OPEN MATCH RULES

General Rules

• All entrants to the match must register with the match official and pay any amount owing by 8.15 am. Entrants after this time will not be allowed. The match official’s decision on this matter is final.
• The location of the match will be decided before the draw of the pegs by the match official, or by open discussion with the competitors.
• The Match Official shall conduct the draw for pegs at 8.30am.
• The match will start at 10 am on the starting signal, indicated by the match official. Before the starting signal no competitor may be allowed to ground bait or loose feed the swim but will be allowed to wet a line, plumb the depth and set floats. The use of any kind of feeder to plumb the depth is prohibited.
• 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. The peg must remain in position until the weigh-in is completed.
• A competitor must not cause annoyance to, or seek to interfere with another competitor or use mobile phones during the course of the competition, and must act in a sporting manner at all times.
• Should, in the opinion of the Match official, any swim not be fishable he/she may permit the competitor to either move one peg either way or redraw. A competitor must lodge his appeal before the start of the match.
• Keepnets will be provided by Wylands Angling Centre. The maximum weight per keepnet will be 50lb. Any keepnet weights over 60lb will be counted as 50lb. Any keepnet weights over 70lb will be discounted.
• Weigh-in’s will be carried out by the match official at the pegs. The officials decision is final.
• All monies and prizes will be under the control of the match official. Prizes will be distributed at the end of the match.
• The match will end at 4 pm, signalled by the match official
• All competitors 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.
• 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.
• The Match Officials decision on any matter is final.

Tackle Rules

• Barbless hooks only. Maximum size 8.
• No suspending of baits other than by a float.
• Minimum 12” of line between bottom of float and hook.
• No surface fishing.
• No bubble floats.
• No floating poles.
• No spodding.
• 16m pole max length.
• No feeding with a second pole.
• Running feeder/leads only.
• Any competitor leaving his/her swim must remove any bait from the hook which should be properly concealed and all tackle except the keepnet from the water.
• Hand lineing fish is not permitted ,this includes handling elastics and line , also not allowed is the practice of trapping stretched elastic with the hand down the length of poles sections. Fish should never be bullied like this. This does not affect the use of Pulla bungs and similar devices.

Bait Rules

• No peanuts/tiger nuts allowed.
• Paste, hook/banded/expanda pellets & boilies are allowed for hook bait only.
• All feed baits to be used in moderation.
• Bread is allowed between the 1st October and 30th April only but dabbing is not allowed.
• No bait to enter the water after the match – please take it home with you.
• No live or dead fish, frogs spinning baits or artificial lures.
• 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.
• All ground bait may be thrown in by hand, 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.
• 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.