Club Rules

Adult Membership Fees (0ver 16):  £15.00 per year

 Junior (under sixteen) free with an adult membership or: £5.00 individual membership.  Juniors must fish with a paying member of the club.  

Weekend Membership (away trips only):£10.00                                            

• For insurance purposes, all members must have their membership fees paid before being allowed to fish any Club matches or take part in any Club competitions.
• Members must carry their  membership card whenever they are fishing in a Club match.
• Members are instructed that they are not to access Tynemouth Pier on any match days prior to 8.30am. Failure to adhere to this instruction will result in the member(s) being disqualified from the match and reported to the club committee who will consider what further action to take.
• All members must adhere to The Port of Tyne Authority bye-laws whilst on Tynemouth Pier and also leave no rubbish or deface the pier in any way.
• Bad language must be curtailed in case of complaints from the general public on the top deck of the pier.
• All members must close the lower deck pier gate after them, in both directions. 
• Fishing is from the lower deck only.  
• At no time must any member argue with any Port of Tyne official and, if asked to leave the pier, must do so immediately.
• The pier attendant’s word is final. If any member has any issue with the pier, the surrounding area, the pier attendant, members of the public or The Port of Tyne, then this should be reported to the committee for possible action and NOT taken up directly with the Port of Tyne by any member.
• With the exception of Nighthawk matches, all match competitions will be fished predominantly on Tynemouth Pier. This will give every member an equal chance of winning a match. However, roving is allowed at any time. 
• When Roving or if the Pier is closed, members must register at the pier at the start of the match – and return for the weigh-in at the appointed time and place.
• On Thursday, Saturday and Sunday Club match days (excepting Nighthawks and Pleasure Matches) the drawing of two pegs to fish Tynemouth Pier will take place by the Pier Gates at 8.30am prompt. Fishing times will be split 50/50 on each draw. Any shared dates with other angling clubs will not change these rules
• All members wanting to fish the pier on a match day MUST register with a match official and be present at the peg draw even if they do not wish to participate in the match.
• Members who want to fish the Free Zone or go roving for either the whole or part of the day should make this known to a match official before the peg draw.       
• Any member who has decided to either fish the Free Zone or rove must not leave the registration area until 8.30am. 
• If a member misses the peg draw for any reason they must still register with a match official whether fishing the Free Zone or going roving. NB – The Free Zone is anywhere landward of the last drawn peg plus two.
• Members wishing to fish from a drawn peg may draw a peg for either the morning or afternoon session or both.
• If only drawing one peg member should make their intentions known to a match official before the peg draw.
• Members with a drawn peg (morning or afternoon) must fish from that peg for at least one hour before considering moving to the Free Zone or to go roving.
•  If members that have drawn two pegs decided to move after one hour to free zone in the morning, they should return for the first hour of the second half of the match to the peg they have picked for the afternoon.
• Should this rule be violated, then any fish caught that day by that member will not be weighed in for the competition or for sweeps. Members can return to their drawn peg at any time during the session.
• Should the pier be shut during a match (after the peg draw) and then subsequently re-open, members may return back to their drawn peg. 
• If a member has not drawn a peg then they may only return to the Free Zone, not the pegs of members who have not returned to the pier.
• Should the Pier be shut, members arriving late will have to register with a committee member before starting to fish.

• Prior to drawing pegs for a pier match, any member may request a vote for the match to be a catch and release match.  
• If the majority vote in favor the minimum fish size for all eligible fish caught will be 20cms. 
• All fish under the normal size limit must be returned to the water immediately after weighing.  
• If fishing away from a peg or roving then any undersized fish must be returned to the water immediately unless a committee member or match official with a set of Club scales is present to weigh the fish. Additionally, before the peg draw is made, (in the case of Nighthawk matches, before the match commences),  volunteers will be sought to act as match officials to assist with the measuring, weighing and recording of fish caught. It is anticipated that usually at least four members will be required to assist at each match.

