ALL ANGLING CLUBS NEED RULES, AND OUR MAIN 'DAY TO DAY' RULES ARE CONTAINED IN THIS SCHEDULE OF ANGLING RULES.
THEY ARE POSTED AT SUITABLE ACCESS POINTS TO CLUB WATERS AND CAN BE DOWNLOADED FROM OUR WEBSITE*
* FOR THE AVOIDANCE OF DOUBT IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU DO SO, EITHER PRINTING THEM OUT OR STORING THEM ON A SMART PHONE.
HODNET ANGLING CLUB (HAC) ANGLING RULES - EFFECTIVE FROM 1/4/2022
All Members must abide by these HAC Angling Rules when attending or fishing HAC Club Waters, plus any related notices or additional rules displayed.
Members found by The Committee to be in breach of HAC Angling Rules shall be liable to disciplinary action by The Club.
SECTION 1 - Membership/Access Rules
1.1 HAC accepts no liability for loss of or damage to Member’s property.
1.2 Membership Cards only become valid once Members have affixed a passport sized photograph of themselves to it - in the space provided.
1.3 For insurance reasons Junior and Temporary Members aged below 16 years old must be ‘Directly Supervised’ by an accompanying adult aged 21 years old or over when fishing Club Waters; that adult, if not a Full Member, being regarded as a non-fishing Temporary Member whilst at Club Waters.
Note. ‘Directly Supervised’ shall mean that the accompanying adult is located in the same, or an adjoining, swim
1.4 Where named on the Membership Card at its time of issue, a Full Member can take one accompanying person, at a time, from their own ‘Family’ fishing on Club Waters without further charge – as a Temporary Member.
Note. ‘Family’ shall mean the Full Member’s married, civil or co-habiting partner or any of
their children aged up to 16 years old (inclusive).
1.5 Access to Club Waters is available for the whole Membership Year, except as per:
- Environment Agency rules for a ‘closed season’ on the Rivers Tern and Roden
- Canal and River Trust (CRT) rules on fishing parts of the Shropshire Union Canal at Market Drayton; namely no fishing permitted at any time in the small marina (between Bridges 62- 63) and in the big marina (between Bridges 63-64) from 1st April until 30th Sept inclusive.
1.6 At some Club Waters parking is in designated areas, which must be observed.
1.7 At some Club Waters access is via gates secured by a combination lock, the code to which will be changed each Membership Year. Members must not divulge details of the lock codes to non-members, nor leave such gates unlocked after use.
1.8 Non-disabled Members fishing in designated disabled Members pegs (those provided with specially built paths/platforms at Ryley’s and Preeswood Pools) must, if no other disabled Member pegs are available, vacate them at the request of a Member holding disabled Membership - and who shows their Membership Card.
1.9 Subject to payment of the appropriate fee, Day Tickets for persons aged at least 12 years old are available as follows:
- Shropshire Union Canal at Goldstone (Bridges 51-55 only). Available to the public, either in advance from the Membership Secretary or other means authorised by The Committee.
- All Club Waters excluding the Shropshire Union Canal. Available for an accompanying Full Member’s guest. Obtainable, at least one day in advance, from the Membership Secretary or other means authorised by The Committee.
All Day Tickets are valid only on the date shown upon the ticket.
Note. A Day Ticket holder is regarded as a Temporary Member of HAC for the duration of the ticket, and must comply with relevant HAC Angling Rules.
SECTION 2 - General Fishing Rules
2.1 All Members must carry a suitable/valid Environment Agency (EA) rod licence with them when fishing Club Waters and, unless varied by HAC Angling Rules*, abide by its provisions.
Note. * Subject to holding the correct EA licence, Members may use a maximum of 3 rods on any Club Water - if all rods are under the Member’s direct control and used in only one swim.
2.2 All Members issued with a Membership Card or Day Ticket must be in possession of it when fishing, and show their card or ticket on request to a Club Bailiff, or other Member who produces their card. Failure to do so, and/or produce other acceptable identification, will result in you being asked to cease fishing and leave the Club Water.
2.3 The Committee may take whatever emergency/temporary measures they deem fit to restrict access, angling or to restrict/amend these Angling Rules at Club Waters – whether to protect the welfare* of fish, wildlife, the safety of Members or for any other reason. Members must comply with any such measures.
Note. * It is recommended that unhooking mats are used for larger fish, and that unused bait is not thrown into Club Waters at the end of a fishing session.
2.4 No litter is to be left at any Club Water.
2.5 Members must show consideration to owners of Club Waters, or their tenants, and their respective land and property. Members should follow the ‘country code’ and in particular keep dogs under control, not light fires, stray from designated paths or damage crops, fences, hedges or gates.
