The Towpath Angler
Our monthly look at the angling scene
AS I write this article we are, sadly, on the brink of another period of lockdown. Like most people I saw this as inevitable, given the increases in Covid cases across most of the UK.
We all have our own thoughts about how these increases came about but it really is rather academic. I would rather it not be this way but it has become essential. Hopefully it will help reverse the trend and allow us to move on towards some kind of normality and, who knows, maybe even a decent Christmas.
This latest lockdown will, undoubtedly, cause many problems especially in the business world and, as I said during the spring lockdown, organisations running sport and recreation will be far from exempt from this. Indeed given that the country generally has not functioned on all cylinders so far this year I think the impact of this second lockdown period will see many businesses and other organisations struggle to survive.
One saving grace is that because we were all encouraged to get out and enjoy the great outdoors many people, including youngsters, sought to join sports and recreation clubs, giving many of these a real bonus year in terms of membership and general activity so this next period will, hopefully, not create so much hardship for these organisations as it may have done.
Canal Angling Championships. As I said last month these events are a wonderful platform with which to engage youngsters with our waterways. The 2020 Canal Pairs Championship has also just been completed. Perfect timing really as we move into this new lockdown.
The last three months have seen plenty of top flight competitions taking place, many of them as part of the catch up and now we are well into the traditional Winter League season. Historically these events have seen many of the country’s best anglers on the bank in often appalling conditions. Nevertheless they are always keenly fought contests culminating in a grand final comprising of all the winners of the different leagues.
Planning is already under way for the two Angling Trust National Championships deferred from this year. Division 1 is set for the Grand Union near Northampton and Division 2 for the Gloucester. Covid permitting I suspect both of these will be top class events and be really good for both canals.