Contrary to marketing campaigns that blitz the public with new, dazzling fishing products on a daily basis each spring, it really doesn't take a lot to enjoy the sport of fishing. And for those who are new to the sport or who are thinking about giving it a try as this year's fishing opener nears, your best bet is a simple rod and reel and a cup full of slimy earthworms. A little experience wouldn't hurt, either, but don't fret if you're new to the sport, and don't worry if you don't have the latest state-of-the-art equipment. In fact, the less you have, the more you might enjoy the most popular and traditional pastime Minnesota has to offer.
"In some respects, the industry has not taken a good look at how they're presenting the idea of fishing," said Mike Kurre, mentoring program director for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. "You see lots of big boats, expensive rods and reels, but some of the best fishing is done from the shore or on a dock. The fishing is so good. All it takes is a rod and reel and hook to go fishing.
"You watch Bassmasters and other TV shows and you see these 20-foot boats, 250-horsepower outboards, but it's all about what you've learned as you've gotten older, the structure - where fish are located, what time of day to go," Kurre added.
"They say they don't have all this stuff, so they're not gonna get a license," says Illa Christensen, who runs Lake Benton Tire & Bait. "But you don't need a hundred-dollar rod and reel; you can get by with a 20-dollar one. And if you're under 16, you don't even need a license."
Kurre and Christensen share the simplistic outlook on the sport of fishing, one that was developed long ago in ponds and streams across the state, and one that doesn't include bells and whistles. They say there's nothing wrong with an taking unpretentious approach to timeless, classic pastime.
"They always market those big boats and motors," Kurre said, "but whatever happened to the canoe and the 12-foot duck boat? I've seen just as many fish caught of those than on a $50,000 rig."
If you're not in the market for one of those $50,000 beauties but want to get your family involved in fishing, it doesn't take much, Kurre said. The first thing parents or kids have to do is " ask to go fishing," he said. "The parents need to ask the kids if they want to go fishing, or the kids need to ask the parents. We talk a lot about all the barriers out there, but it's as simple as getting out there and asking someone to go. It's really simple to go out and ask somebody and go. If you don't have someone to ask, go to your local bait and tackle store - those folks would love to be able to help you learn about fishing."
Christensen has been into fishing all her life and doesn't claim to know why there aren't as many kids walking around the lakes armed with a rod and reel and a can full of freshly-dug up earthworms today as there was 20 or 30 years ago, but agrees with Kurre in saying it's partly up to the parents to initiate a conversation about heading out to the lake to at least give fishing a shot.
"If their parents don't fish and take their kids, or their grandkids, they're not gonna get used to it," she said. "I've got two grandsons and they'd live down there on the lake if you'd let 'em. Today, you just don't see a lot of kids fishing."
Kurre said making time to hit the lakes might be the biggest obstacle facing today's families, considering our fast-paced lives and how busy everyone is these days. But, he said, if you can find time, you don't have to worry about breaking the bank.
"It doesn't have to be an expensive sport," he said. "You can get by with a simple rod and reel and some hooks. There are a lot of local lakes out there; you just need to take the initiative and you gotta go. Everyone's busy, but you just have to make the time. What you're doing is making memories for a lifetime when you take kids out fishing. The key thing is spending time in the outdoors."
Getting youth into the outdoors not only opens their eyes to new experiences, it could also prove beneficial to the state in the long run.
While the number of baby boomer anglers - those ages 45 to 63 - has increased in the last three years, the number of those ages 16 to 44 has been on the decline; the number of Minnesota anglers in that age group dropped 10 percent from 2000 to 2007, the DNR said. Numbers like those don't paint a pretty picture for the future of Minnesota's great outdoors, in particular, its small lakes and ponds, Kurre said.
"We need to be stewards for the outdoors going forward," said Kurre. "There aren't many kids getting involved in the outdoors, and who's going to watch over our lakes and ponds in the future if we don't get kids involved and have them understand what it's like to be outside? Once a kid gets hooked and sees that it's healthy and fun and a great way to meet people, they'll keep going out there."
"We all want more fishermen out there," said Borch's Sporting Goods owner Chad Wyffels. "It's a great sport and a great time to be out with your parents. I think it's up to the parents to get them out there and get them fishing."
Sales of fishing and hunting licenses have been on the upswing at Borch's the last few years, and Wyffels says many anglers "wait until the last couple of days before coming in and getting them. I'm sure they'll be a lot of people coming in to buy them Thursday and Friday."
A husband/wife license is $25 for Minnesota residents, and a regular individual license is $17. Minnesota also offers a free license for a resident in the armed forces of the United States, stationed outside the state, and home on leave. Kids can fish without a license in Minnesota up to their 16th birthday.
"It's a good age," Kurre said of the age cut-off. "Studies have shown that if you don't get a kid hooked by the time they're 13 or 14, they won't fish. So it's crucial to get kids in the outdoors early. We have to show them how much fun it can be, without pushing too hard - you don't want to go out at 6 a.m. and go back home at 6 p.m. And if they get bored, just let them be kids, let them get dirty, get some mud on their hands and some slime on their shirt."