Match Rules                                  July 2008   

 

1. Matches to be fished on Association waters only, unless prior arrangements have been made

    to hold away matches elsewhere. All club rules apply where necessary

 

2. Matches are open to all members, both Senior and Junior, club officials and match official.

  

3. Suitable steps must be made to allow junior competitors help and encouragement during a match

    i.e. a junior competitor may have help from a parent or guardian setting up, handling and 

    unhooking fish.

 

4. All pegs must be entered in to the draw. Damaged pegs must be withdrawn to prevent injury and reported to

    the Committee at once.

 

5. On arrival, competitors’ names shall be taken and the draw will take place in   order of arrival,   

     based on first come first served.  

 

6. The closing time for late entrants shall be 17.30 hrs for evening matches and 08.45 hrs for the  

    Christmas match.

 

7. All competitors’ shall pay the appropriate fee prior to drawing a peg.  

 

8. The match water in question will be closed for fishing by competitors, 5 hours before the start of a

    match. Venues on home waters cannot be changed without written consent from the Committee.  

 

9. All entrants must have paid their membership fees for the current year entry.  

 

10. Memberships must be shown before any winning monies are paid out.  

 

11. The draw will take place on the club car park. Draws for evening matches will take place at 5.15 

      pm and the draw for the Christmas match will take place at 8.30 am. The draws for any away 

      matches will be notified prior.  

 

12. Entrants for the Christmas match are advised to pay 14 days before hand to ensure their place. 

      Money can be paid up to and on the day providing there are places available. commencement of the match,  

      at their pegs.  

 

13. Match officials will have the right to examine all containers carried by competitors prior to 

 

14. No competitors will change their peg. Any angler fishing at the wrong peg will be disqualified.  

 

15. All competitors must ensure they have a landing net. All nets, both landing and keep nets, must 

      be dry before use to ensure they are free from disease.

 

 

16. The signal to commence and cease fishing will be given by a match official at a time agreed 

      before the start of a match.  

 

17. The duration of a match will be determined on the day or evening in question, but will not last

      more than 5 hours.  

 

18. Before the starting signal no competitor must on any account ground bait or loose feed the 

      swim but will be allowed to wet a line, plumb the depth and test the float, mix or wet ground bait,

      clean his/her fishing ground of obstructions and position his/her equipment.  

 

19. Every competitor must fish from within 1 metre either side of their designated peg.

 

20. Competitors are permitted to leave their peg during a match providing they do not leave their

      line in the water.  

 

21. No competitor will fish more than half way across the appropriate water. And no more than half 

      the distance between their pegs and the pegs on either side. The competitor will restrict their 

      activities completely between these boundaries.  

 

22. A competitor must not cause annoyance to or seek to interfere with another competitor. They 

      must act in a sporting manner at all times.  

 

23. A competitor shall have in use one rod or pole, one line and a single hook at any one time, but

     may have other rods or poles and tackle assembled.  

 

24. No bait boats, bait droppers, spinning, live or dead bait, artificial lures or fish finders to be

      used.  

 

25. Competitors must strike and land their own fish. Large carp may be landed with help from a

      competitor or none competitor to ensure the safety and welfare of both the fish and angler.

 

26. All carp over 2lb, with the exception of Crusian carp, must be weighed straight away and returned to 

      the water. Carp over 2lb must not be kept in keep nets.   

 

27.  Competitors’ must retain all fish in a keep net that complies with the relevant Environment  Agency bylaws. 

 

28.  Competitors’ must cease fishing at the signal. Should a competitor still be playing a fish before

       the finishing signal is given, they will be permitted no more than 15 minutes after time has been

       called to land the fish.  

 

29.  Competitors’ are responsible for ensuring their pegs are clear of litter and no competitor shall 

       have their catch weighed in who has litter in the banks of their swim.  

 

30.  Both the competitor and match official must ensure the safe transfer of fish to and from the keep

       net to weighing sling and back into the water. Dead fish must be suitably disposed of.  

 

31.  All competitors have the right to weigh in. Even if the Match Officials recommend the

       disqualification of a competitor they must weight the fish in case the officials’ ruling is not

       upheld.  

 

32.  Any competitor found to be in contravention of these rules will be disqualified  

 

33.  Any objections or appeals must be made in writing and lodged with a Match Official, no later

       than one hour after the end of a match.