Bass Fisherman Flex Political Muscle

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Interesting article in todays Lexington Hearld (www.kentucky.com) concerning Legislators trying to ban the $3.00 launch fee on state's most popular lakes.

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Here it is a cut and pasted.

Bass fishermen flex political muscle, reel in results
ROGER ALFORD
Associated Press
FRANKFORT, Ky. - Bass fishermen are flexing their political muscle, and politicians are listening.

Legislators in Kentucky are moving to ban boat-launching fees on the state's most popular lakes in hopes of giving the state an edge over Alabama and other southern states that vie for bass tournaments.

The action comes at the request of anglers involved in the state's $1.3 billion sport-fishing industry.

"You certainly don't want to charge people who are bringing this type of money in," said Mike Wells, general manager of 4 Rivers Outdoors, a Gilbertsville company that organizes fishing tournaments on Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley in western Kentucky.

The House Tourism Development and Energy Committee on Thursday approved a bill that would eliminate the $3 fees because they're considered bothersome by fishermen, especially those involved in bass tournaments.

Kentucky has created a group specifically to help the state vie for fishing tournaments. That agency, the Kentucky Sports Authority, has secured 10 televised tournaments that are part of the ESPN Outdoors Bassmaster Series.

The tournaments are expected to generate hundreds of thousands of dollars for Kentucky hotels, restaurants, gas stations and other businesses, said Terry Johnson, executive director of the authority.

In addition, Bassmaster, one of the nation's largest bass fishing groups, has scheduled a televised tournament on Kentucky Lake for June. The winner gets $100,000.

Tourism Commissioner Randy Fiveash said the tournaments will raise