Author Topic: Gaining or losing fishermen? (Read 4850 times)

2 dogs · « **on:** Feb 06, 2006, 10:58 AM »

Out of curiosity is fishing and ice fishing in particular gaining or losing in popularity in your area? I have noted a huge decline in ice fisherman this season

compared to last. I realize the ice has not been as good but often there is absolutely nobody else out on the lake where last year would have been 25 pickups scattered about. We have 12-14 inches of ice so that is not the problem and the fishing has been good.

adkRoy · « **Reply #1 on:** Feb 06, 2006, 11:02 AM »

Definitely gaining. I have noticed a huge increase in the amount of icefishermen this year.

rumblefish_1 · « **Reply #2 on:** Feb 06, 2006, 11:23 AM »

Just look at the number of guys getting married...we are losing more every weekend!!! JUST SAY NO TO MARRIAGE!!!!

lake snake · « **Reply #3 on:** Feb 06, 2006, 12:18 PM »

Quote from: rumblefish_1 on Feb 06, 2006, 11:23 AM

Just look at the number of guys getting married...we are losing more every weekend!!! JUST SAY NO TO MARRIAGE!!!!

Totally agree with you.Half of all marriages end in divorce. Why end the best relationship you'll ever have(with yourself), to give up fishing time.

nepa old man · « **Reply #4 on:** Feb 06, 2006, 12:28 PM »

Hardly see any younger ones on the ice anymore, guess their to busy playin video games.

MikeVT · « **Reply #5 on:** Feb 06, 2006, 01:21 PM »

I've seen a decrease in icefishermen in my area, but I attribute that to a lack of ice resulting in no snowmachines or 4-wheelers on the ice. It seems that everyone in my neck of the woods has to have something to ride on or they don't go fishing. I'm not really heartbroken about it.

adkRoy · « **Reply #6 on:** Feb 06, 2006, 01:53 PM »

Quote from: nepa old man on Feb 06, 2006, 12:28 PM

Hardly see any younger ones on the ice anymore, guess their to busy playin video games.

Some of our neighbors kids bought our old tip-ups at a garage sale last summer and we've seen them using them on our lake this winter. It gives you kind of a warm feeling seeing kids really getting into ice fishing using your old equipment.

NickP · « **Reply #7 on:** Feb 06, 2006, 01:57 PM »

Gaining- lots of people on the ice at bantam and highland this year- almost too many

Lack of ice on other lakes leads to these two getting swamped time and time again- GO CT!

PIKEGUY · « **Reply #8 on:** Feb 06, 2006, 02:04 PM »

Gaining. Definitely. Hell, my group went from 2 to 6 this year

gair-z · « **Reply #9 on:** Feb 06, 2006, 02:13 PM »

Gaining.. we were on a lake a few weeks ago that had 100 guys out.. in the old days it would have 6 or 7.

jigmasterjr · « **Reply #10 on:** Feb 06, 2006, 05:12 PM »

Well statistically the highest number of licensed anglers in the U.S. peaked in the 1980's at 31.5 million, but the stats for 2004 showed it at 31.6 million currently one out of everytime ten americans has a fishing license, I think its time for a new national pastime!

fishingking · « **Reply #11 on:** Feb 06, 2006, 06:55 PM »

I think in NYS lisence sales are going up

On the ice this year it seems some lakes have more people on them then usual and some icefishers are staying clear of any ice because of the weather

reelbigfish · « **Reply #12 on:** Feb 06, 2006, 07:26 PM »

When I was a kid in the 50s and 60s there were vast shanty towns on all of the local lakes. If you wanted to fish a private lake you just waited for winter and
walked on anywhere you wanted and cut a hole. The oldschool guys died off and there was a slack period in the 80s. Now the shantytowns are all gone but with
the popups and flip shanties they are reappearing on a daily basis. The new
electronics and cameras are getting more and more young people away from their tvs and video games and out on the ice. I love to see it. Some of the younger
members on IS showing an interest in our sport is my main reason for sharing what
I've learned on the ice. I think it's great that the new generation are so eager to learn.

Ted

NickP · « **Reply #13 on:** Feb 06, 2006, 07:40 PM »

ITs guys like you ted that give us newbies good hope- 16 and ive been icefishing for 2 months lol- I feel like a pro and ive yet to average less then 10 fish an hour - I give almsot all my credit to iceshanty.com and tis very valuable members.

