RULES
General Rules:
1a. Any existing litter must be removed before commencement of fishing and pegs must be left Litter Free.
b. Members must cooperate, assist and comply with the requests of the Club’s officials and its Bailiffs. Disciplinary action will be taken against any member who, in the Committee’s opinion, acts in a disorderly or anti-social manner while at any of the Club’s fisheries.
c. No alcohol is permitted on any of the Club’s waters.
d. No cans (containing either bait or refreshment) will be allowed on or in the vicinity of Club waters.
ee. At all times cars Must be parked in the designated car parks provided and all car park gates and road barriers leading to Club waters MUST be left closed and locked after passing through, (unless instructed to the contrary by a Club official, a Council Ranger or a member of the emergency services).
f. No open fires or barbeques are to be lit at any of the Club’s waters, except with the Committee’s prior approval
2a. The Club’s length of the River Weaver is closed for fishing each year during the period 15th March 15th June, inclusive.
b. All of the Club’s other fisheries remain open all year round.
c. The use of Keep Nets is NOT ALLOWED on Heesom’s Pool, Eden’s Pool, Junior Cistern, Middle Cistern and Top Cistern between 15th March and 15th June, inclusive, except in any designated match.
3a. All fish caught in matches or otherwise, (if it is deemed necessary to keep them), must be carefully preserved by use of a keep net and carefully returned to the waters on cessation of fishing. No fish are to be retained in keep nets for over 5 hours EXCEPT in matches that, with the Committee’s approval, exceed 5 hours.
b. No fish over 2lb in weight to be retained in keep nets EXCEPT in Club matches.
c.1. No member may be present for more than 24 hours in any 48-hour period on the following Club waters:
Junior Cistern, Middle Cistern, Top Cistern, Eden’s Pool and the River Weaver at Anderton; (see Rule 4 for exception),
c.2. There is NO LIMIT placed on the length of time a member may be present on Heesom’s Pool; (see Rule 4 for exception),
d. No member may cast their lines more than half the distance to the next or opposite angler, even if they are fishing a previously baited area before the next the next or opposite angler takes his position.
4. No member will be allowed to fish on DESIGNATED MATCH PEGS on Club Waters within TWO HOURS of the commencement of a match being held on that water. Only competitors are allowed to fish on any designated match peg while a match is in progress.
5a. Juniors can fish unaccompanied by Senior member only on the Junior Cistern.
b. Junior members can fish Senior waters, (i.e. Heesom’s Pool, Top & Middle Cisterns, River Weaver at Anderton, Eden’s Pool), provided they are accompanied by their parent, or grandparent, or guardian who is a current Senior member. Other Junior members may pleasure fish Senior waters provided they are accompanied by a Senior member on a one- to- one basis.
c. Seniors who take their children or grandchildren fishing, (providing the latter are current Junior members) are responsible for the safety and behaviour of these Juniors
d. Seniors may NIGHT FISH any Club water. Juniors may also night fish provided they are accompanied by their parent, or grandparent or guardian who is a current Senior member.
e. All Members who Night Fish must make suitable arrangements or possess a portable or chemical toilet for solid Toilet Waste. ALL Solid Toilet Waste MUST be removed from a Club water at the end of the night fishing session and disposed of in the correct manner. The Committee reserve the right to terminate without notice Night Fishing on any Club Water where this rule is not strictly adhered to.
6a.1. The maximum number of rods for pleasure fishing will be 2 rods in use at any one time on all of the Club’s waters
EXCEPT at Heesom’s Pool where the use of 3 rods is allowed.
A current Environment Agency Rod Licence is required for all waters.
Those members using 3 rods at Heesom’s Pool MUST have a current EA 3-Rod Licence.
6a.2. All anglers on fishing on any of the Club’s waters must be in possession of a valid Environment Agency (EA) licence at all times. All relevant EA bye laws will be observed on Club waters. Club bailiffs, officials and all other members (on production of their own EA licence and Club membership card) are authorised to check the EA Licence and proof of identity of any angler fishing on any of the Club’s waters. Failure to provide either could lead to expulsion from the Club.
b. Members must not transfer fish into any of the Club’s fisheries from any other water. Members must not remove fish from any of the Club’s fisheries and put them into any other water.
c. Members must not leave a rod and line in the water that is unattended or over which sufficient control cannot be affected.
