Page Last updated:    8/7/10

About D.C.A.C.

Formed in 1962 and based in Durham City, D.C.A.C. control several excellent stretches of the river Wear in and around the City and is one of the longer established clubs in the region. The Club provides freshwater fishing opportunities for all disciplines of the sport and, unlike some clubs in the region, does not discriminate between different angling practices. No matter what you’re chosen discipline, fly or bait fishing on the rivers, silver-stillwater, specimen or match fishing, D.C.A.C. provides for ALL.

All members pay the same fees, whether they target salmon, sea trout or the big shoals of dace and chub the river Wear has become known for. The River Wear is fast gaining a reputation as a venue for specimen sized coarse fish, especially the waters within the City area, of which D.C.A.C. have much of the available fishing. Although not prolific, barbel and bream continue to establish themselves in the river.

For the game anglers, each season sees the river recording a greater run of migratory fish than its more famous neighbour the Tyne, and the Wear is now considered to be one of the best sea trout rivers in the country with Club catch returns consistently showing increasing numbers of double figure fish.

The Club has in the Brasside complex one of the best carp/ match/mixed coarse fisheries in the area available on the purchase of a club book. With Carp to over 26lb and match weights approaching 90-lb's, the heavy investment in the water the Club has made is starting to pay off for members.

Two of the waters, the West and East, also have a small head of pike to the high teens, with the odd fish probably over 20 lb's.

Night fishing is allowed on the larger specimen West water, as it is on all club river sections (See Junior section for recent changes re night fishing for Junior Members) however a Brasside Night Fishing permit has recently been introduced. There is no extra charge for this permit but this has to be applied for before a member can fish Brasside throughout the night period.

The stillwaters at Brasside also have the added benefit of secure locked parking, making it one of the very few venues in the region where anglers can leave their vehicle overnight in the certain knowledge that it is safe to do so

The Club is a founder member of Dunelm A.A, and the River Wear Fisheries Improvement Association. Membership of the Dunelm AA gives Club members the opportunity to take part in the Angling Times Teams Championships (formerly the AT Winter League) and also the National Clubs Championships now organised by the Angling Trust.

D.C.A.C. is a member of the Tyne Anglers Alliance (giving Club members access to several still-waters on Tyneside and the river Tyne at Newburn)  

D.C.A.C. is a full member of the Angling Trust, the new unified body representing all anglers and fisheries and the A.T has recently been recognised by Sport England as the Governing Body for the sport of angling.

Being a member of the A.T. also brings membership of Fish Legal (formerly the ACA) giving the Club legal advise and representation on all angling matters. Also through the Angling Trust we now have a direct input to policy making at National level.

D.C.A.C. provides several benefits for the membership including; free fishing for a members spouse and children/grandchildren under the age of 16 years, Guest permits in order that a member may take non members on to club waters, and exchange books with other clubs in the region.

Another benefit, but probably something that most anglers don’t give a second thought to, is that members of D.C.A.C. have Public Liability cover (through our membership of the Angling Trust.) of up to £5m when fishing Club waters.

Individual membership of the Angling Trust gives £5m’s worth  of public liability cover world wide. (except for in the USA and Canada) This cover is especially usefully for when fishing day-ticket or commercial waters; although the fishery owner might be covered, should an incident occur, anglers might not be. In such circumstances the insurer will then recover any costs, which are likely to be high, from the individual angler. Club Members are strongly advised to take out individual membership of the AT, if for no other reason than the world-wide public liability cover and the knowledge that you will be supporting the valuable work carried out by Fish Legal (formerly the ACA)