Rules & Regulations
Dunoon & District Angling Club
Club Rules, By-Laws and Fishing Available.
Printed Nov 2006
Change 1. Feb 2007
Change 2. Mar 2010
Change 3. Aug 2010
General Rules and By-Laws
No person who is a Club member the previous year shall fish a Club water or be issued with a member’s permit (where necessary) until the current year’s subscription is paid and a membership card issued.
All members must carry their membership card (and permit where necessary) when fishing, and produce it when requested by other members or authorised persons.
Fishing permits issued by the Club are not transferable and allow only named persons to fish.
Members will keep a monthly record of fish caught, for submission in their Annual Return at the end of the season.
Members may fish with only one rod at one time. Fishing with an unattended rod or with set lines is prohibited.
The carrying of spinning rods, spinning tackle, bubble floats and any form of bait on Loch Tarsan, Loch Loskin and Dunoon Reservoir is banned.
Fishing with maggots or bait containing fish eggs e.g. Megabait is prohibited on all Club waters.
Unless otherwise stated, all fish under nine inches in length shall be returned to the water.
When a catch limit is imposed, a member who has caught the limit must not catch and kill further fish for any reason, e.g. to add to the catch of a companion who has not taken the limit.
No member may sell fish caught on Club waters.
The wearing of studded waders or boots in Club boats is banned.
No member under 16 years of age may use a Club boat unless accompanied by a responsible adult.
With the exception of Loch Tarsan, Loch Loskin and the Dunoon Reservoir no Sunday fishing is allowed on any Club water.
All damage or deficiencies relating to Club boats, equipment or property must be reported to the Hon. Secretary without delay.
Members fishing must not be accompanied by dogs.
All property, environment , fences etc., adjoining or giving access to Club waters must be respected and fires must not be lit in such areas.
The use of all lead weights on fishing leased from the Forestry Commission, i.e. the Rivers Cur and Finnart, has been banned.
Fishing with the aid of any form of Echo Sounder / Fish finder is prohibited on all Club waters.
Booking Boats & Permits etc.
Boathouse keys are issued to all members on joining (except for junior members) . They remain the property of the Club and must be returned if a member leaves the Club.
Members fishing the River Massan, Cur, Ruel & Finnart, and bank fishing Loch Tarsan and Loch Eck are to carry their membership cards. Bookings are required for all boat fishing on Loch Eck, Loch Loskin and Loch Tarsan unless evening fishing under the 6 pm rule.
All bookings should be made at Campbell’s Paint Shop. Argyll Street, Dunoon (Tel: 01369 704191) and may be made up to seven days in advance (except for members resident outside Cowal or visitors). The name of the person making the booking must appear on the booking sheets.
If a booking is cancelled, it is the responsibility of the member who made the booking to ensure that Campbell’s is informed in good time so that other members may avail themselves of the facility.
Members ( and their boat occupants) having booked a boat for a particular water, may not book a boat for another location for the same day.
Evening Boat Fishing - “After 6 PM Rule”
With respect to the boats at Loch Tarsan, Loch Eck and Loch Loskin, a member may make use of any boat unused by 6 pm without prior booking. Members so doing must notify such use by entering their name and the date on the booking sheets located in the boathouses.
Note that such use of an evening boat on Loch Loskin will constitute one of the two weekly visits permitted to each member. (see rules and arrangements for specific waters, 2).
Members Guests
During the valid period of their membership card, members may take guests fishing on a maximum of three occasions on Club waters at the reduced cost of ½ the normal permit price for all waters except the Reservoir where the guest permit will be ¾ of the normal permit price. Such permits will be issued only to members on production of the member’s membership card and the issue of the permit will be recorded on the card. The member is expected to accompany his guest while fishing.
Fishings excluded are Loch Eck where members may take an occasional guest boat fishing on Loch Eck at no charge. Guests are not allowed on the Glendaruel Fishings on the river Ruel which is members only , although, visitors may obtain permits for the River Ruel from Campbell’s Dunoon. Permits are not transferable and allow only named bearer to fish.
Care & Use of Club Boats
The operation of the trip lines by which the Club boats are moored will be facilitated if they are first untwisted before hauling.
Boats must be rowed and not motored near the shore where obstructions may be present.
