Fishermen spend hours dressing flies or tying rigs, buy the best rod and reel, but never think about their safety. Each year many people will die while fishing and many of these deaths could be easily prevented with a little knowledge.

PLANNING YOUR TRIP

• When planning a fishing trip tell someone where you are going.

• Wear good footwear - most banks are muddy or covered in moss, so wear something that will give you grip.

• Take a mobile phone - so you can contact others if required, check the battery is not flat.

• Take a torch - it can soon get dark and stumbling around in the dark you can soon place yourself in danger.

• Take a drink - this does not mean a six pack, but in winter a hot drink to keep the cold at bay and in the summer a liquid to prevent dehydration in the sun.

• Polaroid glasses - these help you to see fish in the glare of water and prevent a headache from the sun. Also if you are fly fishing they protect your eyes if a sudden gust brings a fly speeding towards your eye.

• A coat – even on a hot day, if it suddenly starts raining a wet body can loose heat at an alarming speed, hyperthermia can soon follow quickly.

• Inflatable fly vest – I have fallen in many times like many fisherman, if you fall it is easy to hit your head so, like many I have invested in an inflatable fly vest, this fits like any other vest, but if submerged automatically inflates like a life jacket. These are not cheap, but what price is your safety.

ON ARRIVAL

• Park your car safely and remember where you have parked it – often we park our cars in small laybys and can spend an age walking the local byways in search of our parked vehicles!

• When walking along the river do not walk on the banks edge, this scares the fish and winter rivers can often undercut banks, this can make them prone to sudden collapse.

• Remember, even on a hot day the water can be very cold – if you fall in the cold will force the air from your lungs and no matter how good a swimmer you are you can soon get into trouble.

• If fording a river do not under estimate the force of the water.

Remember – Fishing is a wonderful sport and should be enjoyed!