FISHING RULES.
31. All competitors must be in possession of the relevant Environment Agency Rod License which may be checked at registration. Anyone not producing a rod licence upon request will be excluded from the competition and will forfeit all entry fees.
32. All anglers must carry an unhooking mat and appropriate tools for unhooking and handling fish.
33. Any fish that is foul-hooked doesn’t count. Only fish hooked in the head area counts (line of gill cover sets “head area”).
34. Every competitor must use an unhooking mat when photographing a catch.
35. When measuring a fish’s length, round down to the nearest centimetre (for example, a fish measuring 51.3 cm or 51.8 cm would both be recorded as 51 cm).
36. Fishing is to be conducted using artificial lures and flies only. The use of “dead rod”, multi rigs, feathers, and umbrella style rigs is not allowed.
37. The use of spinners is strictly forbidden during the competition. Any participant found using spinners will be immediately disqualified from the competition.
38. Only barbless hooks may be used.
39. Only one rod may be used per angler at any one time. However, spare rods may be kept on the boat.
40. Trolling is strictly prohibited.
41. Use of electric motor outboards is permitted.
42. Smart echo sounders and livescope devices are allowed.
“THE LAST CAST” SCORING FORMAT.
43. Scorecard Requirements: Each team must fill out a scorecard with the following fish:
- 2 Pike
- 2 Zander
- 2 Perch
44. Points Per Fish:
- Pike: 1 cm = 1 point
- Zander: 1 cm = 1.4 points
- Perch: 1 cm = 2.2 points
45. Additional Fish:
Once the scorecard is fully completed with 6 fish, the team is eligible to add a 7th fish to their score. This fish, chosen as the best (out of fish not counted within the main bag of 6 fish) will be added to the team’s final score.
TIE-BREAKING RULES.
46. Primary Tie-Breaker: In the event of a tie in the overall ranking, the team with the longest fish will secure the higher place.
47. Secondary Tie-Breaker: If the longest fish is of the same length, the second-longest fish will determine the ranking.
48. Third Tie-Breaker: If the second-longest fish is also the same length, the third-longest fish will be used to break the tie.
49. Final Tie-Breaker: Should a tie still persist, the fish caught first will serve as the final determining factor.
REPORTING AND DOCUMENTING CATCHES.
50. The Scores Jungle App is the designated platform for reporting catches during the LC competition. All participants must download and use this application for catch reporting purposes.
51. Registration: After downloading the app, register using your email address and create a password. Please enter your full name (both first name and surname), as this will be visible within the app.
52. Practice Mode: The Practice Mode will be available on the Scores Jungle App two days prior to the actual competition. We highly encourage all competitors to utilise this opportunity to familiarise themselves with the app’s functionalities.
53. Offline Mode: The app supports offline operation. Simply launch the competition while connected to the network, navigate to the COMPETE tab, and the app will operate offline. However, ensure that you are not using a VPN as it needs to be turned off.
54. Automatic Time Synchronisation: To avoid discrepancies, especially when taking catch photos, we recommend enabling automatic internet time synchronisation on your device.
55. Stay Logged In: We advise against logging out of the app during the competition. Logging out could lead to the removal of your offline list, drafts, and saved competition information.
56. Catch Documentation: Pictures of your catch should be taken and uploaded exclusively through the Scores Jungle App. Photos must include the official ZM measuring board and your unique team ticket number. Photos submitted through any other platform (such as Messenger or WhatsApp) will not be accepted.
57. Pictures:
- The fish must be photographed from its left side only.
- The fish must be top tail, with its lip against the top of the board, and belly down towards the person taking the photograph.
- If the lip of the fish is not against the top of the board (plate), the fish will be ranked at least 1 cm shorter.
- The entire upper scale of the measuring board must be clearly visible in the photo. If any part of the scale is obstructed by a hand or any other object, the photo will be rejected.
- No Blood Visible: If any blood is visible on the fish in the photo, the image will be disqualified and will not count towards the competition results.
- Participants should hold their phones in a vertical (stand-up) position for best results. The Scores Jungle App provides a zoom and retake option.
- Producing a perfect picture is the responsibility of the participant.
- Example of perfect fish measuring:
58. Reporting Missing Fish/Catch: Participants must monitor their own submissions in the Scores Jungle App throughout the competition. In case any fish/catch does not appear as uploaded on the app, it is the participant’s responsibility to immediately report this to the event organiser. This report must be made no later than 1 hour after the competition ends, which means by 9 PM on Sunday at the latest. Please keep in mind that failure to report any issues with your fish/catch uploads in the specified timeframe may result in that fish/catch not being counted towards your final score. Prompt communication is essential to resolve any technical issues and ensure a fair competition.
59. Back-up Photos of Catches: While the Scores Jungle App will automatically save any pictures of your catches to your phone’s gallery, it’s ultimately up to the competitors whether or not they choose to take additional backup photos. Remember, maintaining records of your catches is an essential part of ensuring the integrity of the competition. Although we work hard to ensure the Scores Jungle App functions correctly, technical issues can occur. It is therefore advisable to have your own backup records just in case.
60. Loss of Measuring Board: In the event of loss of your official LC measuring board, please immediately inform the organiser by phone or in person to avoid disqualification. In exceptional situations, you may use your own measuring board, which will be verified by the referees at the end of the day’s competition.
DEVICE CHARGE.
61. For the smooth and efficient running of the competition, and for maintaining safety communications, competitors are reminded to ensure their mobile phones are fully charged before the start of the competition.
INSURANCE
62. Please be aware that while the organisers of the LC competition carry active public liability insurance, personal insurance for competitors is not provided. Participants are responsible for their own personal insurance arrangements. We highly recommend that all competitors ensure they have appropriate personal insurance coverage to protect against potential risks during the competition. This could include coverage for personal injury, loss or damage of equipment, or any other unforeseen incidents. Your safety and well-being are our top priority, but it’s essential to understand the need for individual protection. The responsibility for securing personal insurance rests entirely with the competitor.