It is the responsibility of the member booking a Club boat to ensure:
that after use it is moored in a secure and safe condition; ie. both the inhaul & the outhaul are pulled together & secured on the same post.
that all rubbish is removed and the boat is left in a clean condition and bailed out
that all the equipment is returned to the boathouse and the boathouse is locked;
that any damage or deficiency is reported to the appropriate convener or the Hon. Secretary without delay;
If boats are found to be waterlogged, members are requested not only to bail out their own boat, but to take a few minutes to bail the other boats, as the hauling of waterlogged boats puts a great strain on the moorings & trip lines.
There are areas on Loch Tarsan where rocks are just below the surface. Most of these are marked with buoys or posts but care must be taken in a boat under power in such areas
Rules And Arrangements For Specific Waters.
1. Dunoon Reservoir (Rainbow Trout)
Sunday fishing is permitted.
Fly fishing only
Season - All year, dawn to dusk.
Rod Limit - 12 rods per session.
Permits for Members & Visitors, must be pre-booked and obtained from Campbell’s. These permits must be displayed in their car window when parked at the Reservoir.
After fishing, a Catch Return (nil or otherwise) must be made on the permit and the permit dropped in the Returns Box which is located on a pole by the side of the car park.
Permits must be returned immediately so that the committee can know when to restock the waters. Sanctions may be taken against members who fail to return permits.
Permits issued for Dunoon Reservoir will only qualify for a refund, in the case of a cancellation, or a change of date, providing application is made before the date shown on the permit
Due to the narrow approach road, drive slowly and make allowance for members of the public using the road.
2. Loch Loskin (Brown Trout)
Sunday fishing is permitted
Season - 1st April - 30th September.
Fly fishing from boat only. No bank fishing. Max 2 rods per boat, life jackets must be worn.
All fish under 10 inches are to be returned.
Members are permitted two visits per week during the season.
Only electric outboards are allowed and fishing from an anchored boat is prohibited.
Fly fishing on this Loch is by traditional methods only and the use of any lure, demon or terror is prohibited, as is the trolling of flies from a moving boat. All fish killed must be weighed using the equipment in the boathouse. The weight of each fish caught must be recorded in the boathouse register together with the angler’s name and date. The number of fish returned to the water must also be recorded.
When fishing, the shore side doors of the boathouse must be padlocked, as thefts have occurred in the past. On completion of fishing, if no other boat is in use, ensure that all FOUR small doors and the main doors are closed and secured.
3. Loch Tarsan (Brown Trout)
Sunday fishing permitted.
Season - 1st April - 30th September
Fly fishing only from bank or boat. Max 3 rods per boat, life jackets must be worn.
Petrol or Electric Outboards may be used
4. Loch Eck (Salmon, Seatrout, & Brown Trout)
No Sunday Fishing
Season - 1st May to 31st October.
Fishing by any legal means from bank or boat. Fishing with maggots or bait containing fish eggs ie; Maga bait is prohibited. Max 3 rods per boat, life jackets must be worn.
Petrol or Electric Outboards may be used
Boathouse doors must be locked when fishing.
It is not permissible to take the Club boats further up stream than the mouth of the River Cur.
Parking is in the lay-by’s on the A815. Cars are not permitted in the field adjacent to the boathouse.
The Club does not sell visitors’ permits for Loch Eck.
During September and October, all Hen Salmon are to be returned
5. River Cur (Salmon, Seatrout & Brown Trout)
No Sunday Fishing
Season - 1st May to 31st October
Any legal method of fishing may be used. Fishing with maggots or bait containing fish eggs ie; Maga bait is prohibited.
Fishing extends from Loch Eck on the East bank, to the Invernoadon Burn
Care must be taken as a lot of the banks are undercut and overhanging.
Access to the river may be gained as follows:
1. From the service road on the Invernoadon Farm. A lay-by on the A815
2. From the bend in the river adjoining the main road , the A815 from Dunoon.
During September and October, all Hen Salmon are to be returned
6. River Massan ( Salmon, Seatrout & Brown Trout)
No Sunday Fishing
Season - 1st May to 31sth October
Any legal method of fishing may be used. Fishing with maggots or bait containing fish eggs ie; Maga bait is prohibited.
Fishing extends from a board approximately one kilometre north-west of Stonefield Farm downstream to the river’s confluence with the River Echaig.
Members are requested not to occupy the prime fishing sites on the river for long periods and to give way, after a reasonable time, to another angler who wishes to fish.
