Fisheries folks in Central KY

[R19]

I agree that its great that the fishery department has hatchery's and stock various waters thought our state. The FIN's project has been a great sucess. It has opened the opportunity for many people to catch fish that can not get out onto large bodies of water. Now what I don't like is how they sell out our natural resource for $ money...

First let me say I have no problem with an area using a lake as a tourism attraction. What I dislike is when the Fish and Wildlife department changes regulations for large groups to hoist an event. FLW told KDFW they would only return to Lake Cumberland if the size limit for smallmouth was reduced from 18" to 15"...FLW put pressure on the Somerset Tourism Commission to persuade KDFW to allow undersize smallmouth so they would not lose tourism money. KDFW realized they would lose the sale of several out of state license fee because a lot of the anglers were from out of state. FLW is not the only organization to get KDFW to change the regulations. Over the years there has been multiple times when the size limit was reduce so a large group of people would come to town and spend their money. All the while the regular local Joe still has to abide buy state regulations. Again I have no problem with people coming to town and boosting the economy what I dislike is when they get special privilege's. Yes the smallmouth were released but they were not immediately released like you and I would have to do. They rode around in a live-well and had the potential to get stress and ultimately die from delayed mortality. Yes the same can happen to legal size fish but why expose fish that are determined to be undersized to added stress...money that's why. Smallmouth are a natural resource that the KDFW is suppose to be protecting, not selling them out for money.

[llg]

Let's go back to 1995. Paul Patton became governor. Money was tight in state government. KDFW was self sustaining, using only fees from licenses and tags. They received no money from the state and that was the problem. They had a very large cash treasury. At age 55 you had free fishing and hunting for life. I think licenses were $5 a year. I was 53 years old at that time, 2 years from free licenses.
Mr. Patton needed money and decided to include KDFW into the state treasury. Free licenses no more. Fees went way up. Remember KDFW was self sustaining before that.
As far as I know KDFW is still under that state management to make the state more money. There was a lot of talk about it on this board, yes I have been around a long time, but that's "progress".

[jcb]

Let's go back to 1995. Paul Patton became governor. Money was tight in state government. KDFW was self sustaining, using only fees from licenses and tags. They received no money from the state and that was the problem. They had a very large cash treasury. At age 55 you had free fishing and hunting for life. I think licenses were $5 a year. I was 53 years old at that time, 2 years from free licenses.
Mr. Patton needed money and decided to include KDFW into the state treasury. Free licenses no more. Fees went way up. Remember KDFW was self sustaining before that.
As far as I know KDFW is still under that state management to make the state more money. There was a lot of talk about it on this board, yes I have been around a long time, but that's "progress".

It absolutely kills every Governor that there is a big pot of "state money" they can't directly control. If we're not vigilant they'll get their hands on it eventually.