No excuses, go fishing
Today is National Hunting and Fishing Day, but since hunting season is closed right now, play it safe and go wet a line.
The state estimates that more than three million residents and visitors fish or hunt in Florida each year, contributing more than $8 billion (yes, that is billion with a "b") to the economy and supporting more than 85,000 jobs.
In these hard economic times, many families are turning to fishing instead of taking the usual vacations, i.e., Disney World, Busch Gardens. Fishing is relatively inexpensive. Once you buy the basic equipment, you don't need to pay a fee every time you go, as with golf or bowling.
And anglers are the vanguard on the conservation front. Sportsmen - hunters and fishermen - started the conservation movement. Organizations such as Ducks Unlimited have fought to preserve habitat, which is essential for fish, birds and a wide variety of mammals and reptiles.
But do yourself a favor, instead of letting the kids sit inside this morning and watch cartoons, head down to your nearest tackle shop and buy yourself of bucket of bait. If you don't catch anything, at least you'll get a tan, and you can always go home and make a nice shrimp cocktail with the leftovers.
To learn more about fishing in Florida, contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Looking for a great day hike for your toddler? How about a romantic paddle to a barrier island with your sweetheart? Planning to buy a backpacking tent but don't know where to start? Find the answers to these and other questions when you take a walk on the "Wild Side" with St. Petersburg Times Outdoors Editor Terry Tomalin, who has traveled the globe for the past 20 years looking for adventure.
Hunting season opened in select areas of the Central zone on September 20th.
RIchloam, Gothe and probably some other WMAs
Posted by: Mike | September 28, 2008 at 10:51 AM