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How to Register |
The 2025 Big Jack Classic Family Ice Fishing Derby is a two day catch and release event on Buffalo Lake, Alberta for Northern Pike only. The Derby is run through the Angler’s Atlas website and their mobile app MyCatch, our CFE number is CFE623872. You must register on 2025 Big Jack Classic event and hold an account with Angler's Atlas to participate in the Big Jack Classic.
NOTE: The Derby is held on Family Day weekend and is a Family Fishing Weekend in Alberta. A sport-fishing license is not required. Open to all Alberta residents and visitors.
Join us for the Big Jack Classic Banquet on Sunday, February 16, at Rochon Sands Community Hall, where we wrap up the derby in style! Gather and network with other fishing enthusiasts while you enjoy a delicious roast beef supper, catch the unofficial derby results, check out the silent auction and groove to live music by the Five of Diamonds.
Don’t miss this fun-filled evening of great food, entertainment, and community spirit. Get your tickets now and be part of the celebration!
Adults $40 and Kids $15 - Get your ticket here!
NOTE: The Derby is held on Family Day weekend and is a Family Fishing Weekend in Alberta. A sport-fishing license is not required. Open to all Alberta residents and visitors.
Join us for the Big Jack Classic Banquet on Sunday, February 16, at Rochon Sands Community Hall, where we wrap up the derby in style! Gather and network with other fishing enthusiasts while you enjoy a delicious roast beef supper, catch the unofficial derby results, check out the silent auction and groove to live music by the Five of Diamonds.
Don’t miss this fun-filled evening of great food, entertainment, and community spirit. Get your tickets now and be part of the celebration!
Adults $40 and Kids $15 - Get your ticket here!
HOW TO REGISTER
You must hold an account with Angler's Atlas to participate in the Big Jack Classic. (The account at Angler's Atlas is free.)
- To register for the tournament, Click Here
- Entry fee is $35.
- You will receive an email letting you know your payment has been received.
- Create an account or log in online at anglersatlas.com
- You will then receive an email confirming that you have registered for the tournament and that your payment has gone through.
- Download the MyCatch App to your mobile phone and log in using the same information you used to register your Anglers Atlas account. You will enter all your catches through the app.
- Welcome packages will be required to be picked up at Rochon Sands Community Hall prior to participating in the tournament. Hall address is #2 Hall Road, Rochon Sands.
- Rochon Sands Community Hall event hours:
- Friday, February 14th • 4:00 - 8:00pm
- Saturday, February 15th • 6:00am - 7:00pm
- Sunday, February 16th • 6:00am - 7:00pm
BASIC ICE FISHING INFORMATION
Please practice ice safety at all times. Ice quality and thickness is monitored by the Big Jack Classic Committee. Use the lake at your own risk. View here for more ice fishing safety tips.
New to ice fishing? Here’s some suggested equipment.
Respect our environment.
Big Jack Classic officials, all committee members and volunteers are very respectful of the resources that we enjoy in our own backyard. It is our job to ensure they are used sustainably and are preserved for future generations to enjoy as we do. Please join with us in giving our natural environment and Derby officials all of your respect as you enjoy a weekend in our great outdoors.
New to ice fishing? Here’s some suggested equipment.
- Warm Winter Clothing
- Portable Hut/Clamshell
- Ice Auger
- Ice Fishing Pole or Stick
- Ice Scoop
- 20L Pail
- Bail Bucket
- Chair
- Lures
- Shovel
Respect our environment.
Big Jack Classic officials, all committee members and volunteers are very respectful of the resources that we enjoy in our own backyard. It is our job to ensure they are used sustainably and are preserved for future generations to enjoy as we do. Please join with us in giving our natural environment and Derby officials all of your respect as you enjoy a weekend in our great outdoors.
- Please take everything you bring with you on the lake every time you leave the area.
- Please do not leave any litter or garbage behind.
- Cooperate with Big Jack Classic officials and volunteers if you are fishing inside of a fishing hut and open your hut to them upon request.
using the my catch app
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Prizes |
The 3rd Annual Big Jack Classic Ice Fishing Derby has $6,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs!
senior Division - 18 years and up
- $2000 - Longest Catch Overall
- $1000 - Second Longest Catch Overall
- $500 - Third Longest Catch Overall
JUNIOR DIVISION - 17 years and under
- $1,500 - Longest Catch
- $750 - Second Longest Catch
- $250 - Third Longest Catch
random Prizes
- There will be random prize draws throughout the tournament. More details coming soon!
payout information
- Payouts for each paid position will remain the same regardless of the number of tournament entries.
