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The match must be a pegged down
competition. Pegs, preferably ten yards, must be staked out and
numbered prior to fishing. All pegs will be entered
into the draw unless they are officially removed.
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Each
competitor on drawing his/her number shall proceed to the
corresponding number on the bank and this will be considered his/her fishing ground where he/she will fish. Should there be any
vacant pegs available after the draw; any angler wishing to draw a
different peg may do so at a cost of 50% of the £3 prize fee. This
amount will be added to the prize fund. The peg must remain in
position until the weigh-in is completed.
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Every competitor must fish from within one
metre either side of his/her designated peg. On still water, he/she
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, the
limit of the swim is the line midway between each bank. 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 neighbour's swim. In an
extreme situation e.g. snagged tackle of 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. A competitor must not
cause annoyance to, or seek to interfere with another competitor or
use mobile phones during the course of the competition.
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No competitor may move his/her peg or
exchange his/her peg or draw card with another without the organizer's
official consent.
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Competitors must retain all fish under 3lb
approx in keep nets which comply with the relevant EA Byelaws. Fish
over this size must be weighed by an official, recorded and returned
in the swim caught. Competitors must take every practicable step to
keep their fish alive and, after weighing them, must ensure their
careful return to the water. If, for any reason fish are seen to be
in distress, a competitor or match official has the right to demand
that they be weighed immediately and returned to the water during the
course of the match.
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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.
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Any bait, subject to local rules, can be used except live or
dead fish, frogs spinning baits or artificial lures.
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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.
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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 and wet
ground bait, clear his/her ground of weed or obstructions and position
his/her equipment. On no account must a feeder be used before the
starting signal.
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Competitors
may receive assistance to or from their peg, or both, for themselves
or their tackle, or both.
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No ground bait or loose feed may be thrown in
by hand, it can however be introduced into the swim of the angler by
the angler with the use of or by use of one or two handed catapults,
throwing sticks, swim feeders, bait droppers and bait cups, but no
other mechanical means of projecting ground bait is allowed. No bait
shall be introduced with a pole cup or bait dropper attached to an
extra rod/pole whilst continuing to fish.
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A competitor must strike, play and land his
own fish.
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No bait, equipment or information can be
given to any competitor during the course of the match. Competitors
withdrawing from the match are not allowed to give their ground bait or
hook bait to or approach another competitor during the duration of a
match.
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Any competitor who abandons his/her peg
having decided to cease taking part in the match but who decides to
continue fishing must do so outside the confines of the length being
used for the match.
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All
competitors shall, as far as possible, prevent any persons other than
match officials from entering the fishing ground.
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No competitor shall leave his/her peg at any
time during the course of the match other than to answer the call of
nature or obtain refreshments and then he/she must not leave his/her
baited hook in the water. At the end of the match, a competitor must
remain at his/her peg until his/her catch has been weighed unless
he/she has been detailed for weighing duties. Any competitor so
detailed must have a witness to the weighing of his/her own catch.
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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
minutes after time has been called to land the fish.
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All fish caught are eligible for weighing
with the exception of game fish and crustaceans. It will be the
responsibility of the salesman to return all live fish to the water
after weighing. Dead fish, handed to the competitor by the
salesman,
must be returned after the match, to the headquarters by the
competitor concerned and placed in the receptacle provided.
Any fish suspected of being weighted or
any fish considered suspicious by the weathers must be laid before the
match organizers 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.
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All catches will be weighed to the nearest quarter of an
ounce or ten grammes rounded up.
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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 organizers will be final.
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All fish must be weighed at the competitor’s
peg. Unless the bank side terrain renders impossible, no catch shall
be carried more than ten yards to the scales.
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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.
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Any objection to an angler’s conduct, for
whatever reason, must be lodged in writing with a match official or
weighers within one hour of the end of the match. In all cases the
objector shall inform the offender of his/her intentions at the time
in order that he/she may speak in his/her own defense. Should an
offender after receiving such a warning leave the match scene, the
objection shall be deemed to have been sustained and the match
organizers must inform him/her of their findings and punishment (if
any) within seven days.
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All the foregoing rules are subject to the
byelaws of the Environment Agency.
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All holders of trophies must, on
presentation of them, give a written guarantee for their safety and
shall undertake to return same (when applicable) in a clean and
presentable condition when asked by the organizers. In the case of a
team trophy, all members of that team are obliged under this rule.
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Any angler proved to have been in
contravention of these rules will be disqualified.
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Any association or organization wishing to
deviate from these recommended NFA rules must advertise the fact and
list the deviation on the match entry ticket and other literature.
