Attack on our sport is misguided

Posted: December 13th, 2012 by Bill Dance

There are many anti-sportsman groups around. These people do not agree with hunting and fishing. And I have often had hunters and fishermen ask my opinion of these groups. Well, the way I see it, certainly, these people live in the U.S., the Land of the Free, and have a right to their opinion. All Americans do, thankfully.

But I really think these folks know a lot more about spin-doctoring than they do about spinning reels. There are not the mainstream by any means. Actually their numbers are quite small, but man do they know how to get attention from the media! In that way they are smart.

To me they seem misguided. They know very little about the natural order of things. Still, they have a plan (doesn’t everybody?) … for all living things to live in perfect harmony. Unfortunately, for them, this is not nature’s plan, never has been, never will be.

Heck, we humans can’t even live in harmony and we are supposed to be of superior intellect.

And we certainly all know how “loving” fish can be to each other. Hey, it’s a fish-eat-fish world out there, from the time a fry is spawned onward.

For creatures to live, others must die. It’s the natural order of things, something the anti-hunting and anti-fishing folks want to remove themselves from. But this can’t be done. I mean even if they are vegetarians, they have to realize the turnip truck is going to run over a few rabbits and a ‘possum to and fro the field and market, eh?

And how the heck to they sit around and eat their veggies, knowing all the while the potatoes had to be de-eyed and the heads of lettuce had to be lopped off?

Maybe such anti-establishments are now harping on the anglers because there are more of us than the hunters, who have been under the groups’ attacks for decades (and folks are still hunting, by the way). Unlike hunters, anglers have the advantage of the catch-and-release argument. But anti-anglers could care less about that. They say they want to stop all fishing because it causes fish pain. They believe fishing is cruel.

People have always said chop down a big tree if you want to make a lot of noise. Maybe this is why anti-groups are now pecking at anglers. They want to stir up a greater number, and possibly get more attention for their misguided cause.

I would say, as we are fond of saying around here, they just don’t know fat meat is greasy, but then that is obvious.

But really? Stop fishing? It’s good for everybody to have goals. But I think this time the anti-fishing folks have bitten off way more than they can chew–be it meat or vegetable.

Studies show one out of every 10 people fish. That’s a lot of people and a lot of enjoyment. And these organizations think people are just going to quit fishing because that is what’s on their agenda?

I seriously doubt it.

Yes, I have read some of the propaganda put out by these folks. And I did what I thought was best after I was finished. I sent the paper down to the recycling center.

And boy do I hope they recycle that paper into cardboard cartons used to house big, ol’ night crawlers, crickets or some other kind of fishing bait!

As always, catch one for me!