There was a time in the not-too-distant past that fishing was considered to be a typical pastime enjoyed by Americans of all ages. Young children could grab a simple cane pole and dig up some worms in the backyard and head out fishing on their own. Families could do it as part of vacations and old men could sit by a pond hoping to catch the big one, a true lifetime sport. But much has changed in America over the past few decades and fishing has been no less impacted.
Even in Idaho, the chain of tradition has been broken when it comes to passing on the joy of fishing. Many adults were raised in families that fished, but no longer do. It used to be that not only was fishing a form of recreation, but also a way of supplying a little extra food for the family. I didn’t grow up in Idaho, but I remember summer vacations where part of the goal of the vacation was to catch and clean as many crappie and bluegills as possible. They’d be frozen into milk cartoon sized blocks of ice and transported home to be eaten throughout the year. Today, catch-and-release is extremely popular, even in places where it is not required. People still like to fish, but many don’t want the hassle of having to take care of what they catch.
All of this adds up to less of a fishing tradition being created and passed onto our young people. While the fish might be thankful for the reduced pressure, from a management standpoint it portends problems for the future. People that are involved with something tend to have a bigger interest in protecting it. Anglers not only care about fish, but they have a better understanding of how interconnected fish are with water and how both relate to humans. When we look at things from this perspective, we talk about stewardship for both the organism, as well as the habitat where it lives. The fancy name for this is ecology.
To help maintain the tradition of fishing and foster stewardship, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) will once again be operating their “Take Me Fishing” trailers all across the state. There are five separate trailers that are moved around the state all summer. In Eastern Idaho, the Upper Snake Region and the Southeast Region share a trailer that goes all the way from Malad to Island Park. The point of the trailer is that wherever it shows up, it becomes free fishing day for anyone who registers. Not only is the fishing free, but so too are the use of loaner rods and reels. IDFG staff not only dispense free bait, but they are able to offer advice on how to fish or to care for fish that have been caught. The point is to try and remove as many barriers as possible from those who would like to learn how to fish or rekindle long forgotten skills.
This is the sixth year that the trailers have operated and the neat thing is that they basically pay for themselves, even though they are free to use. Like all IDFG expenses, no general tax income is involved. The trailers and their staff are paid for out of Federal Excise taxes on fishing related items. The more people buy fishing equipment, the more funding that is available for aquatic education. Talk about the circle of life!
While the trailers are a great tool, they are basically just massive band-aids on wheels. The real solution is having every existing angler passing on their passion to at least one new angler. Have you done your part?