Fishery
1. Permits are issued for Salmon and Sea Trout from 11th February to 31st October inclusive and Brown Trout Fishing from 15th March until 6th October inclusive.
2. Permits are for fly fishing or spinning only. Accompanied juniors under 15 may fish for free. Junior members 15 years and under only, are allowed throughout the Brown Trout season, to fish with worm and float.
3. Beat limits for Salmon & Sea Trout are: - Left Bank - Top of Balbithan Island, to Mill Burn 4.9 miles, Right Bank – Tuach Burn to top of Kinaldie Beat 2.2 miles. Brown Trout Limits are Left bank - Top of Balbithan Island to Mill Burn 4.9 miles. Right Bank – Top of Balbithan Island to top of Kinaldie Beat total 3.7 miles.
4. Every person fishing must be in possession of a current permit issued on by Kintore Angling Club and any person fishing without a permit will be liable to prosecution. Permits must be obtained before fishing. commences. This permit is valid only for the person named and is not transferable. Permit holders should carry photographic ID always.
5. Anglers must do everything possible to prevent illegal fishing or poaching.
6. Anglers must keep to the fishing paths and must not be accompanied by dogs, must respect others property, crops, fences etc. Gates should be left as found and no fires are permitted.
7. Anglers must allow any Bailiff, River Watcher, Warden or other person having authority from Kintore Angling Club to inspect their fishing permit, identification, fishing tackle and any fish in their possession.
8. It is now a criminal offence to keep any salmon caught on the River Don and all must be returned carefully. Anglers may kill a maximum of 1 Sea Trout per week and a maximum of 2 per season. Brown trout a maximum of 1 per day and 8 per season.
9. Anglers must not take or kill any fry, par, kelts or unclean fish. Nor any fish under 12 inches in length or Brown Trout above 18 inches. Any such fish caught, must be returned alive to the water. Any angler found in possession of any trout out with the size range or more than the bag limit, will have their permit withdrawn and may not be granted a future permit. To conserve Stocks all Anglers are requested to return all fish.
10. Ground baiting is strictly prohibited, and Brown Trout fishing lines over 6lbs/2.72 kg breaking strain prohibited.
11. Worm fishing is limited to the months of June, July, August and September using barbless or circular hooks.
12. No floats of any type shall be used, except for junior members, 15 years and under.
13. Anglers fishing with treble hooks are recommended to use barbless treble hooks to aid minimal damage to fish and aid release.
14. Fishing rod to be held in hand at all times when fishing.
15. Anglers are required to report all fish caught by completing a catch return form and sending it to: Kintore Angling Club, 8 Hallforest Avenue, Kintore. AB510TF or submitting their return via email brianjohnstone54@btinternet.com.
16. At all times anglers will fish through the pools and must not continue to occupy these when following anglers approach. Anglers must not cut in front of another for at least 50 metres. Salmon anglers have priority over anglers.
17. KAC reserves the right to amend or make additions to the conditions.
18. All foul-hooked fish must be returned alive to the river.
19. Fishing for brown trout is permitted from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset. No night fishing for Sea Trout before the 1st May.
20. Any person infringing any of these conditions or who may be convicted of any illegal fishing or any offence under the Acts relative to trout and salmon fishing, will have their permit withdrawn and may not be granted future permits.
21. No wading beyond one-third of river width.
22. No Sunday fishing allowed.
River/Area
2021 Salmon & Sea Trout Conservation Policy
Legal Requirements
FULL CATCH AND RELEASE FOR SALMON. Trout and Seatout are advised to be returned.
A. The salmon fishing season will run from 11th February to 31st October.
B. It is a criminal offence to retain a salmon or grilse throughout the whole of the angling season. By law any salmon or grilse that is caught must be returned to the river, whether dead or alive.
C. It is illegal to sell rod caught wild salmon or sea trout, or use knotted nets, tailers or gaffs.
D. It is a legal requirement that proprietors must report catches and fishing effort, so all anglers in turn must report to the beat proprietor. Failure to report catches or effort could influence the future category status of the river.
Conservation Code
E. Anglers are encouraged to practice 100% catch and release for the entire season for sea trout and finnock.
F. Anglers are encouraged to fly fish throughout the river catchment.
G. It is recommended that all hooks should be barbless or crimped.
H. Spinning is permitted at the beat's discretion. Maximum of one treble hook (barbless) on lure.
I. It is recommended that bait fishing, using the worm only and barbless hooks, is only permitted for junior anglers at the beat's discretion. There should be no worming in October.
J. Fish returned to the water should be handled carefully with wetted hands and held facing upstream until sufficiently recovered to swim free. Fish should remain in the water at all times.
K. All anglers are requested to disinfect waders and landing nets prior to fishing to prevent the introduction of Gyrodactylus salaris and other diseases to the Don. Further information is available at www.riverdon.org.uk
L. Any pink salmon that are caught must be retained and reported to the River Office on the 24-hour number – 01467 642121.
