Club Rules
These are the rules of Milnrow Sea Anglers
The way that Milnrow Sea Anglers conducts its business are contained within the Constitution adopted Dec 2011
1. Membership fee is £30.00 per annum, £20.00 Junior( under 18), Compulsary Insuranse surcharge of £4 for all classes exept social. All Juniors need to be accompanied by a responsible adult member. Insurance premium is still payable at £4.00.
Members will also be encouraged to join the Working Men's Club.
Club Financial year 1st December to 30th of November.
2. Secretary and Treasurers membership are free during year of office except insurance surcharge
3. Membership fee is payable by the presentation which is held on the first Tuesday of February. All members paid by that date will receive a complimentary drink, Juniors non alchoholic .
4. Any member who has paid in advance,but is unable to attend will receive their free drink at the next meeting they attend .
5. Meetings are held at the Milnrow Working Mens Club .Meeting time Tuesdays at 8.45 Prompt between April 1st and September the 30th .Meetings for the winter months take place on the First and Third Tuesdays of the month with additional meetings on any Tuesdays prior to trips. 1st meeting of the month to be held upstairs.
6. Trips . Members will have 5 tokens to place on their top 5 trips. They will be required to pay in full 2 months before the token trip to be eligible for a draw of token members on over subscribed trips . All members to receive as part of their allowance 1 Golden token to guarantee a place on 1 trip of their choice , must be placed 4 months in advance. To place a token a member must have funds equal to the cost of the trip in their accounts. Committee members will have 1 additional token in appreciation of their support of the club.
7. If a trip is filled by members playing Golden Tokens the trip will be deemed full and all members will be guaranteed a place on the original boat booked subject to funds in full for the trip being available in their account, payment for this trip will be removed from the anglers account and moved to a holding account for this specified trip, This money will be non refundable, It will be the members responsibility to find a replacement should they later be unable to fish the trip. If a member is drawn off an over subscribed trip they will be guaranteed a place on the the next trip where a draw is also forced, this exclusion from the next draw will expire at the end of the current year. If boats trips are filled in advance there is a chance of trying for another boat or places to be found for additional members to fish the same date,
8. If the trip is not full it will be open to all other members. Full payment for trips to be made at the meeting 1 Month prior to the trip. Draw of non token members on Tuesday before trip non members will also be eligible for any remaining places on payment of trip cost in full.
9. Where a trip is not full the following will apply.
less than 6 the trip will be cancelled (unless the members who wish to fish the trip agree to pay the subsidised boat charter cost between them) b.The club will subsidise the cost of trips to a maximum of 2 places e.g. 12 Angler boat with 10 or less 2 places paid by club, 8 man boat with 6 anglers or less 2 places paid by club remainder of boat cost divided between anglers on trip.
10. Non members will be allowed to put forward their names for trips at a cost of £2 to cover temporary membership including insurance, to be listed as a reserve should places be available. This will be refundable should there be no places available.
11. Any non member invited to fill vacant places shall not be subject to any additional charge as they will be saving the club money.
12. Normaly on the evening prior to trips, a text notification will be given to all members on a boat trip .If for some reason a text is not recieved the car drivers are to ring the secretary Paul Whiting on mobile 07518953740 between 7.15 and 8.00pm to confirm the trip is on and confirm the sailing time which they will relay to their passengers. It is essential to do this as the sailing time may change.
13. Anglers will meet on The Working Mens Club car park 10 mins prior to set off time. Or as agreed .Contact other cars by Mobile phone where possible to confirm cars are on the road. Passengers to call other passengers.
14. In the event of a draw after token for places the first out of the hat for the number of remaining places will be eligible. Reserves will also be drawn.
15. The Annual General Meeting will be held on the first Tuesday in December or as notified. Proposals for the amendment of or introduction of new rules should be received by the secretary 2 weeks before the AGM.
16. Nominations for the election of officers should be notified to the Secretary 4 weeks prior to the AGM.
17. The Committee shall consist of Chairman Mark Benger, Treasurer Graeme Douglas, Secretary Paul Whiting, Publicity Officers Paul Whiting and Graeme Douglas, Shore Secretary Neil Oswick, Ken Costello Lottery and Youth Development Officer and Fish Recorder Jim Ashton. At any meeting the Chairman shall have a casting vote in the event of a tied vote.
