Fishing Rules, Selection Criteria & Our Constitution

Fishing Rules...

1. DEFINITIONS
Competition Sport Fly Fishing is angling with a conventional fly rod, fly line, fly reel and artificial flies among competitors who are observing a standard, approved set of rules without a financial objective.

2. GENERAL INFORMATION
The KZNFFA League will be organised for competitors of either sex, competing together or separately. Specific gender participation must be highlighted in the competition rules and amendment notification. 
Competitions may be organised for different age groups:
o Category A:     Over 18 – Senior Men and Ladies
o Category B1:   Between 14 & 18 – Junior ( International > 14 )
o Category B2:   Younger than 14 ( South Africa National, Sector and Club competitions )
 

The KZNFFA League will be fished on Freshwater over a number of Events during a calendar year (as advertised on the Annual Calendar) consisting of both still water and river fishing. Each Event will be made up of either 1, 2 or 3 Sessions of three hours each in which competitors will fish against each other.
(The length of a session may be altered according to local conditions and circumstances)

3.COMPETITION RULES
The League will be fished according to SAFFA'S ( South African Fly Fishing Association ) current fishing rules which can be viewed here. These rules have been amended to suit the local KZN conditions and circumstances generally as follows:
 

COMPETITION WATERS
All competition waters will be closed to competitors or their agents for a minimum period of 14 fourteen days prior
to the event. The Events may take place on Rivers or Still waters.

RIVERS
Rivers will be divided into clearly marked beats which will be established in such a way as to to allow each competitor
equal fishing opportunities, with an objective of a minimum length of one hundred meters. The beats will be allocated to competitors by means of a random draw and once the draw has been made the beats may not be altered.
A competitor may only move his flies, or fish, within the marked boundaries of his beat and shall at all times remain within the bounds of that beat allocated. If a fish, hooked within a competitors own the beat, swims into the adjacent beat of another competitor, the competitor may request permission from the other competitor to fight the fish in his beat. Once permission has been granted the competitor shall have 10 minutes to fight the fish from within his own beat and net the fish within his own beat. If the other competitor does not grant such permission then the fish must be broken off.
 

STILL WATERS
Stillwater sessions will be fished off supplied drift boats or from the bank ( no motors will be allowed ).

The KZNFFA Competition Secretary may, under special circumstances, grant permission for competitors to fish from the bank. However in such an instance - once a competitor has been drawn to fish either off the bank or drift boat the competitor shall not be permitted to change from one method to the other during a session. No competitor may encroach within 30 meters of another competitor. If another competitor is in an area that you wish to fish, you may ask that competitor to move, and that competitor will have 20 minutes to do so ( be sporting at all times ).
 

COMPETITION FLY RODS
- One fly rod, not more than twelve feet/three hundred and sixty-six centimetres in length, may be used at any one       
   time.
- Competitors may have spare fly rods & reels with them but, when still water fishing, the rods shall not be assembled       nor have a reel attached.
- When river fishing the spare rod/s may be assembled but must be left on the bank.
- Competitors are responsible for carrying and protecting their own equipment.

COMPETITION FLY LINES
- Only factory made floating, sinking or sink tip lines may be used, and shall be a minimum length of twenty-two (22)
   meters.
- No fly line shall be modified in any way whatsoever, other than to attach the backing or the leader.
- Lead core lines and shooting heads are not allowed.
- Neither additional weights nor floating material or devices are allowed ( E.g. strike indicators, polystyrene, yarn,
   bolster, sink aids of putty or tungsten or lead etc. )
- A dry fly may be used as an indicator and must have a hook in it.

COMPETITION LEADERS
- The single fly line leader system may be used, with a maximum length of twice the rod.
- No braided or platted leader system may be used.
- Leaders may be knotted or knotless, tapered or level.
- Neither additional weights nor floating material or devices are allowed ( E.g. strike indicators, polystyrene, yarn,
   bolster, sink aids of putty or tungsten or lead etc. ).
- The leader may be attached to the fly line with a braided loop. The section from the end of the fly line to the end of
   the loop may not be more than 5 cm.

