General Safety Suggestions

 There are many potential hazards in the fishing environment. Where there is water there is always potential danger.

1. Take utmost care when moving along riverbanks or lake edges , slippery banks and ditches can cause injury and unintentionally but ably assist the angler into the water.
2. Avoid venturing into boggy areas if you are alone. Stuck in mud up to your armpits until someone comes along is not the best way of passing a weekend!

3. Styles and bridges can become slippery and must be negotiated with care don't be tempted to carry too much gear at a time and always have a hand free to assist.

4. Never fish within 30 meters of Power Lines. Carbon rods are excellent conductors! See Power Lines Section

5. Wading must be carried out with the utmost care placing each foot securely before stepping forward. The uniformity of the riverbed cannot be guaranteed. Use a wading stick or landing net with a stout pole as an aid to wading, we recommend the use of life jackets.

6. Eye protection (Polaroid's or glasses) must be worn when casting a fly. . cross winds can cause the fly to track across the face on the back cast.
The elasticity of monofilament line can be lethal if you try to break line out of a snag. It may fly back into your face with unfortunate consequences.

7. We discourage the general use of mobile phones when fishing but it is wise to carry a mobile phone for safety reasons especially if you are fishing alone. If you do not have a mobile phone, carry a whistle to attract attention in an emergency.

8. When involved in any country sport it is wise to make sure your Tetanus jabs are up to date.

9. Avoid contaminating your hands (cover open cuts with waterproof dressing) with river or lake water Weil's disease (which is transmitted through rat's urine) can be caught from still waters. Some toxic algae can also be present in water at certain times of the year, which can be injurious to health

10. Wear appropriate hats and clothing for the conditions and cover up or use sun block during the summer months.

11. A basic first aid kit is a useful addition to the tackle bag or to have in your car.

12. Extra care must be taken if crossing fields containg either cattle or horses, these animals can be extremly unpredictable at times.

 

 LOOK OUT ! – LOOK UP !

 

SAFE FISHING NEAR OVERHEAD ELECTRIC POWER LINES

Several people have died and others have been seriously injured whilst using carbon fibre rod and poles near overhead power lines. The following advice is designed to prevent these events happening.

1.      Because rods and poles containing carbon fibre conduct electricity, they are particularly dangerous when used near overhead electric power lines. Remember that electricity can jump gaps and a rod does not even have to touch an electric line to cause a lethal current to flow.

2.      Many overhead electric power lines are supported by wooden poles which could be mistaken for telegraph poles. These overhead lines may carry electricity up to 132,000 volts.

3.      The height of high voltage overhead power lines can be as low as 17ft and they are therefore within easy reach of carbon fibre rod or pole. Remember that overhead lines may not be readily visible from the ground. They may be concealed by hedges or by a dark background. Make sure you “look out” and “look up” to check for overhead lines before fishing begins.

4.      In general, the minimum safe fishing distance from an overhead electric power line is two rod/pole lengths from the overhead line (measured along the ground).

5.    Finally, remember that is dangerous for any object to get too close to overhead electric power lines, particularly if they object is an electrical conductor, eg a lead cored fishing line or damp fishing line or rod.

Published by the Electricity Council in consultation with Electricity Boards, Angling Trade Association, National Federation of Anglers, Water Authorities Associations and British Waterways Board

 

Weil’s Disease (Leptospirosis) is a bacterial infection carried by rats urine which contaminates water and the banks of lakes, rivers and ponds. It is a serious disease in human beings that requires hospital treatment.

The early symptoms are similar to those of flu and normally start 3 to 19 days after exposure to contaminated water. Every year people die from this disease which is unnecessary because it is easily treated if diagnosed in time

DON’T LET IT HAPPEN TO YOU.

There are a number of simple precautions you can take:

1. Cover any cuts, sores, or scratches with waterproof plasters or gloves.
2. Disinfect any wounds that occur at the waterside.
3. Wash your hands or cover food with a wrapper before you eat.
4. Do not put your hands in your mouth after immersing in river water and never place bait or fishing line in your mouth.
5. Do not touch dead animals, especially rats.
6. If you develop flu like symptoms that persist tell your doctor that you may have been exposed to leptospirosis so that he/she can consider it in the diagnosis.
7. Do not leave food, ground bait or bait on the bank side.

 

Lyme Disease

In the UK, Lyme disease occurs mainly in the New Forest, Salisbury Plain, Exmoor, the South Downs, parts of Wiltshire and Berkshire and Thetford Forest.

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection. You catch it from being bitten by hard-bodied ticks that are infected by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. These ticks pass the bacteria to humans as they feed on your blood. Most cases of Lyme disease are treated successfully with antibiotics. However, if left untreated, it can infect the heart, joints and nervous system.

According to the Health Protection Agency, there were 768 reported cases of Lyme disease in the UK in 2006. This figure could increase following reports of a growing tick population in the country. .

Lyme disease can occur anywhere that ticks are found. In the UK, Lyme disease occurs mainly in the New Forest, Salisbury Plain, Exmoor, the South Downs, parts of Wiltshire and Berkshire and Thetford Forest.

Ticks are very small (about the size of a poppy seed) and can easily be overlooked. Most ticks are not infected with the bacteria that cause Lyme disease. Even if a tick is infected, it does not spread the bacteria in the first few hours of its feed, so there is a very low risk of infection if a tick is removed quickly.

A tick bite usually looks like a lump with a small scab on the skin surface at the site of the bite. Most people with Lyme disease then develop a reddish skin rash in a ring shape, and this may be the only sign of infection. The rash spreads out from the site of a bite after three to 30 days. Other common symptoms of early Lyme disease include tiredness, headache, joint pains and flu-like symptoms.

Without treatment, these symptoms may last for weeks or even longer. Rarely, there are serious complications, and in some cases, these can occur several years later.

Early detection and treatment of the disease helps to relieve the symptoms and shorten the illness. For this reason, it is important to be aware of the symptoms, particularly the rash, so that treatment can be given early.
Further information: NHS Choices