Migratory Trout and Salmon – 1st May to 29th October.
Brown Trout – 3rd April to 31st October.
Rainbow Trout - All year
Coarse fishing:
Littlebourne, Minster and Stonar Lakes, all year fishing.
Pike – Lakes and River, 1st October to 14th March.
Fordwich Lakes, 8pm 15th June to 8pm 14th March.
River, 16th June to 14th March.
All dates are inclusive.
2.Limitations:
No fish are to be removed without the prior consent of the Committee other than as listed below: -
Trout – River, 2 daily, 6 weekly.
Trout Pool - See permit for limit.
3.Waters.
a)Waters reserved for the exclusive use of the Fly Fishing Section: River Stour, fork below Vauxhall Bridge to Fordwich Bridge. Subject also to Fly Section byelaws.
b)Waters reserved for general fly fishing for Association members and which may only be fished with an artificial fly from 3rd April to 30th June inclusive: River Stour downstream from Fordwich Bridge, north bank until Fordwich Lake car park, then both banks to the site of the Bailey bridge. This section is also open for coarse fishing from 1st July to the 14th March following. Members may also fish for trout with artificial fly from the 3rd April to 31st October, both banks River Stour downstream from site of the Bailey bridge to Plucks Gutter.
c)The Trout Pool is stocked with Trout and fishing is by artificial fly only. Fishing is available to all members by purchasing in advance a permit, the price of such permit to be fixed by the Committee. Byelaws governing the water are available on request from Headquarters and issued with each permit. Any member found fishing the Pool without a permit, or introducing coarse fish into the Trout Pool will be liable to immediate expulsion.
d)Waters available for coarse fishing: River Stour, both banks, from the site of the Bailey bridge downstream to Plucks Gutter. River Stour downstream from Fordwich Bridge, north bank until Fordwich Lake car park, then both banks to the site of the old Bailey bridge (see note in byelaw 3b above). Little Stour, north bank between Blue Bridge and Plucks Gutter. Fordwich Lake. Trenley Lake. Stour Lake. Stonar Lake. Minster Lakes (Jade and Brook Lakes). Littlebourne Lakes (Birch, Pump House and Bramble Lakes). Fishing in Fordwich Lake is restricted to ordinary members only.
4.Visiting groups and clubs.
Visitor tickets are available to outside groups or clubs wishing to fish matches on the River Stour. Such visitors can only fish designated sections of water and cannot displace members fishing when they arrive. Pre-booking only with deposit through Headquarters.
5.Competitions shall be arranged at the discretion of the Committee.
6.Only specifically designed green angler’s bivvies may be used. No tents may be erected on any of the Fisheries.
7.No fires are allowed on any Fisheries.
8.Carp fishing:
a)All carp must be returned to the water as soon as possible after weighing and witnessing and may only be retained in a carp sack for these purposes for a maximum period of thirty minutes. No keepnets are to be used for carp whatsoever.
b)Bent hook rigs are not to be used.
9.Care of fish.
a)Only knotless keep nets and knotless landing nets may be used for fishing on Association waters. Keepnets must be a minimum of 3m in length and a minimum of 45cm x 35cm in cross section if rectangular, or a minimum of 45cm in diameter if circular. Only keepnets with “fish safe bottom” sections will be acceptable.
b) All nets whether keepnets (where allowed), sacks, landing nets or unhooking mats must be dry before taking them to any CDAA fishery.
c) Unhooking mats must be visible on the bank ready to use if you are fishing, these mats must be specialist unhooking mats of a suitable size and must be used when any fish is briefly held out of the water.
d) Landing nets must be used to assist the landing of all fish when fishing at either Littlebourne or Minster Lakes.
e) Any method of fishing that is likely to damage or endanger the fish is unacceptable. (Warnings will be given by bailiffs who will advice on unacceptable tackle).
10. Retention of fish:
a)Fish, with the exception of those listed in 10b and 10c below, may only be kept in keepnets for a maximum of 12 hours.
b)Pike, Barbel and Grayling, must not be retained, but must be returned to the water as soon after capture as is possible.
c)Carp must not be retained in keep nets. Carp may only be retained as described in byelaw 8a.
d)Keepnets are not allowed at Littlebourne or Minster Lakes, all fish must be returned to the water as soon after capture as is possible.
11. The Committee reserves the right to close and open sections of the river or lakes to members.
12. It is the responsibility of members to see that there is no litter in the swim in which they are fishing. Members found with litter in their swim are liable to have their membership withdrawn.
13. Audio equipment must not be played except when used with an earpiece.
14. Vehicle access.
a)Vehicles must be left in recognised car parks or in the designated areas around Pump House Lake (Littlebourne) and Stonar Lake. Association car stickers must be displayed.
b)Bicycles may not be ridden on any part of the Fordwich Lake complex.
c)Members using Association car parks and other designated parking areas do so at their own risk.
d)A speed limit of 10mph exists on all fishery entrance roads.
15. Access to the Lakes/River on the south bank at Fordwich is via Fordwich Lake car park only.
16. All firearms, weapons or instruments used for discharging missiles with the exception of bait throwers are prohibited on all Association Waters unless authorised by the Committee. Boilee launchers using compression are expressly forbidden.
