Baiting the hook: Sportfishing needs to lure new followers

AS SEEN IN THE PACIFIC COAST BUSINESS TIMES

Betsy Crowfoot
Special to the Business Times
3/31/06

Bordered by ocean on two sides, speckled with lakes in between, the tri-county region is an angler’s paradise.

But there’s trouble in paradise, according to some area businesses, which have reported a declining interest in recreational fishing. Sales of fishing licenses—the leading barometer—have continued in a 20-year downslide. And the backlash is being felt by related businesses, forcing the industry into an upstream battle for survival.

Nationwide, California ranks second only to Florida in the economic impact of fishing, according to a 2002 analysis by the American Sportfishing Association. Almost $1.3 billion in salaries and wages—43,000 jobs—are attributed to recreational fishing statewide, with related retail sales of $2.4 billion, plus $62 million in state taxes.

But the number of ‘a-fish-ianados’ is slipping. In 2005, 1.2 million residents purchased fishing licenses, as opposed to two million, 30 years ago.

“Back in the 1960s we established our name for Halibut fishing, White Seabass, White Sharks ... fish you’d consider rare now,” said Channel Islands Sportfishing, or CIS, Assistant Manager Jeff Morgan. The company, which has operated for five decades under various names, has relied on repeat business from both outside of the region and within, to keep revenue up as customers and fish populations waned.

“There’s less fishing now than there was,” Morgan said, with “aggressive advertising” helping to weather the storm. “We’re putting it out there quite a bit.” Recently CIS exhibited at the Fred Hall Fishing Tackle and Boat Show, and began radio and billboard advertising. Expanding to whale watching has also helped keep their business afloat.

Saltwater fishing accounts for about 60 percent of sales at Eric’s Tackle Shop in Ventura, where owner Eric Huff said he too has taken a hit as a result of tighter governmental restrictions on species and habitat, including the Channel Islands Marine Protected Areas. “Things have gotten tougher with all the closures. The season shuts down; we have practically two months of inactivity,” Huff said.

They have expanded into bird hunting ammunitions, and begun more robust marketing, including more industry shows and advertising.

Another factor Huff observed is a marked decline in the number of young anglers. “Fishing isn’t cool anymore. Kids are into extreme sports: they want a quick thrill, something that doesn’t require patience.”

In response, Huff supports children’s fishing programs, including the mid-March Kids Fishing Day at Lake Casitas. He supplied all the hooks, lines and sinkers for the free daylong angling event.

“I don’t know too many kids who can go out there and not end up loving it. Once they catch a fish they go berserk.”

“I love to see kids fish,” Huff said. “It’s fun, and it’s the future of my business.”

Getting kids hooked on fishing is a key focus for Lake Casitas Park Services Officer Rob Weinerth too. “Parents aren’t taking their kids fishing anymore,” he said, blaming extra-curricular activities and the hectic pace of family life. As a result, Weinerth has spearheaded children’s fishing days, and increased the number of easy-to-catch, self-sustaining fish species at Lake Casitas.

“Western Florida Blue Gill, Black Crappie and Catfish are fish the average person is able to catch,” he said, increasing the level of excitement that will lure future anglers.

In addition, Weinerth said they’re dedicated to maintaining the world-class bass fishing that keeps them on the front page of the fishing news, and a prime destination for tournaments.

“We run as a private enterprise, so we don’t get tax money per se,” Weinerth said. “All the money we spend comes from user fees, so if we don’t make it, we don’t stay open.” He hoped current programs would continue to attract newcomers to the sport, despite continually increasing license fees.

Even as the number of licensees has decreased, California’s Department of Fish and Game has upped fees annually. The current cost is $34.90: a far cry from the $3 annual fee 30 years ago—when one-in-10 Californians carried a license.

Huff insisted the requirement for fishing licenses is a case of detrimental double dipping. “There’s a 10 percent excise tax built into anything fishing-related manufactured in the U.S.,” Huff explained. “When you buy a pack of sinkers, 10 percent is supposed to go to the fisheries.”

One fishing manufacturer who’s found a niche that hasn’t lost its luster is MacDaddy’s Lures. The Shell Beach company, founded by retired jewelry designer ‘Mac’ McBurney and Teri Conrad, produces luxury lures of precious metals and gems.

“The fish just love diamonds and rubies,” announced McBurney, who said the company’s solid gold, engraved and jewel-encrusted lures and flies are meant to be fished with. “They’re lucky.”

Prices start at $20 and skyrocket to $1 million and, “orders are pouring in,” McBurney said. “Holy Mackerel!” he said. “The response surpassed our wildest dreams.”

Regardless of the level of interest people have in fishing; the fish are biting. According to United Anglers of Southern California President Tom Raftican, “The fishing is pretty good out there now.”

Raftican pointed to record halibut and largemouth bass, landed in California waters recently.

“We’ve got great fisheries going on. You can’t judge fishing overall by one species or one region. Are some areas hurting financially? Yeah. But there are more people out there saltwater fishing, overall in California, and the fishing is great.”

For tri-county businesses, the challenge will remain getting the word out, and luring a pool of new anglers in years to come.