PIKE FISHING GUIDELINES THIS WINTER

1. Fishing 1hr before Dawn & 1hr after dark
2. Braided line must be used, minimum 20kg or 18lb mono breaking strain for all pike fishing, this is to improve bite registration and help reduce line breaks. EXCEPT FOR PATERNOSTER LEAD ROTTEN BOTTOMS WHERE A 6LB PULL TO BREAK IS TO BE USED TO THE LEAD
3. Traces must be minimum of 18” and 30lb breaking strain.
4. Employ a Strike immediately on indication rule, do not wait for the pike to swallow the bait as this will result in a deep hooked pike, if the hooks are difficult to remove use strong cutters to cut away hooks and remove the trace, remember a deep hooked pike will soon become a dead pike if the snap tackle is not removed! If however you cannot see the hooks DO NOT cut the trace. Leave this attached and seek help.
5. A single Circle hook, Lip hooked style are considered best welfare for the Pike
6. If using treble hooks they must be barbless or have barbs fully crushed this will allow for easier unhooking and less damage to the pike, maximum size 4.
7. Long handled pliers or forceps and strong cutters must be carried at all times
8. All spinners and plugs must be fully barbless
9. sea and course dead bait dead baits to be used or live baits caught from the water you are fishing, live baits not to be transported from another water
10. Fish should be unhooked as soon as landed, make sure all your mats and unhooking equipment is ready and never leave a hooked fish alone in the landing net. If a photo is required, the fish should be held in a retainer after unhooking for no longer than 5 mins while you prepare your camera etc. Fish should never be kept out of the water for more than 3 mins either during unhooking or picture taking, if having trouble removing hooks rest fish in water after 3 mins and then try again or ask for help.
11. A large specimen landing net must be used whilst pike fishing and an  un hooking matt a minimum of 1m in length must be used.
12. When unhooking use the forceps and hand technique. Lay the pike on its back slip your hand through the gill cover. Firmly hold the lower jaw, the mouth can be opened very easily, use long nosed pliers or forceps to remove the hooks.
13. When returning a pike to the water never hold it up by the chin always support the body of the pike with your other arm. Once in the water let the pike recover fully by holding it until it swims off, this allows its swim bladder and oxygen levels to stabilize.
Multiple dead pike will immediately close the pike season. Failure to follow these Guidelines may result in fish deaths and a ban from the club

MEMBERSHIP 2026 UPDATE

Membership is now open for renewals and new members until February 28th 2026, PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING:

IF YOU ARE RENEWING YOUR MEMBERSHIP PLEASE GO TO THE FRONT PAGE OF THE WEBSITE AND SELECT “LOGIN AND RENEW” BUTTON

You need 2 things to log into your account,

1. Email address – if you are renewing, check you haven’t changed your email address in the last 12 months, if you have then please use your old email to log in so you can change it. If you are a new member, make a note of the email you have used for the account.

2, Password – If renewing, you may have forgotten or changed your password at some point, if you cannot log in and your email is correct it will be your password so please click on the “forgotten password” link. If you are a new member, please make a note somewhere of the password you have used and update it when required. 

The clubmate update will mean that there will be no more plastic cards, your membership cards will be in electronic format on your Clubmate home page, a click on the banner will allow you to access your card at any time through your phone, don’t worry about no phone signal etc as these occurrences will be minimal and the bailiff will have full access anyway, also I think that it will be downloadable. If you wish to purchase a plastic card they can be purchased at £6 online.

ALSO, NEW MEMBERS MUST UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE NOT IMMEDIATELY ALLOWED TO FISH FOREMARK RESERVOIR. THIS IS DONE ON AN APPLICATION ONLY BASIS, THIS IS DUE TO THE AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH THE NATIONAL TRUST AND THE SAILING CLUB WHO ALLOW US TO FISH THERE.

Once a member, you can apply to fish Foremark by email to: secretary@burtonmutual.co.uk your email must contain your name, your membership number and you car registration that will be used to get there, after which you will be added to the list and a car pass will be issued.

We are looking for water managers and assistant water managers once again send in a mail to the secretary on secretary@burtonmutual.co.uk the waters we are looking for managers/assistant managers are:

1. Caldwell
2. Callingwood/Rangemoor Estate
3. Staunton Harold Reservoir

Branston Water Park

There is a temporary Bait Boat ban on Branston water park this to be monitored with the weed growth, any updates will be added to here.

Members who wish to renew their night permit, please email branstonwp@burtonmutual.co.uk unless you already have done, as the list is being compiled now.

This year is the first year that Branston Water Park has been treated with lake dye to reduce the weed growth, we expect a reduction this year but the water will be treated twice a year for the foreseeable future so we are hoping for good things.

This year we will be bringing the night permits into line with the membership in February 2026 so you will only pay pro-rata from June until then.

Important membership Renewal/New membership information

Renewals and New memberships are now closed until January 2026, no more members will be added and no renewals will be taken.

Secretary

All new members please read the general club rules on the website before starting to fish, but also visit the water page that you want to fish and read the write up as there may be more specific water rules on that page, also read the local water rules which are on notice boards at the venues