Keep calm and carry on fishing
Venues remain open, and anglers are encouraged to continue with their hobby, but to take basic precautions…
“Angling gets people away from crowded, indoor situations.”
AS THE Coronavirus pandemic continues to worsen, anglers all over the country will be wondering what impact it will have on their fishing.
The good news is that, at the time of writing, most fisheries remain open, and anglers are being encouraged to carry on with their hobby, while remaining vigilant and using common sense.
Many venue bosses have been taking extra measures to keep visiting anglers safe, among them Neil Grantham at Lindholme Lakes in Doncaster.
“We’re taking the outbreak very seriously,” says Neil, “but we will remain open and have put plans in place to keep visitors to the fishery as safe as possible. We’re planning to have somebody on duty at the gates with a bottle of hand sanitiser to make sure that every visiting angler disinfects their hands before getting out of their car.
“We have 600 pegs on site and so we’re able to space anglers out well, with a peg in between each one, meaning a break of at least 20 yards. We’ve stocked up on loads of toilet roll for our toilet blocks, so visitors won’t have to worry about that either!”
Measures have also been put in place at the country’s most popular day-ticket carp complex, Linear Fisheries in Oxford, and for the time being the gates remain firmly open after management held a meeting to discuss their strategy for dealing with the pandemic.
“We are open, but we will be making a few changes,” says owner Chris Blunt.
“We will only be issuing tickets for a maximum of 48 hours until the Government has advised us further or we feel the need to temporarily close the complex.
“We’re also having discussions about some of our events, including our annual Open Day, and a decision on whether to hold these this year will be made in the coming weeks.”
Chris was keen to point out, however, that he isn’t keen on anglers using the fishery to ‘self-isolate’.
“I know a lot of it has been in jest, but I’ve seen lots of people on social media posting that if you have to ‘self-isolate’, then fishing would be perfect. Let me be perfectly clear – if you have been instructed to isolate yourself, this must be done at home. If we suspect someone with the virus has entered the fishery, they’ll be asked to leave and once the new law has been passed by Parliament, we may inform the authorities.
“If we do have to temporarily close or you can’t make it out fishing, just remember that your health and that of your family is more important than fishing – the lakes aren’t going anywhere, and the fish will be very hungry on your return.”
It’s not only fisheries that are going the extra mile to stay open, with tackle shops also doing everything they can to keep the industry ticking over at this difficult time. Rob Kinge, part owner of Hampshire Tackle in Aldershot, says:
“It’s business as usual, and I want people to feel comfortable coming into our shop. We’ve been regularly cleaning all surfaces, as well as being extra vigilant with washing our hands. Customers also have the option to make orders over the phone before coming to the shop, which ensures that they spend minimal time browsing and being in contact with people, which in turn gives them peace of mind.”
Meanwhile, Angling Trust Chief Executive Jamie Cook said he believed that angling was better placed than many sports to carry on during these troubling times. He
said: “Where appropriate, anglers should carry on fishing and encourage others to do so. Angling gets people out into the fresh air and away from crowded, indoor situations where infections are more likely to spread. However, we need to be vigilant and take precautions to minimise the risk to ourselves and others. I would be encouraging everyone involved in angling to follow the official advice and adapt your plans and events accordingly.”
We strongly advise clubs and other angling organisations that, if it is possible, to postpone meetings, such as AGMs, to help with containment and for the well-being of your members.”