Quote Originally Posted by MikeAxsom View Post
I can't help but be surprised at the number of times we see people complain about money when discussing fishing. After 36 years in this business it seems to me that this is one of the most unfounded complaints out there in the world of outdoor recreation. Nothing I know of offers the level and volume of entertainment for the money than does fishing. $14 per year for a license, a few bucks for bait and snacks, and as little or as much as we choose to spend on tackle and equipment, strikes me as a bargain.

It has long been my suspicion that some of the weeping and wailing we so often see in these boards may come from a subconscious reaction from a special segment of folks that bought into the idea that buying a bass boat, truck and $10K in tackle was going to be their ticket out of the boring day job and make them rich and famous like the guys on TV. When that does not happen and they find themselves struggling to make the $400 truck payment and the $700 boat payment while still working that day job, they become convinced that someone is plotting against them and keeping them from being happy like they intended to be. All of a sudden the guys with the big boats and dreams are the ones complaining about launch fees and the lack of that one big fish they know they would have caught if the stupid DNR would just produce it for them; while the folks fishing for fun with the kids are still happy.

What a pity that so many seem to have fallen into this trap.


Mike ,
I think you are way off base . Sure , there are a lot of guys & gals who dream of making it into big time tournament fishing but they dont blame the "stupid DNR" for not making that dream come true . They complaints about fee's is the same as complaints about property taxes , wheel taxes , ect. ect. .. Most people look at outdoor recreation as a god given FREE right and resent paying for it , which isnt good . We as outdoors people need to help protect it by paying to use it . Its human nature to resent government intervention but in this case its a nessesary evil . Just keep up the good work and try to ignore the few who cry about every little fee - most of us grumble but pay it knowing it is for a good cause . Now the price of fuel is different matter , grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr !