Rolling List of Club Matches
Updated as new matches added. [Last update 20th October 2025]
[All matches on Sunday unless stated]
2025
Only ONE match left in the current programme:
16th November Lawn Farm – Willow Lake
2026 [Provisional Bookings]
15th March Home Farm [Lake tbc]
26th April Home Farm [Lake tbc]
Sunday Matches on Club Waters will be arranged on a ‘Knock-up’ basis with usually two weeks notice. The lakes will remain OPEN to casual anglers on these dates.
Match Secretary, Fred Hunt is the contact for these matches. Reminders and participants lists for each match will be posted on the Club’s Facebook page.
The draw is normally at 8-30am
RIVER OUSE LEAGUE
2025 – NOW COMPLETED
Note that these are NOT official SWAC matches but are run by Ashley Kinsey on a private basis on the club’s water.
Ashley Kinsey is the contact for these matches.
Saffron Walden Angling Club Match Rules
Matches are open to all club members. Non- members may not compete in club matches, unless invited at the discretion of the Match Secretary.
The date and starting times for the match will be prominently displayed at the match venue and on Facebook and the Club web site.
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.
Every competitor must fish from within one metre either side of his/her designated peg. On flowing water, the competitor may fish in the direction of the flow as far as the next 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 his/her activities completely to these boundaries, neither his/her person, his/her tackle, his/her hook baits or ground baits may intrude into his/her neighbours swim. In an extreme situation e.g. snagged tackle of a snagged fish, an angler must seek permission from his/her neighbors 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, and must act in a sporting manner at all times.
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 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.
At Bordeaux pit Carp over 2lbs in weight (not F1s) must be witnessed and returned and will count as 2lb. Other species of fish over 5lb must not be retained in keepnets but must be witnessed, weighed and returned.
At Whittlesford any fish over 10lb in weight must be witnessed and returned. and will count as 10lb. The net limit is 50lb.
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.
Any bait can be used except bloodworm, joker, live or dead fish, frogs spinning baits or artificial baits/lures.
No competitor shall have live or dead fish in his/her possession before a match.
Before the starting signal no competitor must on any account ground bait or loose feed the swim but will be allowed to wet a line, plumb the depth and test the float, mix and wet ground bait, clear his/her ground of weed or obstructions and position his/her equipment A leger may be cast to find depth and distance etc., but at no time must the line be left in the water whilst continuing to set up other tackle.
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 ground bait is allowed. No bait shall be introduced with a pole cup or bait dropper attached to an extra rod/pole whilst continuing to fish.
At Bordeaux and Whittlesford all hooks of size 14 or larger must be barbless.
Floating poles are not permitted
Surface floating baits either hook bait or feed bait are not permitted
Bait boats are banned.
A competitor must strike, play and land his own fish.
Hand lining fish is not permitted: this includes handling elastics and line.
Keepnets should be dry when arriving to fish as dry nets do not spread disease. Fish must never be handled with gloves or towels.
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, pike and crustaceans. It will be the responsibility of the angler to return all live fish to the water after weighing.
All catches will be weighed to the nearest quarter of an ounce or ten grams rounded up.
Each competitor will be responsible for ensuring the correct weight of their catch is recorded by the weigher. 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.
All the foregoing rules are subject to the byelaws of the Environment Agency, and any local rules applicable to a fishery.
Any angler proved to have been in contravention of these rules will be disqualified.
A pairs or team competition may be decided in two ways, by means of aggregate weight or by means of points.
Ground bait up to 1Kg is allowed in a match.
[Updated May 2024]
Saffron Walden Angling Club 