For guidelines on how to safely release fish or information on fish stocks, please visit our website:
www.riverdon.org.uk
The Conservation of Salmon (Scotland) Regulations 2016 manage the killing of salmon in
rivers based on categorising the conservation status of their stocks. The Scottish
Government has categorised the Don as a Category 3 river and therefore all salmon must
be returned throughout the 2020 season.
24 Hour Emergency Contact Details – 01467 642121
FishPal
EXTRA CORONAVIRUS RULES
These rules are to help ensure that not only you, but also other anglers, gillies and walkers, are protected as far as possible. They will apply to all past and future bookings made through FishPal.
1. Social Distancing. Always keep at least 2 metres away from ALL other people on the river (unless in your own household). In particular do not shake hands with anyone.
2. Do not share cars, boats, huts, tackle, nets, crockery, food etc with anyone else (unless in your own household).
3. No longer expect any ghillie to shake your hand, set up your equipment, make you cups of tea, or drive you round the beat. Do not hand any tip directly to the ghillie. Leave it where it can easily be found.
4. Bring your own food and drink and do not share.
5. Bring your own hand sanitiser and wipes and use regularly during the day, especially if you have to use any WC provided by the fishery (try to avoid if you can). Wash your hands regularly wherever possible.
6. Wear gloves when touching doors, gates, styles, fences or any equipment that is not your own.
In addition you must use your own common sense at all times to reduce the risk of cross infection. If in doubt, don't do it!
STANDARD BOOKING CONDITIONS
1. Once you have booked you cannot change your dates or number of rods (the only exception is when you book through the help desk, have notified us of any mistakes within 7 days of the date of making the booking, and provided proper evidence that the mistake is the help desk's and not your own).
2. If you need to change your rod or days, they can be booked separately if you need extra ones and they are available. If you need less rods or days, or decide not to come after all, then we can try to relet them for you, but cannot guarantee to do so. There is a £10 + VAT charge for trying and if successful a further 10% letting fee + VAT.
3. You cannot sublet the fishings you book without our permission and then only by private arrangement and at the same prices and conditions as for this booking. No agent other than ourselves or the fishery manager may be used to help obtain a sublet.
4. Rods may not be shared on any one day without prior permission of the ghillie or fishery manager, which is often refused and should never be relied upon.
5. In Scotland it is illegal to fish without written permission, so you must bring this confirmation, or a copy of it, with you when you fish.
6. Charges: All bookings are subject to a booking charge which will vary according to the amount being booked. The exact charge will be clearly displayed on the very first booking page once you have set what you are wishing to book. There are no charges for processing debit cards. Credit cards can not be used unless you confirm that you are a non EU angler and will be surcharged by 2.5%.
7. Please note that in line with general practice, we cannot give refunds for fishing spoilt by poor weather, water or fishing conditions. If for any other reason a refund is offered by the fishery it will be responsible for refunding you direct. Only if we still hold the relevant funds will we do it ourselves (funds are sent to the fishery at the start of each month)
8. You must ring the ghillie, or other contact set by the fishery, at least two days before you come, so he knows that you are coming and that you know where and when to meet him.
9. You must report full details of any fish caught to the ghillie or other contact provided by the fishery promptly.
10. We have asked fisheries to provide lifejackets or buoyancy aids of a design that will not impair your ability to fish in comfort. We strongly advise you to wear one when using a boat or when wading in strong or deep water. If you don't, you are doing so at your own risk. If you are not happy with the equipment provided, or any other safety issue, please ring us immediately, so that we can arrange for the situation to be rectified. A general guide to safety can be seen by going to this page
11. If you have any problems with the standard of service provided on the fishery, please tell the ghillie or fishery manager straightaway and if you don't get a satisfactory response, please contact the office immediately, so we have time to act before you leave. Failure to do so will severely hamper any chances of us obtaining fair redress for you.
12. To help prevent an outbreak of Gyrodactylus Salaris which has had catastrophic effects on some foreign rivers, all rods fishing must complete a Gyrodactylus declaration on arrival at the fishery. This states that either you have not used your fishing tackle abroad in the last three months, or you have done so and had it properly sterilised, or you have done so and NOT had it sterilised. In the latter case, you must agree to sterilisation taking place before you start fishing, and accept that there may be some delay in getting this organised. A copy of the declaration form can be seen by going to this page and more information on Gyrodactylus by going to this page
13. All bookings are also subject to the conditions set by the relevant fishery.
14. The booking system and its management are at all times acting only as an agent for the fishery. All letting contracts are therefore between the fishery and the person taking the fishing.
15. The system management and/or the fisheries reserve the right to immediately withdraw fishing without compensation from anyone who breaks these or associated conditions, or flouts normal standards of behaviour or fishing etiquette.
16. You need to bring your own fishing equipment (rods, reels, lines, flies etc) unless you have specifically agreed with the fishery well in advance that they supply this for you.
17. You need to be reasonably healthy and mobile to access most fishings. If you are not, you must notify the fishery or ourselves before you book, to ensure that you can be looked after safely and properly.
18. Anglers are reminded that parking of cars should be in designated parking areas and is always at the anglers own risk.
Scotland
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