Members must comply both with club fishing rules and with NRW byelaws.
NRW byelaws can be found here…
Club rules are as follows. They are also reproduced on club permits):
PLEASE NOTE: Our club rules have been amended to take account of NRW byelaws but might in some cases be more restrictive than the NRW byelaws.
NOTE ALSO: The Management Committee has appointed bailiffs to enforce these rules. Members who are not bailiffs should NOT attempt to enforce any Society rules themselves but should report suspected infringements to the Secretary or Head Bailiff, whose details appear on club permits.
1. Members are authorised to fish the waters of the Society (as set out on the permit / membership certificate) with one rod and line during the recognised game fishing season subject to the following rules:
2. Before attempting to fish members must obtain, and carry with them, a club permit and an appropriate NRW rod licence.
3. Members must familiarise themselves and comply with all NRW fishing byelaws and other fisheries legislation, which may be more restrictive than the following rules of the Society.
4. When requested by a bailiff appointed by the Society, members must produce for inspection their permit, rod licence, fishing tackle and any fish in their possession.
5. On the River Cilieni only fly fishing is allowed and all fish caught must be returned.
6. Rules for Retention and Release of Fish:
a. All salmon must be returned with minimum delay & injury;
b. All sea trout caught before 1st May must be returned and thereafter all sea trout over 60cm in length (measured from the tip of the snout to fork of the tail) must be returned;
c. Only one sea trout measuring 60cm or less may be retained in any 24 hour period between 1st May and the 17th October;
d. Only two brown trout may be retained in any 24 hour period between 3rd March and 30th September;
e. The minimum size limit for retaining brown trout and sea trout is 25cm (measured from the tip of the snout to fork of the tail);
f. Members are encouraged to practice catch and release of all wild fish caught; where fish are to be returned they must be released immediately to the water with the least possible injury. If being released as a result of these rules, they must be released whether live or dead. At all times, minimise the time spent playing a hooked fish, do not remove it from the water and support the fish in the water until it is sufficiently recovered.
7. Rules for Artificial Flies:
a. When fly fishing for salmon & sea trout all hooks used must be barbless;
b. When fly fishing for brown trout the hook gape must not exceed 10mm and barbed hooks are permitted; however, we recommend the use of barbless hooks at all times;
c. Where the gape of the hook is greater than 7mm, the hook used in the makeup of a fly is restricted to one single or one double;
d. Where the hook gape is 7mm or less, the hooks used in the makeup of a fly are restricted to a maximum of two hooks with up to four points i.e. a single, a double, a treble, two singles, two doubles or a single and a treble.
8. Rules for Spinning:
a. No spinning is permitted before 20th March;
b. From 20th March spinning for salmon & sea trout is permitted with:
c. spinners & spoons having only one single hook, or
d. plug baits having a maximum of three single hooks;
e. All hooks used must be barbless and have a gape of less than 13mm.
f. From 20th March spinning for brown trout is permitted using spinners, spoons or plugs not exceeding 50mm in overall length (i.e. including any attached hook). Only one hook, with a maximum of 3 points, is permitted i.e. a single, a double or a treble. The hook may be barbed or barbless, but hook gapes must not exceeding 10mm,
9. Rules for Bait fishing:
a. No worm fishing for salmon is allowed throughout the season;
b. No worm fishing is allowed for sea trout before 1st May and thereafter is only permitted with a single worm on a single barbless hook with a gape of less than 8mm;
c. Worm fishing for brown trout is permitted from 3rd March to 30th September with a single worm on a single barbed or barbless hook with a gape of less than 8mm;
d. No bait fishing with a float;
e. No part of any cray fish, prawn, shrimp, fish roe, maggots, pupae or non-aquatic larvae may be used at any time.
10. If another angler arrives and wants to fish, all members fishing, including bait anglers, must proceed at a reasonable speed through a pool.
11. Without agreement, an angler must not enter a pool and start to fish ahead of a member already fishing through that pool.
12. Members must not sell, barter or exchange for goods or services any rod-caught fish from club waters.
13. Members must avoid damaging gates, trees, hedges etc. All gates must be closed. No litter to be left on banks. All nylon must be removed. No fires allowed. No dogs to accompany members onto the water.
14. Adult members (full and concessionary) must submit a catch return each season, no later than renewal of membership for the following season, showing: (a) number of days Society water fished for brown trout and for salmon / sea trout; (b) numbers and approximate sizes of fish killed and of fish released on Society waters.
Note: where barbless hooks are specified in the above rules, hooks with a crushed barb or barb removed are acceptable and gape dimensions are measured from shank to point.