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Cofton Fishing Match Rules

Every year at Cofton, our fishing lakes play host to a number of match fishing events. Here are our fishing match rules.

  1. The start and finish time of each match will be displayed.
  2. The duration of a match will be five hours
  3. All officials participating in the organisation of the match will make themselves known to the competitors prior to the start of the match.
  4. The match will be a pegged down competition. Each competitor on drawing his or her number shall proceed to the corresponding number on the bank. This will be considered his or her ground to fish.
  5. Every competitor must fish from their platform and stay within the boundaries of their peg  marked on the map given. The competitor will restrict their activities completely to these boundaries neither his or her person, tackle, hookbaits or groundbaits may intrude into another swim. In an extreme situation eg a snagged fish, an angler must seek permission from his or her neighbour before trying to remedy the situation.
  6. A competitor must not cause annoyance to ,or seek to interfere with another competitor or use a mobile phone during the course of the competition, and must act in a sporting manner.
  7. No competitor may move or exchange his or her peg or draw card without the organisers official consent.
  8. No competitor shall buy more than one entry ticket.
  9. Competitors must retain all fish in keepnets provided and must take all practical steps to keep their fish alive. After weighing they must ensure their careful return to the water. If for any reason fish are seen to be in distress a match official has the right to weigh them immediately and return them to the water during the course of the match.
  10. A competitor shall have in use one rod or pole,one line and one single hook at one time,but may have other rods or poles and tackle assembled for use in position behind them if possible providing that no such other tackles are baited.
  11. Any bait can be used except live or dead fish,frogs,spinning baits or artificial lures.
    1. No competitor shall have live or dead fish in their possession before a match. All competitors must submit to a search if requested by a contest official.
    1. Before the starting signal no competitor must on any account groundbait or loose feed the swim. Competitors are allowed to wet a line, plumb the depth, test a float, mix groundbait, clear his or her ground of weed or obstructions and position their equipment. On no account must a feeder be used before the starting signal. A ledger weight may be cast to find depth and distance etc, but at no time must a line be in the water whilst continuing to set up other tackle.
    1. Competitors may receive assistance to or from their peg, or both, for themselves or their tackle, or both.
    1. All groundbait may be thrown in by hand, or by use of one or two handed catapults, throwing sticks, swimfeeders, bait droppers and bait cups, but no other mechanical means of projecting groundbait is allowed. No bait shall be introduced with a pole cup or bait dropper attached to an extra rod or pole whilst continuing to fish.
  1. All fishery rules to be followed unless otherwise stated in these match rules.