There’s a lot of bigger issues out there right now: lives are on the line based on what we all do to slow the spread of COVID-19. This may seem like a small thing given the serious nature of the times, but we’ve gotten a massive amount of questions and calls on this one issue:

Fishing is a very safe socially distant activity. It is totally allowed during our shelter-in-place order. If there’s a pond, creek, or private lake near you where you can safely drop a line while staying away from other anglers I strongly encourage you to do so.

We had to close our major lakes, reservoirs, and beaches because large crowds were gathering all over the place—on docks, banks, and in bait shops.

I’m asking state officials to work on an enforcement plan that might allow us to open those up for solo fishermen in some way, but those agents are stretched very thin right now. If we can find a way to do it, we will.

Stay at home except for essential travel with one exception: you are welcome to go out in nature on your own. Take a walk. Ride a bike. Run your dogs. Go for a drive. Watch the sunset. Practice free throws. Fish or shoot skeet. I wish I had the time to do so right now, and would.

It’s not easy to stay at home for two weeks. I know that. This is a safe way to protect your own mental health while protecting the health of your neighbors. God bless.