A balance of A & B, and education for the newly interested- not only in fly-fishing and fly-tying, but in stream/lake/water etiquette (including manners). Greed seems to be the root of many evils, and it’s partner is selfishness. We need both growth and control, and there may be a way.
‘River rage’ has become like road-rage. Too many people with un-relieved stresses (and medications) floating a river to relieve stress and then a few adding stress to everyone else they cross paths with. Bad mix with some bad experiences and then people start packing things besides lunches. A thought for some yay or nay consideration? ‘D’ Should fly-fishing have a special fishing license sticker (like a conservation sticker) that gives the holder added fishing privileges when fly-fishing (as in C&R only areas or floating rivers), but in return requiring a mandatory education class (water safety, laws and etiquette, C&R practice) to go along with it, and before any technical training like casting. Necessity- Waters are over-crowded with regular fisherpersons, along with uneducated people or people without self-control and bad manners. Some fishermen drink to excess before fishing and lose judgment abilities while on the water (even wading a stream). Reasoning- Hunters get a hunting course to get a hunting stamp to carry a gun. Fishermen are also arming themselves- whether for self defense or to prove a point. Different world. Benefit-: First, may serve as a screening or weeding-out process to refine the ranks of fly-fishers. Second, would serve to educate fly-fisherpersons, and give them pride of distinction and an awareness of good manners. Third, would give them something to lose if they cross the line and get caught (or get reported). Having your fly-fishing tag revoked would be for guides and fishers alike, and could motivate people to be more civil and act more responsibly. Fourth- Would add jobs and services to the fly shops ($$), plus the responsibility of refining the growing ranks that they need for business, while relieving some of the problems encountered in the field. Does no good to grow the ranks if you also grow the problem. Shops benefit and have the responsibility. Fifth- Shops would adopt some policies to help out in return for the business benefits they receive by growing the ranks, namely some things that help with the over-crowding (and problems) created by the growing ranks. Along with fishing reports could be a fisherman number report, giving some crowding statistics and recommended windows of opportunity. As the ranks grow and hostilities flare, this may become a necessity. And if over-crowding is normal, like on season-opening day, fishers know what to expect and are educated. State Game and Fish involvement? To be discussed. Federal Involvement- none. State issues. The guiding industry -many times based out of shops, but not always. They add to the problem by bringing clients into other systems (rather than home waters) that are already over-crowded. Counter-point- another cost and regulation in an already regulated, expensive hobby. Would the good outweigh the bad? Hunters have to do it- why not fly-fishers? What about lure and bait-chuckers? Should they educate and stamp up to the plate? ug... I also believe that if you’re going to benefit financially from this sport industry, you also have an interest and responsibility to grow it responsibly, or lose clients. Stamps would be a way to provide for some of the cost of education, which is never a bad thing. Again, two sides- your thoughts? (I’d spring for the sticker if it was a state requirement.) DonO -----Original Message----- From: Neville Gosling Sent: Tuesday, October 27, 2015 3:03 PM To: VFB Subject: [VFB] More or Less? Do you think the fly fishing industry, as a whole, should invest more time and dollars into recruiting new participants to the sport of fly fishing? a. Absolutely. We need more people fishing, and that should be our number one priority. b. Absolutely not. The waters are crowded enough as it is. More is not merrier. c. The business owner in me says grow the sport; the angler in me longs for more solitude. Neville (Nev) Gosling I was wishin’ I was fishin’ -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VFB Mail" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/vfb-mail?hl=en VFB Mail is sponsored by Line's End Inc at http://www.linesend.com --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "VFB Mail" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VFB Mail" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/vfb-mail?hl=en VFB Mail is sponsored by Line's End Inc at http://www.linesend.com --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "VFB Mail" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
