Saracens Head Angling Group Rules – 02/02/2023

 

General Rules

  1. All members are deemed to have read and understood these rules. Members breaking these rules may be expelled from the club. In these circumstances, membership fees will not be reimbursed.
  2. All members fishing club waters must carry a current Saracens Head Angling Group membership card and Environment Agency Rod Licence (paper or digital copy). Members must produce their membership card when requested by the Riparian Owner, Environment Agency or any club member.

Club members must produce their membership card before requesting others to do so. Any unauthorised person or persons fishing club waters will be either requested to leave the water immediately or will be reported to the Environment Agency/local police. All members have the right to request to see day tickets, club permits or Environment Agency Rod licences.

  1. Members fish club waters at their own risk.
  2. Members must comply with the Environment Agency Regulations and any other local byelaws.
  3. Bloodworm and Joker is banned on all club waters.
  4. An Environment Agency Rod Licence is required for all club waters. No more than 2 rods may be fished with at any one time.
  5. All Rainbow Trout of takeable size over 10”/25cm must be removed from the water, except for the Estuary stretch of the river Blythe from the bridge on Newton Hurst Lane to the river mouth (Blithfield Res.).
    1. All Zander and Signal Crayfish, if caught, to be taken out and despatched. This ruling has been directed by the EA, Natural England and C&RT.
    2. No other fish to be removed from club waters.
  6. Fly fishing only for Trout is permitted during the closed season on Club Rivers, subject to the member being in possession of the relevant Environment Agency Licence. Closed season dates for Trout on our rivers is 8th October to March 17th inclusive and Coarse Fish 15th March to 15th June inclusive.
  7. No fish are to be introduced to any club water without the approval of the club committee and the Environment Agency.
  8. Night fishing is not permitted.
  9. No fish are to be carried in Keep nets.
  10. Barbless or flattened barb to be always used.
  11. Keep nets are permitted only on the canal and must comply with relevant EA/local byelaw requirements. All landing and keepnets need to be fish friendly.
  12. No litter or fires. Dogs must be under control at all times. Members are required to ensure that their peg is free from any litter (whether theirs or a previous angler) before leaving the water, failure to do so could result in the club losing the water.
  13. The club will not be held liable for any local or national restrictions preventing access to club waters.
  14. No guests are allowed on club waters with the exception of the canal where day tickets are available from the Saracens Head pub.
  15. The club officials have the power to interpret these Rules and other matters not covered herein.
  16. Live Baiting is prohibited on all waters
  17. All members are to use tackle (hooks size, line strength, etc) that is appropriate to the fish they are targeting.
  18. Please check Water Specific rules and the following fishing techniques matrix. Fishing Techniques Matrix

Venue

 

 

Fishing Techniques

 

 

Float

Ledger 1

Feeder 1

Lure 2

Dead Baiting

Fly 3

Trent & Mersey  Canal

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

River Dove

(Marchington &

Crakemarsh)

 

Y

 

Y

 

Y

 

Y

 

Y

 

Y

River Trent

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

River Tean

Y

N

N

N

N

Y

Gayton Brook

Y

N

N

N

N

Y

Lower Blythe

Y

N

N

N

N

Y

Upper Blythe

Y

N

N

N

N

Y

Blythe Estuary

(Leading to

Blithfield

Reservoir)

 

Y

 

N

 

N

 

N

 

N

 

Y

One Acre Pool

Y

Y

Y

N

N

Y

Bramshall Pool

Y

Y

Y

N

N

Y

 

Fieldhouse Farm Pool

Y

Y

Y

N

N

Y
  1.  Fixed Lead Rigs must not be used.
  2. Lure fishing includes Drop Shotting, Jigging and Spinning.
  3. Fly includes all methods of fly fishing using single barbless hooks.

Water Specific Rules.

Canal.

  1. Fishing is prohibited between the marked sections below power cables. Members fishing these areas will be required to move to other “safe” pegs. Persistent offenders will be reported to the committee and maybe expelled from then club.
  2. Club arranged matches take precedent over individuals fishing and members will be

required to relocate.

Lower Blithe

  1. The river runs through the Manor farm Golf Club. Golfers, unless a member of SHAG do not have the right to fish the water. Golfers have no right to challenge your being on the water unless they are entitled through membership of SHAG/EA etc.
  2. Anglers should be alert to the dangers from Golf Balls, especially where golfers drive across the river. Lost balls technically belong to the owner. To avoid complications, golf balls should be left where they lie.
  3. Only one rod is permitted at any one time.

One Acre Pool – Closed until further notice.

  1. No particle baits except for Hemp, Sweetcorn and Pellet.
  2. All gates must be closed after use.
  3. Park sensibly. Parking is at your risk and the club will accept no liability for any damage to vehicles.
  4. Access is through the farmyard. Please enter and leave as quietly as possible. Care should be taken when driving through the field so as not to frighten the animals.

Additional Competition Rules.

  1. All open and club contests are to be organised by the committee or officials authorised by the committee.
  2. Competitors must hold a valid SHAG membership card and an Environment Agency Rod Licence.
  3. All club contests are subjected to a fee per peg per competitor.
  4. Members are welcome to organise their own contests on the Trent and Mersey Canal. In these circumstances club arranged matches and individual anglers take precedence.
  5. The authorised member shall define which pegs are to be fished on each match dependent on the numbers of competitors, condition/access to particular pegs or other matters identified prior to commencement of the draw.
  6. Competitors are permitted to one draw per match and no competitor may exchange or move their peg.
  7. Competitors may only use one baited tackle at any one time, but other tackle may be set up un-baited. Only one hook is allowed on terminal tackle.
  8. Any bait may be used except; live or dead baiting of fish, frogs, spinning baits or artificial lures. Bloodworm and Joker are banned from all club waters.
  9. Competitors may plumb their swim, set up terminal tackle (un-baited), mix ground-bait, position keepnets and clear debris before the start of the contest. Ground-bait must not be added to the swim before the start.
  10. All tackle, i.e., keepnets, landing nets and weights etc. must comply with current byelaws in force.
  11. Competitors are permitted to fish a maximum of 1 metre from either side of their drawn peg.

Competitors cannot fish past the halfway point between their peg and the adjoining competitor.

  1. Competitors must stop on their own peg and may receive no help or assistance to land fish.
  2. Competitors must stop fishing on the finishing signal. If the competitor is playing a fish, they

will be given 15 minutes from the finishing signal to land the fish.

  1. Competitors that retire early from the match should leave the water in order not to cause a nuisance to other competitors.
  2. All freshwater fish are eligible for the weigh in. Pike, trout, crayfish and other crustaceans will not be weighed in. Trout must be returned immediately to the water if caught.
  3. Competitors will be weighed in once. It is their responsibility to ensure that all their fish are weighed in. The authorised members decision is final.
  4. Competitors are responsible for ensuring their peg is free from all litter, whether it is theirs or not before the weigh in. No competitor will be weighed in with litter/debris on their peg. Unused bait must not be thrown into the swim or left on their peg at the end of the match but must be taken away for disposal.
  5. The authorised member may award prize money for up to 5th place as per the schedule of payments agreed by the committee.
  6. The club officials have the power to interpret these Rules and other matters not covered herein. Any competitor found in contravention of these rules could be subject to disqualification. Any objection must be made to the authorised member or other committee member within 1 hour of the finish of the match and followed up in writing within 24 hours.