Welwyn Garden City Angling Club

Welwyn Garden City Angling Club (WGCAC) manage fishing activity at the park and provide bailiff and enforcement for the waters.

The WGCAC also look to improve the education, coaching and competition associated with fishing.

Fishing is only allowed between sunrise to sunset. Night time fishing is not allowed with the exception of the WGCAC bailiffs on duty.

Rod Licence

To fish at Fairlands Valley, you need both a rod licence and a day ticket.

Anyone aged 12 years or over who fishes for salmon, trout, freshwater fish or eels in England and Wales must have an Environment Agency Rod Fishing Licence.

A rod licence is a statutory requirement and entitles the licensee to use a rod and line to fish.

Under 12’s do not require a Rod Licence, but are required to be accompanied by an adult. Anybody not complying with this will not be allowed to fish.

Rod licences can be purchased from any Post Office in England and Wales.

Day ticket

Day tickets give permission to fish a particular water. Day tickets may be purchased from the WGCAC bailiff on duty.

The bailiffs will be on site to check that all anglers purchase a day ticket and that those over the age of 12 years have a Rod Licence. Anybody not complying with this will not be allowed to fish.

Fishing Rules and Regulations

All anglers must comply fully with the Stevenage Borough Council Bye Laws / Fairlands Valley Park Angling Rules and Bye-Laws and hold an Environment Agency rod licence.
Stevenage Borough Council and Welwyn Garden City Angling Club reserve the right to expel anglers who breach any of these rules. Day tickets will be withdrawn and no refunds will be given.
Ticket holders fish entirely at their own risk. Neither Stevenage Borough Council nor Welwyn Garden City Angling Club accepts any liability or responsibility for the loss, damage or injury to any customer or equipment, however caused.
Day tickets must be purchased at the water edge from the Welwyn Garden City Angling Club Bailiff.
Day tickets must be produced when requested by officers of the council, bailiff or any WGC Angling Club official.
Day ticket anglers are permitted to fish the main lake from peg 1 on the West fishing beach to peg 37 on the Southern fishing bank only. No fishing is allowed on any other parts of the Main Lake, the Environment Lake or The Millennium Lake.
No Night Fishing. Fishing times sunrise to sunset only.
Any Fishing on the main lake between 15 March and 15 June (inclusive) will be at the discretion of Stevenage Borough Council and WGC Angling Club.
No fishing by persons under 12 years of age, unless accompanied by an adult.
No interfering with other water users. Consideration must be given for the safety of other users at all times.
Interfering with the wildlife or damaging the banks, trees, shrubs, lifesaving equipment or boats is strictly forbidden.
Maximum two rods per person per peg.
All fish, except Zander, must be returned unharmed to the water.
No keep nets allowed (except bona fide matches).
Anglers must possess a landing net and landing nets must be used at all times.
Any tagged fish caught must be notified to the bailiff.
No litter – please use the litterbins provided.
No lighting fires.
No firearms allowed.
No unattended dogs. Dogs must be kept on a lead at the waters edge and under proper control at all times.
No digging for baits.
No fishing from boats.
No fishing towards the boat launching area from peg 1.
All motorised vehicles are restricted to the designated car parks only.
All loose fed cereal groundbait, boilies and floating baits are banned.
Any person less than 12 years of age must not use catapults.
Bait etc, of any kind must not be fired at other lake users under any circumstances.
Only free running method feeders are permitted.
Boilies must not be fired out under any circumstances.
Baiting with peanuts and tiger nuts is banned.
Please take all unused bait off site. Unused bait must not be thrown in the water, left on the banks or deposited in the litter bins.
Only barbless or micro barb hooks are permitted.
Rods must not be left unattended.
Spods/bait boats are not permitted.
Unhooking mat to be used at all times.
No livebaiting, artificial lures or treble hooks to be used.
Casting is only permitted from designated fishing areas.

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