CLUB BYLAWS

11. You must have a valid membership to enter the complex.
If you’re serving a suspension or you’ve been expelled or refused membership you mustn’t enter the complex.

12. Enter the complex by Quarry Lane entrance only.

13. No parking anywhere but the car park.
Please remember that the verges around the stock ponds aren’t part of the car park. No cars are allowed around the lakes, other than those of fishery management, and you must follow all car parking signs and instructions.

14. Keep all gates locked.
You can unlock a gate only to pass through it – once you’re through, you must lock it behind you. If you find a gate open, you must lock it.

15. All female members must be in possession of a toilet key.

16. No access to the islands.
All the complex’s islands are designated bird sanctuaries. Accessing them is acceptable only when the committee has approved it.

17. No cycling.

18. No swimming or wading.The only exception to wading being to safely land or release a fish and only if it
is safe to do so. Margins can be deep and dangerous. Always ensure you have a safe footing if you need to enter the water ideally with assistance to hand.

19. You’re responsible for your own safety.
This applies to anyone who enters the complex, whether fishing or not. CDAS is not responsible for your safety.

20. Catch and release only.
You must return all fish (including eels) to the water alive. Fishing for live-bait is the only exception to the bylaw.

21. You must return fish within a reasonable time.
Weighing and photographing fish are the only acceptable reason for keeping a fish out of the water. This should take no longer than five minutes. This bylaw applies to across all lakes and all fish, for any type of fishing. Fishing for live-bait is the only exception.

22. No transferring fish between lakes.
This is only allowed when the committee and Environment Agency have approved it.

23. No fish sacks are allowed on the complex.

24. No interfering with wildlife.
You mustn’t deliberately harm any animal, its nest or eggs.

25. Fish designated swims only.
Each designated swim has a number. No fishing in stock ponds, unnumbered swims or anywhere there’s a sign board saying you mustn’t fish there.

26. You mustn’t fish (or have tackle in) two or more swims simultaneously.

27. No fishing a lake that’s closed for a match.
When there’s a match on a specific lake, that lake will close two hours before the start of the match and reopens only when the match ends.

28. You can reserve only one swim for a maximum of 15 minutes.
You can reserve swim by placing an item of tackle (or a bucket, water bottle, etc.) You must not reserve more than one swim, or reserve a swim for another member.

29. You must respect members in adjacent swims.
This is especially important when you’re fishing a corner swim. Members should always fish within the obvious and reasonable boundaries of their chosen swim. If this is next to or near other anglers it is expected you discuss locations with them before fishing.

30. Rod limits vary throughout the season:
15 March to 30 to September: 2 rods maximum
1 October to 14 March: 3 rods maximum
Quarry is 2 rods only all season
Note: Long and Little Long, have their own separate limits. (See the ‘Long Lake and Little Long Lake bylaws’ section.)

31. No more than four rods in a swim.
If you’re sharing a swim with another person, you must fish no more than four rods (two each) between you. This applies to all lakes except for Long and Little Long (See section 10 Long and Little Long Bylaws).

32. Leave no baited hooks unattended.
Even if it’s not in the water. If you have a hook with bait on it, you must be there in the swim with it at all times.

33. Barbless hooks only.
This is across the whole complex. Crushed barb hooks are NO LONGER acceptable.

34. Leave no fishing tackle unattended for more than 45 minutes.

35. Fish over half a pound must be landed by net only.
Other than smaller fish you can safely ‘swing in’, a landing net or sling is the only method allowed for transferring fish from the water to the bank. If you are fishing Whyke, Quarry or Church Yard you must have a 42” arms net and a weighing/recovery sling ready to use even when fishing for smaller species.

36. Carry a fish care kit of some description.
To apply to any fish with damaged mouths or bodies.

37. Carry a high-sided or cradle-style unhooking mat.
The only exception is during designated club matches. All mats must be well padded, of good quality and in good condition.

38. No braided line.
The only time you can use braided line is for marker float or spodding.

39. No keepnets outside of matches.
Match anglers keep nets (three each) and landing nets provided by the organisers.

40. Dip all nets, mats and weigh slings.
Before being taken the bank side. They must be removed from their bags before dipping. The dip tanks are in the car park, by the toilets.

