Lake Wawasee seeing increased visitors during the summer of coronavirus

While the coronavirus has been devastating for some businesses, it has actually helped prop up the economy of summer lake towns.

The chamber of commerce told us overall business in the area of Lake Wawasee has been up by 40 to 60 percent compared to past summers.

“It was really busy, 86 degrees. It will bring everybody out on the lake,” said David Willard, a bass fisherman.

Thursday was one of the last competitions in a series of bass fishing tournaments that brought 17 competitive fishermen out on the lake.

“At the beginning, we actually were canceled,” said Willard. He helps organize the tournaments and says the Wawasee permit office only let them start up again in June and July.

“When they first started doing it everybody was wearing masks. Only one guy could go up," Willard said.

They still take their precautions on land, but once they’re out on the lake in solitude, they are more worried about catching fish than the coronavirus.

“It’s great. I’ve been working from home since March and so this is how I relax,” said Willard.

Bass fishermen aren't the only visitors, either.

The town of Syracuse only has three thousand full-time residents, but the population increases tenfold in the summer due to lake visitors.

The parks director told us that people were flocking to their summer houses earlier in the season than they normally do--they started moving out in April when they will normally come after Memorial day.

The parks have seen the same amount of activity but it’s harder to do group programming.

As for boat rentals and sales, the chamber of commerce says those have exploded.

And the manager of a local restaurant says she’s lived here for 20 years and has noticed the increased foot traffic around town.

“They are not going on vacation somewhere, they are just going to the lake and spending a week and spending the day at the lake with their family,” said Tami vandal, manager of Man Cave Brewing Company.

Vandal says that doesn’t always mean an increase in business, though.

“Some weeks are down, and a lot of that is because you don’t have enough seating,” Vandal said, citing COVID-19 capacity restrictions.

She says a lot of people drive in for the brewery because it’s a destination. And having the lake nearby definitely doesn’t hurt.