DRabbit · « **Reply #14 on:** Feb 06, 2006, 08:05 PM »

I think there are more people on my usual lake this year. Personally i would much rather be fishing than playing video games, or going to class for that matter.

Bean · « **Reply #15 on:** Feb 06, 2006, 09:42 PM »

The latest I've heard is that icefishing is growing the fastest of all types of fishing(as far as sales). The last few years have seen about a 30% growth(This number is from companies selling icefishing products). I would think that icefishing is gaining fishermen to support this growth(maybe not 30%, but probably greater than 15%).

billybono · « **Reply #16 on:** Feb 06, 2006, 09:48 PM »

Quote from: slipbob on Feb 06, 2006, 11:10 AM

I wish we'd lose a bunch. Too many guys out around here......

i agree...it amazes me how much different it is than 10 years ago....ya know before you could walk into an outdoors supermarket and buy gear

billybono

fishingking · « **Reply #17 on:** Feb 06, 2006, 10:04 PM »

Bean i Dont know if icefishing gear sales is a accurate way to appoximate icefisherman some of us have more gear then 5 icefisherman put together lol

billybono- It sucks with the advances in technology (efficent heaters, portable shacks, better cloths etc etc) more and more people seem to be going out on the hard stuff

billybono · « **Reply #18 on:** Feb 06, 2006, 10:07 PM »

i think id be just as happy with my old spud, bucket, and old crap cross tip-ups

... but i don't think its the technology as much as the easy availability

billybono

big big rdg · « **Reply #19 on:** Feb 06, 2006, 10:09 PM »

I have noticed a jump in ice fishermen in my area but this year due to the poor cpnditions not as many people as last year when we had good ice.

blue mule · « **Reply #20 on:** Feb 07, 2006, 05:51 PM »

i'd say possibly gaining here in my area.at work i used to be the only one. then they hired a kid whose dad fished with me. now some guys want to go with me, but theres no ice.

Water Wolf · « **Reply #21 on:** Feb 08, 2006, 01:50 PM »

I would say that in my province as a hole there are more anglers out there but in my general area It is staying the same.

WW

GAMBELL · « **Reply #22 on:** Feb 08, 2006, 03:19 PM »

Icefishing is growing in my area. The open water fishing is in decline. Lake Ontario trout and salmon fisherman are becoming endangered species. The DEC reports the number of trips is way down. Honestly I think it is not as bad as they make it sound.

crowkiller · « **Reply #23 on:** Feb 08, 2006, 03:28 PM »

i think its popularity is growing,i have turned a few friends on to ice fishing and they love it

billybono · « **Reply #24 on:** Feb 08, 2006, 05:35 PM »

Quote from: GAMBELL on Feb 08, 2006, 03:19 PM

Lake Ontario trout and salmon fisherman are becoming endangered species. Honestly I think it is not as bad as they make it sound.

it cant be...not here anyway....you ought to see wall wars down here in oswego come mid september

billybono

Waubay Fisher · « **Reply #25 on:** Feb 08, 2006, 05:39 PM »

IMO it's growing here in South Dakota... there's more and more people on local forums and I definitely see TONS of people out on the ice. Although this year the beginning of the season we had some kinda cruddy ice conditions so that slowed things for a bit. No probs by me - helps to keep some of those fish in the lake!

southend517 · « **Reply #26 on:** Feb 09, 2006, 09:22 AM »

The DNR in Michigan says fishing license sales have been down for the past few years.

crowkiller · « **Reply #27 on:** Feb 09, 2006, 09:36 AM »

nice catch but did the phone make it

vtpike · « **Reply #28 on:** Feb 09, 2006, 09:56 AM »

In Vermont it appears that fishing has declined in popularity over the past few years, as has hunting. The funny thing is that kids are no longer active and even basketball programs are hurting. At least here in VT.

adkRoy · « **Reply #29 on:** Feb 09, 2006, 10:15 AM »

Quote from: vtpike on Feb 09, 2006, 09:56 AM

In Vermont it appears that fishing has declined in popularity over the past few years, as has hunting. The funny thing is that kids are no longer active and even basketball programs are hurting. At least here in VT.

The major problem I have seen in the last 7 years of teaching is most kids are becoming lazier, less motivated, and have even less parental involvment. I see more kids that just want to listen to music and play video games and the parents don't feel like dealing with the kids so the tell them to play their video games. I am seeing an icrease of icefishermen but they are usually older people (college age on up) not kids.

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