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Wisconsin's Lifetime Fishing License
What it means for conservation PLUS 177-pound sturgeon speared, outdoor beer drinking festival, and shanty removal
Forrest Koslowski
February 22, 2023
Mornin' to everyone preparing for Winter Storm Delilah. This is the Wiscampsin Weekly - the email that gets you in the know on the Wisconsin outdoors in 5 minutes or less. New reader? Subscribe here.
What we're reeling over this week:
Lifetime fishing licenses proposed 🎣
177-pound Sturgeon speared in Lake Winnebago 🦕
Outdoor Beer Festival 🍺
Implications of Wisconsin's Lifetime Fishing License
Ah, nothing beats getting out on the lake for a little fishin'. Been waiting all winter for this!
Got the life jackets? Check.
Some snacks? Only the finest cheese curds from da Kwik Trip.
Couple two-three beers? Of course, gotta stay hydrated!
Fishing license? ...
FISHING LICENSE? ...uh oh...
We've all been there, folks. You're so excited to get back out on the water after a long winter that you forget to buy your annual fishing license.
But a new proposal in Wisconsin would make it so that you buy your license once, and you have it for life (i.e. - no more risking a hefty fine, loss of property/dignity, etc.).
Lifetime fishing license
One-time purchase of $577.50
About 50% of states in the US have some form of this
Currently the DNR reels in $9-$10 million in fishing license revenue for the conservation fund
Hooked for life
State Representative Ron Tusler and Senator Patrick Testin, the brainiacs behind this proposal, claim it will help to remove barriers to fishing for Wisconsin residents:
“This is an opportunity for people of all ages to enjoy the outdoors and develop a lifetime hobby,” said Rep. Tusler. “The lifetime license is a great option for avid fishermen or as a gift for a young family member just getting hooked on the sport.”
As it stands, those looking to fill their freezer with filets buy an annual license for $20 each and every year (as well as print out five different copies for your glovebox, tackle box, wallet, friend's wallet, you get the idea...).
Though it may seem like a hefty one-time payment, the proposal did receive bipartisan support in 2019, as well as backing by the Wisconsin chapter of Trout Unlimited.
One thing to note, while this covers oh-hey-I-caught-a-Walleye fishing trips, anglers would still need to purchase stamps for certain species, like trout/salmon on Lake Michigan.
Other states
Most of our neighbors have adopted some form of a lifetime fishing license, including Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, and Ohio.
Those other guys charge anywhere from $200 up to $2,000, putting Wisconsin's lifetime membership slightly on the more affordable end:
What do we think?
As a diehard fishermen myself, we're all for "removing barriers" to fishing, as these fellas say (as long as no one finds our hot spot!).
However, the license is priced at 30 x the resident annual fee of $19.25, so it's only worth buying if you think you'll be fishing for the next 30 years. That's like, 10,950 in beer years...
But from a conservation perspective, this could be a huge boost in revenue now, versus collecting the money over a longer period of time. Which is a good thing for our fisheries.
What do you think? Let us know in the feedback form below and give us your two cents!
Now go get some night crawlers and get out 'der!
Wiscampsin Weekly Poll
Well folks, 35% of you got er right. One of the oldest Lake Sturgeon ever caught was 152 years old at Lake of the Woods in Ontario, Canada, 1953.
What % of WI DNR fish and wildlife budget comes from hunting and fishing license sales?Give it a gut check. Choose an option to see results. |
NEW: Wisconsin Events
Butt glued to the couch? Here are some great Wisconsin events to get you out 'der:
LEARN TO COOK WILD GAME on Saturday, February 25, 2023, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. at Sandhill Wildlife Area - Babcock, WI
SEASONAL SCAVENGER HUNT on Saturday, February 25, 2023, 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. at Devil's Lake State Park - Baraboo, WI.
FROSTY FALLS HIKE on Saturday, February 25, 2023, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. at Willow River State Park - St. Croix County, WI.
Know a WI Outdoors-related event happening? Reply to this email with the details and we will share the week before the event!
Nuts and Seeds 🌰
🐟 FISH ON! James Gishkowsky speared one of the largest Lake Sturgeon ever on Lake Winnebago. The 177-pound fish (i.e. dinosaur) is the seventh-largest sturgeon taken from the lake system in over 80 years. Read last week's edition for the full scoop on Sturgeon spearing.
🍻 Put on your beer coat: DNR The Pour Another One Outdoors Beer Festival is, well, exactly how it sounds - a bunch of 'Sconnies drinking beer outside. Held in Green Bay, WI, the first annual festival takes place on March 4th and has unlimited craft beer tastings, food trucks and fire pits. Check out which 15 breweries are coming here.
⛺️ Shanty removal coming up: Already? Feels like we just got out here! As to not be "on thin ice" (literally), fishermen are required to remove their permanent ice fishing shacks/shanties by a certain date, region depending. Someone tell Uncle Joe, he's been out there for weeks!
Meme of the Week 😂
A review from the Trail... Sharpen that spear and get out 'der!
Well, how'd we do this week? |
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