- Prize amounts listed are a minimum payout per category. Payouts may increase depending on the level of sponsorships and or number of entrants. No additional categories will be created as part of the tournament.
- A participant can only win for one prize category. One participant cannot win multiple prizes. Where a participant places first in two categories simultaneously, that participant will be awarded the highest dollar value prize and win in that category.
- Awards will be announced by Wednesday, February 19, 2025, and anglers will be contacted directly using the contact information provided in the tournament registration process.
- In the case of a tie, the tie break will go to the person with the first reported fish.
- Derby organizers reserve the right to adjust entries.
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Rules |
Rule outlines
This event is catch and release ONLY. Harvesting of fish will result in disqualification. Use of barbless hooks only. Maximum of two lines per entrant. All entrants are required to pick up their welcome package prior to fishing on the lake. All entrants will be provided a measuring device in their welcome package.
Tournament boundaries are within the limits of the water body of Buffalo Lake, excluding the Narrows in portion located in 40-22-W4, please observe the boundary markers for Narrows fishing. Any anglers fishing in the Narrows during the tournament will be disqualified.
This is a Northern Pike only event. If Burbot or White Sucker are caught, release immediately – only photographs of Northern Pike submitted will be accepted.
In the event of disqualification, any entry fees will be forfeited and not refunded. By registering and participating in the tournament, all participants agree to abide by the rules and regulations as set out in the 2024 Big Jack Classic Fishing Event Rules and Competitive Fishing Event License issued by the Government of Alberta.
Refer to the leaderboard often and do not submit photos of fish smaller than the posted leaders in each category. This will help limit the impact on the fish caught and enhance the chances of survival in catch and release where the fish is put back.
Tournament boundaries are within the limits of the water body of Buffalo Lake, excluding the Narrows in portion located in 40-22-W4, please observe the boundary markers for Narrows fishing. Any anglers fishing in the Narrows during the tournament will be disqualified.
This is a Northern Pike only event. If Burbot or White Sucker are caught, release immediately – only photographs of Northern Pike submitted will be accepted.
In the event of disqualification, any entry fees will be forfeited and not refunded. By registering and participating in the tournament, all participants agree to abide by the rules and regulations as set out in the 2024 Big Jack Classic Fishing Event Rules and Competitive Fishing Event License issued by the Government of Alberta.
Refer to the leaderboard often and do not submit photos of fish smaller than the posted leaders in each category. This will help limit the impact on the fish caught and enhance the chances of survival in catch and release where the fish is put back.
Buffalo lake access points
Tournament boundaries are within the limits of the water body of Buffalo Lake, excluding the Narrows in portion located in 40-22-W4, please observe the boundary markers for Narrows fishing.
* Please Note: For the Polar plunge only, it isn't a Derby access point and spectators are asked to park in the beach parking lot and walk out to watch the plunge.
* Please Note: For the Polar plunge only, it isn't a Derby access point and spectators are asked to park in the beach parking lot and walk out to watch the plunge.
- Rochon Sands Provincial Park Boat Launch
- Rochon Sands Marina
- White Sands Marina
- Pelican Point Campground
- Pelican Point Beach Access
- Scenic Sands
- Lake Bend Road (TWP-410)
measuring your fish
This is a total length measurement tournament. NOT fork length. See pic 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 pinched.
- 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.
- 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.
- When you measure your fish entry on a provided bump board, the measurement rules are as follows. The nose of the fish must be visibly touching the bump end of the board, the fish must be placed on top of the board and the entire fish showing the head and tail and past the tail must be visible in the measurement photo. A legal measurement ruler will be provided in your welcome bag.
- No home-made bump boards or tape measures will be accepted, the provided Big Jack Classic bump board will be the only acceptable measuring devices.
- The photo must be taken from a birds-eye view looking down on the fish.
- A photo that does not clearly show the overall length of the fish, including head and tail, on the ruler 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.
- The mouth is allowed to be open, closed, or anywhere in between, so long as the fish meets the other above requirements.
- 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.
- A second photo, often called the Hero Shot, is to be used as a hero shot and is optional for this event.
- A live video release prompt in the entry process will come up and this is required as proof of releasing the fish for this event.
- The app works out of cell range, and catches will synchronize with the server once the user opens the app when back in cell range, or via a Wi-Fi signal. Photos are date, time, and location stamped to the moment that they are taken. If the catches are not synced by the prizing deadline, they will not qualify for prizes. All entry photos are now tagged with an individual QR tag for additional security purposes.
- Catches that are submitted will be reviewed for approval often throughout each day of the event. Once the submissions are reviewed and approved, they appear immediately on the appropriate leaderboard(s). DO NOT EXPECT to see entries show up immediately after you log them and are located on the website you registered on.