18. Trips for the following year will be decided at a special meeting on the first Tuesday in August so all members can have their say and the Secretary has adequate time to book the boats for the following year.
19. Car drivers on both boat and shore trips will be compensated for car depreciation and other running costs at a rate of 4p per mile distance from club to (Maximum £12 per car) the venue .The car subsidy will be added to the fuel cost which will be shared by the members in each car and paid to the driver on the trip date.
20. Where possible drivers should be able to go as a passenger on alternate trips, and members with cars should volunteer accordingly.
21. Fishing position on the boat will be drawn on the boat when all members are present. When positions have been drawn members may swap with another by agreement, to enable sharing of tackle, or to allow members who need seats to use them.
22. Boat positions will be as the plan below
8 anglers 10 anglers 12 anglers option a 12 option b
Bow1 2 3 4 Bow 1 2 3 4 5 Bow 1 2 3 4 5 6
8 7 6 5 10 9 8 7 6 12 11 10 9 8 7
Bow 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Stern
23. Disabled anglers will be offered seats where available on boats and these places will be excluded from any draw.
24. On trips of more than 1 day duration anglers fishing all days shall take priority on Saturday trips when trips are over subscribed and shall not be included in any draw for available Saturday places.
25. In the event of a member catching a large fish ie shark/tope other members will reel in so as to give maximum chance of landing the hooked fish and prevent tangles.
26. In the event of a tangle both members will reel in and assist in the untangling, if a tangle is severe it will be cut so that end tackle can be replaced and return to fishing quicker. Where an angler is sandwiched by tangled anglers, they may change fishing position until the tangle is resolved.
27. Fishing will commence and finish as directed by the skipper on each drift and at the start and end of the trip. Extension to the length of trip will be by full agreement of all members on the trip.
28. Where fish are to be returned alive or where anglers wish to prepare fish for the coolbox weighing of specimen fish will be carried out by a club official and the weight recorded to the trip report sheet. Any fish that are to be claimed as club or national records should be weighed and certified on shore on certified scales.
29. Fish to be kept should be to WFSA size limits. Milnrow Sea Anglers will actively encourage the return of unwanted live fish.Where possible all female fish should be returned. Bream Rays etc
30. Tope weight can be estimated using the length /girth method and will be accepted for club records length x girth squared divided by 800.
31. Blue, Porbeagle Shark ’Conger and other large fish not boated can be estimated by the skipper, and will be accepted for club records.
32. Fish that are to be put forward as potential club records should be witnessed by another club member, unless weight certification can be supplied. Prospective records to to be put forward at the first meeting after capture.
33. The club shall affiliate to the Welsh Federation of Sea Anglers and take out Third Party Insurance for the Club
34. The club shall subscribe annually to the Royal National Lifeboat Institute as an Offshore Member
35. With the exclusion of bait fishing Members will be restricted to boat fishing with one rod and reel, with a maximum of 3 hooks, treble and twin points to count as one hook. In addition 1 rod and reel may be left tackled up with mackerel lures for use by any angler on the boat to supply fresh bait. All bait species shall count for the species list irespective of the number of hooks used.those being Mackerel, Herring, Sprat, Sardine, Sandeel, Launce, Garfish and Scad. These bait species may only be caught on the anglers main rod and not on the spare rod for the boat.
36. On all boat trips an official from the club (MSA) will act as boat official and record /photograph members catches for competition,and arbitrate on club rules and act as point of contact for the skipper to discuss options on the day.
37. To qualify as a club trip a fishing trip will be discused at a meeting prior to the event, and be open to all members (subject to a draw if necessary).
38. Competent members can use the clubs lead moulds and smelter to make their own leads, Competency assesment will include training session with experienced club member.
39. Members of the Committee will receive 1 additional Token for use on Boat trips.
40. Disciplinary code shall be used in the event of minor or major infringement of club rules and behaviour of members. See Disciplnary policy.
41. Members shall be made aware of and uphold the Child Protection Policy
42. The Committee reserve the right to refuse membership of the club in the best intrest of the club on the basis of a unanimous decision All new members will attend a club meeting to be vetted by the menmbership.
43. Non attending members will be required to submit a signed trip request form notifying the Secretary of all token and non token trips, This will be kept as a record by the secretary. A copy signed by the secretatry will be posted back to the member concerned. It is the members responsibility to ensure any cancellations additions or alterations are notified, recorded by the Secretary and changes acknowledged by return. Members will be expected to pay for any places they book and do not take up.