COMPETITION FLIES
- Competitors may use floating or sinking artificial flies.
- Each fly shall be tied on one single hook, fly to fit specifications of competition measuring device.
- The length of the dressed fly will be at the discretion of the competitor.
- Weighted flies are permitted, provided the weight is hidden within the dressing. A single visible bead, not more than 4
   mm in its maximum dimension, is also permitted. Painting alone does not constitute dressing. ( painted or unpainted
    "lead eye" and “dumbbell eye” flies are not permitted. )
- Glass bead head flies, or flies with glass beads for heads are permitted.
- A maximum of three flies is permitted, and the flies shall not be less than fifty centimeters (50cm) apart, measured
   eye to eye and hanging freely.
- All flies must be attached to the leader in such a way that neither they nor their droppers move or slide along the
   leader material.
- A fly may NOT be tied onto the leader / tippet with a loop knot / Rapala knot.
- No "New Zealand Rigs" are permitted - i.e. multiple fly rigs must be tied using droppers.
- All flies will be dressed on hooks that are barbless, de-barbed or with the barb filed down flat.

ELIGIBLE FISH
- Only Eligible fish will qualify for scoring.
- Only fish hooked in the mouth area and in front of the gill cover will be eligible.
- A fish hooked inside the time limit of a session is eligible if it is landed not more than ten minutes after the end of that
   session.

LANDING NETS
- Fish MUST be landed in a net to be eligible.
- Landing nets, of which the material must be soft cotton or other non-abrasive material, shall not exceed one hundred
   and twenty two cm in overall length, fully extended ( forty-eight inches ).
- Competitors must net their own fish.
* NOTE Rule Amendment on Netting / Popping Fish ( Link at the top of this page )

SCORING
- For each eligible fish caught, a competitor will score one hundred points.
- Competitors will also receive twenty points per centimetre length of each eligible fish; the recorded length will be
   rounded up to the next complete centimetre for scoring purposes. The length will be from the tip of the nose to the V
   of the tail. ( Fork length )
- The scores for each session will be tallied and competitors will receive points according to the position they finished
   in in that session. - - - The winning competitor of a session will be awarded 1 point, the second placed competitor will
   receive 2 points, the third placed competitor will receive 3 points and so on.
- Any competitor who fails to make a valid catch in a session will be awarded a placing equal to the number of
   competitors in that session. The same placing will be awarded to any competitor who fails to participate for any
   reason.
- Any competitor who is forced to retire for any reason from a session shall have the catch, up to that time included in
   the results of the session.
- If there is a tie in a session, the first tie-breaker will be based on the number of eligible fish caught, and secondly by
   the largest eligible fish. If the tie persists, the competitors will receive equal placing(s) and the immediately following
   placing(s) will be blank.

LEAGUE RANKINGS
League ranking will be determined by the lowest cumulative number of points for all sessions.
The worst two sessions results from each competitor will be discarded in determining the overall annual league ranking. In the case of ties, the league ranking will be determined by tie-breaker considering first, the total points received, secondly, the total number of eligible fish caught, and thirdly, by the largest eligible fish, until the tie is broken. If the tie persists, the competitor(s) will be awarded equal positions and the immediately following position(s) will be blank.

4.PROHIBITIONS
The following are prohibited during a KZNFFA authorised competition:
- The fishing of Championship waters by competitors or their agents during official practice or during fourteen days

   prior to the event.
- A competitor may not receive any material assistance, advice, equipment or tackle from any person during a session.
- The use of radio or other communications between competitors, guests, spectators or officials, other than for safety
   or health reasons or to resolve disagreements.
- The use fish/depth finders.
- Lack of sportsmanship towards other competitors, organisers or officials.
- Any action by competitors, organisers or officials, which would produce fraudulent or biased results.

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5.OBLIGATION OF COMPETITORS
Participants in competitions authorized by KZNFFA will respect the Competition Rules and any authorised Modifications. Out of courtesy to the Host ( Sector / Club ) Organisation, and the sponsors, all team registrants are required to attend all official functions listed in the final official program.

It is the responsibility of each competitor to take all appropriate safety measures, including the wearing of eye protection and life preserving equipment.