in your decisions to purchase marine related products due to the rules and regulations for fishing, which are creating less opportunity. I work part time in the marine electronics industry and it seems a lot of fishermen I talk to are not willing to invest in their boats and gear due to the lack of opportunity.

Just curious how the state of fishing in Washington has affected your marine related buying decisions.

Sold my Arima and bought a 16 ft lake boat...

Heard soooo many stories just like this.

We warned George Harris of the Northwest Marine Trade Association that this was coming...

3rd year now without a salt water license.

Sold big aluminum boat with all the goodies, bought smaller, simpler (CHEAPER) boat. I was amazed the other day by the number of guys fishing for resident coho in MA10 and a buddy said- "What else is there left to fish for?"

Other than maybe a little terminal tackle and bait, it's been easier than ever for me to decide against buying any new rods or reels, let alone any "major" purchases for my boat. I have more gear than I'll ever use, but that never used to stop me from buying more back when the fishing was worth it.

I have the gear, mostly, but don't buy licenses until there is a real opportunity to fish or hunt. Don't really do much boat fishing as I get seasick too easily and there have been very few days in boat that were very enjoyable.

Not a salt boat owner, so maybe not much of a concern, but I can confidently say that while I used to dream of owning a nice sled (or at least a drift boat), I have no plans to purchase any boats. Not a good investment these days.

No major purchase in the past 4 years.....don't see any in the immediate future.

Last winter was the 1st season in 50 years, that I chose to not fish winter run steelhead.


Problems with boat launch, changes in the river channels, poor returns of steelhead, to many guides, parking at some GH launch's lacking enough room to park tow rig/trailer.

No.

Bought a new boat, and still buying things for it. Got any good electronics deals?

Everything is cyclical IMO. some populations will rebound enough for fisheries, but never like the good old days. Further, If you are willing to travel to where the fish are there is still a lot of opportunity IMO.

If your idea is to sit and wait for banner seasons set in the middle of puget sound, you might as well sell your boat.

First time this year for me not buying my fishing license the first day of the new season and I still haven't needed to buy one. I've shifted my focus to hunting. So, I am probably spending more on license costs overall but I've done so because there are more hunting opportunities that I care about than fishing.

Ain't no way I'm gonna quit fishing. I'll be 76 in a couple weeks and I worked my ass off during my working years and gotta enough $ to make it to my end.

Probably one of my kids will get the Willieboat and a ton of gear.

So, in closing, stay home pilgrims, I gotcha covered.

fp

I buy a combo license every year and will do so until I'm covered with dirt.
I just like fishing too much to just sit on the sidelines and bitch about the state of things.
My fishing used to just evolve around salmon and steelhead, but now goes beyond those species.
I probably could drop the freshwater side of things as I very rarely fish it anymore.

There are still some things the state hasn't screwed up if you are willing to look for them. If not, you'll never know.

I already did one out of state fishing trip this year and have another one coming up.
SF

Uh, I still fish in WA and again bought my license this year, just like I've done the last 45-50 years. Unfortunately, I've lately been spending just about as much of my time writing our state legislators and supporting organizations like CCA than I have been spending fishing.

I think Idaho Mike's question was related to whether or not the lack of opportunity has influenced whether or not you're still willing to spend significant $ on equipment, and not whether (or not) you still fish in this state.

I bought a used 18' smokercraft sled in October 2018. Planning on buying some new 25" tubes for the cataraft.
Brother who visits from San Diego 2-3 times a year just dropped $124 on an out of state license.

I'm grumpy about a lot of things fishing related but i still enjoy it too much.

Picked up bass and fly fishing the last few years to fill in the gaps. Another friend bought two tenkara rods... Hooking bluegill on those is a hoot.

Nothing holds a candle to fall King bobber down or winter steelhead swung up on a spoon but I'll keep looking for piscatorial entertainment where available.

Yes but no. Once a Boat Ho - always a Boat Ho. Someone always has a boat, so I don't have to deal with any buying, selling or maintenance (or Boat Hoes!). Smart men don't own boats. Smart men have friends with boats and then show up with extra money, food, drink and tackle.

But there are less days to fish now and less of my money is being spent on fishing gear, tackle, bait, gas n' food. I've moved over to hunting again to fill the fishing void, so the money I spend goes into the hunting bucket. I'm still spending the same (if not more) and my dollars are staying in the greater outdoor industry (and still being taxed under Pittman for conservation).

If I do decide to buy a boat in the future, I totally plan on taking advantage of one of you current boat owners. Ya'll are gonna to flood the market with used boats for pennies on the dollar.

Yes. I've quit fishing and sold boats so many times I can't count - directly due to the dismal fishing outlook. Then every October, the bug bites, and I have to go again. I think I'm on my 5th drift boat, and have owned several salt boats. I love fishing with a guide from time to time, but the most enjoyable thing for me is just rowing. Sometimes I float and don't fish at all. I don't think I'll sell my current drift boat, even if they shut down fishing for good. Just too much goodness for the soul floating our rivers.

