Monthly Archives: January 2016

What Is the Outdoor Recreation Outlook for 2016?

Positive Outlook For Outdoor Recreation In 2016
from The Fishing Wire

Editor’s Note: According to this report from the American Recreation Coalition, 2016 looks like it will be a good year for the outdoor industry.

Washington – Outdoor recreation leaders report good sales and activities for 2015 and expectations of still stronger activity in 2016, according to a new report from the American Recreation Coalition, Outdoor Recreation Outlook 2016. Americans spend more than $650 billion annually on equipment ranging from skis and tents to RVs and boats and on services ranging from fishing licenses to zip lines, supporting millions of jobs in manufacturing, sales and service. And renewed interest in outreach and promotion by federal land and water management agencies – based around the National Park Service’s Centennial Celebration – is creating new opportunities for Americans everywhere to enjoy their great outdoors.

A core strength of outdoor recreation in America is the lure of America’s public lands and waters covering nearly one third of the nation’s surface. Best known is America’s National Park System with 408 units, ranging from world-renowned destinations to small historic sites. Visitation is on the rise, up to 3.66% from 2014 levels, with 8.7 million more visits for the year to date. Key to this rise is the National Park Service’s first major promotional campaign in 50 years – Find Your Park – as well as the Every Kid in a Parkinitiative, aimed at providing four million fourth graders and their guests an experience on public lands and waters throughout the school year.

Collectively, America’s State Parks hosted more than 740 million visitors in 2014, an increase of more than 12 million from the preceding year. State park visitation trends continue at record levels. State parks now report an inventory of more than 217,000 campsites, of which about one-third are seasonal. Of the nearly 60 million overnight visitors to state parks in the past year, over 50.3 million were campers.

Vehicle sales remain strong. According to the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA), the market for RVs has maintained its strength and sales of new units in 2015 will rise to more than 370,000 units. This will mark a sixth consecutive yearly increase. Looking further out, forecasts for 2016 RV sales remain favorable with total shipments expected to surpass this year’s estimate to finish at more than 380,000 units.

Recreational use of on- and off-highway motorcycles, ATVs, and ROVs is also growing. The industry contributes nearly $109 billion in direct spending to the U.S. economy annually and over 1.5 million jobs. Nearly 30 million Americans ride motorcycles on and off roads, and ATV ridership is some 35 million annually.

KOA – the nation’s largest private campground system – reports a very strong year across the board, with both occupancy and registration revenue showing increases.

ACTIVE Network, the organization that manages recreation.gov – the unified means for making reservations on all federal lands – reports that reservations increased 19% – to 4.4 million in 2015, up from 3.7 million in 2014. Recreation.gov recorded more than 22 million visits, an increase of 31.25%, and a 28.15% increase in users, with nearly 12 million in 2015. Use fees also increased 12% over 2014 levels. Federal reservable facilities increased from 3,079 to 3,205 over the same period.

Fishing remains one of the most popular lures to the great outdoors. According to the 2015 Special Report on Fishing released by the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) and the Outdoor Foundation, the sport continues to grow, with 2.4 million newcomers who tried fishing in 2014 alone. Forty-six million Americans – 15.8% of the U.S. population ages six and older – participated in fishing last year and those numbers are expected to keep growing with RBFF’s new “60 in 60” initiative, which aims to achieve 60 million anglers ages 6 and older by 2021.

New boat sales continue to steadily recover but still remain below pre-recession highs. With an estimated 6% growth expected in 2015 and another potential 6% growth in 2016, the industry would be poised to return to near pre-recession levels of 250,000 new boats sold, including power, sail and personal watercraft. Ski boats, outboard boats, jet drive boats and personal watercraft are showing the strongest gains in 2015.

Marinas continue to build momentum post-recession. The push to improve comes from the call from boaters for marinas to be resort and destination locations instead of just places to store and repair boats. Boaters want pools, clubhouses, nearby restaurants and activities, as well as clean, comfortable accommodations for weekend visits. More marinas than ever are offering boat rentals, water toy rentals, event services and cabin, campground and RV park services.

The U.S. bike industry is enjoying another solid, steady year of sales. Total U.S. retail dollars generated by retail sales of bicycles, accessories, and related equipment are expected to exceed $7 billion this year – a figure that includes sales of used bikes. Unit sales are expected to total about 18 million. According to a study commissioned by PeopleForBikes, 103 million Americans rode a bike at least once in 2014. Bike riding in large U.S. cities has doubled in the last 15 years. Safer bike infrastructure and the onset of bike-sharing systems (in at least 70 U.S. cities) are key factors in this growth, a trend that is expected to continue.

