The world would be a different place, and for the worse. This is why.
A world without Inshore Fishing?
I want you to take a moment, clear your mind, and consider a world without the adventure of inshore fishing.
Imagine people who don't know what it's like to see the sun rise over the marsh, and certainly don't talk about it. There'd be no tales of the "one that got away" or the day they limited out.
It'd be a different place.
People wouldn't venture "down the road" to see the vast prairie or gawk over catches, brought in both by recreational and commercial fishermen.
It'd just be empty.
Everybody would be biding their time in suburbia, downtown, or somewhere else.
It'd be a different economy.
Without inshore fishing there is no reason to have a boat. The boat dealers would be out of a job.
Without a boat, there'd be no need for a launch. The marinas we know and love would never exist.
Tackle stores, boat mechanics, gas stations, trailer dealers and more would all be gone. The places where currency and value exchange hands wouldn't be there to provide a living.
People would be different, too.
Inshore fishing teaches lessons found in few other places.
One must toughen herself to endure the sweltering heat, biting cold, blinding rain, strong wind and other harsh conditions.
It's not just physical toughness. It's also mental toughness.
There are no gutter-guards, referees, or boundaries in inshore fishing. Speckled trout have tails and will swim somewhere else, leaving you scratching your head and maybe frustrated.
This is how inshore fishing brings out our character, giving us the opportunity to not only better ourselves as anglers, but as human beings.
Here is the scary part:
This could very well become a reality.
Inshore fishing as we know it stands to be eradicated by "no fishing" zones. Even worse, some parts of the marsh may be gated off and only accessible to paying members.
Then inshore fishing would become a rich man's pastime, and the rest of us would talk about the "good ol' days" of fishing tidal water like anywhere else in the United States.
It's already happening.
This "make believe" world I've asked you to imagine is a reality that already exists in some parts of Louisiana.
Some marsh is literally already gated off. The only way in is to be part of the club.
Other parts of the marsh are patrolled by armed men, ready to make close passes at high speed and brandish their firearm. It has already happened.
How You Can Help
You aren't powerless to prevent the loss of water access, join myself and other concerned citizens at the Louisiana Sportsmen's Coalition.
They are the only grassroots organization fighting for your fishing freedom!
