THE
FRONT PAGE
2021 tournament schedules
> TACKLE WAREHOUSE PRO CIRCUIT
Feb . 11-14 March 11-14 April 22-25 May 13-16 June 17-20 July 29-Aug . 1 Aug . 17-22
> TOYOTA SERIES
CENTRAL DIVISION Feb . 16-18 * March 31-April 2 ** May 20-22
NORTHERN DIVISION July 15-17 Aug . 26-28 Sept . 16-18
Lake Okeechobee Smith Lake Lake Murray Lake Eufaula Potomac River St . Lawrence River Tackle Warehouse TITLE Mississippi River @ La Crosse
Lake Guntersville Dale Hollow Lake Lake Chickamauga
Lake Champlain St . Lawrence River Potomac River a time of progress
Each year , the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation publishes a special report on fishing participation . The results of the latest report , using data from 2019 , are overwhelmingly encouraging . Here are some highlights :
n Participation in fishing among the U . S . population is at its highest point since 2007 , with 17 percent of the country having gone fishing at some point in 2019 – a total of 51.1 million people over the age of 6 , which is up more than 700,000 participants from 2018 .
n Of 2019 participants , six percent ( 3.1 million people ) tried fishing for the first time in 2019 .
n For the third-straight year , female participation in fishing increased from the previous year . In 2019 , female participation in fishing grew to 17.9 million .
n Americans totaled more than 631 million freshwater fishing outings in 2019 .
n Despite female anglers making up only 36 percent of the fishing population in 2019 , eight percent of all participants in 2019 were firsttime female anglers , as compared to just five percent for first-time male anglers .
n While many anglers also enjoy hunting , the No . 1 crossover outdoor activity among anglers in 2019 was camping ( 40 percent ), followed by bicycling ( 30 percent ) and hiking ( 28 percent ).
Given the perceived increase in participation in fishing during the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent shutdown , it stands to reason that next year ’ s report should continue to illustrate an upward trend in the fishing industry as a whole .
PLAINS DIVISION March 4-6 April 8-10 May 6-8
Lake of the Ozarks Grand Lake Lake Dardanelle
SOUTHERN DIVISION Feb . 4-6 March 16-18 * May 6-8
Lake Toho Harris Chain of Lakes Lake Seminole
SOUTHWESTERN DIVISION |
Jan . 28-30 |
Sam Rayburn Reservoir |
March 25-27 |
Lake Texoma |
April 28-30 ** |
Sam Rayburn Reservoir |
WESTERN DIVISION Jan . 28-30 May 13-15 Sept . 23-25
Lake Shasta California Delta Clear Lake
TOYOTA SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP Oct . 28-30
Pickwick Lake
* Tuesday – Thursday event ** Wednesday – Friday event
Assembly Bill 3030 Stalls Out In California Senate
In more good news for the fishing industry , California ’ s Assembly Bill 3030 did not advance past
AB
3030 the California Senate Appropriations Committee in late August . The proposed bill aims to protect 30 percent of California ’ s lands and waters by 2030 , posing a threat to those who use those lands and waterbodies for recreational purposes .
The recreational fishing community at large opposed the bill , due in part to the fact that sponsors of the bill were unwilling to identify recreational fishing as a compatible use in conservation areas . In addition , the bill outlined protections that would be implemented without a clear explanation of how those protections would be put in place .
As anglers and outdoors enthusiasts , we ’ re all stewards of the environment and protectors of our precious natural resources . Still , conservation efforts should be compatible with recreational fishing so we can all continue to enjoy the natural resources we work so hard to protect and nurture .
14 FLWFISHING . COM | MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2020