44. The club will stand the cost where a member is unable to fish a trip due to illnes. This will be limited to 1 trip per member per year.
45. Club Membership will be capped at 40 Members. Social Members and Juniors will not count in this total. Prospective new members will be added to the waiting list and will be invited to join the club as full members when space permits.
46. On multiple day trips where fish are kept on Ice or Frozen. The fish will be shared equally by each member selecting fish or Fillets in turn. Any member keeping specimen fish shall count that specimen, as a choice within the share. Where individuals leave early the fish will be shared up to that point. Remaining fish can be refrozen/put on ice until end of trip/or anglers collect fish from the icebox, all members to be present at fish draw, any anglers not wanting fish will exclude themselves from the draw. “Note well” any angler can withdraw totally from fish draw and they will be responsible for managing their catch separately from the rest of the Boat Catch. Anglers wanting one species of fish may swap with others after the draw.
47. Fleetwood Trips Boat cost to be divided by the number of adults fishing the trip, any junior anglers fishing will be subsidised to a maximum of £10 each by Milnrow Sea Anglers to encourage junior members. Junior subsidy to include Rhyl trips (AGM Dc 2015)
48. Skippers decision on trips going ahead is final and if fishable members will be expected to fill their place, find a substitute or forfeit their money for the trip.
49. In Line with present rules members will be required to have sufficient funds in their accounts prior to booking a token trip. The amount of the trip will be transferred to a separate holding account once a token has been used. If the member withdraws from the trip before the last token date they will be eligible for a full refund. Trips can still be entered into the trip book without tokens and can be upgraded to token trips prior to the last Token date (2 months prior for ordinary token trips and 4 months for Golden Token trips) for each trip. If trips are oversubscribed with tokens any member drawn off will receive a full refund.
50. Weymouth trips to limited to 8 anglers per boat.
51. All leads shall be removed from rods when the boat travels out to sea between fishing locations and on the return trip, at all other times leads should be held to prevent damage to the boat and rods.
52. One trip each year at the discretion of the Committee will be known as the Committee trip. All current Committee members will be guaranteed a place should they wish to fish it. All other places on the trip will be available to the membership as normal.
Trophies/Competitions Milnrow Club Trips (including shared Milnrow/Bury Trips)
First Boat trip of the year Best fish length Slip Inn shield
Last Boat trip of the year Best fish by length Whiting Trophy
Best Wreck fish Cod Pollack Ling or Coalfish as % of specemen weight for area Fished
Species trophy Boat Most species during the year
Species trophy Shore Most species during the year
Big Fish Trophy Best round fish by weight as % of Boat or Shore record
Flat fish Trophy Best flat fish by weight as % of Boat or Shore record
Junior Shield Best Junior performance during the year voted on by Committee
Pier trophy Best catch by length Nominated pier
Working Mens Club Shield Best specimen as a % of specemen weight for area the fish is caught in
John Knox Trophy Best Conger caught by a member as a % of the relevent regional record
The winners of all trophies shall recieve a voucher for £5 to be used as a discount on any trip in the following year, Keepsake Trophies will no longer be provided.
Shore Rules
1. Maximum 3 hooks per rod when 1 Match rod is being fished.
2. When 2 rods are allowed as when pleasure fishing or in a 2 Rod Match, single hooks combineover 2 Rods, or 2 Pennel rigs one on each Rod maximum 2 rods per angler or 1 rod with Pennel rig and 1 rod with 2 single hooks. This effectively would mean 3 separate Baits in the water at anyone time.
3. Start and finish times to be published and announced at match.
4. Juniors can fish along side adults they are with.
5. All matches fished on a measure and release. Fish to be kept must be dispatched and marked byperson keeping score.
6. Score cards to be marked by another angler not in team.
7. Fish can be kept alive in bucket prior to measurement.
8. All fish to count including undersize fish but these must be returned ASAP.
9. No re casting until fish has been measured and released or dispatched.
10. All litter to be removed from peg at start and end of match (we don't want passers by thinking litter on our pegs is ours).
11. Always check for Pedestrians and Cyclists and Dogs prior to casting.
12. Obey all rules and regulations at fishing venue.
13. Any fish brought in at end of match to count.
14. If In doubt Angling Trust rules to count in all cases.
15. All cards in at end of match.
16. Welsh Federation size limits will apply to all fish retained for eating or for use as bait.