Saltwater Fishing License!

[BasicPatrick]

Hey Larry...I got a wierd question and really do not mean to be sarcastic.

Bigfish Bait Co pays the hook tax to the Feds.
MA now has an avenue so that it can maximize the amount of that tax that comes back to MA Fisheries and not sit in some federal account.

Are you stating we should fail the license and et the feds keep the money that is doing nothing for us today?

[UserRemoved1]

Patrick not to derail this discussion but please don't refer to this as a HOOK TAX. It's NOT and saying this perpetuates the MYTH that people think they can get away with selling a lure without hooks or out of packages and not having to pay excise tax. These guys are breaking the law and are no worse than poachers. It's a excise tax paid on a fishing lure. IRS definition of a fishing lure is an item with or WITHOUT hooks meant to catch a fish or entice a fish to strike it. Contrary to many people's ill thought notions there is no distinction between a lure with or without hooks. IRS says ANYTHING that "embellishes, improves the appearance, operation, or durability" of a fishing lure is subject to excise tax. That means finished lures, plain bodies, kits, hooks, eyes, grommets, weights, swivels, split rings, etc etc IS ALL SUBJECT TO EXCISE TAX.

Woe be the person who gets audited for this as many have found for themselves. And nobody seems to care except the people who legally pay their way. This problem is so pervasive it's disgusting. On my trip to the NY/NJ/CT area a month ago I saw so many illegal lures it was just downright wrong.

Maybe you can lobby for that next...bet you'd see a HUGE increase in funds going to your state if this BS wasn't going on.

Originally Posted by BasicPatrick

Hey Larry...I got a wierd question and really do not mean to be sarcastic.

Bigfish Bait Co pays the hook tax to the Feds.
MA now has an avenue so that it can maximize the amount of that tax that comes back to MA Fisheries and not sit in some federal account.

Are you stating we should fail the license and et the feds keep the money that is doing nothing for us today?

[Slipknot]

Originally Posted by #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&

On my trip to the NY/NJ/CT area a month ago I saw so many illegal lures it was just downright wrong.

Not to derail the thread but I have to ask
How can you tell an illegal lure from a legal lure? do they have little stickers on them or something so you know the tax gets paid? I am really curious.

[UserRemoved1]

Hanging on a peg without any name or contact information on it Bruce...it's illegal.

Originally Posted by Slipknot

Not to derail the thread but I have to ask
How can you tell an illegal lure from a legal lure? do they have little stickers on them or something so you know the tax gets paid? I am really curious.

[Raven]

Originally Posted by #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&

Hanging on a peg without any name or contact information on it Bruce...it's illegal.

Batten down the hatches ....the PLUG POLICE

are gonna raid your Man Caves

anyone caught with illegal plugs will have to attend
the "Good Samaritan" class with Nancy Regan as
Guest speaker where she will give a lecture on Just say NO

[Flaptail]

Originally Posted by BasicPatrick

Hey Larry...I got a wierd question and really do not mean to be sarcastic.

Bigfish Bait Co pays the hook tax to the Feds.
MA now has an avenue so that it can maximize the amount of that tax that comes back to MA Fisheries and not sit in some federal account.

Are you stating we should fail the license and et the feds keep the money that is doing nothing for us today?

You mean maximize that that comes back to MA fisheries then gets appropriated by the Gov to shore up the general fund?

You may not think so but that is what you really meant BTW.

Just a point of debate.

[BasicPatrick]

Originally Posted by Flaptail

You mean maximize that that comes back to MA fisheries then gets appropriated by the Gov to shore up the general fund?

You may not think so but that is what you really meant BTW.

Just a point of debate.

Steve...up to this very day MA has never received all of the federal funds it could because we do not invest enough in our fisheries and do not have a license. The committee made sure that this legislation was written in the correct way so that we will now receive all we are eligable to receive.

A furthur fact you might be interested is that not once has money from Dingle Johnson or Wallop Rowe been diverted to the general fund. There have been at least three attempts over the past few governors to raid the inland fund but the feds immediately demanded the money back and each attempt was aborted.

Too bad a guy with your brain is continually trying to beat the %$%$%$%$ out of a possible solution rather than participate in crafting that solution.

[BigFish]

Yeah Romney tried it last!!

[BigFish]

Originally Posted by BasicPatrick

Hey Larry...I got a wierd question and really do not mean to be sarcastic.

Bigfish Bait Co pays the hook tax to the Feds.
MA now has an avenue so that it can maximize the amount of that tax that comes back to MA Fisheries and not sit in some federal account.

Are you stating we should fail the license and et the feds keep the money that is doing nothing for us today?

I think that because of that 720 Tax (Dingle Johnson) there should be no saltwater fishing license because poor bastards like me and Salty and others dump PLENTY into the governments coffers for them to MIS-ALLOCATE where ever they see fit!!!

[BigFish]

Don't get me wrong Patrick.....folks, including myself, appreciate all you do.......but there will be occasions when we disagree....respectively! More power to you Patrick but Gawd Dammit I am sick and tired of paying taxes on every friggin' thing in the world!!! Now.....the last bastion of freedom is going to be taxed!

[BasicPatrick]

Originally Posted by BigFish

Don't get me wrong Patrick.....folks, including myself, appreciate all you do.......but there will be occasions when we disagree....respectively! More power to you Patrick but Gawd Dammit I am sick and tired of paying taxes on every friggin' thing in the world!!! Now.....the last bastion of freedom is going to be taxed!

Larry...I agree one thousand per cent that the whole license issue is just bad news being shoved down our throats. It completely sucks.

My hatred for the license is why I was one of the few in 2006 that actually tried to rally opposition while our friends in the tackle industry split our Lobby and screwed us but good in DC. I fought that fight when the fight was underway and could get very little help. That fight is lost. I don't like it but it is a fact.

Thank God things are getting better with participation and the fights are lasting a bit longer these days.

You see I just can't lay down and let big brother walk alll over me. Despite making ourselves feel good for a nano second, nothing gets accomplished typing away bitchin at thin air. No disrespect to anyone but isn't that just like a pre teen throwing a tantrum. Don't misunderstand me, as you know I can vent with the best of us.

The freedom you say is being taken away is the same freedom wasted when we do not participate in our govern"mental" process. How dare I not participate when people I never met continue to die just so that I hav ethe right to stand up for what I beleive. I guess I would rather fight and loose than just get the %$%$%$%$ beat out of me.

Also, I am pretty sure that this afternoon we got our version of the bill passed in the Senate with no changes and the dedicated fund made another HUGE step forward but I want to read it myself first.

On another note CHOIR was in full force today and it looks like there will be significant cutbacks to the Atlantic Herring moving forward to next week's New England Council Meeting in Newport RI. I thank all for the complements but please give them to others you know that do this. I get more than I deserve and others do not.

I am just asking for a "little" less bitchin. Cut the itching in half and spend half that time writing a letter or making a call. Sell a plug for an active fishing club. Join the fight.

I am only hoe for a few hours as it is off to Hatteras for the United Mobile Sportfishermen Board of Delegates where 33 clubs join to fight the shore access issues.