How has this year impacted on your fishing?

[Dave]

With all the issues surrounding the pandemic, work, travel, home life, restrictions, money, even sourcing fishing tackle, how has this year impacted on your fishing?

Do you find you've had more time on your hands so gone more often?

Change of format for matches put you off match fishing?

Restricted income caused you to look at what you spend on fishing?

Or perhaps the other way round, spent more as you've had more time to do so - shopping binges

Have you used fishing as an escape from it all?

I'd be interested to hear how you've got on .......

 

[davej1981]

I was planning on making my return to fishing after a 20yr break in around april time when the weather gets better. Id been planning this for a while then it hit. Whilest i still had all my old gear i had no pole rigs line etc. I had a nightmare trying to get bits to tie rigs and hooklengths as well as trying to get things like pellets and grounbait ready for when we could go again. The schools shut down so me and the wife had to try and homeschool whilest looking after 2 preschoolers as well got a couple of sessions on when the schools reopened. Planned on buying bits over the summer which was difficult to get what i wanted. Hopefully going on my next session today! So all in all it had a huge impact on mine

 

[62tucker]

Fished every Saturday and a odd Sunday when fishing was 1st allowed for about 6/7 weeks till travel and my caravan site opened then started to go up there every weekend so only fish odd days now.
So I actually fished less when it all kicked off as couldn’t go. Then more as could fish but couldn’t travel. Then less again when travel restrictions were lifted.

 

[OldTaff]

It hasn’t had any impact on me - returned to the sport after 15yr lay-off, managed to pick up all the bits of kit I needed from charity shops or FB marketplace plus my local shops were well stocked with terminal tackle and bait.

Been teaching my young son to fish and that’s been amazing & we‘ve used local free waters for our sessions.

As I work in an ‘essential‘ industry then there has been no furlough, pay or hours reduction so it’s been business as usual effectively.

The sudden weather change has deterred my son but I’m still up for sessions so looking forward positively.


Karl

 

[Cobweb]

My old fishing buddy for 18 years passed away a few weeks ago after a long spell of illness. While I have always enjoyed the peace and solitude fishing brings it is not so much fun without someone to share the experience with. In terms of how this impacts my fishing, it is not inconsiderable, and his absence will take some getting used to. However the pandemic managed to keep me/us away from the bank for some time largely due to the sudden surge of interest in fishing, so in the early days of Covid we were absent through mostly isolating not forgetting the temporary ban. Now I'm starting up again and rotating between local float, bream, and match lake venues around every fortnight for variety. As for kit, I bought a couple of reels, a Bream rod, and a slimline side tray this year but am now finished buying everything but bits as needed to replace used or damaged tackle. As I had been buying gear for both of us I now find myself with an excess of kit. I shall get around to selling some of it soon. I have already sold my acolyte plus feeder rod, and will have to find a home for some larger landing nets, a cradle, and a couple of stalking rods at some point

 

[ukzero1]

It's been a nightmare for me. The trips out with @sly were very enjoyable but this Covid put paid to those so I'm now limited to the club waters. Bailiff duties were taking up my time on the bank when lock-down first started and I found myself doing more pest control than fishing., and still am, there seems to be a bit of a Mink explosion round here. The trees and shrubs round the lakes need a final 'haircut', as does the grass and the litter seems to be getting worse, but I think a fair bit of it is coming over from the recycling center over the fence when the wind gets up. I have spent very little on tackle as I have what I need, but I have spent a few bob on the guns, keeping them up to scratch, new silencers, new sights, having them serviced. I know I've said it before, about packing in being a bailiff, well, our AGM is in January and I think that's going to be the time when I say enough is enough. I would rather pay the £20 a year to fish than keep getting disturbed for one reason or another when I'm trying to have a relaxing few hours.

 

[Dave Spence]

My fishing has been cancelled, I've not been since before March. I was just not prepared to risk it.

 

[Silverfisher]

On the coarse fishing front it’s been the best year of my fishing career without doubt.
Furlough and the largely good weather has meant I’ve got more sessions in over the last 4-5 months or whatever it’s been than I normally would in a whole year and there’s been more good sessions than bad with quite a few genuinely really good sessions up there with the best I’ve ever had. I’ll never get the opportunity to fish this much again until retirement so I’ve really appreciated every session and tried to make the most of every one and have had a brilliant time.

