TU and our partners are asking everyone to practice #ReponsibleRecreation when outside enjoying America’s great fishing opportunities.

Here’s what we recommend, given what we know about the threats posed by the coronavirus outbreak and the COVID-19 disease:

1. Practice good social distancing on the water. The Centers for Disease Control recommends staying six feet apart from others. We’re taking it a step farther — we’re asking anglers to stay a rod’s length apart from their fishing partners whenever possible. The standard fly rod is nine feet long.
2. Wear a multi-layered face covering when in the vicinity of other anglers. Even a double-layered cloth mask can help slow the spread of the virus.
3. Avoid fishing from a boat with someone you haven’t been in lock-down with. In other words, if they’re not family, don’t fish from a boat with them — it’s just not possible to practice social distancing while in a drift boat.
4. Drive to the river separately to get to the angling destination.
5. Stay local, if at all possible, to limit exposure to others, and limit others’ exposure to you.

Fishing, when done correctly, can be a great way to get outside safely, but doing so wisely, particularly as many states begin to slowly re-open in the face of the outbreak, is vital for everyone.

Help spread the word by posting photos and videos on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter of you and your family practicing social distancing while fishing. Be sure to use #ResponsibleRecreation and tag @troutunlimited to be entered to win some great prizes and TU swag.