National fishing week is in full swing, and Lifesaving Society Manitoba wants to make sure people are mindful of the dangers associated with the water.

Water smart and safety management coordinator Dr. Christopher Love says the best way to stay safe is to simply wear a life jacket, as 80% of drownings are from people who don't have them on at the time. He explains what you should be looking for in a quality lifejacket.

"There are lots of different models on the market and so one of the catchphrases we say is choose it and use it," adds Love. "You need to pick something that you're actually going to take and you're going to put on and be able to use time after time, and so that's something you're going to be comfortable in."

He says to make sure the lifejacket fits well, and to also see if there are specific lifejackets designed for your desired activity, as certain lifejackets would work better for fishing, as opposed to something like kayaking. Lifesaving Society Manitoba Executive Director Stacey Grocholski also explains the danger of going out on the waters unprepared.

"Situations can change in an instant and you might not be able to reach your lifejacket if you are thrown from your boat or knocked unconscious," says Grocholski. "Even if you are fishing from shore, you should wear a lifejacket if you are not a confident swimmer."

Love adds that the Canadian Safe Boating Council has made an app centred around water safety, called "Weather to Boat". He explains how the app works to keep people on the water safe.

"You can look at a 7 day forecast from early morning to late in the day. You can click easily on your phone," says Love. "You can find out your local weather forecast and because it is on an app, you can switch things around to check other areas if you're going from one place to another."

He adds to start slow and work your way up if you're going out boating as people's skills may have deteriorated over time away. National fishing week ends July 11.