41. No lead weights from 1oz to No. 8 shot (inclusive) on any lakes.

42. Bring or use no more than 2kgs of bait per 24-hours.

43. No pre-baiting or feeding swims.
The only exception is when a member is occupying and fishing that swim.

44. No peanuts.

45. You must not fish longer than the maximum time allowed.
After that, you must leave the complex and not return for 24 hours. This maximum time period varies throughout the season:
15 March – 30 September: Two consecutive nights maximum.
1 October – 30th November: Three consecutive nights maximum.
1 December – end of February: Five consecutive nights maximum.
1 March – 14 March: Three consecutive nights maximum.

46. ‘One night’ is between 7pm to 7am.

47. No tents, caravans and motorhomes. Bivvies only.

48. Bivvies must not block paths.

49. One light only per member.
And it’s your responsibility to make sure your light isn’t a nuisance to anyone close.

50. Junior Members.
Aren’t allowed to night fish (7pm-7am) on the public footpath bank on Long or Quarry.

This is for their own safety.

51. Hook size no larger than size 4 to be used.

52. Only one hook per line. No doubles or trebles.

53.

No landing nets smaller than 42” in arms.

54. No bent shanked hooks to be used.

55. No leads that can’t break free if the line snaps.
Lead core must only be attached to a swivel at the hook end. The lead and clip must be able to drop free if your mainline breaks.

56. No sharing of equipment.
Each member and guest must have their own landing net, weight sling, fish care kit and high-sided or cradle-style unhooking mat.

57. A high-sided or cradle-style.
Unhooking mat that’s well padded, good quality, in good condition and suitable for the size of fish you expect to catch. .

58. If you are fishing Quarry, Whyke or Churchyard you must have a landing net with a minimum of 42” arms and a high sided unhooking mat capable of holding a 40lb + carp with an approximate length of 42 inches. You must also carry a retention/ floatation/weigh sling with solid arms. This must be used when lifting, weighing and returning your capture to the water.

59.When fishing near snags stay by your rods and lock up and ensure that your rods cannot be dragged from their rests. Don’t let the fish get to the snags in the first place. If a fish does get into the snags do not pull for a break, but hold steady but not excessive pressure for a few minutes. If this fails, slacken your line and wait for the fish to move and tighten up. You may have to repeat this a few times before the fish frees itself.

60. If possible, unhook your capture before lifting it from the water. This is not always possible if the fish is still lively.

61. Before lifting your netted fish always ensure that your hook and lead are not snagged in the mesh and the lead is in the bottom of the net. Ensure the fins are flat to the fish’s body. Your mainline must be slack and the bail arm open before attempting to lift the fish from the water to the unhooking mat. Absolute best practice, but not compulsory, is to cut the hook link or mainline above the lead or leader if using one. This ensures that no pressure can be applied to the fish’s mouth during the lifting from the water to the mat.

62. Always collapse your net. Don’t roll the net around the arms if the mainline is still attached, as this will tighten the line to the fish. If possible, always transfer the net and fish into a recovery sling before lifting from the water and ensure all fins are flat to the body of the fish.

 63. Always ensure weighing, fish care and photography equipment is ready to use before lifting the fish from the water. Do not leave the fish alone once it is out of the water. Have ample water available to keep the fish wet and abide by Bylaw 21 regarding time out of the water and Bylaw 23 for retention after capture.

64. Avoid the carp hitting the edges of the cradle, net arms etc. as this can cause irreparable damage especially to their tail section.

65. Moving fish beyond the level area behind the swim for photographs is not permitted. Always keep the fish above the mat and as low as possible when taking photographs.

66. Always treat the hook hold and any other damage before returning the fish to the water.

67. Read and follow all the other byelaws. If you’re carp fishing, reading just this section is not enough to understand all the bylaws that apply to you.

68. No pike fishing without a pike fishing stamp in your membership book.
To get the stamp, you have to attend a pike ‘teach -in’ and prove you have all the right equipment to handle pike safely.