(Rules 6a, 6b and 6c are in accordance with Environment Agency bye-laws)
7. Blood Worm and Joker are not allowed in any Club water.
No groundbait or liquidised bread in any Club water Except at Heesom’s Pool & the Club length of the River Weaver.
Loose feeding, in moderation, of hook baits is allowed in Club waters.
No fish to be used as live-bait or dead bait in Club waters during Club matches on any water.
No fish to be used as live-bait or dead bait when pleasure fishing on Club waters at any time EXCEPT at Heesom's Pool and the River Weaver where the use of Frozen Coarse and Sea Dead Baits is allowed
8. Senior members may request a Guest Permit to take a friend pleasure fishing on any Club water, (on a ‘one Member to one Guest’ basis). The applying Member must always be in attendance and is responsible for the behaviour of their Guest. A Guest may only fish on the Club’s waters from dawn to dusk on the day that their Permit specifies – they cannot night fish.
Application to the Secretary or any other person designated at a cost of £3 per day Senior, £1.00 per day Junior.
Membership Rules:
9a There shall be three classes of membership:
Junior (8 years to 15 years inclusive); Senior (16 years to 64 years inclusive); OAP (65 years and above).
All applications for Senior Membership must be put in writing to the Membership Secretary.
10. The strength of the senior and junior membership will be set by the Committee and reviewed as required.
All Senior and OAP fees to be fixed at the AGM.
Current membership rates: Senior £20.00; OAP £10; Junior £5
All new Senior members will be charged a Joining Fee of £10.00 plus, if required, the cost of a key for Heesom’s Pool.
12. Annual membership subscriptions shall be due for renewal on or before 1st April.
Members may renew during the period 1st April to the following 31st March. However, they must have renewed their membership before they fish on any of the Club’s water from 1st April.
13a. The Barnton & Frodsham A.C. membership card is the property of the Club and remains so after being issued to a member. The Club’s Committee reserves the right to refuse to issue or to confiscate individual cards.
b. Members must complete all the details on their membership card and attached a current passport-size photograph in the space provided before that card becomes valid.
c. Every member must always have his/her valid membership card with them when fishing Club waters. They must always produce their card when requested to do so by a Club official, a bailiff, any other member, or a member of the Constabulary, a Council Ranger, a Landowner, or a Landowner’s Agent.
PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE ANY ANGLING RUBBISH IN THE PUBLIC BIN ACROSS THE ROAD FROM HEESOM'S POOL
d The use of Laser Pens is BANNED on all Club Waters
e The use of Drugs are BANNED on all Club Waters
Match Rules:
14. No member may use more than two hooks in matches or sweepstakes and must fish with only one rod at any one time, (others may be assembled), you may plumb for depth before commencement of a Club match. All self-modified or offset shanks are banned.
15a.The draw for all Club matches ceases at the stated time on the current Match List and the draw to commence
no earlier than 10 minutes before the stated draw time.
b. All members can fish Club matches on Club waters with no pegging fee. An optional pool of £3.00 can be paid.
c. Members can fish Club matches on away waters upon payment of the appropriate pegging fee.
An optional pool of £3.00 can be paid.
d. All optional pools to be fully paid out. Pay out shall be as follows: 2 to 5 pays 2; 6 to 10 pays 3; 11 to 16 pays 4;
17 to 30 pays 5; 30+ pays 6. Winners prize to be capped at £25.00.
e. At least 50% of the Club trophy matches shall be fished on Club waters; the remainder shall be at the discretion of the Match Secretary.
f. All matches to take place only on pre-designated pegs. Match organiser may change the venue or the pegging on the same venue due to adverse weather conditions.
g. ONLY COMPETITORS AND OFFICIALS will be allowed on the bank during matches.
16. The Juniors have the option of Senior waters for match purposes in adverse weather conditions, if the Seniors present are agreeable on approach from a Junior Match Official.
17. The Senior match season shall run during the period closest to the 16th June to 14th March, inclusive.
Consequently:
The Monday and Wednesday evening series of matches will commence on the first available Monday and Wednesday
evenings closest to the 16th June.
(Updated as at 20th September 2023)