Rules

Bewl Water Kayak Fishing Challenge Rules:

These are the rules which must be adhered to during the Bewl Water Kayak Fishing Competition.

1. Anglers must cease fishing during thunderstorms.
2. Anglers must be in possession of a valid EA rod licence before commencement of fishing.
3. The Event organiser or the Bewl water management reserves the right to order all fishing to stop at any time.
4. After you complete your trout for the bag you need to stop targeting trout.
5. Artificial lures only. No life or dead bait. No natural or organic baits. No fly fishing. No paste!
6. No trolling allowed from any form of Kayak. (Fishing when drifting allowed)
7. No trolling motors attached to the kayaks.
8. When handling specimen fish, an unhooking mat is essential. Large fish can be taken to the nearest bank to be measured safely and correctly in case you don’t have anyone around to help you. You can request help from the organizers help if need it. Call the event steward and someone will assist you.
9. No pike, perch, or trout to be taken/removed from the water.
10. Wire traces must be used by anglers when targeting Pike.
11. You can have any number of rods in the kayak, but you can only fish with 1 rod at any time.
12. All boat fishing rules apply.
13. Juniors from 10 years old may fish from a Kayak provided they are accompanied by an adult over 21. And remain within 20 metres of each other.
14. Life jackets/PFDs are compulsory and must be worn before going onto the launching area prior to launching.
15. Anchoring is prohibited.
16. Use a drogue / parachute is allowed.
17. No fishing within 50 metres of a bank angler, fishing boats, nature reserve areas, dam, tower, cages, Aqua Park, swimming area or other reservoir structures. Fishing map available in the Bewl Water Fishing Lodge.
18. During the competition, kayaks are required to keep a minimum distance of 50 metres from other competing Kayaks. Please use the common sense.
19. All kayak fishing must cease when the wind exceeds force 5 (19 mph) and all kayaks should return to the boat harbours or other safe moorings/banks.
20. It is the anglers responsibility to moor kayak securely in designated area. The organiser and the Bewl Water will ot take the responsibility for any loses.
21. Anglers are to raise the alarm immediately if a problem arises by phoning one of the numbers provided or Competition HQ.
22. Kayak anglers must use Angling Live application to upload their fish.
23. Each participant will download the Angling Live on his/her smartphone.
24. Every contestant must have a landing net, a mat, an unhooking equipment. Please use only measure tape style not printed on the mat ones! Unhooking mats must be used, and all trout must be returned alive. If some trout is badly hooked must be killed and it must be handed into the fishery staff.
25. The measure must be wide with a clearly visible scale and a plastic ending which is placed by the head of the fish will laying on right flank with nose touching the measure zero end. The zero end to be on the left hand at all the time. You can stretch the tail of the fish. The length of the fish must be measured in full centimetres (cm) e.g., a fish of 45.3 cm will be counted as 46 cm and a fish of 45.9 cm will be counted as 46 cm also. No minimum size.
26. Every contestant will receive unique sticker for each competition days. The stickers MUST be visible on the measure near the fish when the picture will be uploaded in the Angling Live application. No sticker no fish accepted.
27. To be allowed to fish from a kayak in the competition, anglers must be insured. (Third part public liability)

Camping: Any competitors requiring a camping pitch to follow the Bewl Water site rules. Please keep tidy and noise down after 22.00.