This year 2020 has brought many trials, among them a lockdown which meant not going out because of the Coronavirus pandemic from March until June. This wiped out most of the early season (and some might say the best) matches. An unforeseen consequence of such an event is that pleasure anglers were more prevalent after the lock down with many venues seeing maximum numbers of anglers on the bank. This was possibly due to travel restrictions depriving many of a holiday abroad and people choosing to stay in the UK and fish. As a consequence of this the resident fish after starving for the three months prior saw, a massive influx of bait mainly in the form of pellets the match man’s favourite summer bait. Like all fish especially carp they gorge themselves until bait doesn’t seem to interest them anymore thus making the match that followed such a binge to be a difficult affair. Match weights were down as anglers tried to find fish that just were not interested. One such match at Willinghurst new lake, (a lake that is stuffed with carp and silvers) saw anglers struggling for bites in late June, with only a few pegs where fish seemed to congregate giving a fair day. You had to find other ways to catch, maggots though normally gets you “bitted out” in summer were an option or meat or corn or dare I say pellet fished shallow. Another factor of this pandemic was with tackle and bait, though bait was widely available all tackle shops had restrictions only allowing one or two people at a time with masks. Browsing as most anglers were apt to do in tackle shops was frowned upon as other anglers were waiting for you to leave so that they could shop. Many shops had sold out of the more popular items with waiting time for some items to be restocked; the only way to view an item was to look on line which was sometimes the easiest way to buy it. All said and done these are just trivial problems when you consider the possibility of a longer lockdown or worse, not being allowed to fish, what a frightening thought!
Well here we are in January 2021 and in the midst of another lockdown. This one is expected to last until March so has effectively wiped out any chance of having a winter league this year. There is however cause for hope as a vaccine for the virus is being rolled out across the country with the numbers being infected expected to be low enough to ease restrictions by March. The Environment agency in consultation with the government has proclaimed that fishing is allowed as a form of exercise as long as you fish local, and inside your home zone. This poses a problem for me, I could fish the Flooded Thames, not an exciting prospect or I could try the canal. The section of grand union canal in my area has been polluted many times, the only thing available to catch would be condoms, I suppose a 12inch black nobbler might put up a fight. So I guess the best thing is to wait. Ho Hum.