To state it bluntly, when hell freezes over. The only things associated with fishing I will pay for are the equipment and license fees . Nothing else. I usually do buy the full year non resident license in appreciation to whatever state I’m fishing in. My way of thanking that state for providing me with the opportunity ( and in some cases, cheaper than the daily fee 
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Mark
Hey, take a look at my thread on the Fishing Reports site under Dad and the Kid and you’ll see that there are still places as good as any of those pay-for-play spring creeks where all it takes is a state license, a few gallons of gas, and some time. I’ll not jump into this any more than to say that I discovered this place quite by accident. It is right along the one and only road in and out of this area and very few ever fish it. Many who do are quickly discouraged, but those of us who have taken the time to crack the code find this to be one of the most outstanding spring creek waters we’ve ever visited and that includes many of the more famous ones up your way in Montana.
Just my 2-cents…
Kelly.
Seems to me the appeal of such places is the opportunity to catch more trouts or large trouts, often with the help of a pro who probably is on a first name basis with every fishy in the fishery. If people want to pay for that opportunity rather than work for it, that is their business. As far as “solitude” goes - I shudder at the thought of there being a club house, reservations, a parking area, and 16 rods on a three mile stretch of water. Who needs civilization and crowds like that ??
And if people own property that they can turn into a profitable business, why not ?? Other people sell Toyotas, others sell cosmetics, others sell fruits and veggies, etc. etc. etc. As long as the property owner stays within the law on limiting or trying to limit the people who are on his property, that is his right. Interestingly, I do believe that DePuy, Armstrong and Nelson all drain into the Yellowstone, and can be swum, waded, rowed or whatever AND FISHED by anyone who takes the time and spends the energy to stay with the high water mark as is legal under Montana law. Some places, unfortunately, the abutting private property owner can limit access to public water. Not something I am in favor of, but it is what it is.
Actually, I am much in favor of as many people as have two nickels to rub together to go to the pay to play fisheries. Means even fewer of them trying to get on the water that I like to fish, with no one telling me where to fish or how to do it, with no one getting in my way as I wander around beautiful places rubbing shoulders with the wildlife and not other fishermen and women, with no one else trying to catch those beautiful little wild, and often native, fishies that probably have never seen a fly before and never will again. Might even catch a bigger one now and then, not that that counts for much.
John
One of the places I fish regularly is a little pay lake. $5 for a days fishing. I don’t mind it. I usually only see a few people fishing at any time. It’s part of a trailer park/RV park. This is how they make their living.
I can usually catch fish, but not always. It’s clean, well maintained, and lots of room for a back-cast.
Kirk
To each his own, but understand that if the landowners that own the land surrounding it did not offer a ‘pay for fishing’ opportunity these streams would likely be locked up. Spring creeks are not common pieces of water, they are extremely productive - both with insects and trout - and the demand on them is high. All of the landowners that own these streams here in my area have opened them to fee fishing for many years. Trust me when I say that they all regularly get requests from ‘high rollers’ to buy up the rights and reserve the water for themselves and a small cadre of high rolling friends. To their credit they have not done so.
I don’t believe that any of these ranchers are getting rich at offering anglers a chance to fish their water for a fee. Fee fishing may not be your ‘thing’ but it’s a very acceptable alternative for many people. The fishing on these creeks is exceptional, the fish are wild, the hatches are great, and the experience is unbeatable. It may not be your cup of tea, but I, for one, am glad that these streams are still available to the general public, even if it is for a fee. I have been associated with DePuy’s Spring Creek for many years, and I am very proud of that association.
Neil -
I think we are just coming at it from opposite directions. That is good. I thought about adding that some folks who run the pay to play fisheries need to do it to survive, to have some more security in their lives than if they were simply trying to get by ranching and farming. Fishing isn’t the only “extra” some of those folks have to depend on - ranch hand and cattle drive experiences, survival schools, horse packing into remote places, etc.
Maybe you can clarify one thing ?? I have read elsewhere that access on these creeks from the Yellowstone is difficult, but legal. Your comments seem to suggest otherwise ?? If it is legal, even the rich who would own the land and try to limit access wouldn’t be able to do so, legally.
We have a situation in the Central Mountains here in Idaho where an incredibly rich spring creek is owned by an incredibly rich and selfish someone on the list of the wealthiest people in America. The local interpretation is that it is legal to cross his fence as long as you are in the water - but it is not worth the hassle, trying to fight this guy’s wealth.
One of the more humorous situations in the same area, is that a bunch of guys got together a club and bought some land on the riverfront. They seem to think that they bought the rights to the water also. Not so. Only the land to high water mark. Then the BLM cuts a road to a point right across from their “clubhouse” and builds a trail down to the river. They pay something like a couple grand a year to fish the water I fish for the cost of a ten minute walk upstream in a pretty setting.
John
The only reason I won’t pay to fish a stream…Donnie Beaver. He tried to fence out sections of my homestream the Little Juniata in Pa. for his spring ridge club. :-x
zoomed right past it. Saw the calendars and the seasons, but skimmed right past the prices…they do kind of seem to blend in a little bit though right
Interesting thoughts here-on both sides of the question.
I must say that I really like this little analogy:
To me, bragging about how good the fishing is on a piece of water you paid to get into is sort of like bragging about your prowess with women when you hired a lady of negotiable affection for the evening. If you can succeed where anyone else also has a shot at it, now that is more my idea of skill
I also have to say that if I was a high-roller I know that I would probably be more open to the idea; however, given my current economic situation I don’t consider this worth my money and probably never will. I say this because I wouldn’t have a problem paying $10 per day to fish a quality trout fishery if there was one to be found in close proximity to me. For me it honestly isn’t a question of ethics or values but one of COST versus VALUE.
Hey, if paying for the privilege of using a private reserve is good enough for our past vice president of the USA. It’s good enough for me (or would be if I could afford it).
After all someone paid for Cheney to go hunting on a private reserve for the privilege of shooting a bird they released right in front of him… um… wait…
He missed THE BIRD come to think of it… Bad example
Not sure I have a problem with it, I’ve paid to put relatives up in a Bed and Breakfast close to my home before because it was convenient. If you have the money, and would prefer the solitude, why not.
I know that when I go on vacation I prefer smaller out of the way resorts because I don’t like the crowds. I’ll pay more for that too. So this isn’t much different.
As long as public waters and sufficient fish are available… Great.
And since this place is catch and release, it’s a very fertile spawning area that fish will be more likely to reproduce in, and provide more fish for the public areas where you can keep em. Sounds like a win win to me.
Careful, Ron. You keep talking like a fly-flinger, we are gonna start to wonder about all of these professions of worm-drowner!
At this point in my fishing journey, my moving water skills are so poor that it would not be worth my efforts to spend big money to fish a prime stream like DePuy’s. I couldn’t do IT justice.
Kirk (the still water guy)