AFA Rules
ANY PERSON WISHING TO FISH ON ASSOCIATION WATER MUST HAVE IN THEIR POSSESSION:
1. An Association Ticket
2. A Rod Fishing Licence
3. A Copy of these Rules
4. A Map of Association Waters
AVON FISHING ASSOCIATION RULES
- This Association is called the Avon Fishing Association, and is formed to improve the fishing in the River Avon.
- All owners or occupiers who grant fishing rights gratis to the Association are Honorary Members of the Association, and are entitled, in the case of grantors of fishing rights extending a quarter of a mile and upwards, to two free Transferable Season tickets, and in the case of grantors of fishing rights extending less than a quarter of a mile, to one free Transferable Season fishing ticket.
- (a) A tenant, occupier of land with a water frontage of a quarter of a mile and upwards, the fishing rights over which have been granted to the Association by the owner (whether gratis or for consideration) may at the discretion of the Committee be made an Honorary Member of the Association, and in that case will be given one Free Transferable season ticket.
(b) In the case of an owner (or occupier) who grants his fishing rights for a consideration, part of the consideration (at the entire discretion of the Committee) may be one or two free Transferable tickets according to the length of the water as mentioned in Rule 2.
(c) The Committee shall be empowered, if previously authorised by a General Meeting, to appoint any suitable person or persons to Life Membership of the Association, and to grant Transferable season tickets to such Life Members, not in excess of two per person, as the members of the Committee see fit. - The Transferable tickets mentioned in Rules 2 and 3 may be used by the grantor or occupier himself, a resident member of his family, or a guest or lodger staying in his house. A lodger (or paying guest) MAY ONLY USE SUCH TICKET FOR 12 SEPARATE DAYS IN EACH SEASON and thereafter must apply to the Association for a ticket on payment. Free Transferable tickets will be issued with a space on the back in which the holder must enter the name of any lodger and the date BEFORE he goes to the river. Trafficking in these tickets is forbidden.
- The Association shall issue the following fishing tickets:
(d) Season tickets comprising:
(i) Tickets for salmon, migratory trout and brown trout or
(ii) Tickets for brown trout only
(e) Monthly, fortnightly and weekly Visitor Tickets for all species. Visitor tickets are not valid from 1st October to 30th November.
(f) Temporary Day Tickets for all species
(g) Transferable Season Tickets for all species
The cost of each category of fishing ticket shall be fixed by the committee prior to the Annual General Meeting in each year. All holders of season tickets who are of full age will be enrolled as members of the Association. The period of membership of the Association shall be for one year calculated from the first March in each year. Members wishing to renew their membership must do so by the 15th February.
All persons becoming members of the Association for the first time or rejoining after a break in membership shall pay in addition to the season ticket an entrance fee of such sum as shall be set from time to time by the Committee.
Not more than 60 season fishing tickets and 5 junior season fishing tickets shall be issued in any one season. In the allotment of season tickets preference will be given to applicants whose principal place of residence is within a radius of 10 miles centred on Gara Bridge but this clause does not apply to application for renewal of season tickets already granted. - (a) A Season ticket holder under Rules 2 and 5 of the Association shall be entitled to have a free Season ticket granted to one child, who is a bona fide school child and not over the age of 17 years, such ticket to be available during the Easter and Summer holidays only.
(b) A Season Ticket holder under Rule 5 of the Association shall be entitled to be issued with one book of 5 Temporary day tickets which may be used by a resident member of his family or a guest. Each such ticket when used will have the name of the user and date clearly entered on the space shown on the back before he or she goes to the river. Trafficking in these tickets is forbidden. - The various fishing seasons in Association waters shall commence and finish as follows: brown trout from the 15th March to 30th September; migratory trout from the 15th April to 30th September; salmon from 15th April to 30th November.
- The following applies to Trout, Salmon and Migratory Trout:
(a) Subject to EA byelaws, fishing is restricted to fly only except after the 15th April when fishing by members for Salmon by day may be by artificial lure or by artificial fly or by prawn from 16th June below Silveridge Weir Bridge. Your attention is drawn to the regulations appended to these Rules covering spinning for salmon between 15th April and September 30th.
Note – The use of any artificial bait that is designed to spin is restricted to those with only: one single de-barbed hook; or one double de-barbed hook. The width of the hook must not be greater than the spread of the vanes of the bait.
(b) Worm. A worm or worms, maggot or maggots shall not be used in connection with the fishing rod and line.
(c) Bubble Fishing. Bubble fishing or the use of other floats is prohibited. - All ticket holders shall complete the “return of fish taken” attached to the tickets, and return it to the Secretary by the 31st December.
- Below Brent Old Road Bridge all trout of less than 8 inches in length (measured in a straight line from point of nose to fork of tail) shall be returned to the water. Members are invited to show their baskets to the keeper on his request.
- No member is allowed to retain from the Association’s water below Brent Old Road Bridge more than 2 brown trout during one day’s fishing.
