As an avid fisher-woman and traveler, I have sadly missed out on casting a line in several states due to the high cost of a non-resident licence. I've found that many states offer too few options. For instance: one-day or three-day only which forces a non-resident into a costly annual licence to keep the cost down. Also, while many states offer discounted fees for senior or military, these discounts apply only to thier residents. (Any fisherman worth his or her salt knows that fishing is hit or miss at best! How many times i have wasted money on a one or three-day license just to get skunked by bad conditions!) It's like some states don't want outsiders using the resources that are funded in part by our federal taxes. Fishing gets really cost prohibitive when traveling to two or more states!
I teach fly fishing skills to women, encouraging them to fish wherever they may find themselves, for any species at any time they are able. I would fully support a federal license and an affordable "tag" paid to the state I happen to be in. Such an arrangement would have to be a better option for individual states instead of outsiders (like myself and my husband) just bagging the whole idea of fishing and finding something else to spend our dollars on. I believe that local guides, bait and tackle shops, boat rentals, etc. would go for the added revenue from non-residents.
I would be willing to contact my representatives and write letters to anyone who will listen so that travelers like myself can enjoy fishing through our country.
Bob and Rae Johnson and GSP "Della"
Fleetwood Discovery
Jeep Wrangler
