I went to the Central Jersey Trout Unlimited meeting tonight:

[AndyS]

I was greeted with open arms. It was their cookout night right here in Dunellen. At least 25 people, I had a great time. Some of the nicest men and women from all over, some as far as Staten Island. I still can’t get over how everyone greeted me as I announced I was new and was checking the waters. I had a short sit down with the chapter president, we touched on a lot of subjects. He assured me it just wasn’t about the fly fishing and I responded by saying what a great group of conservationists they were. We are all in this together, sure we make some comments from time to time but deep down we all share the same water, no matter how you fish it.
The most AMAZING thing I am seeing in my travels is the lack of young people. If you go to a Fish and Game meeting at Pequest or Hackettstown, or a Federation meeting, or a Trout Unlimited, or an RVTA meeting you don’t see any of the 20 and even 30 year olds. The past year I have attended quite a few meetings and it seems the average age is 50 and over. Out on the streams and rivers other than opening day I see very few people in their teens and twenties. Launching a boat at Round Valley or Spruce Run or Merrill Creek you see very few people in their twenties and thirties. NJFishing.com freshwater section has a pretty good showing of younger people but as far as getting involved I just don’t see them. I asked my two boys ages 18 and 25 if they knew ANYONE who goes fishing, the 18 year old said no, the 25 year old said he knew of one person his age with a few fishing rods but nothing serious. I think this is pretty alarming and I don’t know where this is headed. Is it the over development, urban sprawl, text messages and computers that are keeping the youth off the water. Is life too fast paced now that the younger generations don’t want to take the time and enjoy the outdoors ? We all glow on here when we see an adult taking their kids fishing. Is the sport fading as a whole ? Is it just New Jersey ?
Anyway, I had some great laughs tonight with people my age (50+) and told them I would see them again in September when they resume their normal schedule.

http://www.cjtu.org/