Gov. Baker allows "solitary fishing" at state beaches (just can't park there)

[Steve H.]

Not sure how this would work for most people without available parking, but it's good to see that fishing is listed explicitly as an approved activity. 

"Effective at noon on Friday, all parking areas managed by DCR at state beaches will be closed to reduce the “large concentrations of people” visiting the beaches. Coastal parkways that provide access to state beaches will also be closed to both parking and dropping off passengers,” Baker’s office said in a statement. “State beaches will remain open and available to pedestrians for transitory use only (walking, jogging, biking, solitary fishing, etc.).”

[stripernut]

That effectively keeps the vast majority of anglers from fishing the Chu or Quabbin. If you don't have a place to park and can't even get dropped off.

[bogtrotter]

Impeach the Communist pig dog already!

[lowaccord66]

Impeach the Communist pig dog already!

X2.

[stripernut]

There is hope, it looks like it might just be Coastal beaches...
Judging by what we have seen people do on beaches that are open and not freezing I see where the rules are coming from. When you see pictures of crowded beaches and knowing that a bunch of stupid people would be doing the same here as it warms up, what is he left with? Fishing last week I watched a bunch of anglers fishing close together (even when there was plenty of room), even shaking hands and hugging. Again, it is about protecting stupid people and we the none brain dead will suffer...

[lowaccord66]

I bet if this carries on for long enough they will close the canal when the stripers arrive.

[SalmonAndStriper Stalker]

I bet if this carries on for long enough they will close the canal when the stripers arrive.

they will close the parking lots. I can already in my head see the hoards parking on the sides roads

[CMD1987]

That effectively keeps the vast majority of anglers from fishing the Chu or Quabbin. If you don't have a place to park and can't even get dropped off.

I don’t think anything at Wachusett or Quabbin qualifies as a “state beach”

[Jeff M]

My opinion, they did not close the beaches, because between low tide and high tide ground is public land. Not owned by anyone. But they can control access.
Also posted on Mass.gov chu and others closed to May 9th to shore fishing.
Do to some that dont want to separate we all suffer.
Common sense going out the window.

Best of luck to those that wet a line.

[lowaccord66]

Do to some that dont want to separate we all suffer.

So says the media and government...I don't know about you but I was raised to not trust either. 

[CMD1987]

Everything is way out of control. People are buying into the mass media panic.

[lowaccord66]

Everything is way out of control. People are buying into the mass media panic.

They sure are.  The upside is I've had more river to myself lately. 

To me its a matter of perspective...not sure why all of a sudden it's a huge deal and the un-cureable flu that wipes out hundreds of thousands of lives annually. No one was wearing masks over that, or hell even cared about those lives. Now people are preaching to stay home and away from others.  Quite the contradiction in my humble opinion. 

[Ryan51993]

I noticed today the stocking report no longer gives specific dates on when places get stocked. They are really trying to spread fisherman out (or in the case of the quabbin/wachusett not allowing fishing at all). This state has had the most backwards response to the virus I could possibly imagine. They'll allow extremely overcrowded hiking and trout fishing areas but no fishing on a 25,000 acre reservoir, allow liquor stores but shut down dispensary's, allow bait shops but shut down gun stores. Seems like very opinionated choices to keep us "safe".

[bogtrotter]

I noticed today the stocking report no longer gives specific dates on when places get stocked.

Hey, I just noticed the same thing.  They were posting the info just a day or two ago, but now they're no longer doing so.

[westernmas]

Might indicate that they are done stocking until the fall.