According to the America Outdoors Association, revenues for whitewater rafting, kayaking and paddlesports are up significantly over 2014, with lower gas prices fueling family travel. Most outdoor recreation activities and cabin rentals saw higher demand. Revenues for aerial adventures (zip lines and aerial adventure parks) have flattened out as the number of parks have proliferated.

The International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association (ISMA) is very optimistic about the 2015-16 season. Snowmobile sales in the U.S. and Canada for 2015 increased 6% compared to 2014. And the sales of manufacturer-branded parts, clothing and accessories increased 5% from last year. The number of miles ridden increased 9% over last year.

U.S. ski areas tallied an estimated 53.6 million skier and snowboarder visits during the 2014-15 season – down 5% from the previous season’s 56.5 million total, and down 3.8% from the five-year industry average of 55.7 million skier visits according to the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA). Despite a stronger economy, weather challenges across all regions of the country contributed to this drop in skier visits. Nationally, snowfall was 28% below average this season.

NSAA’s survey results also contained some particularly positive news. For example, the results from the critical Rocky Mountain region were well above the region’s five-year average. NSAA’s survey results also showed strong growth in season pass sales, which were up 6.2% from the previous season – an important indicator in the public’s demand for skiing and snowboarding.

Snow sports market sales topped $4.5 billion for the 2014-15 season, up 2% compared to the 2013-14 season. Overall, categories including outerwear, snow boots, headwear and more sold very well this season, but equipment and many equipment accessories like goggles and helmet sales dropped compared to 2013-14.

Recreational activities continue to be a mainstay of the American lifestyle, and there is widespread optimism regarding 2016. ARC’s report is available for download as a PDF at http://www.funoutdoors.com/files/Outdoor%20Recreation%20Trends%202016.pdf.

Global Warming?

Just a few years ago (2008)I did an article for the January issue of Georgia Outdoor News on Lanier. For information I went with Ryan Coleman in early December and the lake was 20 feet low. There were only two boat ramps open on the whole lake and people were saying it would never fill back up.

This year the lake is above full pool and there was some concern about dam safety there is so much water in the lake. My back yard looks like a rice paddy, and I live on a hill! A water tower sits about 100 yards behind my property so this is the highest spot in this area.

December was unusually warm, much like one December in the 1980s when I fished at Clarks Hill during Christmas holidays barefooted and shirtless. I have also fished there during the holidays when it was sleeting and I needed my snowmobile suit to stay comfortable. Weather changes.

I saw a big article on the net about Glacier Bay in Alaska comparing how it looked 100 years ago and today. The glacier there has retreated 100 miles in 100 years. When I was there a few years ago we cruised up the bay to the glacier and the guide told us how it had retreated about a mile a year for 100 year. She also said the fastest retreat was in the ten year period from 1860 to 1870. I guess those Civil War SUVs were to blame.

The global warming evangelists say this retreat proves global climate change. It sure does. Climate has always changed and always will, no matter how much of your money the government confiscates and spends on its programs and no matter how high your electricity prices are driven by the government’s policies.

Its somewhat ironic that the global warming fanatics put out guidelines a month or so ago when we had unusually cold weather for the time of year. The guidelines preached on how to argue with folks saying the unusually cold weather proved there was no global warming. Unusual weather did not mean anything.

But now those same folks are saying the unusually warm weather in December is proof of global climate change. Rational people don’t try to have it both ways.

The change alarmists say if they don’t spend trillions of your money and make your gas and electricity too expensive to afford the average global temperature may rise as much as three degrees in the next 100 years. That is supposed to decimate animal and plant populations and change everything.

New Year’s Day this year it was 36 degrees at my house at daylight. By 5:00 that afternoon it was 54 degrees – a change of 18 degrees in ten hours. That is not unusual for any day of the year. Animals and plants seem to do just fine with temperatures changing more than 20 degrees in a few hours every day, but a three degree average change over a 100 year period will decimate them? Sure thing.

Hundreds of climate change true believers flew to Paris last month and spent a week dining on the finest foods and staying in nice hotels in rooms with temperature controls to make them comfortable. They came up with an agreement, that our government is part of, to spend biillions and reduce US use of coal and oil drastically.

The jets those folks used to get to Paris put more carbon in the air than a normal person like you or I will emit in more than a year. They convoys of SUVs moving around Paris used more gas than you or I will burn in many years. Yet they tell us how we are supposed to sacrifice to save the planet while they live it up at our expense.

I think bass and deer will do just fine even if the temperature goes up a little over the next 100 years. But I’m not sure you and I will do very good if we are made to follow their silly rules. We probably won’t be able to afford gas for our vehicles, even if any is available, to go hunting and fishing.

When I see the leaders of the movement to restrict my carbon output, like President Obama, reduce theirs lower than my current use, I will pay attention to them. Until then I will oppose everything they try to do.

