unclesnaggle of vassalboro, ME Oh My Gosh People,

Do we HAVE to stomp on every good idea that comes along. I have 2 sons, ages 11 and 7. We have been fishing since they could hold the pole. They are now understanding patience, responsibility for equipment, different species of fish, baiting own hooks,fresh water to sea water, habitats and not to mention bonding time together as a family. Fishing has been a long time family legecy and I intend to continue it. Why, why, why do we as Mainers continue to turn down good ideas? I would volunteer time for upkeep and such. I'm sure plenty of other people would also. Good luck with this constructive fenture!!!report abuse

Maidene62 of Augusta, ME Billy Boy, your dates are off. You had the fish hatchery in the seventies and early eighties. And you were trying to raise eels for money. And the only ponds you "stocked" were with shiners and bait fish. Get you stories straight before you start with your "I'm the expert on everything" rant.report abuse

Bill Randall of Winthrop, ME Sorry about the typo. It was 1982-1983 - not 1962-1963.report abuse

Bill Randall of Winthrop, ME Rep. Trahan:

I am 110 percent in favor of encouraging our youths to fish. But I'm 1000 percent opposed to doing it the way you suggest. Here are some of the reasons why. Involving government in the way you suggest is costly, and in more ways than one, it's a lifetime sentence for taxpayers with a built-in guarantee to get bigger and more complicated administratively. Paraphrasing George Orwell, "It's the way of the government." David, within just a few miles of my home are a dozen or more small farm ponds on private property that are already full of fish - and as you know, a youngster could care less about the specie of fish he catches. It's the jerk on the pole we loved to feel as a youngster, remember? David, the reason I know these landowners would love to have the youngsters fishing in these small farm ponds is because it is I who stocked them with fish, with permission of course, in 1962-1963 when I leased the old IF&W fishery hatchery in Deblois. I even had a farm pond at the hatchery stocked with trout where I encouraged the visiting youngsters to fish in it. Another suggestion is to simply designate small ponds here and there throughout the State as under 16 fishing only. We already do this in numerous places using IF&W's already existing legal authority. Designating these under 16 fishing places is a very simple administrative and non costly procedure, which you already know, having been a past member of the IF&W Advisory Council. And finally, I am reluctant to support a program that "could" tamper with our aquifers even though I don't see that as a big risk factor in most cases. Hope to chat with you in person about this. It's usually easier for me to do than writing.report abuse