OH MY GOD! Reading through all eight pages of this is like watching Michael Cohen talk to Congress for the 2nd time. What a load!
For those arguing that two lines cannot be done because people are too dumb, or uncoordinated you are simply out of touch with reality. Downriggers, leadcore, planer boards, and other fishing tools make running multiple lines extremely easy while trolling. Yes, you need to learn how to do it, but it isn’t difficult. Give people some credit. Just because you have never fished with more, and think it will be difficult doesn’t mean everyone shares your lack of knowledge, or fear to try. Some of the same people stated it is about the experience not the number of fish, and I wholeheartedly agree. When I am not catching I am changing lures, depths, baits to see what works. That is part of the chase that multiple lines affords me. This mainly applies to trolling, so take that as it is. Trolling is the most likely time one would use multiple lines. I enjoy it, a lot.
Yes, it will be a boon to the fishing industry, because you will need more equipment. More rods, more reels, more baits of the same color, more styles of baits. Yes, it is an addiction we all have, and that is a good thing!
Just because I can, doesn’t mean I have to. I am allowed three lines here in WI. Allowed, not required. The fishing situation determines how many I choose to use. Jigging, or pitching jigs, casting cranks, or even fishing with a bobber for panfish still is a single line game more times than not.
Multiple lines might increases your chances, but it is not a guarantee. If you have a good day, you get off the water quicker. You might also get skunked and drown a bunch of worms in the process. Again, it is about the chase.
I agree, a limit is a limit. If I am a meat hunter, and more lines allow me to get to the goal quicker, great. I do not see a downside to that. If I am a trophy hunter using one line, and release them all on a 100 fish day am I doing more harm because of hooking mortality than keeping my limit using two lines and leaving? Perhaps. Does adding a line change that? I don’t think it does.
Not all guides are created equal. As others have stated, I am not here to bash on guides. I believe guides are some of the best stewards for our natural resources. After all, it is their livelihood. No fish, means no work (in a field they truly love). That being said more fish come over the side of a guides boat than 95% of the fishermen/women out there. Are all kept? Of course not (good stewards), but if you claim that fishing mortality of caught fish is a really big deal, and one extra line per person is going to be a big contributor to that, but not the guide contributing to the increased catch then I’m not sure we can all agree on who is better, or worse for a fishery. The one time I did go with a guide was gift from my wife. He drove to a waypoint from the day before, he set the lines, he pulled the rods from the holder when a fish hit, and he cleaned our fish. How much did I actually learn? It was about putting us on the fish. Nobody wants to go back to a guide simply to be taught (kids can do that on Youtube). They want results whether they keep them, or not.
People hate change. That much is obvious.
