We know there's no better way of advertising than word of mouth. So, picture students each having a fishing pole and each having a computer.

Two students begin conversation. One student discusses their experience with fishing and conversation they've heard, regarding the state of the present day sport. The other student speaks about a new or changes to a computer game. Access to additional info is available for both subjects. We can guess where the masses will be headed.... but why?

Parents are given a voucher to buy their children a gift. But the voucher can only be spent on either a cell phone or fishing gear. No brainer on this either. Why buy something the kids no nothing about, parents can't teach em and the child can't learn from friends?

Over time, more and more adults quit fishing leading to less and less young people learning leading to more and more adults not fishing leading to less annnn...... 😮MGosh I think there may be a vicious circle in there, somewhere?

Anyway, in summation, Ummmm.....

   Tim, some good points. Back in those days most places were not open for business on Sundays including gas stations. A lot of families had one car not like today where 4 + is not uncommon. The roads to get to fishing destinations long ago took forever, like rt. 19 from the Burgh too Erie then 79 enters & the cars/trucks of today make it easy. A 40 hr. work week was enough to support most families then.  Families were big back then 5-12 kids common now 1-3 is normal + same sex marriages ov today. 
 
 The Commonwealth gets grants also to help with repairs. When I worked for Pittsburgh Job Corps our heavy equip. shop did a lot ov the work on the Sharpsburgh boat launch & parking lot, no cost labor. It  would be nice if some heavy equip. companies would volunteer some & they could put up signs say they did the work on launches & parking areas.
 
 Kayaks are growing in popularity like never before add $10 a crack per yr. for the state parks, un powered crafts were not charged not that ling ago.
 
 Still say they should put up a snow cone & weenie stand at Wallnut & have their employees on bad behavior take turns 
at the stand. I'm with BTDT, like to see'm get a "audit".
 
 Commonwealth has no Commonsense a lot.
 
crappy                                  

Don’t know about the PAF&B, but 80% of the PAGC budget goes for wages and benefits (some of them legacy retirement). That doesn’t leave a lot for other expenditures.

That's the other independant audit that's needed.

I would definitely donate to that fund and I wouldn't expect no dadburn button or other trinket neither.

Completely different world than it was 50 years, 30 years, and even 15 years ago.  It will be completely different in the next 15-30-50 too.  Who knows what it will bring.  I think a lot of people would like to go back to 30-40 years ago.  But it is a give and take with a Capitalist economy.  It would be nice to just take the good things about it, and ignore the not so good things like mentioned about one 40 Hr/week job supporting 12 mouths and people donating time for the common good.  Now days, that sort of talk, is called Socialism.

Porktown
Panfisher
I would imagine that you are one of the few that keeps paying. I likely wouldn’t if I had the lifetime. By no means a shot at anyone that has taken advantage of it. But when you have one of your largest clientele, not paying, it doesn’t help in raising the funds that you are strapped for. Especially when at an all time low on gaining new clientele. They should probably think of grandfathering who already has one and raising the age to 75 or so. Or just stock less and less as they are.

Very true.   Need more young people buying licenses.  Same thing with lifetime hunting licenses.

Pork there's an old saying, "History Repeats Itself".

Hard to believe but you'll just have to trust us baby boomers. At one time, law enforcement was the primary responsibility of both the PFBC & PGC.

Honestly, the "beef of the day" dealt with "harassment" (really wasn't harassment) cause Yinz probably was doin sumthin toopit.

Unlike today, the watercraft and personnel ya saw on the water was for law enforcement. Yep, it was.

Those were the days where "ticket writing" and "warnings" were proof for the need of law enforcement. Unlike most of the test, experiments (research😒), reports and other unnecessary data generated to paint a bogus picture for a need of so many biologist.

PS. Still no reports on the fishing but neighbor... if ya can make it down for Mardi Gras. Mercy if this is any sign of what can be expected for Spring break. Paint me late for supper.... uhh huh!!!

This is how you raise money for Pa. stocking.....the lakes will be full of fish in no time and nobody will be complaining about the cost ! I'd buy 5 tickets everytime I stopped at the bait shop and so would a million others ! 
 
 
 

 Just like the lottery. Our seniors should be living the high life now. Would be good but too many handsss in the cookie jar I  believe.

crappiefisher
 Just like the lottery. Our seniors should be living the high life now. Would be good but too many handsss in the cookie jar I  believe.

Unfortunately, I agree.
 
If run right, I'd buy a bunch of them too!
 
I have no issues with biologist reports.  When work has me on the road for a few days, I would rather fish than waste a few hours at a bar or sitting in my hotel room channel surfing.  I at least know what a lake has in it, and what to target.  Often a few other hints in them too.  I would hope the spawning structure and other stuff they do in lake management helps in natural reproduction.  I think that is the future of maintaining some fish, if they don't get the funds for stocking.
 
I like those boats that drive around and chart the bottom contour too!  GPS and sonar are almost like cheating at fishing, but I am fine with that!