General Club Rules

WADAA Ltd aims and objectives are: –

• To promote and protect the interests of members and the sport of angling.
• To acquire, maintain, develop and improve fisheries for the benefit of members and others and to make every effort to protect and preserve the water environment generally.
• To provide a safe framework for young people to engage in the sport of angling and to encourage greater participation in all aspects of the sport of angling.
• To liaise with any other organisation or authority in pursuit of its objectives and to represent the interests of angling and fishers wherever may be appropriate.

The pursuit of these aims and objectives shall at all times be conducted subject to WADAA equality policy.

Statement

All persons eligible to fish on WADAA waters must abide by the Club rules.

Membership

Membership of WADAA shall be open to anyone regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs.  However, from time to time, the Board of Directors may set a limit on the total number of members. In these circumstanses a waiting list will operate.

Adult

Adult membership of WADAA shall be open to all persons aged 18 or over.  There may be several classes of adult membership.  Full membership covers all WADAA waters.  Other classes of adult membership (e.g. Coarse) shall only cover their respectively designated waters.  All adult members may attend and participate in meetings, shall be entitled to vote, and shall be eligible for election to office.

Youth

Youth membership of WADAA shall be open to all persons between the ages of 16 years and 17 years inclusive in FTE.  Youth members may attend and participate in meetings but shall have no vote and shall not be eligible for election to office.

Junior

Junior membership of WADAA shall be open to all persons up to and including the age of 15 years. Junior members will be required to provide their date of birth. Junior members may attend and participate in meetings but shall have no vote and shall not be eligible for election to office. Dates of birth will need to be provided for any junior member.

All junior members under the age of 12 must always be accompanied by a responsible adult (the responsible adult does NOT need to be a WADAA member).

Honorary

Honorary Life Membership status may be proposed by the Directors to reward loyal service. Honorary memberships must be endorsed by members at the following Annual General Meeting.  Honorary members shall not be entitled to vote on matters regarding subscriptions but shall otherwise have the same rights as full members.

Honorary members shall not be eligible to serve on the Board unless elected pursuant to Article 13.

Honorary members shall pay no subscriptions and shall be entitled to all the privileges of full membership.

Complimentary

The Board may award complimentary membership where appropriate, with each complimentary membership being subject to annual review.  Complimentary members may attend and participate in meetings but shall have no vote and shall not be eligible for office.

The Board may from time to time approve other classes of membership.

Subscription

All subscriptions shall be paid by the due date.  Payment automatically acknowledges a member’s acceptance of WADAA Rules and policies.  Age shall be taken as that at the 1^st of January for renewal or, for new members, at the date of joining.

Subscriptions for all classes of membership shall be determined by the Board through the preparation of an annual budget.  Both the annual budget and the rate of subscription fees shall be approved by the Annual General Meeting.  The annual subscription period for all types of membership shall begin from 1^st of January each year and must be paid by the 1st of March of that same year, failing which membership shall be regarded as lapsed. No person can fish after 31^st December, until membership application/renewal has been completed and the appropriate fee paid in full. Once an application has been approved and processed a Members permit for the current year will be sent to the member and should be carried at all times. Please note that you must not fish until you are in receipt of your permit.

WADAA shall endeavour to maintain subscription fees at a level that does not present a significant barrier to participation.

The Board may determine an initial joining fee for any type of membership.  Where applied, such fee shall be paid by new members, or by former members who have failed to meet the conditions of membership renewal. The latter being subject to the discretion of the Board.

Day Tickets

Day tickets can be purchased from our website or from WADAA ticket outlets (details to be found on the website). These must be purchased prior to commencement of fishing. Any persons fishing with a day ticket must abide by the club rules as stated in this document.

Two juniors under 16 may fish for free with an adult day ticket holder (if you have more than two juniors fishing then you will need to buy a second ticket).

Fishery Rules

All persons fishing WADAA controlled fisheries must have in their possession a valid current membership card or day ticket (additional identification may be requested and must be provided). These must be produced on request to any member or authorised person. Any person unable to show proof of membership or entitlement to fish may be requested to leave the fishery and may be subject to further disciplinary or legal action. Membership permits and day ticket are not transferable.

All persons fishing WADAA controlled fisheries must be in possession of the appropriate Environment Agency Rod licence and must ensure they are familiar with and comply with the current Fishery Bye Laws of that Agency.

The Directors shall have the right to close, without notice and for whatever reason, any of the Association’s waters.

No competitions shall be held on WADAA waters without the prior knowledge and consent of the Directors.

Fishing on all WADAA controlled waters is not permitted from one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise (except by prior arrangement on Cleabarrow Tarn).  Fishing on Bigland Tarn and Farletonview cannot start before 8 am and must cease at Sunset.

The following are not permitted on WADAA waters:

• Camping (except at Cleabarrow by prior arrangement)
• Fires or barbecues
• Radios
• The bringing to and consumption of Alcohol
• Musical instruments
• Unauthorised guns or any other implement for the taking of, or injury to, wildlife
• Any disturbance to stock, wildlife or nesting birds or damage to walls, fences, trees or standing crops
• Dogs are not permitted to accompany members or day ticket holders on any, or any part, of the WADAA fisheries.
• No boat fishing other than on Grasmere.

Wading is not permitted. Access to the water is up to ankle height in wellington boots only, for the purpose of unhooking fish.

There is no wading restriction on Grasmere and Rydal Waters only.

Fishing using barbless or de-barbed hooks only.

WADAA offers good quality fishing in wonderful surroundings, and as such expect high standards of behaviour.  This includes no loud or unruly behaviour, shouting or swearing.

Members’ vehicles must not be parked so as to obstruct any access or other vehicle. Members park their vehicles at WADAA waters at their own risk. Neither WADAA nor the Water Authority can  accept responsibility for vehicles and/or their contents.

All litter must be taken home. Any member found leaving litter on WADAA waters may be subject to an immediate suspension of membership.

All members and non-fishing guests accompanying members shall keep to the banks and permitted footpaths when on WADAA waters. Non fishing guests of members are bound by these rules and it is understood that members accept responsibility for their guests.

All members are welcome to use the platforms designed for disabled anglers but must immediately vacate those pegs should they be required by a disabled angler to fish.

Members must not employ social media sites to criticise, defame, abuse, or misrepresent WADAA, its policies, directors, employees or fellow members or employ social media in such a way that may bring WADAA into disrepute. Members must not post information that may be considered in any way privileged or confidential or which is not already in the public domain. Members may not incorporate the name WADAA on any unauthorised site.

Any member found to be using or under the influence of controlled drugs or adversely under the influence of alcohol while on WADAA fisheries will be subject to the company’s disciplinary policy.

Any Fishery Rule may be added, removed or amended at any time by the Board of Directors.