Seniors, how did recreational fishing get so expensive and technical?

• When I was a kid we used either a simple rod & reel but mostly a bamboo cane pole and dug up worms for bait. Once when my sister and I ran out of bait, we used bologna from the sandwich meat in our cooler to catch fish. Avid catfish-fishermen would make their secret stink bait and let it age till it was almost unbearable stinky. Now I see ads for stores that are selling "surgically sharpened fish hooks"...supposed to make it easier to hook the fish, and graphite-covered fishing line (to make it stronger), and a spray in an assortment of scents that is supposed to lure the fish to the fishing spot. Seems like a person could easily spend a thousand dollars by the time they buy their permits, tackle, multi-drawer tackle box, special fishing line, rod & reel, and fancy baits.

• Answer:

  Like everything else today it's all about controls, more regulations, more fines, much higher license fees to go to the fascist state. All about commercialism too, of course. Nothing is cheap today and anything that used to be cheap and could feed a family in a modest, easy, cheap way..is now gone. Unless you are a property owner and have a nice fish filled lake or pond. It's not at all like what it was where a person could go fish and make some extra dollars selling them. Dad, uncle, and me used to always carry commercial licenses, plus trapping, hunting, making it possible to eat and make some extra dollars in various ways. Not today, since that takes special permits and then some areas it is still illegal to sell fresh food or meat products like ... back when. Plus today they are swift and is legal for the creeps to confiscate all your fishing equipment, your vehicle and to search your home just for a mere simple fishing infraction. Say like fishing with more poles that are allowed or using more hooks on a fishing line that is allowed or by catching the wrong type of protected fish that gets on your line, but they will blame you for it and start writing the tickets and hauling your property off. Like we have control over what kind of fish is going to bite to be hauled in. Then if the timing is bad and you get seen or a now-day commie rats you out under our new police-state like living your in trouble, and serious trouble for something unavoidable and stupid. Sounds unreal but true. Why? Because the generations before me didn't take any stands against the price gouging and governments intrusions into our lives. They allowed our best fishing areas to be bull-dozed over to make subdivisions for McMansions and golf courses. Making this hobby difficult and costly to do today. People just let others ruin things and remain the silent majority and un-caring. Not ever considering what was being passed down to me and now what the majority of my generation is allowing to flow on down to the next generation as well. Well, except for me, I raise hell and write my letters and let people and agencies know how I feel regardless of others and their complacency and dis-concern. I can get by and happily with cheaper old reliable stuff if I can find it. Like everything else they sure don't make reels and stuff to last long or stands up in strength like they may claim. High priced and made of cheap plastic and plastic gears unless you pay out more. Now if I was to hit the lottery I'd more than likely buy me one of those fancy bass boats with all the high tech junk and fish finders and a motor bigger than me to scoot across the lake with. And more able to find some good fishing sites instead of what we are stuck with in my area. I'd travel around and be like that Monster Fishing show on TV where he goes all around the world and catches monster fish on a hand line and bigger than his boat. Dreaming now. I hate what this country has come to and has impacted about every aspect of our/my life possible. Fishing will probably be illegal for the grand-kids to do. Animal rights freaks have already been claiming that fish tell them it hurts so much to be hooked and reeled in. And that they are frightened about being caught cleaned and fried. Or how bad fishing is on the environment. Sheesh! Stupid people - stupid people - stupid government.