2.6 No bait cans are to be left open and visible on the bank when fishing.
2.7 Any dead, dying or distressed fish should be reported as soon as possible to a Club Bailiff or member of The Committee.
2.8 No live fish are to be brought to, placed in, or removed from Club Waters without the permission of The Committee.
2.9 No ‘Night’ Fishing - ‘night’ meaning 30 minutes after sunset until 30 minutes before sunrise.
2.10 All fish caught that weigh 3lb or more, are to be returned to the water as soon as possible after landing. On no account are they to be kept in keep nets, sacks or any other fish holding device, except in Club Matches when a ‘2 net rule’ is being applied.
2.11 No fishing is allowed between areas marked with electricity warning signs/marker posts.
2.12 No boating.
2.13 Special rules for the Shropshire Union Canal:
Goldstone and Market Drayton
i/ Fishing is allowed from the towpath side only.
ii/ Use of pellets (as bait or feed), and use of fishmeal based ground bait, is banned.
Market Drayton (Between Bridges 63- 64)
i/ Lines/bait, etc, must be cast no further than the end of the mooring platforms.
ii/ Poles/rods/equipment, etc, must not be passed through/rested on garden hedges/fences, etc.
SECTION 3 - Match Fishing Rules
3.1 Dates for Club or Open Matches for the forthcoming Membership Year will be supplied in advance wherever possible; either on Membership Cards, the Club’s website or site posters.
3.2 Entry to Club Matches is restricted to Members.
3.3 Entry to Open Matches is available to Members and non-members. Non-members must pay an entry fee to the Match Secretary or other Club Officer, and after payment shall be deemed to be a Temporary Member of HAC for the duration of that match - and at that match water only.
3.4 Pools are optional in Club and Open Matches.
3.5 A ‘golden peg’ prize will operate at the match organiser’s discretion.
3.6 At the organiser’s discretion, Members not taking part in a match may fish any unallocated swims within the Club Water’s match length - subject to obtaining the organiser’s consent.
3.7 A competitor must not cause annoyance to, or seek to interfere with another competitor.
3.8 Every competitor must attend the match draw, where the organiser or angler will draw a single peg. Once drawn, the angler must report to and fish from the designated peg.
3.9 Keep-nets should be fully dry when arriving to fish - as dry nets do not spread disease. Where provided, net dips must be used before and after the match. Fish must never be handled with gloves or towels.
3.10 No competitor shall have live or dead fish in their possession before a match. All competitors must submit to a search if requested by a club official.
3.11 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 them, where possible, providing that no such tackle is baited.
3.12 A competitor may fish as far as half the distance between their peg and the angler’s pegs on either side. Where competitors are drawn on opposite banks of a match water, their respective swims will extend to midway across the match water. All competitors will restrict their activities completely to these boundaries; i.e. neither their
person, their tackle, their hook-baits or ground-baits may intrude into a neighbouring angler’s swim. In an extreme situation e.g. snagged tackle or a snagged fish, an angler must seek permission from their neighbouring competitor(s) before moving from their designated peg to try and remedy the situation.
Note. Wading during a match is not permitted under any circumstances.
3.13 Before the starting signal no competitor shall use groundbait/loose feed or deploy feeders in their swim. Competitors are allowed to wet a line, plumb the depth and test the float, mix and wet groundbait, clear their swim’s ground of weed or obstructions and position their equipment.
3.14 Live or dead fish are not allowed as bait. Spinning and artificial lures and baits are prohibited. No floating baits are to be used.
3.15 At the organiser’s discretion, special bait rules/bans may apply in certain matches.
3.16 No bait shall be introduced with a pole cup or bait dropper attached to an extra rod/pole whilst continuing to fish. Only competitors may feed bait into a swim during the contest.
3.17 Any competitor who leaves their peg at any time during the course of the match must not leave their baited tackle/hook in the water.
3.18 A competitor must strike, play and land their own fish.
3.19 Competitors must retain all fish in keep nets which comply with the relevant EA Bye-laws.
Note. There are large carp in many waters, so competitors should bring suitable keep nets (and preferably 2 nets to separate carp and silver fish).
3.20 A competitor must cease fishing at the finishing signal. Should they still be playing a fish hooked before the signal is given, they will be permitted no more than fifteen (15) minutes after time has been called to land the fish.
3.21 At the end of the match, competitors must remain at their peg, pack up their equipment and wait for the official weighing team to arrive to weigh their 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.
3.22 Each competitor will be responsible for ensuring the correct weight of their catch is recorded by the club official. In any dispute the decision of the weighers and the organisers will be final.
3.23 Competitors are responsible for ensuring that their pegs are clear of litter - no competitor may have their catch weighed in if litter is left lying on the ground/bank of their swim.
3.24 Any angler proved to have been in contravention of these rules will be disqualified.