Page 2 - 2019 MAY/JUNE Outdoor Oklahoma

Panoramas

t might be a coworker. Maybe a friend from church and equipment sales, and more funds for states to protect the
or from school. Could be a cousin or niece or nephew. fisheries they sustain through fish stocking, aquatic habitat
Chances are you know someone nearby who has never management, fish research and surveys, boat ramp manage-
Ibeen fishing. Why not do something about it this year? ment, courtesy docks, shoreline access and more.
The perfect time to introduce someone new to the joys of Of course, not everyone will be able to take advantage of
fishing is coming up. On June 1-2, no one will be required to Free Fishing Days. But don’t let that stop you! Fishing is easy
have a state fishing license. It’s our annual Free Fishing Days. and affordable any time of the year. For starters, any resident
Chances are you’re familiar with the rewards you can get youth 15 or younger does not require a fishing license at any
from a fishing trip: the relaxation of being outdoors, the time. And no fishing license is required for any nonresident
beauty of nature surrounding you, the unwinding from the youth 13 or younger.
stresses of our everyday lives, and the occasional excitement of There are also nominally priced short-term licenses avail-
feeling your fishing line go tight. A day out fishing is always able for people who may only want to try fishing before they
a good day! decide whether to dive into the deep end. We now offer a
I was reading the 2018 Special Report on Fishing pro- two-day resident fishing license and a one-day nonresident
duced by the Outdoor Foundation and the Recreational fishing license that can be purchased instantly online with our
Boating and Fishing Foundation, and I noticed one of new licensing system at www.GoOutdoorsOklahoma.com.
the findings was that more than 80 percent of adults who And if you have not checked out the new Go Outdoors
currently fish were introduced to fishing during their child- Oklahoma, I urge you to do so right away. All sportsmen and
hood. And they grew up with good memories of times spent sportswomen – especially lifetime license holders and return-
around the water with family and friends, baiting a hook and ing customers – are urged to sign in to update their informa-
watching that bobber. tion and complete their account setup. Updating is necessary
On the flipside, once a kid reaches age 12, it is much less for future interactions with the Wildlife Department, includ-
likely he or she will try fishing, the report said. Take them ing obtaining licenses and permits, using E-check, applying
when they are younger, and you might be doing your part to for controlled hunts and more. New users are invited to create
recruit a future angler who can take your place whenever you a new account.
decide to hang up your pole. Your Wildlife Department thanks you for supporting its
It’s important to maintain or grow participation in fishing mission to manage and protect fish and wildlife, along with
because the money that is spent is a driver in the economy. In their habitats, while also growing our community of hunters
Oklahoma each year, more than 1 million people spend more and anglers, partnering with those who love the outdoors, and
than $800 million related to fishing. The industry supports fostering stewardship with those who care for the land.
an estimated 11,300 jobs in the state.
When we help people become anglers, we are supporting
conservation and helping fund better fishing in the future.
An increase in participation means more customers for fish-
ing-related businesses, more fishing licenses, increased tackle Nels Rodefeld, Editor

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