Gaining or losing fishermen?

[PIKEGUY]

Isn't it funny how too often it takes people my age (25)who were brought up the right way in the outdoors to introduce fishing and hunting to other people my age and older who didn't have a clue what was out there growing up and laughed at you for doing those things in high school? I've helped at least 5 people ice their first fish this year and only one was younger than me.

[Left Handed Model]

I would have to say I found my appreciation for it later in my life than sooner.  I'm 23 and I grew up in a woods town in Northern Maine.  All I wanted to do was move to the city so I could be near everything.  Now I realized what I had and I wish I was back....I think its growing, I joined up....

[walleyeslayer]

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.

i hope everyone quits but me...   i dont see any indication of that happening here 

[hali-man]

I don't think more people are starting to fish.
More people that normally fish open-water are venturing out on the ice...
And I agree with Pikeguy- it's the older ones.

[crowkiller]

kids are to busy playing video games instead or experiencing life and what the world has to offer

[Jim111]

This has been a tough year on ice conditions, so not the best time to pose such a question. There's certainly been less ice fishermen, in general this year and probaly overall too, to some extent, but it's really hard to say? There's less deer hunters in VT the past few years, but for the same reasons there's less coyotes,......because there's less DEER! Not even Vermonters will hang out and hunt here much these days. -Jim

[icejunky]

I do think we are gaining fisherman, but not so much Kids....Im new to my area so I dont know how the lakes are compared to other years, but I do notice that ever year there is a bigger and bigger selection of ice gear available...which tells me it's selling

[Rockfish]

I have to say I rarely see young people out on the ice.  Down here in Maryland everyone looks at me like I'm crazy when I say I'm off to icefish.  I'm sure you can appreciate that.  I do wonder how many people have got into it but finding sites like this and hearing about people like ours enthusiasm for the sport... I know my knowlege has jumped by leaps by participating on this forum... where else can people talk freely (and mostly honestly  ) with like minded folks on a subject like this...

Rockfish