Rules

We reserve the right to remove anybody from our site who is in breach of the rules. You are therefore strongly advised to read this thoroughly and if in doubt, please ask for clarification.

General Site Rules

  • Anglers fish at Netherwood Lakes entirely at their own risk. The owners do not accept any liability for injury to anglers or their guests, or theft or damage to anglers’ equipment or vehicles.

  • Please note the rules numbered 1, 2 & 3 below are the most important and dear things to us. We would ask that you pay particular attention to them.

  • (1) Speed limit on site must be no faster than walking pace. There are 2 dogs here which could be loose on site.

  • (2) No baited rigs to be left in the swims. There are 2 dogs on site which we will endeavour to keep in our own private area away from the fishermen however, it is imperative that there is never a baited rig or hook left anywhere a dog could pick up. This would include a PVA bag made up with a rig inside it. Please ensure that any baited rigs or made up PVA bags are securely stored in a bucket with the lid on.

  • (3) Please pay special attention that after you have unhooked a fish that the baited rig has the bait removed from it immediately or the rig is thrown back in the lake. Alternatively, secure the rig to a rod ring, winding the line in tight and placing the rig up high & out of the way.

  • Fishing and lake viewing is strictly by appointment only

  • Only anglers and guests that have booked are allowed on site. No unauthorised visitors are allowed on the site. DO NOT just invite friends on to site without our consent. We do welcome your friends to come & see what we offer and share a beer or a BBQ with you but it MUST be pre-arranged. Any unauthorised visitors will be asked to leave.

  • Dogs are permitted at the lake owners discretion and this MUST be pre-arranged. DO NOT just turn up with your dog.

  • Due to the close proximity of lodges to the waters edge, we cannot accept bookings for children under 12 years old.

  • No fish are to be introduced or taken off site, all fish remain the property of Netherwood Lakes. Removal of fish is deemed as theft and will become a police matter. CCTV footage will be used as evidence.

  • Alcohol - we do not like the idea of anyone who might be in contact with our fish being under the influence of excessive alcohol, so only drinking in moderation will be acceptable whilst fishing. If you want to have a drinking session, please reel in. You are here on holiday but our fish & your safety are our main priorities.

  • No swimming.

  • Caution must be used if using waders. The lake has steep margins and deep water.

  • No litter please. This includes cigarette butts. Please use the dust bins on site for general refuse and separate out all recycling and place in the recycling bins provided.

  • No bait to be stored in lodges. We have fridge & freezer facilities for bait.

  • Drones may only be used with the owners consent.

  • No fires or fire pits except in the allocated areas. Fire pits may be moved but only with the owners consent.

  • Radios are allowed but noise must be kept to an acceptable level.

  • Please do not be frightened to ask about anything. If you are inexperienced, out of practice or have any mobility issues and need assistance, please just ask, we are here to help. If you are less experienced and want some guidance, please just ask. If you have less experience in handling larger fish and would like a hand, please just call me. If you’re unfamiliar with the lake and struggling to find a suitable spot, please just ask. We want you to have a good time and to book again. It is our job to help you enjoy your holiday so please always ask. We’re happy to help.

RIGS LEFT LIKE THIS ARE CONSIDERED TO BE COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE AS THE BAITS ARE STILL ACCESSIBLE.

IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO REMOVE THE BAIT, PLACE THE ENTIRE RIG IN A BUCKET AND SNAP THE LID SHUT.

General Fishing Rules & Care of Fish

  • Rods must not be left unattended and in the water at any time. You must be within 10m of your rods whilst you are fishing at all times.

  • Nets, retainers, slings, mats and waders must be thoroughly disinfected in the dip tank provided before fishing.

  • Fish must always be transported from unhooking mats back to the water in a weigh sling (not in your arms).

  • Do not stand with a fish. Photos must be taken kneeling down over an unhooking mat.

  • We are more than happy to assist in weighing & photographing fish & would rather help & advise than have a fish suffer damage due to inexperience.

  • No sacking of fish & no keepnets unless consent has been obtained from the owners.

  • All anglers must be in possession of fish care antiseptic and use this on hook holds & body wounds as required.

  • Do not retain fish for longer than 10 minutes. This is enough time to get your scales & your camera ready.

  • When returning a fish back to the water, please let the fish recover thoroughly in the sling before releasing.

Tackle

  • We carry out rig checks and therefore you must be familiar with the rules below.

  • No lead core leaders.

  • No leaders longer than 90cm, unleaded leaders are ok, as are fused leaders.  

  • No fixed lead rigs, all rigs must be capable of discharging the lead system should a line breakage occur. If using a lead clip system, you must ensure that the tail rubber is not forced down too tightly to prevent the lead from ejecting. This also includes swim feeders & method feeders.

  • Helisafe lead drop off system for chods or helicopter rigs are preferred.

  • Barbless hooks only. Flattened and crushed barbs are permitted but you must ensure that it has been done correctly and there is no presence of a barb remaining.

  • No long shank curved hooks, for example, Fox Series 5’s or long shank nailers - they are absolutely nasty hooks and are not needed.

  • You must use sensible & balanced tackle for the fish and the lake you are targeting. It is utterly pointless fishing with 4lb line if you are after the tench in the main lake. The lake is weedy and has numerous large lily beds. Please equip yourself adequately for the species you are targeting and the lake you are fishing. If in any doubt please ask, we will be happy to give you recommendations on the tackle needed.

  • No small roll up mats. You must have a substantial unhooking mat. Even when tench fishing, you stand a very good chance of hooking a carp. We will be aiming to supply good quality unhooking mats in the near future.

Bait

  • We do not wish to implement thousands of bait rules but what we do expect is the sensible use of any bait you bring.

  • No shelf-life boilies. Frozen or fresh boilies only please.

  • Please ensure any particle baits are properly prepared. If in doubt, we would recommend that you buy them ready prepared from a reputable supplier or tackle shop.

  • No live baits to be brought on to site from another venue.

  • No peanuts allowed.

  • Tiger nuts are permitted but must be used sparingly. For example, 1 kg of chopped tigers mixed in with your weekend’s bait is sensible. Turning up with 10 kg of tigers for a weekends fishing is not sensible.

  • Worms & Maggots - 1kg of chopped worms for a weekends fishing is again sensible, 5kg is not.

  • Anyone using any quantity of bait which we feel is not sensible and would have a detrimental effect on the fishery will be asked to put them back in your car for the duration of your stay.

  • Please ask us for recommendations if you have any queries regarding the quantities we feel are sensible.

  • There is a local tackle shop situated 5 minutes from the lake where you can purchase additional bait if required.