I am a member of a local Sportsman Club. We have a small pond that is stocked and fishing is restricted to club members only. If someone is caught fishing there without a membership we invite to fish for free for the day. However, if they want to return we require them to buy a $25 dollar annual membership.
Buying a membership entitles them to a lot more than fishing too. We have an excellent rifle range, pistol range, archery range and clay bird shooting range. We have a very nice modern club building with an indoor .22cal rifle range. We have parties, pot luck dinners, seminars, instructional sessions and so on for all to attend. We work with the Game Commission and Fish Commission to teach safe, ethical hunting and fishing practices to all but particularly to the youngsters. No child is ever turned away and we tend to help our lower income folks become members. Many of us, myself included, share my firearms and fishing gear while at the club with folks that don't "have one of those".
Not all pay fishing is bad. Some of it promotes fellowship and allows underprivileged folks a chance to do something they would not normally be able to do. Without the funds form a simple $25 dollar membership these things would not happen.
Oh, I will also mention that all hunting and fishing regulations must be followed. Valid licenses are required for folks of licensing age that wish to hunt or fish on the premises.
I fish both public and private waters.
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