It really was a great fishing summer and hopefully that now continues into the autumn!

 

[Wise Owl]

No change whatsoever, had a PB Barbel, lots of trips out, more in fact, had some great days out with Albert Finding new Places and getting info, Got money back on holidays and didnt spend as much on eating out and Buying Clothes, so more to spend on Fishing Not been Bad at all.

 

[juttle]

Hasn’t made any difference to me at all. I only fish mid week so don’t get involved in the weekend crowds, the place I fish in the spring and summer only allows 12 anglers on the bank a day anyway. Usually I’m on my own as I start early and leave around midday, about the time any other anglers are arriving! Money wise, nothings changed. I’ve been a grumpy old cripple for the last 15 years so what comes in is the same month after month. The events of the last 6 months or so have, more or less, past me by, I can only get out of the house once a week to go fishing, the rest of the week I’m at home, so I’ve been, effectively, self isolating for years!

it’s a good job I’m happy with my own company. (And you lot, of course!)

 

[davepellet]

Left it too late in the year to stand any chance if tench this year, first coupla sessions I chose venues with the best chance but no good. Crucians but no tench sadly! Picked a bad year to decide not to renew my membership of the best tench water in the area!!!

 

[Lee Richards]

Managed to do more Barbel fishing this year than the past five yet ironically it has coincided with the Barbel deciding they have other ideas.

 

[IanG1]

The whole covid thing made me take stock of life that I wouldn't have normally done. Decided to work 4 days instead of my usual 5. Started this at the beginning of the month having Wednesday off and fished everyone since on a local knock up. Best decision I have ever made and the benefits far outweigh the financial loss.

 

[Stufish]

I'd been pondering about getting back into fishing and the lockdown gave me the final push that I needed, I've only fished commercials up to now but I'm hoping to get back to the rivers eventually.

 

[Neil ofthe nene]

No impact for me apart from a very poor run of results since June.

 

[Barbelcatcher]

Not made much difference, still not getting out enough - family problems seem to be taking over more and more as I get older - did over 600 miles last week concerning them. Have rod will travel.

 

[Markywhizz]

I’m retired so it’s not made any difference to my finances and time for fishing. The period when fishing was banned drove me up the wall and seemed to last for ever but since then I’ve really enjoyed my fishing. Mrs Whizz was on furlough until July and then retired so I’ve not been anywhere near as lonely. She even comes with me sometimes if it’s a sunny day.

While we were in lockdown I joined another club and have an extra lake to fish. It’s the most tranquil place I’ve ever been and so have really enjoyed that. It’s not that prolific but who cares, I’ve only blanked once so I’m very happy with it. Not having to find the £7 I need when I go to the local commercial has been nice too. I’m planning to fish more in the winter this year with having a wider range of options regarding silvers and the like but whether I bottle out when the temperature really drops remains to be seen.

I’ve had a very good summer all in all.

 

[bettsfan]

Far more of an impact for me, I retired in April and was looking forward to getting out more. Unfortunately too full of in trepidation (and self isolation for er indoors) to go when the lockdown was lifted. Took the plunge in middle of August so have been 6 or 7 times locally, fished 1 match badly and managed a couple of days on the River Test fly fishing (not my thing but I do enjoy it). It is different, generally people have been excellent with Covid guidelines even the match I fished, although it has impacted on the 'social' side. As much as I love the company I can happily fish alone and watch the world go by.

 

[alsur]

Only been 5x since lockdown, Club lakes have been much busier than normal and rivers have been low and clear and also busier than usual. So getting a good swim or even getting on the better lakes has been difficult. The first two matches in league I normally fish were cancelled and now league has been cancelled although they are running individual matches on booked venue, but they are a long way from home and with restrictions now in place I have decided not to fish them.

 

[rudd]

The whole covid thing made me take stock of life that I wouldn't have normally done. Decided to work 4 days instead of my usual 5. Started this at the beginning of the month having Wednesday off and fished everyone since on a local knock up. Best decision I have ever made and the benefits far outweigh the financial loss.

Wish I had taken the 4 day option and would of been paid 86% of salary.
During the actual lockdown I lost around 200 hours of prime spring fishing!
Having to work from home has been a bonus giving me back 15 hours a week and once lockdown lifted this equates to around 300 hours, a good proportion spent fishing!