Apache General Open Match Rules!
1. Competitors enter contests on the understanding they will make themselves aware of and abide by all match, site & bait rules & safety warnings and accept that organiser’s decision is final and binding on all matters.
2. Anglers who break match, site & bait rules could be disqualified from the match.
3. Entry fees, pools etc are none refundable.
4. A fishing match is live & all rules are operational & in force from commencement of draw to results & payout. (All prizes must be collected at payout otherwise they will be added to lucky peg fund)
5. Competitors who bad mouth/undermine organisers or bring competition into disrepute will be disqualified and or banned.
6. Any objections should be reported to organisers as soon as possible & definitely before results have been announced. Also please report any alleged rule break to adjoining fellow anglers.
7. It is a condition of entry that competitors, who are asked to help with weighing duties, do so. Scales men must check and calibrate scales to zero at each peg before weighing in the angler from that peg. Do not weigh fish in on rough ground; try to weigh fish on soft grass or weigh-mats etc. Anglers who harass and or pressure scales men could be disqualified.
8. The match will be started and finished by the organisers, usually by 3 sharp blows of a whistle or sometimes by shouting time. Any angler who falsely starts or finishes a match could be disqualified.
9. Anglers must accept that another angler could have fished their peg previously that same day.
10. Anglers must fish and feed their peg from relevant platform only! This is also the case when playing & landing fish.
11. Anglers may only fish with and bait one hook or use any one rod or pole at any one time, pole potting while fishing is allowed (no pole potting of bombs, feeders or terminal tackle into water).
12. Anglers who are having difficulty in landing a big fish can ask for assistance with the landing net.
13. An anglers tackle and feed bait must not go past half way when fishing towards adjacent or opposite other anglers. You must only fish the water, which is in front of your platform. Competitors cannot fish water, which is behind the line of the front of your platform i.e. round corners, through, or over weed beds etc this water is someone else’s peg! If in doubt ask before you start to fish.
14. Anglers leaving their peg during a match must withdraw their tackle from the water. And if walking about do their best not to disturb other angler’s pegs.
15. Any angler taking part in the match may at any time before, during or after a match check any other angler’s baits or tackle for banned baits or tackle. Any angler who refuses this request or is found to be using banned baits or tackle could be disqualified from the match (anglers who approach other anglers to carry out the above must do their best not to disturb other anglers pegs). Competitors leave themselves open to disqualification if they have banned baits in their possession on the bank.
16. No fishing with artificial plastic baits, lures, silver paper etc. No live or dead baiting.
17. No litter whatsoever! Anglers will not be weighed in if litter is at their pegs.
18. Pike & Eels count & are eligible to weigh in matches. No re hooking of fish for pike or eels.
19. Anglers who fish on after whistle will not be weighed in. Anglers with a fish on at whistle must call out fishon! to fellow anglers & are allowed 10 minutes to land fish. A fish is deemed landed when it is in angler’s landing net.
20. Any fish from your catch that do not swim away after they have been weighed i.e. dead or dieing will be re weighed and deducted from your total weight. Scales mans decision is final.
21. A fishing match may be stopped during lightning storms. It will be restarted after the lightning has passed and where possible lost time will be added to the end of the match (anglers must stop fishing and handling rods and poles during this stoppage) beware of overhead electric power lines!
22. Anglers fishing on the venue outside duration of the match need relevant fishing permit and must abide by club or venue rules and regulations.
23. Anglers must not interfere with bank side trees and vegetation unless it is directly round your fishing platform and is hindering your fishing.
24. Please see separate list for allowable baits and restrictions.
25. Please note the selling of fishing tackle, fishing clothing and fishing bait is not allowed at our fishing matches thank you.