David Philipp, ecology and conservation researcher at U of I, explained that the experiment sped up what's actually happening in nature. "In the wild, the more vulnerable fish are being preferentially harvested, and as a result the bass population is being directionally selected to become less vulnerable.

“People want a breath of fresh air, literally and figuratively, and from what we’re being told; anglers are heading outdoors and putting a line in the water,” said American Sportfishing Association <http://www.asafishing.org/>  (ASA) President and CEO Mike Nussman. “Although anglers, just as the general public, seem to be deferring higher end purchases, it’s clear that people are going fishing and purchasing tackle...”

Going hand in hand with strong tackle sales are increases in fishing license sales. A sample survey of state fish and wildlife agencies indicates that 2009 fishing license sales are up 11 percent in the first quarter (January – March) compared with the first quarter of 2008

I started fishing like many kids do, keenly watching a bobber, hoping my worm looked tasty to the granddaddy of all bass. Fishing was spending time with my dad, early mornings, a leaky 12-foot aluminum boat and my own Old Pal two-tray tackle box. I whispered over the edge, “Here fishy, fishy, fishy.”

As I got bigger so did my dad’s boats. He moved up to downriggers and bigger lakes, spending most of his time on the Great Lakes miles from shore fishing for lake trout and salmon. Meanwhile my interests remained on smaller lakes and rivers and my boats went the other way, getting smaller and smaller.