I heard on the local news this morning that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is stocking Rainbow Trout around the state right now. This reminded me how much I used to love going fishing, so I went to look at when and where they were going to be dumping fish. I have one question: when did fishing become such a complicated legal hassle?

Back in the day (i.e. not that long ago), you didn’t need a license to fish with a cane pole. The reasoning was always that it’s far more difficult to bring in a fish with a cane pole, and you can’t really bring in a whole boatload a day with one. It’s a really leisurely activity, and not at all as fast-paced or efficient as using a rod and reel. Well, now you need a license for even cane pole fishing. What the hell?! A license to fish with a cane pole?! I have to buy a $30+ license with a freshwater endorsement stamp to sit and leisurely lure fish to my pole with a bit of worm? And you are only allowed to catch five trout of any sort in a day?! What has happened to fishing in Texas?! 8O

Say Lin and I wanted to go camping and do a little fishing … we’d both have to buy Day Plus licenses for two days for a total of $15 each (freshwater — saltwater is higher still). And we might not catch any damn thing at all, so there’s no guarantee our $30+ would result in a meal of fresh fish at any time during our weekend. For that kind of money, I’d can go to the grocery store and buy enough trout to feed us and all our friends. Not kidding! And I wouldn’t have to hassle with all the killing and cleaning either, so it’s nothing but the good bits! Crazy!

Oh well, the good old days of grabbing a length of cane, attaching a string and hook, digging up some worms and snagging a few fish on a lazy afternoon are obviously over. I guess I won’t be going fishing again … ever. For the best really considering that any fish that has been in the Texas waterways is going to be so full of mercury and PCB’s, it’d be crazy to eat it. I’ll stick to buying farm-raised and chemical-free fish at the local supermarket.

Yet another of my skills fades into that realm of Things I Will Never Do Again … until end of the world as we know it, at which point most people won’t even know how to catch, kill and clean a fish, and I will. Yes, the longer I live, the more of my skills will only be useful once civilization collapses. :rolleyes:

I’m starting to feel old, outdated, and useless … as though all the skills I have acquired in my lifetime are worthless in this modern age. I thought this wasn’t supposed to start happening until you actually got really old. Why yes, I am starting my mid-life crisis a little early. How kind of you to ask.