The organisers of the Festival will make all necessary arrangements for the selection of waters, pegging of swims, draw for swims and transportation where appropriate to and from the waters. All competitors must abide by these arrangements and also the following competition rules. Failure to do so may lead to disqualification.
1) Competitors must play and land their own fish without assistance. Competitors, who, due to extenuating circumstances, i.e. infirmity or illness, do require assistance, must contact the match referee prior to the draw.
2) Fishing shall commence at the given signal and prior to that, no competitor shall disturb the water in his swim other than to wet ground bait, dear weed, position keep nets and plumb the depth. In plumbing, the depth only simple weight or plummets may be used. No bait to be introduced at this time.
3) Competitors shall provide themselves with a keepnet – minimum length of six feet and with rings of a minimum diameter of fifteen inches. More than one such net may be used. All live fish are eligible for weighing-in, except salmon, trout, eels and pike. All fish caught shall be returned alive to the water.
4) Competitors must fish from a point not less than three feet from the shortest line between the numbered pegs and the water. The fishing areas shall normally be defined by points mid-way between the competitor’s peg and those of his upstream and downstream neighbours. In running water the swim boundary shall be from the competitor’s peg to the next peg downstream. An angler can wade other than for the purposes of positioning his keepnet(s) provided he remains within one yard of the water’s edge. If a competitor is in doubt over the location of his fishing site he must seek clarification from the Steward.
5) Fishing shall cease on the signal terminating the contest. If an angler is playing a fish at this moment he will be permitted an additional fifteen minutes in which to play and land the fish.
6) The organisers shall appoint Stewards and any other necessary officials. A Competition Referee shall be appointed, whose decision in any dispute arising during the competition, that is during the period between the commencement and conclusion of the Contest, shall be final. Should any competitor wish to make a protest against any other competitor he must lodge this, in writing with the Referee within two hours of the end of the match.
7) No competitor shall be weighed-in or permitted to leave his peg if litter is found at his peg. Each competitor will, therefore, be responsible for the cleanliness of his peg and the bank adjacent thereto.
8) The duration of the matches will be 5 hours.
9) No competitor may win more than one daily cash prize.
10) No substitution of Competitor’s Names without prior permission of the organisers.
11) Competitors drawn at the high and/or low peg in each section on each competition day will be asked to assist with weighing-in and result recording.
12) These rules are subject to amendment at the discretion of the organisers and the official referee.