LOCKDOWN NEWSFLASH

[alsur]

I will explain more, speaking to John who runs Packington Somers his interpretation was. If you pass other fisheries to come to his you are not staying local. I have 4 fisheries within my CV postcode so thats why i said about fishing in your local postcode. It is difficult but it's just about being sensible really.
All the lakes are solid so i won't worry too much myself.

I'd agree about driving past other fisheries, I have to fisheries very close to me a stretch of canal and a club lake. I could fish these the Canal can fish OK this time of year but as I'm in a built up area the towpath is extremely busy the lake is hard most of the time and the chances of catching are almost zero. So I probably won't go unless we get a exceptional mild spell as I don't think I can justify driving pass those to get to river I would normally fish.

My GU postcode covers a very large are including large parts of Surrey and Hampshire so I don't think that could be defined as local, It might be able to use GU xx but in my case it still includes parts of a different town.

 

[tipitinmick]

This is a terrible decision and if we are in lockdown then that should be exactley what the word should mean.

How many of us say we are going to get some exercise when we go fishing?

Just because they are now saying we can go does not mean we should.

The virus fugures speak for themselves.

It does not matter how minimal the risk is as all these minimal risks end up along the line with more pressure on the NHS.

Love that post mate

My missus is a midwife and there’s a whisper that midwives will be asked to help out on the Covid wards. People won’t believe just how bad it is in hospitals. She’s retired once but, went back on one day a week to help out. That quickly moved to two now most weeks it’s three. There’s simply no one there to do the job. God knows what pregnant ladies are going to do when midwives are moved to Covid wards.

 

[tipitinmick]

Both are frozen solid, around about 4 or 5 inch thick in places. 2 inch thick in the margins.

Keep an eye on oxygen levels then I guess Peter. If it’s safe to do so break a few holes out to let the bad gasses out. But .... stay safe young man.

 

[ukzero1]

Keep an eye on oxygen levels then I guess Peter. If it’s safe to do so break a few holes out to let the bad gasses out. But .... stay safe young man.

Already have done mate, that's how I know how thick it is. Had to break the ice round some of the platforms with a steel collared pickaxe handle.

 

[The Landlord]

Some thread merging needed methinks, @Dave

 

[fishcatcher4]

Love that post mate

My missus is a midwife and there’s a whisper that midwives will be asked to help out on the Covid wards. People won’t believe just how bad it is in hospitals. She’s retired once but, went back on one day a week to help out. That quickly moved to two now most weeks it’s three. There’s simply no one there to do the job. God knows what pregnant ladies are going to do when midwives are moved to Covid wards.

Say thank you to your missus from me and my lot.

 

[tipitinmick]

Already have done mate, that's how I know how thick it is. Had to break the ice round some of the platforms with a steel collared pickaxe handle.

Is that your persuader Peter ?

 

[ukzero1]

Is that your persuader Peter ?

 

[tipitinmick]

Say thank you to your missus from me and my lot.

She’s scared mate. Simple as. They all are. She said to me on Sunday night ..... “ I want to live to see our daughter have children. I don’t want to die just yet “ I said to her ..... pack it in then. It’s not like we need the money but, she won’t. She loves her job and loves looking after people and seeing them get better. I couldn’t do her job I know that.

 

[R0B]

Welcome news, however I think it may have been more effective to have a short TOTAL lockdown, i.e. no fishing, golf, swimming, running, cycling, horse riding and all the other myriad of "essential exercises" including the closing of all non essential factories and businesses for a two week period. A short, sharp shock to allow the NHS to get a grip and the vaccinations to get a head start. Even 7 days of absolute home-prison wold make a difference. How easily people forget the other countries during the first wave, in places like Italy and Spain people were not allowed out whatsoever except for groceries and the police were on the streets asking what you were doing if you were seen outside. People ran marathons on their flat balconies and sung operas from their windows.
Unfortunately we are becoming like America, with a large percentage of the population acting like spoilt babies, ignoring facts and wilfully acting against any restrictions whilst egged-on by certain politicians.

How lucky we are. For the time being anyway.

 

[fishcatcher4]

She’s scared mate. Simple as. They all are. She said to me on Sunday night ..... “ I want to live to see our daughter have children. I don’t want to die just yet “ I said to her ..... pack it in then. It’s not like we need the money but, she won’t. She loves her job and loves looking after people and seeing them get better. I couldn’t do her job I know that.

It's people like your wife who are doing the country proud.

Keep safe both of you and your family.

 

[tipitinmick]

It's people like your wife who are doing the country proud.

Keep safe both of you and your family.

She’s my little hero pal.

 

[Dave]

In a nut shell if there is nowhere local to fish, whether iced up, flooded, no fisheries, go for a walk instead.

 

[Whixall]

For those who don't agree with the decision or bemoaning the lack of clarity on local, it's no different to joggers or cyclist's or that other irresponsible anarchist group, dog walkers! It's about personal responsibility. If we had to create rules to cater for the stupidest in society we'd need posters reminding people to breath out.

If you didn't want to go fishing or felt it wasn't socially responsible in the circumstances, you were well within your right not to go well before Sunday.

The AT exists to represent anglers interests, as anglers, and in that regard I believe have done a great job in making a case for us. The government made the decision.

