Finally, something most fishermen can agree on: Seniors should receive price breaks on their fishing licenses. It’s not an end-all to the best braided line, the best reel or even the best engine, but that’s what a recent poll found conducted by Southwick Associates, a company that studies outdoor trends for state wildlife agencies.

According to the poll of 1,781 anglers, 46 percent of anglers said senior anglers should get free licenses. Twenty-eight percent marked seniors should get licenses at half-prices. Another 13 percent of anglers polled indicated that discounted licenses should only be provided to seniors who need financial assistance.

In numerous states, resident senior citizens are provided with discounted or free fishing licenses because many often spent years purchasing full-priced licenses, and may now live on fixed incomes. As the laws stand, Florida residents 65 years and older are not required to have freshwater and saltwater fishing licenses.

But reduced prices for fishing licenses do impact the funds available for state fisheries management by limiting license revenues and the matching federal dollars.

Florida Sportsman’s position is that seniors should get half-price licenses, much like discounts at movies; possibly, something similar to Texas’ fishing license regulations. Texas already has a discounted senior license, and therefore captures more money through matching federal payments now lost by Florida.