The starting and finishing times for the match must be prominently displayed at match headquarters and on all literature relating to the match. 

The recommended duration for a contest shall be five hours. 

The match must be a pegged down competition.  Pegs  must be staked out and numbered prior to fishing.  All pegs used under normal conditions must be of a state to give competitors a practicable and reasonable chance to fish his or her swim. 

Each competitor on drawing his/her number shall proceed to the corresponding number on the bank and this will be considered his/her fishing ground where he/she will fish.  The peg must remain in position until the weigh-in is completed. 

Every competitor must fish from his/her designated peg..  On still water, he/she may fish as far as half the distance between his/her peg and the pegs on either side.  Where competitors are drawn on opposite banks, the limit of the swim is the line midway between each bank. The competitor will restrict their activities completely to these boundaries, neither his/her person, his/her tackle, his/her hookbaits or groundbaits may intrude into his/her neighbours swim. In an extreme situation eg snagged tackle of a snagged fish, an angler must seek permission from his/her neighbour/s before moving from his/her designated peg to try and remedy the situation.  .A competitor must not cause annoyance to, or seek to interfere with another competitor. 

No competitor may move his/her peg or exchange his/her peg or draw card with another without the organiser’s official consent. 

No competitor shall buy more than one entry ticket for himself/herself from which it follows that all competitors must be strictly restricted to one draw. 

Competitors must retain all fish in keepnets which comply with the relevant EA Byelaws.  Competitors must take every practicable step to keep their fish alive and, after weighing them, must ensure their careful return to the water.  If, for any reason fish are seen to be in distress, a competitor or match official has the right to demand that they be weighed immediately and returned to the water during the course of the match. 

A competitor shall have in use one rod or pole, one line and one single hook at one time, but may have other rods or poles and tackle assembled for use in position behind him/her, if possible, providing that no such other tackles are baited. 

No competitor shall have live or dead fish in his/her possession before a match.  All competitors must submit to a search if requested by a contest official. 

Before the starting signal no competitor must on any account groundbait or loose feed the swim but will be allowed to wet a line, plumb the depth and test the float, mix and wt groundbait, clear his/her ground of weed or obstructions and position his/her equipment.  On no account must a feeder be used before the starting signal. 

Competitors may receive assistance to or from their peg, or both, for themselves or their tackle, or both. 

All ground bait may be thrown in by hand, or by use of one or two handed catapults, throwing sticks, swim feeders, bait droppers and bait cups, but no other mechanical means of projecting groundbait is allowed.  No bait shall be introduced with a pole cup or bait dropper attached to an extra rod/pole whilst continuing to fish. 

A competitor must strike, play and land his own fish. 

Any competitor who abandons his/her peg having decided to cease taking part in the match but who decides to continue fishing must do so outside the confines of the length being used for the match.

No competitor shall leave his/her peg at any time during the course of the match other than to answer the call of nature and then he/she must not leave his/her baited hook in the water.  At the end of the match, a competitor must remain at his/her peg until his/her catch has been weighed unless he/she has been detailed for weighing duties.  Any competitor so detailed must have a witness to the weighing of his/her own catch. 

A competitor must cease fishing at the finishing signal.  Should he/she still be playing a fish hooked before the signal is given, he/she will be permitted no more than fifteen minutes after time has been called to land the fish. 

All fish caught are eligible for weighing with the exception of game fish and crustaceans.  It will be the responsibility of the scalesman to return all live fish to the water after weighing.  Dead fish, handed to the competitor by the scalesman, must be returned after the match, to the headquarters by the competitor concerned and placed in the receptacle provided. Any fish suspected of being weighted or any fish considered suspicious by the weighers must be laid before the match organisers and the angler’s weight be not confirmed until a ruling has been obtained. If stewards recommended the disqualification of a competitor they will weigh his/her fish in case the ruling is not upheld. 

All catches will be weighed to the nearest quarter of an ounce or ten grammes rounded up. 

Each competitor will be responsible for ensuring the correct weight of their catch is recorded by the Steward and sign the sheet to that effect.  In any dispute the decision of the weighers and the organisers will be final. 

All fish must be weighed at the competitor’s peg.  Unless the bankside terrain renders impossible, no catch shall be carried more than ten yards to the scales. 

Competitors are responsible for ensuring that their pegs are clear of litter and no competitor may have his/her catch weighed in who has litter lying on the banks of his/her swim. 

Any objection to an angler’s conduct, for whatever reason, must be lodged in writing with a match official or weigher within one hour of the end of the match.  In all cases the objector shall inform the offender of his/her intentions at the time in order that he/she may speak in his/her own defence.  Should an offender after receiving such a warning leave the match scene, the objection shall be deemed to have been sustained and the match organisers must inform him/her of their findings and punishment (if any) within seven days. 

All the foregoing rules are subject to the byelaws of the Environment Agency. 

All holders of trophies must, on presentation of them, give a written guarantee for their safety and shall undertake to return same (when applicable) in a clean and presentable condition when asked by the organisers.  In the case of a team trophy, all members of that team are obliged under this rule. 

Any angler proved to have been in contravention of these rules will be disqualified.