Barford Lakes Match Fishing Rules 2009

The owners or fishery manager reserve the right to amend or change a rule at any time if it is deemed to be detrimental to the fish or fishery.

If you find a grey area within our rules or are unsure of any parts - PLEASE ASK US.

It will be deemed as cheating if anglers do not keep to these rules and we will issue a 3 month ban. Clubs that do not adhere to the weighing-in policy (especially rule 3) will lose that match date in future bookings.

Please respect our fish, fishery and rules. Thank you.

Bait Rules

• These baits are banned - Artificial baits, lure rigs, boilies over 10mm, surface floating baits, bloodworm or joker, Nuts and seed baits or any particles except for sweetcorn and hemp.
• Luncheon Meat/Spam - Maximum 2 small tins or 400grams.
• Groundbait allowed - 1 kilo limit in a feeder or cupped in only
• No liquidised, crushed, mashed or riddled baits - min size cubed bait is 4mm (crushed hemp is classed as groundbait & allowed within limit the 1 kilo limit).
• Only feed pellets allowed are Barford Lakes Carp Pellet which must be purchased on site from a Barford Lakes representative.
• Paste, hook/banded/expanda pellets & 10mm boilies are allowed for HOOK BAIT ONLY. If it's not fishery own pellet then it must be obvious that it is being used for hook bait only and stored on the peg in a small tub (1 pint tub).
• All feed baits to be used in moderation
• No bait to enter the water after the match - please take it home or use the bin provided.

• ADDITIONAL RULE for Railway and Willow Lakes – NO MEAT BAITS

Fishing Rules

• Manufactured Barbless hooks only - max size 8, Mustad Method/Paste hooks - no larger than a size 12
• Anglers to lay their keepnets and landing net out behind their peg on arrival and should put them in the lake 15 minutes before the start of the match.
• Your boundary is halfway between you and the next angler.
• Lifting and dropping allowed but no suspending of bait other than by a float. No surface floating baits or surface fishing.
• No method feeders - ensure bait is inside the feeder
• There should be a 12” minimum hook length hanging below the feeder, ledger or bottom of float.
• No Floating pole method (there should be at least 6” of line between pole tip and top of float and at least 12” of line between bottom of float and hook. Excluding when fishing within 1 metre of bankside vegetation)
• The following are not allowed - Braid, bubble floats, feeding or cupping with a 2nd pole - only one pole or rod in use at any one time.
• No hand-lining – unless in extreme circumstances i.e. broken top section, foul hooked fish.

The owners and bailiffs reserve the right to refuse entry or ask an angler to leave due to any violation of the land, lakes or rules. They also reserve the right to change a venue at short notice due to any unforeseen circumstances.

Keepnet Policy

• Colton Lake - 10 carp limit in each net.
• All Other Lakes - 50lb maximum in a keepnet (10 carp in a net at Colton). 3 nets maximum, once you have 50lb (or 10 carp at Colton) in all 3 nets you may alternate the fish between each net - alert the adjacent angler that you are doing so.
• Keepnets on Pleasure Lake Matches - 8 Carp in a net and silver fish must be kept in an additional net.
• Movement of fish between nets is not permitted at any time on any lake.
• If an angler has over 65lb in a keepnet, or more than 8 carp in a net on the Pleasure lake or more than 10 carp in a net on Colton (and they have not filled their 3 nets as stated above) that angler's whole weight from the day will be disqualified. Please note that 65lb is the upper limit – we would like 50lb in a keepnet. We would ask that all clubs adhere to this action due to fish welfare reasons.
• Keepnets and landing nets should be of a suitable size and be carp friendly material.
• All nets must be completely dry from a previous fishing session before putting them into our lakes - to ensure this we have asked all anglers to lay their nets out behind their peg on arrival. Nets can be put in the lake 15 minutes before the start of the match.
• Do not put rocks and stones inside keepnets

Weighing In Policy

1. Carp/unhooking mats must be used. They can be borrowed from the fishery.
2. Do not tumble fish down the keepnet - it can remove scales and the protective mucus from the fish leaving it more susceptible to parasites and infection. Collapse the net and pull the 2nd/3rd ring from the bottom through the top on the keepnet.
3. Place the fish back to the water from the weigh bag/net i.e place the net/bag on the surface of the water and turn it inside out. Any club seen throwing fish back into the water from a height will lose that match date in future bookings.
4. Please note that it's good practise and to the benefit of all fisheries that you dry your nets after each match.

General

• Bait and tackle that is visible on an anglers peg will be deemed as in use.
• Please remove all litter from pegs including discarded line (we advise you cut it into small pieces)
• Ensure careful handling of fish at all times.
• All vehicles & equipment are left at their owner's risk.

First Aid is only available at the main Barford Lakes site (contact Sarah or Daniel on 01603 759624 for help if needed).

Match organisers have responsibility for organising first aid provision at other venues.