Fewer Anglers

With all the other people on the water its hard to believe there may
actually be fewer anglers out there, but some sources claim its true. I had
read something about this a couple years ago and started a similar thread,
but it really didn't go anywhere.

North American Fisherman's latest magazine has an article reporting some
stats that might be of interest.

33.5 million licensed anglers over the age of 16 in 1991.
29.5 million licensed anglers over the age of 16 in 2006.

They list their source as the, "National Survey of Fishing Hunting and
Wildlife-Related Recreation."

When I was a kid I was told we had about 245 million people in this country.
I think the last census number I saw was 275 million. This means that net
decrease in clout to protect our sport is even worse than the numbers listed
in the survey.

When it comes to legislative issues a loss of anglers means a loss clout.

As fewer waters are open to fishing or some of the better renown see greater
concentrations of anglers we may find it hard to believe that there really
are fewer licensed anglers on it our waters, but it appears to be true.

As hard as it may be to share a little especially with strangers or passing
acquaintances, we owe it to our children and our grand children to keep
waters open, regulations reasonable, and, numbers strong.

One angler who is a regular on my fishing forums always has a, "Shhhh!!!
Keep folks off our river. Don't tell anybody about good fishing. I want it
to myself. Fewer people on the river means better fishing." To some extant
I agree, but there is of course the long term negative impact of fewer
people to protect fishing for future generations. This is what I had to say
to him last time he went on one of his rants.

"Heck, lets just vilify fishing. Start false stories about the
atrocities performed on the water by fishermen, and make even expressing an
interest in fishing a social stigma.
Then we will have even fewer people fishing, those will be afraid to
say anything to anybody about it, and of course we can all slap ourselves on
the back when BR and BLM helps us perpetuate the move to reduce anglers on
the water by closing more areas to fishing. HEY! You might get your pike
minnows back, but sadly you wouldn't be allowed to fish for them.
When our children can no longer have the freedom to enjoy the outdoors
because of stigmata, closed fishing areas, and apathy of other outdoorsmen
after massive government closures, horrific regulation, and the abuse of the
outdoors themselves by other anglers we might all be able to get together
and drink a toast to the demise of fishing in America. All two of us who are
left. You bring the bucket, and I'll smuggle in a line and some goldfish
from the pet store."

I was obviously exaggerating and being sarcastic, but there is a small seed
of truth to it as well.

I started Yuma Bass Man as a way to brag a little, and then it became a way
to share a little basic knowledge just the way this group does. Yuma Pro Am
is a bass fishing club that helps bring a few more people into tournament
angling, but I'm not sure it gets a lot of new people into fishing in
general. I suppose it does help to retain some. Each one of us can
certainly do a little to share the joy of fishing, and those of us who are
members of clubs can certainly do a little more if we can convince our clubs
that fishing is worth protecting, not just enjoying it for ourselves and
immediate friends and family. Casting clinics, take a kid fishing days,
pro/kid events. These are the things clubs can do. We as individuals can
just take somebody fishing.