 In the event of bad weather and/or the pier not being open, then a decision will be made at 8.30 am by the majority of members present as to the new venue and place and time for the weigh in.

12.Match competition fishing times for Tynemouth Pier are 9 am to 3.45 pm in spring/summer and 9.am to 2.45 pm in autumn/winter. This is at the discretion of the pier security on duty at the time. NB Members must be off the pier no later than 4.00pm during the spring/summer months and 3.00pm during the autumn/winter months, failure of this the member will be disqualified for that match.

13.For Winter Nighthawks matches, meet for 6.15pm. at The Rendezvous Café, Whitley Bay. Members registering for Winter Nighthawk matches must not leave the registration area until 6.15pm. Fishing will be from 6.45 pm to 10.30 pm. Weigh-in of fish will be back at The Rendezvous Café at 11.00 pm or at a time and place agreed on the night by all participants. Anyone not back by this time WILL NOT be allowed to weigh in.

14.  Summer Nighthawk matches will be fished alternately at The Copthorne Hotel then at the Smoke House, then then at the BA Car Park. The drawing of pegs will take place at 6.30pm prompt. Fishing will be from 6.45pm to 10.45pm. Match result to be announced at 11.00pm.

15.  There must be at least TWO MEMBERS present to qualify as a match competition, If only one member present they must inform the committee at 8.30am via Whatsapp group or facebook messenger, they will then be awarded 10 points for turning up for that match.

16. Each Junior member must fish with an adult at all times. Only one junior may fish with one adult from a drawn peg. A maximum of two juniors may fish with an adult from the free zone or roving.

17. For all matches members are allowed to fish with only one rod at a time with a maximum of three hooks. Wishbones and Pennel Rigs count as two hooks.  A Treble hook counts as three hooks.  If using a lure in conjunction with daylights you must remove any treble hooks and replace with a single to give a total not exceeding three hooks.

18.All matches to be fished to the time(s) shown on one match official’s watch.

19. The Club has a published list of minimum fish size limits. Only fish on this list and at least the minimum size can be weighed in with two exceptions. (a) When the club is having a ‘catch and release’ match on The Pier  when the minimum size for all eligible fish is 20cm (see rule 9) and, (b) The Summer Nighthawk matches are measure and release matches and all eligible fish caught may be measured i.e. no minimum size. All fish below the club minimum sizes are to be carefully returned to the water as soon as possible, All eels count and are measured as 30 cm and must also be returned straight away.

20.Only the FIRST THREE on size mackerel and herring caught by a member in a match can be weighed in. It is permissible for members to take eels to the scales when caught from a peg on the pier. However, it is illegal to remove eels and other protected species from the river (Tyne) or any other venue away from the pegs and take to the pier for weighing in. They can, however, be weighed in if a committee member or match official with club scales is present.

21. All juniors fishing with an adult from a drawn peg on the pier throughout the year will fish on a catch and release basis with minimum size for all fish which can be weighed in being 20cms. Junior members are only allowed to keep fish that are longer than the normal Club fish sizes.  Normal Club fish size rules will apply to fish caught by juniors roving or fishing the Free Zone.

22. The weigh-in of fish caught will take place either during a match on the pier, or at the pier gates, at 4 pm in spring/summer and 3 pm in autumn/winter. Anyone not at the weigh-in at these times WILL NOT be allowed to weigh in. Furthermore:- (a) Each angler must weigh in his/her own fish and have the weight verified by a match official. (b) If an angler is not fishing with the main group or is roving, he/she must weigh in either at the end of the match or when they cease fishing. Again, the weight has to be verified by a match official. (c) All fish kept to be weighed later must be of legal Club size. (d) Members keeping fish in a bucket for the weigh in can only have their own fish in the bucket. Any fish from a shared bucket will not be weighed in. However, it is permissible to share a bucket so long as fish are separated by the use of a (plastic) bag. (e) Flatfish caught while roving should be kept alive, if possible, in a bucket. (f) When weighing in members may be asked to keep a record of their own weights. Please remember that the match officials are fishing the match as well and be patient if they are attending to their own rod or catch. 