During September and October, all Hen Salmon are to be returned.
7. River Finnart (Salmon, Seatrout and Brown Trout)
No Sunday Fishing
Season 1st May to 31st October.
Any legal method of fishing may be used. Fishing with maggots or bait containing fish eggs ie; Maga bait is prohibited.
Fishing includes both banks from the estuary upstream for approximately 1.5 miles to the bridge leading to Craighoyle Farm.
During September and October, all Hen Salmon are to be returned.
8. River Ruel (Salmon, Seatrout and Brown Trout)
No Sunday Fishing
Season 1st May to 31st October.
Fly Only
The Club waters which we have rented for many years are now owned by the Club and Mr. P Bowlby. They consist of :
Club section west bank only from bridge on the Otter Ferry road. Just after the junction to Otter Ferry from the A886 main Dunoon / Strachur road to stone wall at the northern march of Camquhart Farm.
Restrictions:
a) No fishing at Ministers pool ;
b) No fishing first field north of bridge above school,
c) During September and October, all Hen Salmon are to be returned.
Prevention of Poaching
Members have a duty under the Club Constitution to assist with the prevention of poaching.
The Club employs watchers for its waters whose names etc. are given in each newsletter. In respect of the river Massan and Cur, Loch Eck, some watchers and Committee members have been appointed Fisheries Board Bailiffs with full powers. Members are encouraged to ask any strangers found fishing to show permits and to inform Hon. Secretary without delay of any problems. On Club Brown Trout and Rainbow fishings, poachers are generally observed because they are spinning or bait fishing. They may have a permit but, as is printed on the permit, the permit is INVALIDATED if they fish illegally.
Frequently, anglers fishing illegally can be associated with a vehicle parked by the water, often containing bits of fishing tackle, and usually the vehicle has a registration number of an area out with Cowal. In a case of poaching, the registration number, make and colour of the vehicle should be noted and reported.
To the Watchers. [ Jim McEwen 0789 175 0539]
The Watchers will then notes the registration number of all visitors’ vehicles, thus “Legal” visitors cars can be eliminated, allowing the Police to be alerted.
In recent years, prompt action by members has resulted in the arrest of poachers, and in the other cases, in vehicles being stopped by the Police and checked, which is a potent deterrent to such “gentry” returning to our waters.
Safety
Members are reminded of the dangers of wading. Areas of Dunoon Reservoir have deep silt on the bottom. The banks of the River Massan & Cur are precipitous in places and very dangerous when the river is in spate. Care should also be taken on the banks of Loch Tarsan, as the mud and peat can be deep soft and treacherous in places
When in Club boats, members are strongly recommended to wear a personal (approved) life jacket or buoyancy aid. ( The life jackets provided at Loch Tarsan, & Loch Loskin boathouses are primarily to meet the Club’s obligation to visitors.) Members should be aware of going out alone in boats, especially on Loch Eck , which can be hazardous in bad weather.
Great care should be taken when fishing near overhead power cables sited near river banks.
All fishing, permits, boats, outboards etc. are available to members at their own risk and neither the Club nor any of its proprietors can accept responsibility for loss, damage or injury of any kind, no matter how incurred.
Dunoon and District Angling Club (DDAC) provides buoyancy aids to British Standard EN393 : 1994 Lifejackets and personal buoyancy aids: buoyancy aids 50N. These are” for the average adult and are intended for use in sheltered waters when help is close at hand and the user is a swimmer; and in circumstances where more bulky or buoyant devices would impair the users activity or actually endanger them.” (reference HSE information sheet: Agricultural sheet No1 - revised- Personal buoyancy equipment on inland and inshore waters)
Visitors who fish by themselves, or who cannot swim, or who fish in windy conditions should provide their own higher standard of lifejacket, for example to British Standard 396: 1994 Lifejackets and personal buoyancy aids: lifejackets 150N.
DDAC accepts no responsibility or liability for accidents where the angler is not wearing a lifejacket or where an angler is wearing a lifejacket or buoyancy aid which is inappropriate for the prevailing conditions.
The Club is greatly indebted to John Macleod of Campbell’s Paint Shop for managing the issue of permits on its behalf. A copy of the above rules and arrangements is held by Campbell‘s Paint Shop. If you have any complaint, or problem, please take this up with the Hon. Secretary or the Committee and not Campbell’s.
