Support Your Right to Bear Fish
Wednesday, March 10, 2010 at 12:02AM 
ESPN writer Robert Montgomery claims Obama is going to take away your right to go fishing.
Jeffrey Weeks explains why ESPN should be ashamed of themselves.
In what may be the worst example of outdoor sports reporting in the history of America, ESPN has claimed that President Barack Obama is on the verge of banning recreational fishing.
ESPNOutdoors.com writer Robert Montgomery posted an article today claiming that the administration's decision to end the public comment phase of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force means Obama is likely preparing to issue an executive order outlawing recreational fishing in America.
And yet, Robert Montgomery presents his case that it is about to happen as if it is the most likely thing in the world.
ESPN should have to provide some answer for why they allowed this irresponsible article to be published under their logo.
LINK (Via: Flyfish Magazine and Capt. Gordon's Fishing Reports)
fish politics in Politics
Reader Comments (27)
thank you for not just posting the ESPN article like some other blogs and sites, but digging a little deeper to find the facts. another reason moldy chum is fucking sweet.
ESPN needs to stick to what they do best: influencing the Heisman voters...and...well...that's about it.
Nowhere in Montgomerys article can I find where he stated "that the administration's decision to end the public comment phase of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force means Obama is likely preparing to issue an executive order outlawing recreational fishing in America."
Liberals running interference for liberals. Even if the article was a bit breathless, it is troubling that this administration and is associated with organizations that wish to limit the rights of sportsmen.
um!? ... good luck with that!
MOLDY CHUM - Sign up for the union...bunch of yuppies.
ESPN published this "irresponsible article" because its an "opinion column" and if you would have taken the time to read the fine print before spewing your liberal biol via HTML text, you would have seen the disclaimer that the "opinions represented are not necessarily those of ESPN.com".
Okay, that out of the way. Even if there is no implication that recreational fishing will be banned, this is arguably a step in the wrong direction for commercial fishing. Considering commercial fishing is a business, it is easier for the government to target their practices. What's next? I know that deer hunting, and fishing in our state (Wisconsin) accounts for a HUGE portion of our economy. This legislation will hurt the people of America, not help them.
Uncle O'Bama loves to pass bills. We can already see that. From cute cover ups like "cash for clunkers" and the economic "stimulus" these are all aimed at one thing: getting more control over the people of America, and trying to change their habits. That's the bottom line. I believe the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force is just another step in this direction. Just another fancy name for a huge government program to limit the citizens of the United States. When this bill is passed, there will undoubtedly be more strict amendments made in the future that will further limit the people. This is just a stepping stone.
Apparently we aren't moral. Apparently we can't be trusted to act justly on our own, because all of these programs, as with putting the wolf on the endangered list, are not science based...but rather moral. If I wanted a lesson in morals from the government, I wouldn't go to church on Sundays.
By the way...nice staged photo of the president (love the fact he can't even hold the rod correctly).
PS. Loved the article a few months ago with O'bama fly fishing with a guide...couldn't even manage to catch a fish (did I mention he had a guide), but it was a great photo op to instill comfort in the American outdoorsmen...I think I threw up in my mouth a little.
ESPN sucks, always have.
Spanks - Get a life
ESPN sucks on all levels with or without this poor peice of journalism
Gosh spanky, you mean that mean ol' Guvmint might someday, possibly, perhaps, maybe pass an amendment banning recreational fishing. Well, I suppose if they could get a majority in the House and Senate then that could possibly happen. What do you think the likelihood of that happening is? And, of course, they could do that without this new policy.
What this policy does is set up a system whereby all the agencies will communicate with each other concerning each agency's on-going efforts. That way you don't have two agencies working at cross purposes. Say the DOE trying to allow oil drilling in an area the FWS is using to try to increase spawning of, say, redfish. The commercial fishers are upset because they have some of the agencies in their back pocket and they're scamming the rec fishers with scare tactics to try to increase the volume of their whining.
"couldn't even manage to catch a fish (did I mention he had a guide)" - Spanks
So what your saying is you have NEVER gone fishing and been skunked??!! Now I have heard some fish stories, but that I find hard to believe.
As for the article on ESPN, it is just another poor excuse for journalism, much like the rest of the media we have these days. Is Obama and his administration out to take away all our rights and bring communism to all...no. Take a step back and look at how that line of thinking compares to the "liberals", who during Bush's tenure as #1 said he was planning to sell all our public land to the oil/mining/timber industries. Seems to be the same to me, the shoe is just on the other foot now.
