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Merwin: Less Money, More Fishing
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The Honest Angler
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March 23, 2009
Merwin: Less Money, More Fishing
By John Merwin
A report by the Reuters news service that I found courtesy of MidCurrent last week indicates that people tend to fish more when economic times get tough. Fishing--at least fishing locally--it turns out can be less expensive than going to the movies or playing a round of golf. At a time when many families are pinching pennies, fishing can also put food on the table.
This does not just mean those subsistence anglers who crowd bridges and jetties with cane poles and plastic buckets. It is hundreds if not thousands of dollars cheaper for me to fish a local trout stream than if I were to fly out to Montana for a few days of guided fishing. And even for those who still have steady jobs and good incomes, the daily barrage of bad financial news at the very least puts a damper on spending. The entire country, it seems, is in hunker-down mode.
That's going to be bad news for destination-based tackle shops, resorts, and fishing guides this summer, which is very unfortunate. For anglers, though, fishing locally doesn't necessarily mean fishing less. This season I'll be fishing as much if not more than I usually do. But I'll be fishing the closest river or hauling my boat to the nearest lake instead of driving for several hours, paying for a motel, and so on.
Different people will handle this in different ways, of course. Are you going to rack up your rods when times get tough, and stay home to watch television? Or maybe you'll take another look at the creek just down the road....
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Comments (18)
I would have to be in a full body cast and wheelchair before I thought of doing less fishing, even then...I have only one out-of-state trip planned for the summer and that is to Montana to visit relatives and, of course, to fish...Thankfully, my home is on the banks of a good fishing stream in Alaska so I tend to fish locally more than anything...
Definitely be fishing the local streams more and cherishing the few trips up north.
I will most likely fish more this year than I did last year. The walleyes are currently running in the Maumee River, and I will be honing my trolling techniques on the local resevoir for the Canada trip in August. Plus, being the last year of college I need to fish as much as possible before I graduate and have no time for it.
I've always said that a $19 fishing license is the best deal going.
True. Last time I got a hole-in-one golfing I did NOT go home and eat the ball.
Hoping to fish at least as much this year as last (which isn't much but more than nothing). Fresh air, nice scenery and a payoff for your efforts (hopefully), what a great pasttime!
i would be dead before i even thought about slowin down on fishing also kingfisher907 you have world class fishing right in your backyard
I will absolutely not be fishing less. And I've never fished outside the Southeast anyway, so that's a non-issue. The only out of state fishing trip I will be taking over the next few months is to Florida. And since my big sis lives there, all I have to pay for is gas.
buddy i was already fishing in the local lake
John, I live in a different part of the country than you, but where I live we need anchor ropes. Good ones. I'm so tired of losing expensive anchors due to poor ropes. I've bought ones from Bass Pro and they unraveled before season was over. I've tried ski ropes, waxed clothes line, etc. What is your idea of a good anchor rope that will do the job and last?
It is funny that this was posted because now, as I look back, I find myself fishing more than I have in the past year. I do not really go far away to fish but the number of times I have gone out to fish has increased. I guess it has to do with looking forward to something and possibly putting a free dinner on the table.
When times get tougher I go fishing even more, simply because it allows me to relieve some stress and clear my head.
Doing something you enjoy makes the hard times more bearable.
When times get tougher I go fishing even more, simply because it allows me to relieve some stress and clear my head.
Doing something you enjoy makes the hard times more bearable.
Jim in MO:
Braided, not twisted, anchor line for one thing. A little more expensive but less likely to untwist/unravel. The U-shaped thimble on cheap anchor line is usually crappy, as is the factory-spliced loop around it. So cut that off and use a good knot directly to the anchor chain, anchor, or shackle as appropriate. You might very well have thought of/done all those things already, but that's the extent of my ideas, this morning, any....good luck!
I have always been a subsistence fisherman. I grew up in a large family that relied on our abilities to harvest fish from local waters. But the enconomic times we face today may turn a few of the recreational anglers into subsistence anglers. But we need to be aware of pollution that has taken place over the last several decades. Some of our rivers & streams, the fish are NOT safe to eat. I hope that we do not face a future threat, from eating tainted fish.
