Do you think more people are fishing ?

[Blakesdad]

With the popularity of such sites as Tidalfish and THT and our constant visitation of these sites, I think it JUST APPEARS, there are more fishermen. Twelve years ago, we didn't have access to the Internet, thus area fishermen couldn't communicate to each other, the way we can today.

I fish where ever the bite is.. Upper, Mid and Lower Bay.

[onefishnfool]

To me it has seemed less crowded, upper/mid bay, after the first few weeks of the season, but gas prices were keeping a lot of people off the water. I buy a boat license so most of the people that fish with me, especially the out of staters, don't buy a license.

[Steve F]

This pass Saturday I figured there would be a lot of boats on the Patapsco with the weather being great, but I have to say I only seen about 5 boats fishing. Just wait until opening day then let’s see how many boats are on the water, it will be like a Friday night on 695 beltway….

[Wild Bill]

I think there are fewer boats this year. Less internet reports mean fewer boats. I am absolutely convinced of that and have not eliminated reports but choose the areas that I post about. If it is an local area that has the potential to get crowded, there will be no reports from me. If it is a big open area that can stand quite a bit of pressure, then I may report.

I enjoy the occasional report but think it is pathetic that some guys will not go unless they read it is good. I am taking a local trip tomorrow and have no idea if fish have been caught on lures there recently.

[reeltor]

I see less boats on the water. I know financial pressure has a lot of my friends shore bound.

[Hillbilly Boater]

Skip, From what I've seen in my short time on the bay,9 years, there seem to be fewer on the water. It usd to be if you lauched at CB on a Sat in early season, there were long lines. The last few years I have not seen that. The second week of the season last year we drove right in an launched. That's only me and one location because there still seem to be a lot of trollers out there.

[garlien]

To me, fishing above the bridge, for the most part, last year there seemed to be more people fishing throughout the early summer...As the summer moved closer to August/September it really seemed to taper off...October through December seemed just like us nuts out there looking for the last few big fish....

I was surprised Saturday that there were not many people out in the main bay on such a beautiful day....My oldest son said "most people are probably getting thier boats ready on a day like this"...Not sure but it was beautiful and I sure did enjoy getting out there....

[Shawn Kimbro]

I'm saving my opinion until after the fly-over , but I haven't seen many boats at all this pre-season. In fact, I've never seen many boats during the pre-season until a week or two before opening day. (I don't fish many days with high skies.) Most of the evenings I'm out, it's zero! My opinion, opening day will be a zoo again and the charters will have a tough time, they'll blame it on the pre-season and we'll be looking at more restrictions.

[PhilK999]

Skip I think there are more people fishing at certain times of the year. When the trophy season first opened you could go out late on opening day or Sunday and pretty much have the bay to yourself.

Now it appears to me that the number of people fishing the trophy season has gone way up on weekends to the point it is not even worth trying to fish it any more for me. Too much boat noise and too many boats.