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Quote:

Originally Posted by tkwalker (Post 17346)

First off the money does not go to the State !! It goes to benefit the Fisherman and Hunters of this great State, to provide more outdoor enjoyment, hunting and fishing species as well as boating and hunting education ... ... And they have done a DAMN GOOD JOB OF IT over the past 30 years! ... We have fought to keep the TWRA out of the State humdrum of political control, we have to much of that now! ... We are blessed that the TWRA is an agency not mixed up in bureaucratic politics ... I have no problems paying for licenses, or anything that they request as long as they provide the outdoor sportsman activities and use all of the money that they collect to provide us with this and they have done all of this so far ... We are the great Lakes of The South ... we have nice ramps and accesses .. and numerous public docks for the handicap, ... Move to Fla and have to pay for a lic to fish the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico ...Like they were stocking it ?? ... To be Guide is your choice, I have been one, No one owes you anything ..,. Like anything else in this great country if you work hard enough at anything and have the attributes to reach the pinnacle you will be rewarded. If you are average at what you do accept it ... or move on to another profession.

I have known a lot of professional guides in my life here as well as in other states ... and I have only found a hand full that was independent to accomplish that ... the rest had a DAY JOB.(Proof your Crappie Guide has cabins a store and storage ... I bet you most of his major income comes from that business, he does the guiding for a little income and the prestige of being called a prof guide.) So let's don't kick down the TWRA until you know who gets the money ... And yes trout is the issue now, I have seen the TWRA take action when other sporting species was altered due to a loss of funds ... a hell of a job managing Deer in the 60's , managing turkey the late 80's and early 90's ... Stripers in the 70's and even Muskys in the 50's and 60's that are still reproducing at Rock Island, Collins the Rocky and Dale Hollow and they haven't been stocked in over 40 years ! ....TWRA has done a good job, mainly because they are an agency ... when you register your boat or buy your sportsman lic ... it stays in the TWRA.. not the Tennessee state, county or city coffers... .... <'TK>< :)

Whoa there.,.....First I am not knocking TWRA..lets get that straight from the start. I bought a Trout stamp for years before I stated to Trout fish...because I knew that money went to a fishery for Trout somewhere. I also know that regular license money stays in the TWRA. We are on the same side here don't think I am not. I don't know where this new money will be going...if they even implement this program. I am more than willing to pay much more for a Trout stamp to fish. There is more to this issue than a Guide Tax fee. There has been discussion....from what I have read and heard that someone wants to limit the number of people using a tail water at a time...maybe out of state folks would only be allowed on certain days. I can live anywhere but I chose to live here..and for good reason....the all around fishing here is great and the reason for that is TWRA. It just does not make sense to me what this program is meant to do..and I guess none of us will know until they say yay or nay and announce what it will do. TN gets quite a bit of money from the Pittman-Robertson Act simply because our fishing permit and hunting are combined...and I am the first one to say that they spend the money wisely. Once again..it is just not clear to me what they are trying to do. I fully support TWRA and think it is a fine organization and has and is doing a great job.

Regards