Baikal Kamchatka Open Ice-Fishing Contest Statutes & Rules

                                                             Since 2004

1.            AIMS & GOALS

The Baikal Kamchatka Open is aimed at bringing together, in a sustainable manner, people from worldwide to compete in teams in winter fishing on the frozen waters of the world’s deepest, oldest, largest and biotically richest freshwater lake. Its main goal is to promote, in a healthy outdoor competition, responsible travel to and ice fishing in Lake Baikal area.

2.   Meaning & abbreviations used in the Statutes

2.1. The “Baikal Kamchatka” hereinafter is not associated with a huge and beautiful peninsula of the Russian Far East called “Kamchatka” , but refers to a local ice-fishing slang.  On Lake Baikal the “Kamchatka” stands for a traditional group fishing area, where anglers with their fishing lines,tents and huts cluster together on the ice over a long-established fishing spot.

2.2. “BK” hereinafter stands for “Baikal Kamchatka Ice-Fishing Contest”

3. REGISTRATION and GENERAL REGULATIONS

3.1. The BK is a team competition. Each team should consist of four anglers.

3.2. Admitted to the BK can be any anglers who are at least 16 years old (anglers under 16 must be accompanied by an adult, 18 years or over), who paid the registration and start fee.

3.3. All BK fishing contestants must abide by present BK Rules and those of the state fishing regulations

3.4. Any unsportsmanlike conduct, unsafe acts or failure to adhere to the BK rules  can result in disqualification and forfeiture of entry fee.

4. FISHING RULES

4.1 The BK  will consist of 5 hours fishing time unless changed due to weather conditions or otherwise notified by the BK official representative (8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.).

4.2. Each team during the BK will use the zone received according to the draw results. Contestants must fish within the marked-off - designated fishing area, and cannot leave the marked-off, designated fishing area during the BK contest hours.

4.3. At least 3 meters must be kept between ice-fishing holes of BK contesters.

4.4 Contestants are subject to inspection by the BK official judges at check in and at any other time during the BK.

4.5 Electronic sonar, cameras, and hydrographic maps can be used.

4.6. Only one fishing rod/line can be used by a contestant at a time at the BK. Contestants may  have any number of spare fishing rods, but when fishing at BK, only one line can remain in the ice hole and used by a contestant for angling in the BK.. A BK contestant is not allowed to lower second line into an ice-fishing hole before taking completely out the first line out from the ice hole.

4.7. Number of hooks on line allowed: two (a   single hook can be both sealed in or suspended; jigs/spoon baits of any color, length, form or non-hazardous material can be used). During the BK  contestants may change the hooks and lines at any time and as many times.

4.8. It is allowed to use any water friendly (not containing any contaminating or hazardous compounds) artificial, animal or vegetal baits. Baiting for bottom feeding from ice surface is allowed, but no any stationary bottom feeders are allowed .

4.9. Each team will consist of 4 (four)  anglers. No partner substitutions will be allowed after the Rules Meeting.

 At least one member of the team must attend the 7:00 pm Friday night rules meeting to be held on March,25,2016.

4.10. All fishing contestants must abide by present BK Rules and those of the state fishing regulations

4.11. Contestants must wear their BK  identification badge and team bib at all times during the BK holding.

4.12.Any unsportsmanlike conduct, unsafe acts or failure to adhere to the BK rules  can result in disqualification and forfeiture of entry fee.

4.13. The BK  will consist of 5 hours fishing time unless changed due to weather conditions or otherwise notified by the BK official representative (8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.).

 4.14. At least 3 meters must be kept between ice-fishing holes of BK contesters. 

 4.15. Contestants must fish within the marked-off - designated fishing area, and cannot leave the marked-off, designated fishing area during the contest hours.

4.16. Electronic sonar, cameras, and hydrographic maps can be used.

4.17. Contestants are subject to inspection by the BK official judges at check in and at any other time during the BK.

 4.18. Contestants should have in possession at the BK hand ice drills/augers and ice chisel.  No electric, gas or any motor driven augers will be allowed to use.  During the BK any of the ice drills/augers, when not being in use by contestants, should be kept in vertical condition (with blades/knives down onto the ice surface).  Teams, which augers can be at any time found   lying horizontally on the ice, and with their knives up, will be subject to disqualification.

4.19. Each of the BK contestants must have, whilst ice fishing at BK, a ruler to be able to measure fast the size of the fish taken out from the ice-hole in order to follow strict rule of the “immature fish” penalties ( see….