For what it's worth I suspect the weather is doing a much more effective job of keeping the casual angler or those who are more interested in a 4 pack in their bivvy away from the bank than any legislation!

 

[alsur]

For those who don't agree with the decision or bemoaning the lack of clarity on local, it's no different to joggers or cyclist's or that other irresponsible anarchist group, dog walkers! It's about personal responsibility. If we had to create rules to cater for the stupidest in society we'd need posters reminding people to breath out.

If you didn't want to go fishing or felt it wasn't socially responsible in the circumstances, you were well within your right not to go well before Sunday.

The AT exists to represent anglers interests, as anglers, and in that regard I believe have done a great job in making a case for us. The government made the decision.

For what it's worth I suspect the weather is doing a much more effective job of keeping the casual angler or those who are more interested in a 4 pack in their bivvy away from the bank than any legislation!

Unfortunately looking at how some people behave we might have to, recently there have been ambulance queuing out side my local hospital and I know of one case where there were no ambulances available and someone had to be taken to AE by relatives and died shortly afterwards. Yet people are still ignoring or bending the rules.

 

[JayD]

Just got back onsite and seen the latest bulletin, to say I'm saddened, and disappointed is putting it mildly. I've never been a big fan of the AT right from the issues surrounding it's inception around 11 years ago, but I was starting to mellow a bit, partially from some of the things I've heard on this forum, no more. I find it ironic that an organisation that has said from the start that its aim was to represent, and unify angling, has lobbied for, and presented something that will cause resentment, confusion and division among those same anglers, as well as others outside of angling. That's apart from the dangers presented by the constant threat we all live under from this bloody virus. If I've read it right, I can only fish a water within my 'district' (whatever that's classed as). I live in one of the biggest areas in Leeds even if I called the whole area 'my district' it would only contain a few muddy holes in the ground of an acre or less in size. Others will have several choices of rivers, canals, and stillwaters in their 'district', so we have what could be classed as something similar to a post code lottery. If that doesn't cause some to feel resentful, as well as confused, then I don't know what will. If we add on those that will insist on, and work hard to find a way, to match fish, then even more resentment, from them initially, and from others when they get found out. I do realise that it would be impossible to find a solution that would suit everyone, that's why I truly believe that the AT should have stepped back, not lobbied the Government, and left things as they were, at least we would be united in our joint disappointment.

John.

 

[Dave]

The AT would have been damned if they didn't and damned if they did, however their position is to represent anglers, a bit like teachers unions represent teachers, etc, and if they were to take the moral high ground and say we are not going to see if we can get angling included as exercise then they would have been failing their membership.

Me personally, after the schit they've had thrown at them this past year, I wouldn't have bothered or at least had the decision made exclusive for Trust members only.

Damned if they do , damned if they don't - nice work if you can get it (not)

 

[Pompous git]

I will almost certainly go fishing next week, on my own {obviously} well away from anybody else, not doing any harm and no
risk whatsoever to myself or anyone else. Why do people have a problem with this?

 

[JayD]

The AT would have been damned if they didn't and damned if they did, however their position is to represent anglers, a bit like teachers unions represent teachers, etc, and if they were to take the moral high ground and say we are not going to see if we can get angling included as exercise then they would have been failing their membership.

Me personally, after the schit they've had thrown at them this past year, I wouldn't have bothered or at least had the decision made exclusive for Trust members only.

Damned if they do , damned if they don't - nice work if you can get it (not)

I agree with much of what you say, and as I said, it's impossible to please everyone Dave, that's why I personally, believe it would be best for all anglers, and for our image in the eyes of the general public, to not try and present angling as a 'special case', especially in the light of the present situation.
Your second paragraph sounds very familiar to those of us that tried to reason with, and question the AT all those years ago, and were met with the 'if your not with us, you're against us', and in some cases much worse, attitude of some of the more vocal members, especially on the now defunct AT forum. My post wasn't meant as a critique of the AT in general, just my personal view that in this instance I believe they were wrong, and even though I've spent more than 60 years indulging in my passion for angling, I can still see that here are things more important things in/to life than going fishing.

John.

 

[Dave]

If you watch the video interview between Martin Salter and Jamie Cook, it was the government that opened up the field somewhat and included other sports as 'allowed'.
The Angling Trust then quite rightly approached the government onbehalf of their members (and the angling industry in general) and asked the question, posed the reasons, and the government then included angling within the allowed sports.

It wasn't a case of going arguing the toss to get angling allowed, the Angling Trust had already previously presented the case for that, it was ensuring that anglers had the choice whether to go fishing for exercise and their mental well being, or not.
On the backs of anglers fishing the angling trades then become supported, fisheries likewise. No one will become rich overnight as a result of the decision but it can make the difference between surviving and going under for many.

If the AT had sat back and done nothing then they would have failed their members, failed Sport England, and failed the angling industry as a whole.

As it happens, they posed the questions, put forward the case, and succeeded in having angling included in the revised approved sports list.
It is now down to each individual if they wish to now use angling as part of their daily exercise, as an escape from the reality of the world around them, or not. The one thing they are being asked to do is to abise by the laws and guidance in place should they do so.
If you or anyone else doesn't feel comfortable with it, then you are not being forced to use the option available to you.