I will definitely be fishing more this year, not because of the state of the economy. But because of a hatch that took place several years ago, my grand daughters, Hannah and Maddie, and my youngest child,Tessa.
I do hope if the economy persuades more of the general public to "wet a line", I hope they practice good conservation, and as the saying goes... "give a hoot, don't pollute!"
I agree with the above comments about putting food on the table, my family is the same way, we were brought up to harvest some fish and put food on the table for the family.
It does help during these tough times to have fresh fish for dinner several times a week, we have friends and family over for a nice meal and it alleviates some of the stresses of daily life.
i will be fishing more for the table this year
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I would have to be in a full body cast and wheelchair before I thought of doing less fishing, even then...I have only one out-of-state trip planned for the summer and that is to Montana to visit relatives and, of course, to fish...Thankfully, my home is on the banks of a good fishing stream in Alaska so I tend to fish locally more than anything...
Definitely be fishing the local streams more and cherishing the few trips up north.
I will most likely fish more this year than I did last year. The walleyes are currently running in the Maumee River, and I will be honing my trolling techniques on the local resevoir for the Canada trip in August. Plus, being the last year of college I need to fish as much as possible before I graduate and have no time for it.
I've always said that a $19 fishing license is the best deal going.
buddy i was already fishing in the local lake
I have always been a subsistence fisherman. I grew up in a large family that relied on our abilities to harvest fish from local waters. But the enconomic times we face today may turn a few of the recreational anglers into subsistence anglers. But we need to be aware of pollution that has taken place over the last several decades. Some of our rivers & streams, the fish are NOT safe to eat. I hope that we do not face a future threat, from eating tainted fish.
True. Last time I got a hole-in-one golfing I did NOT go home and eat the ball.
Hoping to fish at least as much this year as last (which isn't much but more than nothing). Fresh air, nice scenery and a payoff for your efforts (hopefully), what a great pasttime!
i would be dead before i even thought about slowin down on fishing also kingfisher907 you have world class fishing right in your backyard
John, I live in a different part of the country than you, but where I live we need anchor ropes. Good ones. I'm so tired of losing expensive anchors due to poor ropes. I've bought ones from Bass Pro and they unraveled before season was over. I've tried ski ropes, waxed clothes line, etc. What is your idea of a good anchor rope that will do the job and last?
It is funny that this was posted because now, as I look back, I find myself fishing more than I have in the past year. I do not really go far away to fish but the number of times I have gone out to fish has increased. I guess it has to do with looking forward to something and possibly putting a free dinner on the table.
When times get tougher I go fishing even more, simply because it allows me to relieve some stress and clear my head.
Doing something you enjoy makes the hard times more bearable.
When times get tougher I go fishing even more, simply because it allows me to relieve some stress and clear my head.
Doing something you enjoy makes the hard times more bearable.
Jim in MO:
Braided, not twisted, anchor line for one thing. A little more expensive but less likely to untwist/unravel. The U-shaped thimble on cheap anchor line is usually crappy, as is the factory-spliced loop around it. So cut that off and use a good knot directly to the anchor chain, anchor, or shackle as appropriate. You might very well have thought of/done all those things already, but that's the extent of my ideas, this morning, any....good luck!
I will definitely be fishing more this year, not because of the state of the economy. But because of a hatch that took place several years ago, my grand daughters, Hannah and Maddie, and my youngest child,Tessa.
I do hope if the economy persuades more of the general public to "wet a line", I hope they practice good conservation, and as the saying goes... "give a hoot, don't pollute!"
I agree with the above comments about putting food on the table, my family is the same way, we were brought up to harvest some fish and put food on the table for the family.
It does help during these tough times to have fresh fish for dinner several times a week, we have friends and family over for a nice meal and it alleviates some of the stresses of daily life.
i will be fishing more for the table this year
I will absolutely not be fishing less. And I've never fished outside the Southeast anyway, so that's a non-issue. The only out of state fishing trip I will be taking over the next few months is to Florida. And since my big sis lives there, all I have to pay for is gas.
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