69. No pike fishing outside the pike season.
The season runs from 1 October to 14 March.

70. Monofilament main line only.

71. No mainline below 15lbs breaking strain.

72. All ways use wire traces.
These must be at least 14” (36cm) and have a breaking strain of at least 25lbs. We recommend plastic coated wire.

73. No more than two treble hooks may be used on any one trace.

74. All trebles must be barbless, except for the bait-holding hook.

75. No barbed hooks on lures.

76. No gaffs or gags.

77. To pike fish, you must have the following equipment with you at all times:
Forceps at least 12in long.
Side cutters long enough and strong enough to cut the points off (even the strongest) treble hooks if you can’t safely remove them.
A knotless landing net of no less 36” arms or 24” diameter.
A high-sided or cradle-style unhooking mat that’s well- padded, good quality and in good condition.
Adequate weigh sling.

78. Bite detectors must register “drop back” as well as runs.

79. Use live bait fish only on the lake you caught them from.

80. Read and follow all the other byelaws.
If you’re pike fishing, reading just this section is not enough to understand all the byelaws that apply to you.

81. No leaders. This includes lead core, (mainline to hook link).

82. No surface fished baits.

83. Rod limits vary throughout the season:
15 March – 30 September: No more than one rod per angler.
1 October – 14 March: No more than two rods per angler, if sharing a swim
1 October – 14 March: No more than two rods per angler, if sharing a swim with another angler only 1 rod each.

84. Read and follow all the other byelaws.
If you’re fishing Long Lake or Little Long Lake, reading just this section is not enough to understand all the byelaws that apply to you.

We do two kinds of guest tickets: ‘day’ and ’24-hour’.
Adult members can buy guest tickets from local tackle shops.
But there’s only one place that sells 24-hour guest tickets – SAS Donnington Road Chichester.

85. No night fishing on a day guest ticket.
Holders of a day guest ticket mustn’t enter the complex before dawn and must leave before sunset. There’s one exception: if the guest is fishing a Society match, they can fish from the start of the match to the end, regardless of the time.

86. No more than three 24-hour guest tickets per member, per season.

87. There’s no limit on day guest tickets.

88. No guest tickets for anyone who’s been suspended or expelled from the club, or refused membership.
When you buy a guest ticket, it’s your responsibility to make sure your guest isn’t, for any reason, forbidden from entering the complex.

89. To buy a guest ticket, you need:
• Show your membership book and have it marked.
• Pay the fee (whatever it may be at the time)

90. You can buy guest tickets for any for any lake on the complex.

91. You can’t buy 24-hour guest tickets for Whyke or Churchyard lakes.

92. You can’t buy 24-hour for weekends.
For this bylaw, the weekend runs from midday Friday to midday Sunday.

93. No Day Associate Members can buy 24-hour guest tickets.

94. You’re responsible for your guests’ actions while
they’re on the Society’s Property. It’s up to you to make sure they know the bylaws and follow them.

95. Guests must be accompanied at all times.
Your guest must share a swim with you or fish in a adjacent one.

96. Non-fishing guests can sometimes stay after dark.
Get in touch with the Membership Secretary if you want a non-fishing guest on the complex after dark.

97. The Committee can control the issue of all guest tickets as they see fit.

If you’re an adult member, you can take a child guest (16 or younger) fishing with you, free of charge. But you must strictly follow these bylaws:

98. The child guest must fish in the same swim as you.

99. The child guest must be under your supervision at all times.

100. Child guests can fish with one rod only.

101. Child guests can’t arrive before dawn and must be off the complex by sunset.

102. Child guests can only fish in Long Lake or Little Long Lake.

103. Child guests can only fish swims along one bank.
This is the bank that leads from the car park down to the A27 adjacent to Whyke Lake. We limit guests to these swims because all other banks are difficult for vehicles to reach in an emergency.

104. One member can bring only one child guest.
If you want to bring two or more child guests, you’ll need to have a second adult (18 or older) with you. This second adult must not be fishing and must be solely responsible for the safety of the child guest. You must all stay in the same swim.