Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, March 6, 1995 TAG: 9503070012
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BRUCE STANTON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
There are two schools of thought from dealers in Southwest Virginia: Business will be as steady as the year-round stocking of trout or business will shrink like the area creeks and rivers during the hot parts of the summer.
While there is a difference of opinion on the overall effect of the year-round season, outfitters agree that March madness for trout supplies never will be the same.
``I'll miss that mad rush,'' said Martin Hanbury, proprietor of Blacksburg Feed and Seed. ``But I think [the year-round season] will help sales in the long run. They'll keep stocking, and people will keep fishing.
``The only negative I've heard is they're kind of doing away with the tradition. Besides that, the first warm day [in the winter], everybody can go fishing.''
Robert Elmore, the manager of the All Huntin'-N-Fishin' Store in Salem, said, ``I think the initial flux in the first week of trout season will dwindle a bit, but not that much. Stocking will carry us through the winter when hunting ends.''
But not all dealers are as optimistic.
``I would dare say for the month of March you'll be looking at a 30 to 40 percent drop in sales,'' said Henry Morgan of Henry's Gun and Tackle in Vinton. ``It definitely will hurt the economy. I will go the same [buying supplies] because I don't want to be caught short.
``I've heard a lot of comments about it, and not many favorable.''
John Cullen of Ace Hardware in Buena Vista said, ``I think I'm going to like it as a fisherman, but as a business, it's going to hurt us. I don't believe people will be as into it. A lot of people just go that one day, and they don't go anymore.''
While dealers are unsure of how the year-round season will affect their sales, they are sure of a few things - the weather and stocking patterns will decide the fate of the program in the winter months.
``It's all weather dependent,'' said Charlie Cline of Cline's Bait and Tackle. ``If you get a few nice days in the winter, people will go fishing.''
``It's mostly dependent on the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. If they do a good job stocking, it might make things more steady throughout the year.''
One dealer had a suggestion to replace opening day with a day for families. Morgan said the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries could designate a day in March or April as ``Family Day.'' That way, the tradition of families going fishing on a certain day could be maintained.
``[Opening day] is a family-oriented thing, and I think you're taking that out of it,'' Morgan said. ``They need to set aside a day for the kids to keep them interested.''
Regarding this opening day - the last one - dealers agree that sales will be very good.
``I think this is going to be a good opening day - it's the last one,'' Cline said. ``People will go gang busters.''
by CNB