17. Pike fishing:
a) Only rods designed for Pike or Carp fishing with a test curve of not less than 2lb may be used.
b) Anglers must use a wire trace of a minimum breaking strain of 20lbs and a minimum length of 46cms.
c) A minimum of 15lb breaking strain main line must be used when Pike fishing.
d) Anglers must use a visual or sound bite detection systems capable of showing both runs and drop-back bites immediately the Pike starts to move with the bait. (Float, bobbin or alarm).
e) When pike fishing the angler must have at his immediate disposal the following items: -
i)A landing net of a minimum diameter of 60cm for a round net or 90cm across the arms of a triangular net.
ii)At least one pair of artery forceps 20cm long.
f)No coarse fish more than 12.5cm in length may be used as bait.
g)Live baits must be caught from the water in which they are to be used and must be returned at the end of the days fishing having been retained for no more than 12 hours.
h) Live baits only to be lip hooked using either a single (max size 2/0) or a partially debarbed treble hook on a minimum 20lb breaking strain 45cm long wire trace. Flying hooks are NOT allowed.
j) Treble hooks to be semi barbed – maximum hook size 4.
k) No night fishing for Pike is allowed on the River.
18. Fishery restrictions:
a)Fishing is allowed at the numbered swims between the boats on the north bank at Grove Ferry and adjacent to “Riverscroft” on the south bank only from 1st October to 14th March.
b)Junior members and student members under the age of 16 must be under the supervision of an adult member (a person over 18 years old), when fishing at night with the approval of the junior’s parents or guardian. The person supervising must be in the same or adjacent swim. Student members age 16 or over may night fish on their own with their parents consent. The hours to determine night fishing are sunset to sunrise.
c)Carp fishing is not permitted on Stour or Trenley Lakes.
d)Baits. No boilies or nuts may be used on Littlebourne, Minster, Trenley or Stour Lakes.
No trout or halibut pellets may be used for loose feeding on any Association lake.
e)Ground bait is only allowed in a feeder or “potting in” via a pole cup in Minster, Pump House and Birch Lakes.
f)Barbless or flattened barb hooks only to be used on Littlebourne and Minster Lakes.
g)A maximum ledger weight of ½oz is allowed when fishing Pump House and Minster Lakes. A maximum ledger weight of 1oz is allowed on Birch Lake.
h)Float fishing only is allowed on Bramble Lake during daylight hours – NO NIGHT FISHING between one hour before sunrise and one hour after sunset.
i)Bramble Lake is closed for fishing between daybreak on Sunday until 3pm in the afternoon to permit the lake to be used by the Model Sailing Club.
j)Anglers are restricted to a maximum of seven days fishing in any ten days on Fordwich Lake.
k)Anglers are restricted to a maximum of 48 hours continuous fishing in any 72 hour period on Minster and Littlebourne Lakes.
l)For coarse fishing a maximum of 2 rods may be used providing they are both within arms reach of the angler. Unattended rods must be withdrawn from the water. A third rod is allowed for an additional charge of 50% of the full membership rate, a third rod may only be used on Fordwich, Stour, Trenley and Stonar Lakes. A marker rod counts as one of the rods being used.
m)The use of lead shot size 7 to swan and ledger weights up to 1oz is forbidden.
n)Members may not occupy swims on Association Waters more than 5 hours before the start of the season, with the exception of members who have attended at least four working parties during the preceding close season, who may move into swims 12 hours before the commencement of the season.
o)The use of gaffs and pike gags is forbidden. No netting, trailing (trolling or harling),gorge tackle (including Pennell, Stewart, or any other combination hook tackle excepting snap or spinning tackle), handlines, trimmers, nor eel spearing allowed.
p)Boat moorings. Members must not fish from or over moored boats nor must they move boats nor interfere with mooring lines.
q) Tackle used when fishing either Minster Lakes or Littlebourne Lakes must be lightweight well balanced outfits – no heavy rods or line that allow the fish to be dragged to the bank. (Warnings will be given by bailiffs who will advice on unacceptable tackle).
LITTLEBOURNE AND MINSTER LAKES.
Please treat the lakes and surrounding land with respect. Take care when you manoeuvre your car as walkers with dogs use the access tracks. Leave no litter or discarded line around the lakes as livestock may be present in the fields around the Littlebourne Lakes, regular checks will be made. The key locks are the same as for the rest of the CDAA fisheries.
CARP GROUP CODE OF CONDUCT.
1.Line must be of sufficient strength to suit conditions with a minimum main line strength of 10lbs. Only nylon shock leaders may be used with the following breaking strains: 20lbs for 3oz leads, 25lbs for 31/2oz leads and 30lbs for 4oz leads. With a minimum of 15 turns around the reel spool when set up before casting.
2.Fixed leads must not be used only semi fixed or running leads with a maximum weight of 4ozs.
3.Only one hook to be used. No long shank fly hooks or purpose made bent hooks to be used. See byelaw 8b.
4.Particle baits must be correctly prepared, i.e. fully swollen (soaked) and all germs killed (boiled) and must be of human grade only.
5.Only one fish on bank being photographed at any one time.
6.Unhooking mats must be used at all times. See byelaw 9b.
7.Only one carp per sack and must be placed in sufficient depth of water to provide an adequate amount of oxygen. Fish should only be retained for the minimum amount of time and not more than 30 minutes. See byelaw 8a.
8.Any snags found should be reported so that they may be removed.
