Scottish Anglers National Association Limited "National" Rules

[Admin]

1. Fishing shall be carried out respecting the spirit and traditions of Game Angling.

2. Matches shall be fished with artificial fly only. Tandem flies shall not be permitted. No flies shall be artificially weighted. Not more than four flies shall be mounted on a cast and flies must be at least 20 inches apart.

3. A fly shall comply with the following specification. The hook shall be a single or double, provided that in the case of a double hook, the angle between the bends does not exceed 90 degrees and when viewed from the side, the bends lay one behind the other. Fly irons will measure not more than five-eights of an inch overall, including the eye. The overall length of the fly shall not exceed fifteen-sixteenths of an inch. Fly dressings may include beads provided these beads are buoyant. Attractor chemicals and the use of light emitters to flies are debarred.

4. Lines, casts and leaders shall not be additionally weighted. No form of shooting head line, metal core line or metal core braided leader is permitted.

5. One rod, not exceeding 12 feet in length, to be used by each competitor, but each competitor will be entitled to have in the boat with him, a spare rod (length as before). Both rods however, are not to be mounted at the same time. A rod is considered mounted if any two sections are joined or if a reel or line is attached.

6.

(a) Drogues which must be uniform for all competitors are permitted at the discretion of the Association.

(b) The anchoring of boats when fishing is prohibited. Boats must be allowed to drift freely when fishing, and not to be held on the oars in such a manner as to gain an unfair advantage over either angler in the boat or over any other angler.

(c) Boat seats, thwart boards and the use of tackle boxes as seats are permitted provided the height of the ‘seat’ is not more than five inches above the gunwale.

(d) During a match, no boat may encroach within a distance of one hundred yards in front of another boat from which competitors are fishing, nor disturb the water in front of or around any such boat by the indiscriminate use of the motor.

(e) The use of Electronic aids, e.g. Telephones, Fish Finders, Echo Sounders etc, is debarred during the official practice days and the actual Match day.

7.

(a) A competitor’s rod when working flies or retrieving casts must be hand held and must be above the water level. Competitors must not stand in the boat when casting or retrieving line. Competitors may stand when playing a fish.

(b) Trolling of flies behind the boat, is not permitted whether the boat is drifting or being driven by motor or oars. Side casting is permitted but flies must not be allowed to trail behind the boat. When drifting, it is permissible to cover a rising fish behind the boat.

(c) The command of the boat will change ends every two hours. Competitors shall change ends every two hours or as may be mutually agreed.


MATCH RULES



The competition shall be fished with artificial fly only and the following rules shall apply:


1.

(a) Boats and boatmen shall be allocated by ballot. Mixed pairings will apply.

(b) No boatman shall be allowed to fish during the competition, nor to handle a mounted rod (see section A rule 5) during the hours of the competition.

2.

(a) Match results will be decided by the weight of the fish, the higher weight taking the higher placing. In the event of equality in weights, the greater number of trout will take precedence over the fewer. In the event of a tie in weight and numbers of trout, any trophies will be held over an equal period.

(b) The same conditions apply in respect of the individual awards except that in the event of a tie, by weight or numbers, the tying competitors will hold the trophy for an equal period of time. Where a replica is involved, each tying competitors will receive such replica.

3. Sweepstakes among the Competitors are not permitted.

4. Subject to any direction of the Association, any Match shall be fished under the rules of the Governing Body of the water upon which the Match is fished insofar as these are compatible with the rules of the Association. For every Match, the Association shall fix the hours of fishing. The minimum size and species of fish which may be weighed in and the starting and finishing point will be decided by the Host organisation.

5. When the match is finished from boats, competitors shall not fish from the bank and shall return to the fishing point in the boat in which they set out, except in the event of damage to a boat or oar, failure of motor, or being overtaken by storm, when they may return by other means, but circumstances shall be reported on return to the secretary who shall deal with the report as if it was a complaint made under rule 7 below.

6. All competitors shall present their fish at the weighing point immediately after the closing hour of fishing. Nil returns are required. Any competitor not reporting to the official weigher within fifteen minutes of the end of the Match will be deemed to be ‘clean’.

7. The Committee shall be responsible for the running of the Competition and it is their intention that the Rules shall be strictly enforced. The Committee reserves the right to disqualify any offending Angler or Anglers Club for such a period as shall be determined.

8. The weigh-in shall be conducted by the Committee. Any complaint arising in the course of the Competition must be notified within fifteen minutes of the end of the Competition to the official in charge, whose decision shall be final and binding.


N.B. Competitors are strongly advised to wear buoyancy aids and eye protectors when either travelling in or fishing from boats.