What Is Burbot Fishing at Utah’s Flaming Gorge Reservoir?

Cold Weather Means Hot Burbot Fishing at Utah’s Flaming Gorge Reservoir
from The Fishing Wire

November and December are great months to fish for burbot at Flaming Gorge Reservoir. These anglers caught 130 burbot in a single night.

Lots of burbot

Lots of burbot


Photo by Ryan Mosley

Interested in catching 25 to 50 fish in just a couple of hours? Believe it or not, those who fish for burbot at Flaming Gorge Reservoir often catch more than that.

Their secret? They fish from boats before the reservoir ices over in the winter. Even though fishing can be fast and furious before the reservoir freezes, few anglers take advantage of this great opportunity.

To catch burbot in open water, take a lesson from ice anglers, and then duplicate what you learn from the deck of a boat or from a good spot along the shore.

While the techniques are simple, timing is critical. The best burbot fishing of the year is starting now. The best time of day to fish starts at sunset.

“Anglers are already catching burbot as water temps drop into the low 50s,” says Ryan Mosley, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources project leader for Flaming Gorge and the Green River. “Fishing will get even better when temperatures drop into the 40s.”

Where to go

Mosley says anglers are catching burbot in both Utah and Wyoming right now. However, research has shown burbot generally move north, towards the area where water enters the reservoir, before the spawn.

“In our trend studies,” Mosley says, “the number of burbot usually increases in abundance in the Inflow Region, including the Green and Black’s Fork Rivers, in early November. We believe the burbot caught in these areas are moving north, towards the inflows, to spawn during November and December.”

Using tracking studies, researchers with Utah State University have substantiated this assumption. Researchers have tagged several burbot in November and then released the fish in the lower part of the reservoir. The researchers later found the fish, in December and January, in the Green River and Black’s Fork arms of Flaming Gorge.

“As November progresses,” Mosley says, “I suggest moving north. Try fishing between Lost Dog and Firehole on the Green River arm, or above Lost Dog on the Black’s Fork arm. During last fall’s netting, good numbers of burbot were found in both of these areas.”

To intercept the burbot as they move uplake, Mosley suggests fishing off rocky main channel points, in 20 to 40 feet of water.

Gear

Mosley says using the same type of fishing gear you use during the ice fishing season is the key to catching burbot in open water.

“Fishing for burbot in open water is the same as fishing through the ice,” he says, “you’re just fishing from a boat instead of on a bucket. Make sure you have equipment that’s stout enough to provide good hook penetration and that can handle fish that could weigh as much as eight pounds or more.”

Mosley says a good presentation to start with is a three-inch curly-tailed, glow-in-the-dark grub fished on a glow-in-the-dark 1/4 to 3/8 ounce jighead. Tip the jig with a small chunk of sucker or chub meat (make sure to leave some space in the hook gap, though). Some anglers also use Smelly-Jelly, in crayfish or another flavor, to add extra attraction to their offering.

After the presentation is ready, drop it within just a few inches of the bottom, and then jig it. When a burbot investigates the bait, hold still until the fish takes it, and then set the hook.

Nice catch of big Burbot

Nice catch of big Burbot

Timing and safety

Mosley says burbot fishing usually gets good right around sunset and then picks up and holds strong for the first few hours after dark. Before fishing at night, it’s a good idea to visit the area you’re going to fish during the day. That way, you can get familiar with it before the sun sets.

Mosley encourages you to watch the weather and to not take any unnecessary risks. “Wind and storms can come up quickly at the Gorge,” he says. “Take safety gear for everyone. And be sure they know how to use it.”

He says lights, both navigational and personal, are also essential.

“The lights you use should be bright enough to light up your boat while fishing and to spotlight the bank and boat ramps when returning after dark.”

Mosley says it’s also critical to wear warm, waterproof clothing in layers and to take some extra layers with you. “Also,” he says, “let someone know exactly where you’re going and when you’re coming back.

“Finally, if you’re not comfortable venturing out on your own, consider hiring a seasoned guide who is familiar with the lake and the fishery.”

Burbot contests

Right now is not only a good time to catch burbot, it’s also a great time to fish before the 2016 burbot contests start. The annual Burbot Bash will be held Jan. 22–24. That event will be followed by the Buckboard Burbot Classic on Feb. 4–6.

Both weekends will be similar to what the Burbot Bash has been in the past — each weekend, prizes will be awarded for the most, the biggest and the smallest burbot caught.

Tagged fish contests will also be held. All of the tagged fish will be worth a cash prize. The top prize is a fish worth $10,000.

For more details and other information, visit www.burbotbash.com or www.buckboardmarina.com.