RULES
and
REGULATIONS

RULES and REGULATIONS INDEX

1. Name
2. Object
3. The Membership
4. Constitution
5. Election of President, Vice Presidents and Honorary Life members
6. Administration
7. The Committee
8. Annual General Meeting
9. Notice of AGM
10. Extraordinary General Meeting
11. Voting Rights at General Meetings
12. Quorum for a General Meeting
13. Financial Year
14. Independent Report of Accounts
15. Presentation of Accounts
16. Accountants access to Information
17. Payment of Monies
18. Membership Records/Documents
19. Remuneration
20. Membership Applications
21. Subscriptions
22. Guest Tickets
23. Prevention of Overcrowding
25. Work Parties
26. Monetary Gain
27. Misconduct
28. Dissolution of the Association
29. Amendment of Rules and Regulations
30. Association Rules

PENRITH ANGLING ASSOCIATION RULES AND REGULATIONS

(Revised November 2025)

1. NAME
The name of the Association shall be "PENRITH ANGLING ASSOCIATION"

2. OBJECT
The object of the Association is to provide fishing for Members and their guests.

3. THE "MEMBERSHIP"
Shall consist of Local Members, Country Members, Honorary Life Members, Honorary Members and Junior Members.

LOCAL MEMBERS: Are members who reside or have a second home for which they are accountable for council tax and not used for financial gain, within a twenty-mile radius of Penrith Clock Tower (note; all correspondence will be sent to local address). A commercial property address will not be accepted, nor will caravans / mobile homes that do not have a full 12 months residential licence.

COUNTRY MEMBERS: Are members who reside outside a 20-mile radius of Penrith Clock Tower, measured in a direct line.

HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS: Are members honoured by the Association in recognition of distinguished or outstanding service to the Association.

HONORARY MEMBERS: Are members deemed worthy of Honorary Membership while they hold certain official posts or duties.

JUNIOR MEMBERS: Are all members aged 21 years or under at the commencement of the season (15th January).

4. CONSTITUTION
The Association shall have a President, up to four Vice Presidents, an Honorary Chairman, a Vice-Chairman, an Honorary Secretary an Honorary Treasurer (the Secretary and Treasurer position may be held by one person or a combination of people as deemed appropriate by the Committee), Honorary Accountant the Committee and the Membership.

5. ELECTION OF PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENTS AND HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS
The President, Vice Presidents and Honorary Life Members of the Association shall be elected for life at an Annual General Meeting, and may only be removed from office if found guilty of conduct likely to bring discredit to the Association, such decisions being made at a general meeting.

6. ADMINISTRATION
(a) The business of the Association shall be conducted by the Committee and Emergency Committee (where applicable) as constituted in Rule 7.

(b) The Association will appoint a minimum of two and a maximum of four trustees.
All trustees must be full voting members of the association.
The property of the Association (other than cash which is under the control of the Committee) will be vested in the trustees to be dealt with them as the Committee directs by resolution (of which an entry in the minute book will be conclusive evidence).
The trustees must be indemnified against risk and expense by the Association out of the Association’s property and by suitable insurance if so required by the trustees.
The trustees will hold office until death or resignation or until removal from office by a resolution of the Committee (which may, for any reason which seems satisfactory to the majority of the quorum present and voting at any meeting, remove any trustee or trustees from the office of trustee).
On any death, resignation or removal from office of a trustee the Committee must act to appoint a new trustee or trustees as soon as is practicable.
In exceptional circumstances the Committee may deem it necessary to appoint an additional trustee or trustees, and the minutes of the meeting of the Committee at which the Committee makes such decision will be sufficient evidence in this respect.
The Association’s Chair from time to time is appointed as the person to nominate new trustees of the Association and provided a nomination is approved by the Committee such appointment to be confirmed in accordance with the provisions of the Trustee Act 1925.

7. THE COMMITTEE
(a) The Association shall be managed by the Committee which shall consist of nine members aged 18 years or over, of which one may be a Country Member; plus Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. All members of the Committee shall be entitled to vote. In the event of a tie, the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.

(b) A quorum at a committee meeting shall consist of five Committee Members plus Secretary, Chairman or Vice-Chairman.

(c) In the event of a committee meeting falling short of the quorum, the meeting may take place, but any decisions made must be finalised at the next full committee meeting (with the exception of conditions constituted in Rule 7(d) below.

