DCAC



CLUB RULES - Governing Conduct and Fishing Practices

1.	Opening and Closing Dates for Fishing are listed under the appropriate Club water.
2.	Anyone fishing club waters in England requires an appropriate Environment Agency Rod Licence.
3.	The Environment Agency Regulations and Bye-laws and regulations in force for the time being must be observed. The dates when fish may be killed and taken are listed below.
	(i)	Brown Trout may be taken from March 18th October 7th inclusive.
	(ii)	Rainbow Trout in rivers may be taken from March 18th To October 7th inclusive.
	(iii)	Rainbow Trout in lakes may be taken at any time when the fishery is open.
	(iv)	Grayling may be taken from June 16th to March 14th inclusive
4.	Measurement for takeable fish. The measurement for all takeable fish shall be from tip of snout to the cleft of the tail. The minimum takeable size of trout at all club waters is 12 inches except on the River Manifold where it is 10 inches. The minimum takeable size for grayling at all club waters is 9 inches.
5.	Permitted Daily Hours for Fishing. A list of permitted daily hours of fishing for trout at Club waters is printed in Appendix 1.
6.	Modes of Fishing and Types, Sizes of Artificial Flies, Nymphs and Lures used in Fly Fishing permitted at Club Waters. Appendix 2 at the end of the List of Club Waters which includes these details together with a measuring scale to enable members to check the size of artificial flies, nymphs and lures permitted at those waters.
7.	Live Bait. With the exception of natural winged flies or nymphs for use in fly-fishing no other natural bait of any description, whether alive or dead, shall be taken onto any Club water where fishing is restricted to fly- fishing only or, in the case of Club waters where fishing is restricted to fly-fishing only during any part of the fishing season, to those waters during the periods that fly-fishing only is permitted.
8.	Maggots are permitted at Club waters where coarse fishing is allowed subject, in the case of those waters where trout are also stocked (e.g. Willersley), to the careful playing, handling and returning of any trout caught.
9.	Spinning - with natural bait or artificial lure is allowed, except at Bishop's Pool, Hoon Hay Farm Lake, Ogston Reservoir, Sutton Lake, and on the rivers Dove and Manifold and the River Derwent at Wenslees Farm and Willersley Castle Estate. N.B. The use of natural bait is controlled by E.A. byelaws which must be observed
10.	Sunday fishing is allowed on all Club waters except the River South Esk.
11.	Equipment. When trout fishing, members may use only one rod at a time. When coarse fishing season members may fish with not more than two rods at a time except when carp fishing at Willington when three are permitted.
12.	Fishing Areas. When a member is fishing, another member must not approach and fish so close to him as to interfere unreasonably with his fishing without his permission. Please do not reserve fishing places. If you go for lunch, even just to the car or fishing hut, please take your tackle with you.
13.	Keepnets must not be used for trout or grayling. Coarse fish may be retained in large keepnets conforming to E.A. byelaws.
14.	Access to Club Waters. All waters must be approached by the recognised paths and all gates must be properly closed and fastened both on arrival and departure. All members are issued with a Yale type key with which to open the gate locking boxes and checking stations at certain Club waters. Members who lose their key may obtain a replacement on application to the General Secretary or Fisheries Secretary enclosing a reply- paid envelope and a cheque or postal order for £5.00 made payable to the Club.
	Security padlocks have been fitted on some car park gates. A replacement key for these padlocks can be obtained on application to the General Secretary or Fisheries Secretary, enclosing a reply-paid envelope and a cheque or postal order for £5.00 made payable to the Club.
15.	Activities not connected with Fishing. Members must not engage in any activities which are not directly connected with fishing when visiting any sites where the Club hold an interest in the fishing rights without first obtaining the permission of the Club. The digging out of banks to form fishing places or steps down to the water's edge should not be undertaken and members must not interfere in any way whatsoever with any shuttle, sluice gate or other adjustable or fixed installation at any Club water
16.	Members' Obligation. In order to preserve Club waters and respect the various leases, members are expected to report any irregularities whether committed by another member, guest or trespasser to the Club Contact and at all times to conform with Club policy and the printed rules.
17.	Litter and Fires. Under no circumstances must any type of litter be left nor must any fires be lit at any sites where the Club holds an interest in the fishing rights.
18.	Membership Cards-must be carried. Members are not allowed to fish at any Club water unless they take their membership card with them.
19.	Production of Membership Cards, Season Tickets or Special Permits. Membership cards, season tickets or special permits authorising the holders to fish certain Club waters must be produced by the holders at the request of any member on production of his/her own membership card, or at the request of any Club Bailiff on production of his/her authority. No excuses will be entertained for refusing to comply with this requirement. If you lose your membership card a replacement can be obtained by sending a cheque for £2.50 and a reply paid envelope to the General Secretary.
20.	Personal Membership Discs. Every member is issued with a personal membership disc for use when fishing at Club waters where rod limits are regulated by a checking station. The procedure relating to the use of these discs is explained in Appendix 6 and must be strictly observed. Members who lose their personal membership disc may obtain a replacement disc on application to the General Secretary enclosing a reply-paid envelope and a cheque or postal order for £5.00 made payable to the Club.
21.	Dogs are not permitted at any Club waters unless by prior written authorisation by the Management Committee.
22.	Conduct. Members and their guests will be expected to observe a good standard of conduct at all Club waters, and show proper consideration towards other members, their guests or authorised users. Under no circumstances will the Club entertain rowdy, abusive, offensive or obstructive behaviour whether towards another member, guest, authorised user or Club Bailiff. Members and their guests must co-operate fully with the Club's Club Bailiffs when approached by them.
23.	Complaints and Allegations. All complaints and allegations, whether concerning a member or members or any matter of Club business or policy, MUST be submitted in writing to the General Secretary.
24.	Daily and Weekly Take Limit. The limit of takeable fish will be the same at all Club waters. Members may take no more than one brace of takeable fish per day from any Club water, with a total weekly limit of no more than three brace from all Club waters. This is in keeping with our status as a sporting club. A week shall be deemed to run from Sunday to Saturday, both days inclusive. This rule does not apply to our fisheries in Scotland.
25.	Unauthorised Angling in Private Waters. Because of the increasing problem of unauthorised angling, the Club has made reciprocal agreements with certain other clubs which provide that any member of a club which is a party to this agreement who fishes without permission in any waters controlled by any of the clubs with whom this agreement has been made, may be expelled by the Club to which that member belongs and forfeit all payments. The Agreement also provides that the member concerned may be prosecuted by the Club in whose water he or she was fishing without the proper authority. In view of this provision members are strongly advised to ensure that they do not fish in any waters owned or leased by other clubs without first obtaining the necessary permission to use those facilities.
26.	Club Bailiffs' Power of Suspension.Club Bailiffs may confiscate any permit or guest ticket where the holder has infringed any of the rules or conditions governing access and fishing at any Club water, and require the person concerned to leave the site and not fish at any Club water until the infringement has been considered by the Club Management Committee.

27.	Wading is permitted subject to the following rules.
	(i)	On some waters wading is specifically banned e.g. Ogston Reservoir. See notes on the reverse of the maps.
	(ii)	At Wolfscote Dale members may only wade across the river to reach and fish from the opposite bank, but must be particularly careful not to damage the weirs.
	(iii)	Wading is restricted to knee level and no higher in still waters except those where wading is not allowed and is stated under those waters but at Sutton Lake wading is restricted to one metre from the bank.
	(iv)	Members wading must show consideration to other anglers
	(v)	Members wade entirely at their own risk, and no liability will be accepted by the Club for any accident, injury or loss sustained by members when wading.
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