4.20. All teams must check in at the BK  official site for inspection and verification prior to going on the BK ice-fishing  zones.  All teams MUST check in at the BK  official site at the end of the competition. Failure to do so will cancel any points awarded.  Bait buckets, coolers, and other equipment will all be checked by officials prior to travel out to ice fishing grounds.

 4.21.  Any of immature fish caught by a BK contestant shall be released immediately by the contestant. Failure to do so can result in penalties or disqualification (see Table 1  of article 8 of the rules below).

5. The BK  PROGRAM  

5.1. Captains/Representatives of all team registered at BK shall attend the BK Rules meeting to be hel on March,25,2016  from  3 p.m. to 6 p.m. If any of the BK registered teams fails to send their representative to the Rules meeting, such a team will be disqualified.

5.2. During the BK Rules meeting final BK commencement details shall be released. The BK zones for the teams competing in the BK shall be assigned by a draw.

5.3. On Day of BK commencement and five minutes prior designated commencement of the Contest, the warning signal shall be produced obliging all spectators or any other people other than the contestants themselves and referees to leave the contest zone. If any of the spectators or other people, other than contestants themselves, will remain in the BK contest zones after that, the team in which zone such people happen to be, will be subject to disqualification.  By this time all, the team competing in the BK should be inside their fishing zones.

 5.4. Green flare light will allow contesters to start drilling ice-holes and  then ice-fishing.

5.5. Five minutes before the BK completion a green flare light signal produced will urge all, besides the BK contestants themselves, to immediately leave from the BK fishing zones.

5.6. The red flare light signal produced afterwards will urge all BK contestants to immediately stop fishing, take their fishing lines out, and stay at their ice-fishing hole until the BK judge comes to pick up the fish catch. No any leaving from ice fishing holes used by BK contestants is allowed at this time and before the fish the BK judge picks up catch, and those who disregard this part of the BK rules will be disqualified.

6. OFFICIAL PROTESTS:

6.1 Protests must pertain to specific rules violations.

6.2 Competitors wishing to make an official protest must do so by reporting to the BK Director immediately before weigh-in.

6.3. Protests will be heard by the BK Director , and final decision on protests shall be madeby voting of the BK Juries Board before drawing of BK final results.S uch a decision  of the BK Juries Board  shall be final and binding.

 7. SAFETY

7.1. The BK Organizing Committee will choose the safest for contesters and best for the fish catching spot based on ice monitoring and traditional ice-fishing spots.

7.2.  No alcohol or drugs will be allowed in the BK  fishing area, or on your person or ATV/sled or with any other mode of transportation while out on the ice during competition day.

 7.3. No AM/FM radios, stereos, audible devices, or pets allowed in or at the designated BK fishing areas. (Does not include Cell phones).

7.4. Any unsportsmanlike conduct, unsafe acts or failure to adhere to the BK rules can result in disqualification and forfeiture of entry fee.

 8. PENALTIES.

 8.1. For each immature fish, caught  and not released, team penalties shall be applied  according to the Table 1 below ( the penalties  are equal to tripled number of points , each point  corresponding  to an average maturity size  of  Lake Baikal fish species, and these  points will be deducted from the total weight/points  earned by the  team. Example:  Once a contestant caught and failed to release live an  immature Baikal  dace, then the penalty applied shall be equal to 12 points multiplied by three= 36 points. Once unreleased immature fish was a pike less than 40 cm in size, then the penalty will accordingly be 120 points).

TABLE ONE: Average sizes of Baikal fish species upon reaching  maturity age

7. WINNER and AWARDS

7.1 The winning teams will be decided by the most points earned during the BK based on the scoring system applied at the BK and after weighing-up of the fish catch.

7.2 If a tie in points occurs, the team with the most fish registered will win the BK and First Prize, with the other team winning the Second Prize.

7.3. “BK” Big Fish plaque will be awarded to the largest qualified fish measured over the weekend.

7.4. Every team shall be awarded with the BK completing certificate and each member of the BK team shall receive a special medal of the BK.  

8. Registration and start fee.

Team registration fee is 200 ( two hundred ) USD total per one team. The cost cover organization expenses, fishing fees, safety expenses.

9. Place of holding 11-th edition of BK

Maloye More ( Smaller Sea ) of Lake Baikal , near the Tainiki cape , opposite the Olkhon Island and close to  the western mainland shore.  

9. The BK Organizer

BK Organizing Committee includes Regional Fishermen and Hunters Union and Siberia-Baikal Association of Tourism. Applications for the admittance to the BK should be sent via e-mail to: incoming@absolute-siberia.com

BK application form find here

Special Baikal Kamchatka all-inclusive tour package - here