(d) An emergency committee meeting consisting of the Chairman, Secretary and one committee member, shall be empowered to deal with matters requiring an urgent decision, reporting any action taken to the next full committee meeting.

(e) Election of the Committee shall be by ballot at an Annual General Meeting. Any two members except members under 18 years of age, can propose any candidate or candidates by notice in writing to the Secretary not less than seven days before the meeting. Each member may vote for as many candidates as there are vacancies.

(f) Members of the Committee (except as mentioned hereafter) shall be elected for a period of three years. Retiring members of the Committee may stand for re-election. The Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be elected annually and may stand for re-election.

(g) All business at committee meetings and general meetings shall be recorded by the Secretary in the form of minutes, such minutes to be confirmed as a true record at the next meeting and the minutes to be saved electronically in a protected file.

(h) Committee vacancies during the year may be filled by the Committee co-opting members until the next Annual General Meeting.

(i) In special or unusual circumstances to be determined by the Committee, additional committee members aged 18 years and over, may be co-opted to serve up to the next Annual General Meeting, when the co-option can be extended or otherwise.

(j) Nominations to the Annual General Meetings for Honorary Life Members can only be made by the Committee.

(k) The Committee will meet as required, but not less than three times a year. The Secretary will endeavour to provide one weeks notice of any meeting and in all instances will provide a minimum of four days notice.

8. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
An Annual General Meeting shall be held between 1st November and the 31st of December each year, to transact, inter alia, the following business of the Association:

(a) To receive and, if approved, adopt a statement of accounts, balance sheet and annual report in respect of the preceding year.

(b) To elect and confirm the appointment (where applicable) of the Association’s officers, members of the Committee, and bankers.

(d) To set the Association’s subscriptions for the following year.

(e) Any matters which individuals desire to be dealt with under paragraph (c) above, must be forwarded to the Secretary in writing, such notice to be in hand at least twenty one days before the Annual General Meeting to be included on the Agenda. No business shall be dealt with other than that which appears on the Agenda, except emergency matters.

(f) The Chairman has the discretion following the close of the meeting to allow members to contribute further matters for consideration to be dealt with by the committee at a later date. The scope and duration of this discussion will be at the discretion of the Chairman and the contents of the discussion will not be included in the minutes of the AGM

9. NOTICE OF AGM
Notice of the Annual General Meeting and Agenda showing the business to be transacted shall be given to those members who requested notification at the time of entry to the membership and at the time of renewal of membership each year. Notice will be given at least fourteen days before the meeting. Copies of accounts, balance sheet and annual report shall be made available to the membership at the meeting.

10. EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING
An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called by the Committee at any time for any special purpose, or by request, in writing to the Secretary from any ten members (aged 18 years or over), stating the purpose for which the Extraordinary General Meeting should be held. Notice of an Extraordinary General Meeting shall be given to all the membership at least fourteen days before the meeting.

11. VOTING RIGHTS AT GENERAL MEETINGS
All members except members under 18 years of age may vote at a General Meeting. Members under 18 years of age may however, take part in any discussion.

12. QUORUM FOR A GENERAL MEETING
A quorum for a General Meeting shall consist of ten members of the Association (who are not officers of the Association) plus such official’s as are present.

FINANCES

13. FINANCIAL YEAR
The Association’s financial and administrative year shall end on 30th September.

14. INDEPENDENT REPORT ON ACCOUNTS
The Association shall submit the accounts to an independent accountant at least once every financial year prior to the Annual General Meeting.

15. PRESENTATION OF ACCOUNTS
A statement of accounts and balance sheet duly certified or otherwise by the reporting accountant, shall be presented at the Annual General Meeting.

16. ACCOUNTANTS ACCESS TO INFORMATION
The Accountant shall have access to all the minutes and financial documents.

17. PAYMENT OF MONIES
(a) Allocation and disbursement of monies shall be carried out on the authority of the Committee or Emergency Committee, with the exception that the Treasurer shall have authority to make fixed, regular or small payments, without prior reference to the Committee. Authorised cheque signatures are the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and one other designated Committee Member. Two signatures are required on all cheques.

(b) The Treasurer shall maintain a record of all monies received and paid.

18. MEMBERSHIP RECORDS / DOCUMENTS
(a) The Secretary shall maintain an up-to-date record of the membership.

(b) All minutes from meetings shall be kept permanently, invoices and cheques stubs for a minimum of six years. Fishing lease agreements will be kept for the duration of the lease. All other correspondence shall be retained for two years.

