However, no one is born to channel surf, whereas we're genetically programmed to hunt and gather. Although 29 million Americans fish, the number of anglers hasn't kept pace with population growth. Despite overall population increases, total fishing-license sales declined about 1.5 percent from 1990 to 1996. In Florida, license sales dropped 6 percent between 1995 and 1996 in a state that grew by 700 people per day. Taking Johnny fishing once may spark his interest in fishing, but it won't make him an angler.
Kids have to fish often in order to build a foundation of success and skills they can rely on later.
Over 85 percent of Americans have been fishing, yet only 28 percent of the adult population fishes. It came out. We saw a tremendous spike in our participation surveys for a year or two after the movie. Flyfishing is very technical and relatively difficult to learn. Newcomers grew frustrated when they didn't experience success, and without a base of general angling skills and past successes to rely on, they quit.