Competition Rules

(As amended from Angling Trust Model Match Rules)

1. Every competitor must attend the match draw, where they will draw a single peg. Once drawn, the angler must report to and fish from the designated peg.

2. A competitor may fish as far as half the distance between his/her peg and the pegs on either side. Where competitors are drawn on opposite banks, their swim will extend to midway across the lake.
The competitor will restrict their activities completely to these boundaries, neither his/her person, his/her tackle, his/her hook-baits or ground-baits may intrude into his/her neighbours swim.
In an extreme situation e.g. snagged tackle or a snagged fish, an angler must seek permission from his/her neighbour/s before moving from his/her designated peg to try and remedy the situation.

3. No competitor shall have live or dead fish in his/her possession before a match. All competitors must submit to a search if requested by a contest official.

4. Before the starting signal no competitor must groundbait or loose feed the swim. Competitors are allowed to wet a line, plumb the depth and test the float, mix and wet groundbait, clear his/her ground of weed or obstructions and position his/her equipment. The use of feeders is prohibited before the starting signal.

5. A competitor must not cause annoyance to, or seek to interfere with another competitor.

6. Competitors are prohibited from using mobile phones during the course of the competition. If a competitor has a problem or medical complaint, they should contact a steward immediately.

7. A competitor shall have in use one rod or pole, one line and one single hook at one time, but may have other rods or poles and tackle assembled for use in position behind him/her, if possible, providing that no such other tackles are baited.

8. No bait shall be introduced with a pole cup or bait dropper attached to an extra rod/pole whilst continuing to fish.

9. A competitor must strike, play and land his/her own fish. Only competitors may feed bait during the contest.

10. Competitors must retain all fish in keep nets which comply with the relevant EA Bye-laws. Please note there are large carp in these waters, so competitors should bring suitable keep nets (and preferably 2 nets to separate carp and silver fish).

11. Live or dead fish may not be allowed as bait. Spinning and artificial lures are prohibited. Local fishery rules also apply (copy attached with match pack sent to team manager).

12. Keep-nets should be dry when arriving to fish as dry nets do not spread disease. Fish must never be handled with gloves or towels.

13. No competitor shall leave his/her peg at any time during the course of the match other than to answer the call of nature and then he/she must not leave his/her baited hook in the water.

14. A competitor must cease fishing at the finishing signal. Should he/she still be playing a fish hooked before the signal is given, he/she will be permitted no more than fifteen (15) minutes after time has been called to land the fish.

15. At the end of the match, competitors must remain at his/her peg, pack up their equipment and wait for the official weighing team to arrive to weigh his/her catch. The scales-man will arrange for assistance with competitors to lift their keep-nets and ensure the safe transfer of fish to the scales. It will be the responsibility of the scales-man to return all live fish to the water after weighing.

16. Any fish suspected of being weighted or any fish considered suspicious by the weighers must be laid before the match organisers and the angler’s weight be not confirmed until a ruling has been obtained.
If stewards recommended the disqualification of a competitor they will weigh his/her fish in case the ruling is not upheld.

17. All catches will be weighed to the nearest quarter of an ounce or ten grams rounded up.

18. Each competitor will be responsible for ensuring the correct weight of their catch is recorded by the Steward and sign the sheet to that effect. In any dispute the decision of the weighers and the organisers will be final.

19. Competitors are responsible for ensuring that their pegs are clear of litter and no competitor may have his/her catch weighed in who has litter lying on the banks of his/her swim.

20. Any angler proved to have been in contravention of these rules will be disqualified.