19. REMUNERATION
(a) Remuneration for the Secretary and Treasurer shall be by Honorarium as determined by the Committee from time to time.

(b) Remuneration for bailiff(s) shall be by Honorarium as determined by the Committee from time to time

(c) The Committee has the discretion to reimburse costs incurred in the carrying out of any functions authorised by the Committee.

20. MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS
(a) New members shall pay a once only entry fee, at a rate determined by an Annual General Meeting, with the exception that Junior Members (plus any members as stated in Rule 24) shall not be required to pay an entry fee.

(b) Applications for membership from former members shall not be accepted on any special offers on subscription payment within a three-year lapse of membership.

21. SUBSCRIPTIONS
(a) Subscriptions, concessions and entry fees shall be at rates determined from time to time at an Annual General Meeting.

(b) Memberships will be open for renewal and payment through Clubmate on 15th January each year. Renewals must be completed between 15th January and 15th February. Any member not renewing by then will cease to be a member and will only be re- admitted at the discretion of the Committee.
No member shall fish on the Association’s waters after 15th January unless or until their membership has been renewed and paid for through Clubmate.

(d) Concession for subscription shall be made for senior citizens and junior members and for any other age groups or individual circumstances deemed appropriate for the Association’s well-being.

(e) Renewal emails will be sent out to all members through Clubmate by 15th January to remind members to renew should they wish to do so.

22. GUEST TICKETS
All members except juniors, may book five (5) guest tickets a year through Clubmate. These guest tickets are free of charge but must not be abused. All guest tickets must be accompanied on the same beat for the full duration of fishing. These tickets must still be booked through the Clubmate system with the Applicant retaining
full details of the guest.

23. PREVENTION OF OVERCROWDING
The Committee or Annual General Meeting may at any time have the power to limit membership numbers. Thereafter, any new applicants would join a waiting list and be considered for membership when vacancies arise.

24. SUSPENSION OF MEMBERSHIP
In the event that the Association lost control of a significant amount of water, the Committee or General Meeting has the authority to suspend a number of members from the Association at the commencement of the season following that decision. The number of members to be suspended is at the discretion of the Committee or General Meeting and implemented on a last in first out basis. Such members shall be re-admitted without payment of a re-joining fee as and when vacancies arise and will have priority over new applications.

25. WORK PARTIES
Any work party assigned by the committee to carry out duties on or near the riverbanks, must first obtain written permission from the riparian owner and consent from appropriate governing bodies (with the exception of maintenance of signs and stiles).

26. MONETARY GAIN
The use of Association water for tuition, guiding, writing of magazine articles or filming for YouTube or any social media in return for payment shall only be permitted by written agreement of the Committee. The number and frequency of any approvals will be at the discretion of the Committee and strictly limited. Any approval may also be subject to conditions of operation and use.

27. MISCONDUCT
(a) A member or official who offends against the Rules and Regulations of the Association, or who is deemed guilty of conduct likely to bring discredit on the Association, may be called before the Committee to answer the allegation(s).

(b) A member who is alleged to have breached the Rules and Regulations shall be made aware of the details in writing and given at least seven days notice of the date, time and place when the Committee will deal with the complaint. Such member shall be invited to attend the meeting, where he or she may question or call any witnesses and answer the allegation(s).

(c) Whether an alleged offender attends the hearing or not, he or she shall be given the decision of the Committee, in writing, within seven days of the hearing. The Committee shall be empowered to deal with such matters by way of caution, suspension of membership for a stated period, or expulsion from the Association.

(d) A member may only be expelled on a majority vote by those present.

(e) No person whose membership has been terminated shall be allowed onto Association water as a guest.

28. DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION
(a) The Association shall not be dissolved so long as ten members are willing to continue it.

(b) Should it be so dissolved, any assets after discharge of all liabilities shall be donated to any registered charity, other such organisation or shared among the remaining members as the majority of members may deem appropriate.

29. AMENDMENT OF RULES & REGULATIONS
The Committee shall have the power to propose amendments to the Rules or Regulations for consideration at an Annual General Meeting, or an Extraordinary General Meeting. Suggestions and proposals from the membership may be submitted to the Secretary at any time, in writing, such proposals to be proposed and seconded by any member aged 18 or over.

