Americana Outdoors E-Magazine - June 2020

Can I Go Fishing with My Buddy? This is trickier because we are being urged to minimizecontactwith thoseoutsideour immediate families and in some places it isn’t allowed yet. But by taking a few precautions there are ways to reduce the threat of exposure while still being able to spend the day fishing with your best friend. This is one of the few times it’s better not to carpool. Instead of riding together in an enclosed vehicle, consider taking separate rides and meeting at the ramp or marina while practicing social distancing regulations. If you want to take advantage of the cheap gas and fill up on the way, pay at the pump and use a disposable towel or glove to handle the pump and also use it as a barrier while punching in security codes. At the ramp, make sure you have everything ready and wait until the previous boaters have cleared the dock before launching. Fortunately, bass boats, center consoles, walleye- style boats and some pontoons have fishing areas at the bow and stern, which helps you practice social distancing. The current recommendation is for people to stay six feet apart and most fishing rods are at least this length, so if your fishing buddy intrudes into your personal space, you can use your fishing rod like a fencing épée to good- naturedly remind them to back off. If one of you makes a great catch, celebrate with an “air” high- five.

the National Marine Manufacturing Association’s website, which has information on all 50 states and is being frequently updated here. The coronavirus is taking an especially heavy toll among those older than 65 so for the time being it’s probably wise to just take lots of photos and videos for the grandparents so they can share the experience and stay connected while keeping them safe. Hopefully, it won’t be long until they can join the fun.

Although many businesses are opening up with social distancing restrictions and other precautions, in some situations it’s hard to avoid close contact with others. Boating offers a safer alternative to getting out of the house. It also has many other benefits that can further enrich the lives of your family. For the last few months, kids have been taught via homeschooling and a boat makes an ideal alfresco classroom. Many adults are still working from home and there’s no reason that can’t happen on a boat while the kids have fun swimming, which gives you bonus togetherness time. Being on the water also creates an opportunity for hands-on learning about ecology and the environment. Also, it’s the perfect chance to teach your kids all about boat handling. And fishing is always a fun family activity. Now that we are moving into summer and the water is heating up, this will be a great opportunity to have fun doing watersports. Face it, after months of being cooped up in the house we can all probably use the exercise.