Various fishing rules and access during social distancing

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Dalton Terrell

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Apr 8, 2020, 4:26:59 PM4/8/20
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There have been a few posts about this, but nothing too comprehensive yet. I'm itching to get out, and have been trying to figure out when or where I can make it happen.

In the spirit of Dan Davala, I decided to waste some time and provide something that's hopefully informative. Hope this helps, and stay safe everyone!

Legality of Fishing
Maryland
According to Maryland DNR, recreation fishing and boating are prohibited, while fishing for food is acceptable. The Maryland Governor's order is in place indefinitely.

DC
The mayor's order allows for people to leave their homes to participate in "Allowable Recreation Activities", see below for details. No explicit allowance or prohibition of fishing.

1. “Allowable Recreational Activities” means outdoor activity with household members that complies with Social Distancing Requirements, as defined in section IV.8 of this Order, and includes the sanitizing of any equipment used both before and after the activity. Outdoor activities should not be conducted with persons other than those from one’s own household. 

Examples: Walking, hiking, running, dog-walking, biking, rollerblading, scootering, skateboarding, playing tennis, golfing, gardening, and other activities where all participants comply with Social Distancing Requirements and there is no person-to-person contact. 

This order is in effect until April 24, 2020, but the Mayor's office also predicts that Coronavirus cases will peak in late June/early July, so I would expect an extension.


Virginia

The Virginia governor's order allows individuals to leave their homes for outdoor activities, and opens access to closed Virginia beaches for the purposes of fishing and exercise. It would seem that fishing is an important activity that the Virginia governor allows or encourages. This order is in effect until June 10, or otherwise amended.


Access

DC

The main hub of activity in DC this time of year is Fletcher's Boat House, and it's been mentioned here that access to the parking lot is closed. Access by foot or bike from the C&O would appear to still be open, and you may be able to park near Chain Bridge. However, given the crowds in this area, it might be better to stay away. Closures of the Tidal Basin were just lifted. Access to Rock Creek Park and Anacostia Park appear to still be open.


Virginia

Fly Fish

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Apr 8, 2020, 6:24:57 PM4/8/20
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Northern VA regional parks are closed ; that includes the boat ramp on the Potomac at Algonquin. 

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Scott Stankus

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Apr 8, 2020, 7:20:05 PM4/8/20
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Shenandoah is also closed: 

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-uhnwAJP7z/?igshid=6ozmy9047l98

Sent from my iPhone

On Apr 8, 2020, at 6:24 PM, Fly Fish <cagl...@gmail.com> wrote:



Fly Fish

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Apr 8, 2020, 8:17:54 PM4/8/20
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The Shenandoah River is open. I floated rte 50 down to Lockes Landing last a few weeks back. 

Kevin Brugman

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Apr 8, 2020, 9:54:12 PM4/8/20
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On an earlier post.  The  NOVA Regional parks are closed for vehicles, however you can still hike in or bike in.  From what I understand you can still fish there also.  I wish I could carry my kayak down to the Occoquan park boat launch and launch there, but that is a long walk with a killer hill coming out.

Andrew Sarcinello

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Apr 9, 2020, 7:59:34 AM4/9/20
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Thanks for putting this info together Dalton.

Parking lots at Roaches Run and Columbia Island Marina are still open. Not sure about Gravelly.

Dalton Terrell

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Apr 9, 2020, 9:10:50 AM4/9/20
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Good call, thanks for sharing the updates--I missed some big ones in VA. Unfortunately, I can't go back to edit my post. Shenandoah National Park is closed, and Northern Virginia Regional Parks closed to vehicle traffic and boating.

VADGIF has also closed some boat ramps to comply with local rules--for instance the Burke Lake boat ramp is closed.

Dalton

chad tokowicz

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Apr 9, 2020, 9:15:48 AM4/9/20
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Gravelly closed 💀💀

On Thu, Apr 9, 2020 at 7:59 AM Andrew Sarcinello <andy...@gmail.com> wrote:
Thanks for putting this info together Dalton.