30. ASSOCIATION RULES
The Secretary shall supply all the Membership with a copy of these Rules.

REGULATIONS

(Updated November 2025)

1. The year's membership shall run from 15th January to 14th January in the following year

2. CLOSE SEASONS
The Close Seasons for all species shall commence and end on those dates specified by the Environment Agency, unless otherwise determined by a General Meeting.

3. RETAINABLE SPECIES
The only retainable species are: Brown trout and Sea Trout.

4. BAG LIMITS
Any fish retained must be quickly and humanely despatched.

(a) Maximum of two fish per day for Brown Trout.

(b) Two Sea Trout per season (one per day).

Any person who has caught and killed two Sea Trout may continue to fish for Sea Trout providing any further Sea Trout caught are released immediately to the water in which it was caught, with the least possible injury. From and including the 10th September to and including the 30th September following, no person shall retain any female Sea Trout.

Byelaws: Any person who removes any dead Salmon taken from any water shall be guilty of an offence. This byelaw shall not apply to any person who lawfully takes a salmon and returns it immediately to the water with the least possible injury.

(d) Grayling: Mandatory catch and release.

(e) The sale of fish caught on the Association water is prohibited.

(f) The Rivers Petteril, Leith and Lyvennet are catch and release policy only waters.

5. SIZE LIMIT
No Brown trout shall be retained which is less than 10 inches (25cm) in length.

No Sea Trout to be retained which is less than 12 inches (30cm) in length.

6. CATCH AND RELEASE
Barbless or de-barbed hooks are strongly recommended when practicing catch and release.

7. PERMITTED FISHING METHOD FOR EACH SPECIES

(a) Trout: Fly Fishing only, with the exception that worm fishing will be allowed by Junior members less than 14 years of age on Westmorland Holme.

(b) Grayling: Fly Fishing only.
During the closed Trout season, Grayling fishing is allowed only on those waters specified on the association maps and the following rules apply:

Fly Fishing Only
Barbless and de-barbed hooks only
Members and their guests only may fish
Grayling fishing on the Winderwath and Skirwith Abbey stretches ends on 30th October.

(d) Salmon:
Allowed methods are fly fishing and spinning. Barbless or de-barbed hooks only (*restrictions on spinning stated below) on the Rivers Eamont and Eden only (no fishing for Salmon on the River Lowther or any other tributaries)

Please Note: All treble hooks are banned on association waters and only single hooks are allowed to be used on spinning baits.

* Spinning for Salmon is allowed at Coombes Wood, Bell Holme and Anthony Holme from 16th June, and at Bolton Willows and on the River Eamont upstream of the confluence with the River Lowther from 1st September only. No spinning is allowed on any other beats not mentioned above at any time. Any Trout or Grayling caught while spinning for Salmon must be returned at all times.

8. JUNIOR MEMBERS
Junior members under 14 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.

9. IDENTIFICATION
Members must carry proof of membership when on Association waters. This can be either via the Clubmate phone app or a printed copy of the above. Membership is not transferable. Members must be in possession of an Environment Agency rod licence when fishing and show them and their catch when called upon to do so by an authorised PAA bailiff, fellow member or riparian owner. (Please note that a riparian owner is unlikely to have any form of identification) Car stickers must be displayed on cars when parked on the River Petteril.

Anyone found fishing without the above must supply their name and address and leave the water upon being requested to do so.

10. MONETARY GAIN
The use of Association water for tuition, guiding, writing of magazine articles or filming for YouTube or any social media in return for payment shall only be permitted by written agreement of the Committee. The number and frequency of any approvals will be at the discretion of the Committee and strictly limited. Any approval may also be subject to conditions of operation and use.

11. CONDUCT

(a) No dogs are allowed to accompany members or visitors on the Association waters with the exception of the Coombes Wood stretch.

(b) Closed gates must be closed after access. No picnic parties and no lighting of fires. Other than fishing guests a member may be accompanied by one friend who shall not fish or assist in any way. Hooks and line must not be discarded on riverbanks, as these are dangerous to farm animals and wildlife. Damage to the riparian owner's property must be reported to the secretary and/or the riparian owner.

(c) To protect our waters from invasive non-native species, please take precautions when moving from one river to the next. Check, clean and dry, disinfect or immerse fishing items such as waders, boots and nets in water 45°C or over. For further info check our invasive species/biosecurity page or contact your local Environment Agency.

(d) Strictly no camping at any of the association waters or designated parking areas.

(e) All members and their guests are required to observe the Anglers Code of Conduct.