TROUTMASTERS CHALLENGE 2024 INTRODUCTION & RULES

TROUTMASTERS is the friendliest trout fishing competition of its type in the UK, attracting both pleasure and match anglers. Thousands of men, women, boys and girls have taken part in TROUTMASTERS over the past 45 years. In 2024 we hope to attract even more anglers.

There are three categories for entry:

• Junior (13 years and under)
• Youth (14 -17 years)
• Senior (18 years and over)

RULES

Anyone catching a large trout on any registered TROUTMASTERS water should be asked if they would like to enter the competition. At the end of each month, the three anglers who have caught the three biggest fish at each water will receive a TROUTMASTERS cloth badge. At the end of the year, all badge holders will be eligible to enter the fish-off at their qualifying water to determine who will represent that water in the final.

The 2024 competition will run from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024.

All official TROUTMASTERS forms must be completed and witnessed by a fishery official and forwarded to Trout & Salmon magazine as soon as possible. We will allow five working days after the end of each month (for post) before we close that month’s entries. Forms are not carried over to the following month.

• Fishery staff ARE NOT eligible to enter the competition at their own water. n Anglers can enter fish caught on any method. However, the Senior, Youth and Junior Fish-offs and Finals remain FLY only.
• The competition is only open to purchasers of day, week or season tickets at registered TROUTMASTERS waters.
• Two separate witnesses are required – one for the catch (another angler maybe?) and one for the weighing of the fish (official staff). Entries are not valid if these sections are incomplete.
• Illegible or incomplete forms will be rejected. n Proof of posting is not proof of entry.
• If a fish is released alive, it MUST have been witnessed by an official member of the fishery staff, and weighed on an approved scale
   

FISH-OFFS

All fish-offs must be supervised and run by individual waters. All fisheries will be sent a set of recommended guidelines for running a fish-off. Fishery managers must notify Trout & Salmon of fish-off winners by the deadline given. Late entries will not be eligible to take part in the final. All anglers will be charged (non-refundable, unless there is a very good reason and notice given) in advance by TROUTMASTERS for the fish-off, and the money and list of entrants will be forwarded to the fishery.

Trout & Salmon reserves the right to select the final three badge winners allocated at each final every month. The editor’s decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into. Trout & Salmon may withdraw any water or angler from the competition – no reason need be given.

For more information please contact samantha.toombs@fieldsportspress.com

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