My wife influenced me to NOT BUY A BOAT. But, that doesn't stop me from fishing. I like to fish both salt and fresh waters, and am starting to branch out in the non salmonoid species of fish.

Yeah 2 new boats this year probably fish 150 days. Definetly no opportunity in Washington just give it all up

Every year I buy a combo fresh and saltwater license. As a senior, it's a reasonable purchase. Most of the return on this "investment" comes from the parking pass; I like to run my brittany on WDFW lands. My boat and trailer haven't been licensed in years. That has cost the state plenty. Now, most of my fishing is jetty and surf fishing. I have enough of that tackle to last until I get swept off a pile of rocks by a rogue wave, or get carried out to sea by an undertow. I used to buy a ton of fishing tackle, bait, marine gas/oil, launch fees and moorage. Lost opportunity, confusing and constantly changing regulations, along with advisory warnings on fish consumption have essentially eliminated those expenditures. The state knows that discretionary income will get spent on something else; likely something taxed. I don't think they care...

Cedar has hit an important point. The State, as in WA, doesn't really give a rat's backside if we fish or not. Do we spend that discretionary money in WA where it can be taxed? If so, the the State wins. WDFW may lose, but the tax income still comes in.

Now, if hunters and anglers spent a significant portion of that discretionary money out of state, or out of country, then the State loses. But, spend it here in WA all's well.

I guess I've been influenced, but I still spend money on fishing. Let's see, next week in Colorado, then B.C. the week after, then back to B.C. the first of next month, followed by a trip to Montana and Yellowstone. Even though my non-resident fishing licenses cost more than my WA resident license, they give me more value per dollar spent due to the superior fishing opportunity.

Me too, Salmo. I have Ecuador and Australia on the trout list for next year.

Kona Green sticking tuna in August then Costa Rica next June or maybe back to Kona again. I live on the river so I have a boat but it is the last one. I lived near the Satsop and night fished Chinook with my old man when little and as a kid on my own. It is sad that us old guys that grew up in this state can only remember what was. Folks now do not have any idea on just how bad all our fish stocks have plummeted to something akin to a joke.

Where to in CR and any interest in trout? Wild Redband.

Headed back to Baja in August. (Not Cabo) Have always fished in mid May with the REEL NEWS crew, and loved it. August (for the first time) will be really hot, but there are more Dorado and Tuna, I'm told. Love those fish on salmon tackle. Sailfish, maybe. Don't need to catch another Marlin or a big Tuna. Love the fishing out of Los Barriles, and it's affordable, at least to a degree .

I stopped buying anything about 4 years ago, other than some travel rods to fly someplace else to fish.

I didn’t get a license last year, and just a fresh water license this year.

I have a 30 year old drift boat that I built, I use that to row around in front of my house, I will buy new oars for it though, the only set I have now are ones I made right after I built the boat.

Sold my bay boat for cheap, hadn’t been used in at least 7 years.

Still have my jet boat, it hasn’t been used in 4 years.

Other than some low cost freshwater tackle and a set of used oars, I may be good for another 10 years.

Thanks for the feedback. I miss the old days, but got to deal with the new days. I won't quit fishing and boating, but I have adapted to new fisheries, and when opportunity presents itself, I will take a shot at some of the old fisheries.

I don’t live far from you now, and I don’t really miss the west side at this time.

I had been planning to buy a sled with my family growing. Something over 20' that could fish rivers, the sound, the Columbia, etc.

With the opportunity, including crappy runs in rivers where I'd get use out of a big sled (Cow, Lewis, etc) I have no plans to spend the money.

I started looking for a newer boat about three years ago and placed a "wanted ad" for a specific make and model.

Had a few responses, but two stood out because both guys said they are fed up with the decline in salmon opportunity, so they were getting rid of their boats. I ended up with one of those boats.

On the other hand, since I have a newer boat, I'm spending money like it's the good ol days of salmon in Puget Sound. Each time, wondering if it makes sense with all the closures. Even crabbing could be closed someday.

I still plan to do a lot of fishing and hunting but it will be on a particular day basis. Since I get seasick easily, I don't really do much boat fishing; walk and wade, shore casting, and so on.

I will pick my trips, based on where, what's available, and what else I can do there. So, obviously, Iceland, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Australia will be on the list; maybe even Africa this November. It will be part of a trip.

I have never been one who truly believes that just be out there (opportunity) is enough. Has to be something there to interact with.

We moved out of state. Sold everything- boat, truck, 40-years of saltwater tackle, etc... We're located on the banks of the Rogue River these days! Now this is what fishing is supposed to be like!