Fishery Rules

 
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Trout Fishing Rules

 

These rules apply to all members of Mallard Flyfishers and their guests (both adults & juniors) who fish for trout at Mallard Lake. They replace any previous version of the Fishery rules.

 

1. All members and their guests use the facilities of the Fishery at their own risk. Please take extra care when people or animals are passing behind you while you are fishing.

 

2. Subscriptions are due by 1st March each year. Late payment may incur an additional joining fee. Membership cards are non-transferable and must be carried by you whilst at the Fishery. In the case of serious accident, vital information for calling the emergency services is shown on the front cover of the membership card. Please also complete the ‘Emergency Contact Tel. No.’ details on the front cover of your card.

3. Trout fishing open from 1st March 2024 to 28 February 2025. Fishing is allowed daily from 8:00am until dusk. An Environment Agency Rod Licence is required to fish at Mallard Lake. This stipulation applies to both members and their guests.

 

4. Members are allowed to fish for trout a maximum of three days in any week (Sunday to Saturday). Members may take a maximum of two trout from the Fishery on any one day. A maximum of four trout may be taken in any week, of which only one may be a brown trout (per week). Catch and release is allowed, although not encouraged during very hot summer periods.

 

5. Members must book in before starting to fish and record the exact weight only of fish killed. The comments column on the catch returns form may be used for recording the estimated weight of specimen fish returned to the water. Please complete the catch returns form accurately when you have finished fishing. Nil returns must be recorded.

 

6. Members are required to use barbless hooks, or those with the barbs flattened. Only fly fishing is permitted for the capture of trout.

 

7. The rowing boats must be pumped out before leaving the boat jetty and left in a clean condition and securely tied up after use. When using a rowing boat, it must be secured to one of the 7 buoys placed in the fishing area of the Lake before you start fishing. No additional ropes are allowed for attachment to moorings. 

 

8. Life jackets (available from the Boat hut) must be worn when using a rowing boat. Please complete the Boat Booking Form (in the Boat hut) before taking a rowing boat for one of the fixed timed sessions of up to a maximum of four hours. Boat bookings are only allowed on the day that you are actually fishing. If any rowing boat is without its rowlocks, it must not be used under any circumstances. Junior members and junior guests (both up to 18 years old) should supply their own junior life jackets. Additionally, they are not permitted to take out a boat without an adult member.

 

9. Members are permitted up to 10 'trout fishing only' guests per season in total from 1st April 2024 to 28th February 2025. However, a member is permitted to take 2 junior guests (up to 18 years old) on any one day & will count as 1 guest only in relation to the 10 guests rule, with the proviso that the member does not fish during the visit, except for casting demonstrations. No guests are allowed to fish for pike during the pike fishing census i.e. January & February. There is a charge of £25.00 per day for guests who must be accompanied by a member. Guests may not be taken to the Fishery before 1st April 2024. Junior members are not permitted to invite guests to the Fishery. Please complete the Guest ticket supplied in the Booking-in hut and place it in the Permits box before starting to fish. Please do not enclose cheques or cash with the ticket. The Treasurer will send you an invoice by email for payment in due course. Guests are required to sign in / out and complete the catch return form. Members take full responsibility for their guests who must read the Fishery rules before starting to fish.

 

10. No wading is allowed in Mallard Lake because of the SSSI status.

 

11. No antisocial noise or behaviour is permitted. Please remember that the Fishery is a wildlife sanctuary, so please do not leave any litter etc.

 

12. Please leave the environment as others would wish to find it. Do not damage trees, shrubs, or plants and do not disturb wildlife. Do not discard rubbish, cigarette ends, nylon fishing line or tackle around the Fishery. All waste fishing line must be taken home and not left at the Fishery.

 

13. Mallard Flyfishers may cancel a member's permit, without refund, for infringement of the Fishery rules. Guests who break the rules will be asked to leave the Fishery without a refund.

 

14. Please report any exceptional incidents or observations. There are forms and a nature diary in the Booking-in hut or, for urgent situations, you can phone 07813 629699 and leave a message for the Fishery Manager (Victor English) or the Deputy Fishery Manager (Dave Thain) on 07563 523849.

 

15. Owing to restricted parking space, vehicles must be parked tidily, parallel with the rail at the start of the parking area and clear of the tarmac drive. Please do not leave excessive space between parked vehicles. If the fishermen's car park is full, you must not park on the grass verges, but return to the public car park at the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust Visitor Centre. Vehicles are parked at the owner's risk.

 

Mallard Flyfishers Committee

 

March 2024

 

Pike Fishing Rules 

 

1. The pike fishing census will run from 1st January 2025 until 28th February 2025.

2. Only members of the Mallard Flyfishers Syndicate are allowed to take part in the census. No guests are allowed to fish. The appropriate EA licence is required.

3. Bank fishing during the census is allowed from 8:30am until dusk (approximately 30 minutes after sunset).

4. In order to identify pike caught, please photograph any pike weighing in excess of 10 pounds.

5. Bookings are only allowed on the day that you are fishing. Please complete the Booking Form in the Booking-in Hut.

6. If fishing with flies, plugs or spinners, they must be at least 4 inches (10 cms.) long with traces of appropriate strength.

7. When bait fishing, only salt-water species may be used as dead bait. No fresh-water fish, dead or alive, may be used as bait in this SSSI lake.

8. Fly tackle or conventional dead baiting tackle to be used. Barbless hooks, except for baitholders on doubles/trebles.

9. Float or static baits allowed.

10. Two rods only to be used while fishing, to be used in the same swim.

11. Unhooking mats to be used at all times, no fish to be retained and must be returned immediately after capture.

12. Any trout caught must be carefully returned to the lake.

13. All pike catches must be recorded on the Returns Form in the Booking-in Hut.