Parking lots at Roaches Run and Columbia Island Marina are still open. Not sure about Gravelly.

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BruceC2C

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Apr 9, 2020, 4:47:05 PM4/9/20
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Apparently, citations have recently been written
for FF in Big Hunting Creek and Kayakers in lake above

namfos

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Apr 9, 2020, 5:10:33 PM4/9/20
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N Elgas

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Apr 9, 2020, 7:22:20 PM4/9/20
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The Q&a at the end of the dc essential buisness closure on the corona.dc.gov website, actually specifically allows fishing. It is allowed in dc...the tidal basin and Haines point are also again open...parking is not though. If you can walk to the basin you can fish it. Canal and rock creek are allowed as well
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Carl Z.

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Apr 10, 2020, 4:30:00 PM4/10/20
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To add insult to injury,  PA opened their season early, with the mandate for social distancing on the stream (keep away from my hole).  

And I guess we can go fish for catch and kill.


Carl

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Dalton Terrell

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Apr 10, 2020, 4:42:52 PM4/10/20
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This image has been circling social media, from Boiling Springs, PA.  



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arthur noglak

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Apr 11, 2020, 1:59:46 PM4/11/20
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Wow I hope that's an old photo.

Art

namfos

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Apr 11, 2020, 3:31:25 PM4/11/20
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I don't think this is a 2020 pic. 

Evan D

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Apr 11, 2020, 8:36:48 PM4/11/20
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It’s legit. Taken on opening day, on Tuesday this week.

Philip Brown

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Apr 18, 2020, 9:06:20 PM4/18/20
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As best I can tell, DC is open for fishing, subject to social distancing...

Below is the source and the quote that I'm using as the basis for this statement.  In my search I didn't find any other info on the topic.

      -Phil


Q: Can I go fishing?

A: Yes, you can go fishing as a recreational activity. However, you should only be fishing by yourself or with other individuals in your household. Remember that while engaging in recreational activity, you should be practicing social distancing.

 


On Friday, April 10, 2020 at 4:42:52 PM UTC-4, Dalton Terrell wrote:
This image has been circling social media, from Boiling Springs, PA.  


On Fri, Apr 10, 2020 at 4:30 PM Carl Z. <carl....@gmail.com> wrote:
To add insult to injury,  PA opened their season early, with the mandate for social distancing on the stream (keep away from my hole).  

And I guess we can go fish for catch and kill.


Carl

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On Thu, Apr 9, 2020 at 9:11 AM Dalton Terrell <daltonb...@gmail.com> wrote:
Good call, thanks for sharing the updates--I missed some big ones in VA. Unfortunately, I can't go back to edit my post. Shenandoah National Park is closed, and Northern Virginia Regional Parks closed to vehicle traffic and boating.

VADGIF has also closed some boat ramps to comply with local rules--for instance the Burke Lake boat ramp is closed.

Dalton

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Dalton Terrell

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Apr 21, 2020, 6:55:28 PM4/21/20
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Thanks for sharing, Mark. It looks like one good piece of news:

Does kayaking or paddle boarding count as recreational boating?

Since kayaking and paddle boarding are both human-powered forms of exercise, akin to bicycling, they are permitted under the executive order. Guidance on social distancing and the prohibition on social gatherings must be strictly followed.  

Do you think an out of state angler could go snakehead fishing from a kayak or paddle board? 🤔


On Tue, Apr 21, 2020 at 11:31 AM namfos <mark....@gmail.com> wrote:
This, from MD DNR, doesn't strike me as any more clarifying: https://bit.ly/2yueHXb

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Kevin KB

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Apr 21, 2020, 7:25:00 PM4/21/20
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Eat that snakehead and it is subsistence fishing which is allowed.

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Andrew Sarcinello

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Apr 21, 2020, 11:01:02 PM4/21/20
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This is crazy. How can they say paddleboarding and recreational fishing is any more of a risk for spreading the virus than paddleboarding without fishing? Or paddleboard fishing and keeping what you catch?

