Fisher Dan, I agree with you on one point, "there is no need to carry anything larger than a .45 down here" But some of us live up "Here" and thus require something alittle bigger than a .45 to properly land our fish. Sure the futher south you go, say Oregon, a BB gun is enough fire power to land any fish, isn't that right DJ?
I do carry my shotgun with me alot but it's not for protection it's for Mergansers!