The Prime Minister’s broadcast on Sunday evening gave some hope that we will be able to return to our fishing soon. This has now been confirmed by the Angling Trust. We may resume fishing form Wednesday this week and there is no limit on travel. We will however notify our own opening dates separately.
The club has approx 1600 members at this time fishing over 30 miles of river bank and several lakes. There are many access points with parking on and off road. There are public rights of way close to some of our fisheries. The surroundings are often rural, meadow land with limited or no public access but some fisheries are more centrally based to Salisbury itself and have a lot of public access.
Many members are older but a good many also under 70. Govt. guidance may limit the opportunity for some to fish by reason of specific vulnerabilities. Many members will be vulnerable by virtue of age alone. All will be vulnerable to infection and must maintain social distancing and hygiene to mitigate this risk.
Now that the decision to return to fishing is confirmed there are still significant restrictions in place regarding the risk of infection by Covid19. These restrictions will continue to require frequent hand washing and social distancing.
It is therefore likely that not all members will return to fishing immediately but it is also likely that some will want to get out as soon as possible. The return will coincide with mayfly on the game waters and the end of the coarse close season also increasing the likelihood of members wishing to fish.

Risk Analysis. The risk identified is that of infection by Covid19 virus. This risk might arise member to member, public to member, member to public, staff to member, member to staff and staff to public and vice versa. The risk points are those where there is close physical proximity or touching of objects by multiple parties. This will include possible contact at parking points and contact with gates, stiles, seats, tally boards and any other of the facilities associated with the club’s fishing sites and its offices.
The risk of contact on the river bank and during fishing is low where separation can usually be counted in many metres. At lakes there may be a slightly increased risk of closer contact. Members should observe the Govt’s social distancing guidance as a minimum staying at least 2 metres apart.
Members will be closer to each other and possibly to members of the public whilst parking. Contact with the public and other land users might occur. There is space to observe appropriate distancing at all our fisheries and the two metre rule at the very least should be followed.Contact with gates, stiles, locks etc can be mitigated by frequent hand washing, members must carry sanitiser or bottled water, soap and towel. Wearing disposable gloves at least on entry and exit is an extra precaution that should be followed. If masks are to be part of the Govt’s future guidance then these can also be used.
The club’s return books will be withdrawn for the first part of the reopening, an electronic return will be available by link HERE and on our website and forum. Members who don’t use electronic formats should keep a diary of their visits and catches and either complete the books later or send a written return to the Cart Shed.
Any fishing huts at our sites will be closed until further notice.
The club office will be locked in the initial stages, members may continue to make enquiries by email or telephone.
More detailed restrictions or guidance may be issued as we open specific fisheries.Members are by now very used to the Govt. guidance on how to protect themselves and should not relax from those standards while fishing the club’s waters. The club guidance is based on the expectation that members will follow all current guidelines to protect themselves from infection. The club will do everything it can to minimise identified risk points.
We will notify the opening dates of fisheries in the usual ways by batch email, on our member’s forum and on the website.
Please do not start to visit fisheries until you have this notification. Fisheries may open at different dates for a variety of reasons, some are still suffering flooded banks as weed growth and the high water table are holding levels and work is ongoing at other sites.
SADAC Committee.11th May 2020