Safety While Fishing

Overview

The safety principals for fishing are the same as for any outdoor activity. The key aspects of outdoor safety involve good Prior Preparation, Caution and Respect for others.

• Be well prepared for the activity and ensure you have all the safety equipment you need. Equipment required includes appropriate clothing, buoyancy, navigation, communications and first aid equipment.
• Make a plan for the activity, tell someone where you are going, give them a copy of your plan and advises them when you get back so that they know you are home safe. If you do not return on time they can organise a search.
• Get a weather report from the BOM website and take a copy with you as a reference.
• Know the hazards and risks that are present in and around the waterway. Write them down and make a decision beforehand about what risks you are prepared to except and which you do not wish to take. Ask others for advice.
• Once you have a plan try to stick to it. You can always include a few different alternative options in your plan if you think you might need to change locations due to bad weather or a lack of fish on the bite. Just make sure you have accessed the risks and equipment you need for each location you expect to visit. 
• Respect others when you are fishing. You may run into people who are water skiing, canoeing, motor bike riding, swimming, fishing or doing many other activities where you want to fish. They may make fishing difficult for you, however in most cases they have just as much right to be there as you do, and you should try to keep a positive attitude to others no matter how frustrating they may be. In the end you can normally find another place where you will not be disturbed. This website has over 100 fishing locations you can visit and at many you will not see anyone for days.
• Avoid fishing alone. It is great to share a fishing experience with a friend and it is also much safer.
  

Clothing & Safety Equipment

• All participants should have 1 pair of thermal underwear (polypropylene or wool)
• A rain jacket/shell jacket (Gore-Tex or breathable nylon)
• Long sleeved shirt with collar and long pants (not cotton & avoid bright colours)
• Wool or polar fleece jumper
• Beanie and hat
• Wet Shoes (for example Dunlop Volley’s)
• Polarised sunglasses
• PFD (life jacket) for wading or walking banks (near fast flowing or very cold water) and boating/paddling
• Optional Items 
• Wool or synthetic gloves (cold weather)
• Down jacket (cold weather)
• Neoprene waders with felt sole boots (do not wear in a boat as they may reduce your buoyancy)
• Helmet (for wading & paddling in white water or power boats where submerged objects are likely)

• First Aid Kit (with snake bite and deadly bleeds kit included)
• Emergency blanket
• 2 Litres of water
• Enough food and snacks (plus a small supply of emergency food)
• Watch
• Compass
• Topographic map & weather forecast
• Mobile phone
• EPIRB (for boating or if walking remote rivers outside mobile coverage)
• Sat Phone (if outside mobile coverage area)
• Sun screen
• Head Torch
• Sleeping bag and foam roll mat (to warming/insulate a wet or injured person)
• Dry bag (to keep equipment and any spare clothing dry)

Click on the links below for safety information specific to the headings.

Boat Safety

River Safety

Lake Safety