Stay Safe Stay Home

[dubob]

Guess I am done fishing for awhile even though I go with my dad and my son only (both I am around every day anyway) because I don't live in a county with a state park with a lake. So depressing! Be safe everyone!

There are some conflicts in that directive and there is too much leeway in some of the items listed.  For instance: “Limit travel to only essential travel, as defined below, including to perform work if you cannot telework.”  Limit travel to what amount?  An hour; 2 trips a day; 1 trip a week?  Who determines how much to limit?

” Essential travel means travel to: engage in recreational and outdoor activities.”  Outdoor activities are further defined here: “Remain at least six feet apart from individuals from other households while engaging in outdoor activities (e.g., walking, hiking, running, biking, driving for pleasure, hunting, or fishing).  So traveling to and from a fishing venue (reservoir, stream, community pond, etc.) is okay as long as it is ‘limited’ - whatever that is.  So if it's 'esential' travel, why do I have to limit it?  And, “Do not go to or engage in activities at a state park located outside the county in which you reside (the availability of national parks will be determined in consultation with the National Park Service and the county in which the park is located).  Are we on an honor system here?  Or will the gates be manned and driver's licenses checked for legal address to prevent non-county residents access?  Out of the hundreds of fishing venues available to us in Utah, less than 43 (the total number of state parks in Utah and not all have a body of water within their boundaries) are closed to you via this directive.  Stream fishing is wide open throughout the state.  There isn’t a blanket order closing all Federally controlled venues to the public – yet.

This is a personal choice to stop fishing until the current crisis is over.  And you will not be judged by me as good or bad based on your decision to go fishing or to not go fishing.  Be aware of the risks, follow the guidelines/directives, and choose what works for you.  I was going to go to Jordanelle next week as my first trip of the year.  That is no longer an option for me because I live in Weber County.  The only option I have for boat fishing is Pineview which I have no desire to fish.  So, my choices at the present are limited (there’s that word again ).  I’m not a big fan of shore fishing or river fishing this time of year, so I’ll probably just sit it out until I can start using our State Park venues once again.  But it is a CHOICE and not a REQUIREMENT.