23.All fish must be measured and weighed by a nominated match official using a measure and Club scales. His/her decision is final. All weights to be in imperial.

24.
All fish must be measured and weighed “as caught” only.

25. When fishing anywhere on Tynemouth Pier (lower deck) or roving, all fish caught must be unhooked, measured and weighed as soon as possible. BEFORE RECASTING, unless members have a bucket with water, where they can keep there fish on the trace in the bucket, recast and then unhook, measure and weigh there fish; you may NOT reel back in until this is done –  All undersize fish must be carefully returned to the water. If fishing near a match official, on-size fish can be weighed before being returned to the water. Fish to be kept should be dispatched quickly and moved from public view. If fishing the Free Zone or roving, any fish you would wish to return to the water after the weigh-in should be kept in an environment that would make this possible and out of public view. This is in the Club code of Conduct and shows a responsible attitude to the public and Port of Tyne Authority and must not be ignored in club members’ enthusiasm to catch the next one. Any member found not to be observing this rule will be formally warned as to their conduct and disqualified from that match. 

26.  Members may have assistance to cast and to lift a fish but must play that fish to the side of the pier without such assistance.

27.  If a fish is hooked before the end of a match competition then the member will be allowed to play, land and weigh in the fish.

28.  When fishing from their drawn peg, members must only cast from their peg and fish within the boundary of their peg.

29. Feathers, lures, spinners and other types of artificial baits or attractors, designed for use in fishing are allowed. Spinning and float fishing however can only take place within the Free Zone. (See also Rule 17)

30.The determination of the annual ladies champion will be as follows. In all league matches their bag weights will be recorded and any points awarded will be entered into the league championships. Additionally, their bag weights from weekend league matches will be scored the same way for a separate ladies championship.

31.  The Club now has no fishing boundaries for Club Matches.  However you MUST be present until after the peg draw or registration and return in time to weigh-in. Any late arrivals will NOT be weighed in. While we do not have any match boundaries you may not fish on any commercial or privately property or where fishing is clearly not allowed to all Club Members.  (see list later)

32.  Members are only allowed to fish one match at a time, any club. However, members wishing to fish Open Competitions in conjunction with Club matches may do so providing that details of The Open have been made available at the previous months Club meeting. Members then fishing must abide by The Opens’ rules and regulations including the fishing times, legal fish size limits and boundaries.

33.  Under the appointed points system, in the event of two or more members recording the same weights in a single match competition, then the number of points available for the tied positions will be added together and divided equally between those members.

34.  In the event of two members finishing on the same number of points in any of the championships, then the winner will be the member who has caught the heaviest single fish.

35. The Club’s CODE OF CONDUCT shall be adhered to at all times by members when fishing.

36.  Any proposed changes to the Club Rules must be submitted at least one month prior to the Annual General Meeting where all Club members have the opportunity to vote on all proposals. Any member wishing to propose rule changes or other resolutions at an AGM will be able to retain their anonymity with the consent of the Chairman.

37.  The Club’s Annual General Meeting shall be held at the November Club meeting.

38.  The Committee has the right if any persons are shown to have brought the Club into disrepute, past or present, to either refuse membership or expel that person from the Club. Furthermore, any member who breaches either the Club or Port of Tyne Authority rules will be disciplined as the Committee thinks fit.

39 To qualify for prizes in the Club’s Xmas competition, members (including juniors) must have been a Club member for at least 4 months and have fished at least 4 Club matches prior to the Xmas competition. Weekends away and competing in the club’s annual casting competition are included as matches. The Xmas competition will still be a normal league championship match with all participants eligible to gain points and enter sweeps if they wish.  The Christmas Competition will also be the yearly memorial match, as this has been recorded as the biggest turnout match.  

Juniors cannot enter any sweepstakes that may be organised at club matches