Game Fishing Rules

1. Catch and release of all
2. Fish welfare should be the utmost priority and anglers are requested to adhere to Keep Fish Wet Principles, these include:
3. 1. Minimise air exposure – fish should be removed from the water for a minimum of time or not at
   2. Eliminate contact with dry surfaces – wet hands before handling fish and no lifting fish onto banks.
   3. Reduce handling – Use of barbless hooks and having appropriate unhooking tools to hand reduces the handling time and stress conferred on fish.
4. Barbless single hooks only on all lure’s doubles are acceptable for Although singles are preferred Treble hooks are unacceptable for any method.
5. Methods for targeting salmonids are limited to spinning and fly
6. All anglers must be in possession of the appropriate migratory or non-migratory EA rod licence for the targeted
7. Anglers wading must come to the bank if requested to do so by EDAA
8. Anglers are encouraged to be courteous to other anglers and water
9. All anglers must be in possession of a suitable landing net for the targeted species to ensure fish welfare.
10. The club maintains the right to suspend angling for salmonids during periods of high temperatures and low river levels due to the unacceptably high risk of mortality during these times. Members will be notified during these times and should not resume angling for salmonids until otherwise notified.
11. The river Exe closed season for salmon is 1st October to 13th February, the closed season for trout is 1st October to 14th Salmonids must not be targeted during this period. Any bycatch of out-of-season fish whilst targeting grayling and coarse species must be returned with absolute minimum handling and photographs.
12. All anglers should return annual catch returns of any salmon or sea trout to the EDAA by the end of
13. Anglers should respect their environment and the area surrounding Gates should be closed after opening, gateways kept clear, and littering will not be tolerated.
14. Failure to adhere to these rules will result in a ban from in fishing EDAA
15. You are required to register as a game angler which can be done via email here.

gamefishing@exeteranglingassociation.co.uk.

We will require your EA permit number and EA Licence number. Failure to provide these details will result in you being asked to leave by association bailiffs. It is important that we also receive a brief end-of-season catch return detailing the effort number of fish caught including a zero return and the location of any fish caught. A template will be provided once you have registered