Spade Mill Angling Club Rules

These are the Rules for fishing the waters of the Spade Mill Angling Club. They apply to both No 1 & 2 Reservoirs, It is the responsibility of all members to ensure they comply with all club rules.

 

A copy shall be posted on the notice board in the Club house.

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1. Fishing methods allowed are: Fly, (Barbless or de-barbed hooks) Spinning and Worm, only single hooks are permitted to be used.

 

Only one rod is to be used for fishing, although a second rod may be made up and carried. 

 

1a. When either spinning or worming single barbed hooks are allowed and every fish (up to 4) must be taken. Once the limit of 4 is reached fishing must stop. 

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2. Both reservoirs are open for fishing all year, from 1 hour before sunrise to 1 hour after sunset.

 

3. Four (4) fish per day are allowed to be retained, with a maximum limit of four (4) fish in any seven (7) consecutive days. From time to time, members should expect their bags to be checked by the Committee members, Wardens and other Club members. The signing in and out book must be filled in and all catches accurately recorded. All Brown Trout must be returned.

 

Any violation of the 'bag limit' will result in the member being immediately suspended and referred to the Club Committee.

 

This will normally result in the member being expelled from the Club. Other transgressions of the Club Rules such as; fishing by illegal methods, not observing the correct catch and release policy, fishing without a current license etc will also result in suspension and Committee action. Any member of the Committee and Club Wardens may suspend a member and report the violation to the Committee for further action.

 

4. Following the initial stocking of both reservoirs at the start of the season, the reservoirs will be stocked in line with the current stocking rota as agreed by the committee. This is normally alternative reservoirs on every other Wednesday beginning with No1 reservoir. The stocked reservoir will then close, re-opening on the following Saturday morning for normal fishing.

The committee may cancel any proposed stocking if it is decided that the water conditions are not suitable for transporting and introducing new fish. 

The Current stocking rota starts in March along with the 2024/2025 Membership and runs through to September.

 

The maximum number of fish that can be caught by any single member on either reservoir is 8 in one day, once a total of 8 fish has been caught you must move on to the alternative reservoir where a further 8 fish maximum may be caught.

Once a total of 16 fish has been caught by any individual, they must stop fishing until the following day.

 

The same rule applies to anyone bringing a guest (8 fish per reservoir for each angler). Anyone bringing another angler on a guest ticket must split their 7-day maximum bag allowance of 4 fish. i.e., 2 fish each.    

 

5. Whilst all methods detailed in paragraph 1 may be used to catch up to the 4 fish limit, only Fly fishing with barbless hooks is to be used for catch and release, ie once the 4 fish bag limit is reached on both reservoirs.

The definition of fly fishing is by a single weighted fly line and single action reel using artificial Fly/Flies.  

 

Barbless hooks only are to be used for catch and release. Worm fishing is to be by single hook only. Both worm fishing and spinning are to cease after 4 (four) bag limit.

 

6. A current Club permit and Environment Agency Trout Licence is to be carried at all times whilst fishing and is to be produced when requested by other members, or the Club Wardens. In addition to the appointed Club Wardens, all members are requested to act as bailiffs on the waters to help in reducing poaching. As a means of identification and authority, the Club Wardens will be issued with appropriate badges by the Committee.

 

7. Members must on arrival book in on the sheet provided in the Club house. Before departing a record of fish caught, etc, is to be recorded on the same sheet. Nil returns must also be entered. Record sheets are not to be removed from the Record Folder unless requested by the committee.

 

8. Members are to land all fish by means of a knotless mesh landing net. However, during catch and release on barbless hooks fish may be released without removal from the water.

 

9. Each member will be issued with 1 free guest ticket each year, the ticket is to be filled in before fishing and left in the box provided in the Club house, the member is to enter the guest's name in the record and his/her catch. The guest may share the members catch limit; i.e. 4 fish limit over 7 day period. Other guest tickets may be purchased from the Chairman or membership secretary, these are currently £30 per day and will be reviewed at the same time as the annual subscriptions.

 

The fish limit is the same as for the free guest tickets. Members will be allowed up to a maximum of two (2) guest tickets on any one day. All guests must be accompanied by a member.

 

10. Fishing is only to be carried out from the banks of the reservoirs, as the reservoirs are slippery and deep, no wading is allowed above ankle depth.

 

11. The Committee shall decide and inform the members at the AGM, the following items for the next season:

 

(a) The Joining Fee.

 

(b) The Annual Subscription for members.

 

(c) Guest tickets.

 

(d) The Stocking Policy.

 

(e) The Membership numbers and size of the Membership Waiting List.

 

(f) Honorary Membership.

 

(g) A list of Club Wardens

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12. All members shall reapply for membership of the Club each year. The Membership Secretary will keep a stock of Annual Application forms and issue these to members by the 30th November each year, together with a notice of the date and agenda for the AGM. Members are to apply to the Membership Secretary for renewal of their membership on the Annual Application form not later than fourteen (14) days after the AGM, those not received by this time will be considered to have terminated their membership.

 

13. Any member who has paid the joining fee in full and decides to terminate their membership of the club at a later date will have a period of three years to apply to rejoin without paying the joining fee for a second time.

 

14. Any member may apply for an Application form to join a new member, these forms are held by the Membership Secretary and will be issued on request.

 

All applications are to be sponsored by the member. A Membership Waiting List will be maintained by the Membership secretary and reviewed by the Committee to consider the numbers waiting and the length of time the list has been active.

 

15. Vehicles are to be parked only in the area provided outside the Club house, adjacent to No1 reservoir.

 

16. The main entrance gate must be kept closed at all times. For security purposes it is recommended that it be kept locked at all times. It is vital that the last person to leave the waters securely locks the gate.

 

17. Members are reminded that the Reservoirs are operational and form part of the water supply for Preston and the surrounding areas. It is a condition of the lease that nothing is done to pollute the waters or interfere with any operational apparatus.

 

18. Members are requested to remove all litter and debris (particularly lengths of fishing nylon / monofilament as this is a hazard to wildlife, and does not constitute 'good practice'. Fish are not to be gutted anywhere within the waters/buildings of the Club.

 

19. Playing of radios, (including mobile phone radios) without the use of ear phones, on the banks is not allowed.

 

20. Members are permitted to bring dogs with them, however, they must be kept under control at all times and not allowed to enter the waters of the reservoirs.

 

21. The Club Rules can only be amended by a majority vote by the committee.  Members can write to the chairman with any proposals for alteration to the rules 21 days prior to the AGM. The chairman will put the proposals to the committee for discussion. The requesting member will be notified of the committee's decision any proposal adopted will be announced at the AGM.

 

22.No fish to be taken for any financial or other gain.

 

Chairman, SMAC

 

Les Hardman

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Below you can download the Spade Mill Angling Club Constitution - this is the top level document from which the above more explanatory set of Club Rules are written.