Advice for new members

INTRODUCTION TO THE CLUB (Updated March 2023)

Access: From Antermony Road (A891) follow the sign for Woodburn Fishery at Auchinreoch and along the rough road over the cattlegrid. (Note the Loch on the RHS). Please do not park on the rough road or adjacent farm land. Turn right at the fork, cross the shallow ford and follow the road for 400 yards to the access gate. The Member’s Key unlocks the access gate for entry to the car park. Please lock gate behind you and park as neatly as possible.

Warning : when departing, always be aware of fast traffic from the right when turning back onto Antermony Road.

Members’ Howff: accessed using the Member’s key and is used to store essential equipment, eg Oars, Nets, Drogues and Buoyancy Jackets (mandatory for Juniors when on the Jetty and on boats and also for Members while on the Floating Jetty).

The Howff is also well kitted out with ample seating, tables and kitchen equipment for time off the water. Note: the gas stove is fuelled by a gas bottle stored at the rear of the building. Please ensure it’s turned off after use.

A new Dry Compostable Toilet unit is installed at the rear of the Building with key retained in the Howff, (on the Notice Board to the RHS of the desk).

Prior to Fishing : Members should enter their Name and Membership number in the Catch Return Register, also the Number of any boat to be used.

On return, Members should update their entry with details of any fish killed, Brown or Rainbow, fish returned also the number of Cormorants noted on the Loch and the number of damaged fish noted. This information is used to support the application for a licence to deter Cormorants.

Boats: Boats are moored at the end of the new Floating Jetty, which is accessed via a security gate at the end of the fixed Jetty. The Gate can be opened using the standard Member’s Key and should be re-closed and locked after use. The Floating Jetty leads into deep water therefore Members must wear a Buoyancy aid, (available in the Howff), whenever on the Jetty. Boats maybe released / secured from / to their moorings using the same Members Key.

There are eight boats available for Members’ use. Boats 1 – 6 feature on the Boat Plan and may be used if available but must be offered upon being claimed by another Member. Boats 7 & 8 are not on the Boat Plan and are therefore freely available, as are all boats on Sundays, other than on Competition dates.

If you go to fish and your boat is out, check the Catch Return Book in the Howff to see who has taken it – ring the bonger on the Small Jetty to call them in and claim your boat per the Boat Plan. They must hand the boat over to you. However this rarely happens and is usually resolved by taking out another boat or sharing the boat with the person who took it out first

Only Club Drogues & Nets are permitted. Drogues should be clipped to the continuous looped rope which is fed through fixtures at the bow and stern thus enabling the Drogue to be adjusted by pulling the continuous rope towards the bow or stern. There is a useful notice / diagram above the Catch Return Book indicating how to use the drogues.

Electric outboards are permitted on the boats, however Petrol outboards are NOT permitted.

Safety: You should avoid going out in a boat during foul weather and should not climb from one boat to another on the water. Life-jackets/ buoyancy aids are recommended, however Junior Members must wear them when taken out in a boat.

Damage: Every year oars & boats are damaged to some degree costing the Club avoidable costs. So please take care; ensure that the oars are placed onto the thole-pins properly and are not thrown on the jetty. Report any damage you notice to a Committee member or write a note in the Catch Book Remarks column.

Some areas are particularly difficult for wading so please take care at all times and watch out for submerged rocks. Note; chest waders are not permitted. Waist and thigh waders, also nets, can carry parasites from other waters and therefore must be disinfected before, and after, bank fishing to avoid contamination. Similarly, use of fabric Fish Basses are banned.

Fishing: READ THE RULES; a copy is on the Noticeboard – Remember this is primarily a brown trout, fly only, fishery, so you will have to fish hard to catch fish and will be lucky to get your limit. You should specifically note that; no baits, spinning or trolling, is permitted, also, fishing when moored or anchored.

The Club operates a four fish limit, minimum size limit 10″,  of which only two may be rainbows. Most Members carefully return fish within the limits and this helps improve the sport for everyone throughout the Season.

Note; Juniors, under 12 and accompanied by an Adult Member, may spin from boats using single hook barbless MEPP type lures – see detailed Rules.

Winter Bank fishing for rainbows is permitted in all, bar specified, areas of the Loch.   Rules, including use of barbless hooks, are posted in the Howff.  Please note and adhere to these rules.

Competitions: There are 8 x Competitions, including the Junior Cup, on specified Sundays throughout the season, see the Boat Plan for dates, each competed for a handsome trophy, plus points leading to the Club Championship which is celebrated at the Prize Giving and Social Night in early March. Note, normal fishing is allowed up to 1pm prior to the commencement of Competitions and usually after 6pm.

Work Parties are organised on Sunday mornings during Jan, Feb & Mar, commencing at 10.00hrs and lasting for approx 2 hours, to get the boats into shape and back into the water. Also to attend to the general environment and infrastructure around the Loch. After about 20 hours hard work and with the boats safely in the water we get the opportunity to celebrate the start of another season.

Security: Don’t forget your Access key, the Club Membership Card and form of ID. Equipment, boats and buildings have been vandalised in the past, so please, always lock gates, buildings and equipment behind you as the person following you, may not be a member. If you are last off the loch at night, please ensure that boats are properly secured on the jetty and the Jetty gate is properly secured.

Organisation of Club. The Club is led by four Office Bearer Roles : President, Secretary, Treasurer and Membership Secretary, and they are supported by a Committee which meets to co-ordinate the Club business every month. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) is held in November and up to 250 Voting Members, ie Adult, Youth, Senior and Life Members, may vote on Club matters.

Miscellaneous : Members may purchase up to 10 Guest Permits per season simply by recording details of their Guest on a pre-labelled envelope which should be deposited, along with the Fee (£12.00) in the secure box located on the wall adjacent to the desk in the Howff.