Did they put a pond in the White House for of Brut Stock?
Hey Spanks,
You need to have a conversion experience..It's a good thing for you I'm not your pastor. Or maybe it's just what you need.
Everyone is talking about Obama, but all I see is a picture of Steve Urkel struggling to hold up a single handed rod with both hands. Steady now Steve, steady!
"...If I wanted a lesson in morals from the government, I wouldn't go to church on Sundays..."
Spanks you and your tired inane ideas that liberals are socialist, secular tree huggers are pathetic and further discredit your argument.
However since you seem to be railing against government control let me bring you up to speed incase you missed what happened in the last decade or so. Government intrusion and control in ALL facets of our lives has increased exponentially, mostly under the Republicans. If you think I'm just clutching at straws here, lets look at the Patriot ACT one good example is Section 215 which modifies the rules on records searches so that third-party holders of your financial, library, travel, video rental, phone, medical, church, synagogue, and mosque records can be searched without your knowledge or consent, providing the government says it's trying to protect against terrorism.
Better watch out at while you're learning your morals in church, big brother might just be watching!
and yes I know you were bitching about the regulation of commercial fishing but seriously do you think the principle of Les Affaires is really practicable and that government shouldn't regulate exploitation of any natural resource?
Just sayin.
Rock on Spanks...there seems to plenty of room here for "opinions"...I've been trashed and cussed at here for a lot less. The opinions expressed here are...exactly that...just like they are everywhere else.
Spanks, opinion columns are fine as long as they represent some version of the truth. This ESPN article doesn't, which is why it is yellow journalism.
Commercial fishing, like nearly all for profit industries, will NOT regulate themselves, so who then is left to do it? The public? Yeah, the public did a lot of regulating when their mortgages were sold 15 times at over inflated prices. Corporations for profit won't regulate themselves and the public will suffer if they are not regulated at all.
Do you like lead in your baby's toys? You like seat belts in cars? Meat inspectors? Air quality? Drinking water? If you don't, then your argument is sound. If you'd prefer to let the corporations figure out what is best for you, then just assume you and the public will suffer. For profit companies don't give a shit about their customers except when they hand them cash.
I know neo-conservatives hate the word regulation, but they benefit from it as much as anyone else. Do you really think that in Wisconsin their would be viable population of deer if it was unregulated? You mention wolves. How did unregulated wolf hunting turn out? How do you think unregulated commercial fishing will turn out?
It is ignorant to assume that deregulation somehow will "fix the problems" of a market based economy.
I'm tired of listening to people bitch about regulation, then get into their cars with airbags and seat belts, eating USDA hamburgers, and and drinking clean water provided by their city.
Kinda reminds me of Dan Rather. You know, making stuff up and reporting it as " news".
"In what may be the worst example of outdoor sports reporting in the history of America"
Really? This isn't the worst thing I've read today, let alone in the history of america.
ESPN added that "fine print" later, after the feedback started.
But you seem to have forgotten to put the "this is bullshit cause I'm unnecessarily angry" disclaimer on your comment.
Obama actually had 8 or so on. he just didn't land them. And ESPN is awesome, Sports Center is the greatest show in the history of television. Either that or ALF
First off......Glad to see the Chum is not "regulating" comments anymore. They probably saw that people just stopped making them and their visitors dropped.
Queequeg, if you don't think regulation affects a free market....you need to take an Econ. 101 class D.B.
How can you compare clean water to a government that wants to tell me when I can wipe my ass and the size of turd I can drop? You poor little bastards just keep believing what the talking heads tell you and keep taking it in the ass.
There are a few that get a little sensitive when someone speaks their mind about a President that made a shit load of promises and sugar coated a lot of things and you douche bags bit on it. Now you have pie all over your face.
One more thing.......go talk about politics on Huffingtonpost and the drudgereport. Is this not a fly fishing blog!
I see our genius friend Richard is back. Once again bitching about politics while telling others not to bitch about politics. Guess what, like it our not he is the president. Bitch about his term after its over. In the mean time, do something about it instead of discussing politics on a Fly Fishing blog. Contradicting Ass
Obama still sucks ass.
Richard, when did I say regulation doesn't have an effect on the free market? Of course it does. What is your point?
Dont worry queequeg, Richards rants are usually misinformed, politically driven b.s. He only sees one side of the issues in everything. As long as a republican is in office, fucking shit up for 8 years is ok. he just hates dems and Obama