- Provided that fly only is used, fishing for trout and sea trout is allowed at night.
- No member or Ticket holder of the Association is allowed to sell his fish or otherwise dispose of them for profit.
- Fishing tickets and Licences must be exhibited by anglers to any member of the Association on production of his ticket, and also to the Warden.
- Anglers must confine themselves to the path by the margin of the river. On no account must they step into any standing crop or mowing grass.
- No dogs are allowed either with any angler or with any friend who may accompany him.
- Members must shut all gates. Any member failing to do so will be personally liable for any damage resulting from such failure.
- The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held on the last Tuesday in January, when the old Committee will render a report upon the preceding year and submit recommendations. A new Committee will be elected, a Secretary and Treasurer appointed for managing the affairs of the Association. The Committee shall normally consist of not more than 10 members, including the Chairman, and shall have the power to co-opt a member to fill a vacancy or for any special temporary purpose, and appoint two of their number to be Honorary Auditors. Any 5 Members of the Committee may instruct the Secretary to call a Special General meeting of the Association at any time. Ten days’ notice shall always be given of any General Meeting, and at a Special General Meeting no other business than that stated in the notice shall be discussed. Ten members shall form a quorum at a General Meeting.
- The Committee shall have power to appoint Trustees of the Association (not more than four in number and not less than three) for the purpose of holding, acquiring, leasing, mortgaging (to members within the Association) or selling Fishing Rights or property of any kind on behalf of the Association.
(a) The First Trustees shall be appointed by the Committee and the property of the Association shall be vested in them to be dealt with by them as the Committee shall from time to time direct by resolution; in this connection three-fifths majority is required. The Trustees shall be indemnified against risk and expense out of the Association’s property. The Trustees shall hold office until death or resignation or until removed from office by a resolution of the Committee who may for any reason which may seem sufficient to a majority of them present and voting at any meeting remove any Trustee or Trustees from the office of Trustee.
If by reason of any such death, resignation or removal it shall appear necessary to the Committee that a new Trustee or Trustees shall be appointed, or if the Committee deem it expedient to appoint an additional Trustee or additional Trustees the Committee shall by resolution nominate the person or persons to be appointed the new Trustee or Trustees. For the purpose of giving effect to such nomination the President is hereby nominated as the person to appoint new Trustees of the Association within the meaning of Section 36 of the Trustee Act, 1925, and he shall by Deed duly appoint the person or persons so nominated by the Committee as the new Trustee or Trustees of the Association and the provisions of the Trustee Act, 1925, shall apply to any such appointment. Any statement of fact in any such Deed of Appointment shall in favour of a person dealing bona fide and for value with the Association or the Committee be conclusive evidence of the fact so stated.
(b) If at any time the Association in General Meeting pass a resolution authorising the Committee to borrow money, the Committee shall thereupon be empowered to borrow for the purposes of the Association such amount of money either at one time or from time to time and at such a rate of interest and in such form or manner and upon such security as shall be specified in such resolution and thereupon the Trustees shall at the discretion of the Committee make all such dispositions of the Association’s property and any part thereof and enter into such agreements in relation thereto as the Committee may deem proper for giving security for such loans and interest. All Members of the Association whether voting on such resolution or not and all persons becoming Members of the Association after the passing of such resolution, shall be deemed to have assented to the same as if they had voted in favour of such resolution. - The Committee shall meet quarterly. The Secretary may call a meeting of the Committee at any time; five members shall form a quorum at the Committee Meeting.
- These Rules may be altered from time to time by a majority of three-fifths of the Members present at a General Meeting of the Association. Details of the proposed change in the Association’s rules must be given to the Secretary twenty-one days before the Meeting. Notice of any such proposed alteration must be given by the Secretary to each member ten days before the meeting.
- Any complaint of unfair fishing, unsportsmanlike conduct, or any other matter must be sent to the Secretary, who shall, if necessary, call a special meeting of the Committee to consider the communication.
- The Committee may in their absolute discretion cancel any ticket if they are satisfied that the owner has contravened any rules of the Association, or any provisions of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Acts.
- A copy of the Rules shall be issued with each ticket, receipt of which will be considered as an agreement by the ticket holder to be bound thereby.
Regulations covering permitted times and tackle for salmon fishing between 15th April and September 30th
- Between 15th April and September 30th spinning for salmon is only permitted on days when the recorded water level at Loddiswell at 5:00am is above 0.50m. Water level at Loddiswell is available online at https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/station/3218
- Sea trout and brown trout caught whilst spinning for salmon should be returned
- Salmon caught before June 16th must be returned in line with the EA bylaw on protection of Spring fish. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/617736/LIT_10141.pdf
- Before June 16th salmon can only be caught using fly and artificial lure. Fishing with prawn is not allowed. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/617736/LIT_10141.pdf
- These regulations are covered by AFA Rules 22 and 23
- These regulations may be altered from time to time by a majority of three-fifths of the AFA committee.