I'm all for slowing the spread...but I don't see how these oddly specific rules accomplish that.

Jeff Cook

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Apr 21, 2020, 11:28:47 PM4/21/20
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Choose your targets. It’s a simple rule, stay home. The complications only come in when exemptions begin, because exemptions never mesh.


On Apr 21, 2020, at 11:01 PM, Andrew Sarcinello <andy...@gmail.com> wrote:

This is crazy. How can they say paddleboarding and recreational fishing is any more of a risk for spreading the virus than paddleboarding without fishing? Or paddleboard fishing and keeping what you catch?

I'm all for slowing the spread...but I don't see how these oddly specific rules accomplish that.

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arthur noglak

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Apr 21, 2020, 11:42:53 PM4/21/20
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And so it begins..... The great battle of our time!

You both bring up some excellent topics of discussion.

Art


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Jeff Cook

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Apr 21, 2020, 11:51:33 PM4/21/20
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Nice try, but no, I’m not taking a political stand in any way. The contradictions people are churning about are simply in the exemptions, in pretty much any topic.


On Apr 21, 2020, at 11:42 PM, arthur noglak <arthur...@gmail.com> wrote:



arthur noglak

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Apr 21, 2020, 11:55:29 PM4/21/20
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Jeff, 

I understood your tenor my friend. I was simply trying to lighten mood. 

Cheers,

Art

Jeff Cook

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Apr 21, 2020, 11:59:25 PM4/21/20
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Roger that.



On Apr 21, 2020, at 11:55 PM, arthur noglak <arthur...@gmail.com> wrote:



Jamie Carracher

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Apr 22, 2020, 3:30:10 PM4/22/20
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I personally agree with Andrew. I don't understand how fishing is riskier than any other outdoor activity. But I'm thinking about how I do it, which is generally solo as far from other people as possible. That said, since so many people are out of the office or not working at all, perhaps they are worried about overcrowding especially in popular locations, which is probably a realistic problem. That said, if you just say you're fishing for food, it's all good, so the rule seems pretty flimsy.


On Tuesday, April 21, 2020 at 11:59:25 PM UTC-4, Jeff Cook wrote:
Roger that.



On Apr 21, 2020, at 11:55 PM, arthur noglak <arthur...@gmail.com> wrote:


Jeff, 

I understood your tenor my friend. I was simply trying to lighten mood. 

Cheers,

Art

On Tue, Apr 21, 2020 at 11:51 PM 'Jeff Cook' via Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders <tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
Nice try, but no, I’m not taking a political stand in any way. The contradictions people are churning about are simply in the exemptions, in pretty much any topic.


On Apr 21, 2020, at 11:42 PM, arthur noglak <arthur...@gmail.com> wrote:


And so it begins..... The great battle of our time!

You both bring up some excellent topics of discussion.

Art

On Tue, Apr 21, 2020 at 11:28 PM 'Jeff Cook' via Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders <tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
Choose your targets. It’s a simple rule, stay home. The complications only come in when exemptions begin, because exemptions never mesh.


On Apr 21, 2020, at 11:01 PM, Andrew Sarcinello <andy...@gmail.com> wrote:

This is crazy. How can they say paddleboarding and recreational fishing is any more of a risk for spreading the virus than paddleboarding without fishing? Or paddleboard fishing and keeping what you catch?

I'm all for slowing the spread...but I don't see how these oddly specific rules accomplish that.

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Andrew Sarcinello

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Apr 22, 2020, 3:49:17 PM4/22/20
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That's what I don't understand Jamie - it seems way too hard to enforce so why not just follow what PA and VA and DC are permitting. No other state decided to split up what type of fishing is allowed or not allowed. Most allow it if social distancing is being followed. A few banned it entirely. I can understand both of those positions.


velazquez

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Apr 26, 2020, 4:28:41 PM4/26/20
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I think the concern about crowding in popular areas is understandable, if iffy. Frankly I wish I just didn't have so much I had to worry about with school work, which is solving the problem for me nicely...
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