bent butt

With people like Joe around. We all have our own opinion about the certain issues that may affect our regional fishing practices, the dragger subject is a sore spot for a lot of people, but judging the folks that steadfastly make a living on the water ain't the answer. With the cost of fuel and regulations being what they are today most of the guys I know that fish for a living are hanging on by a thread.....or their wives incomes in lucky cases. I'd venture to say that most of us would quit our day jobs if we could make ends meet trolling for pelagics six days a week, so why is this anti-commercial fishing so prolific among sporty types? We've all benefited from commercial fishing to one extent or another....think about drag boat bycatch chum lines and all of the fish we've caught fishing the splashy side of the culling table.....then there is community aspect that joe mentioned. On a more controversial note, how 'bout the most loathed of all commercial types...longliners....there are an awful lot of those guys that live release marlin with tags in place to foster critical migratory and breeding research that will help gain a better understanding of how to not only better understand these species,but protect them as well. THe next time you run into one of these guys out having beers, try not to peer through your maui jims in loathsome disgust, buy 'em a round and talk with them for a bit, we are all watermen.