Put your cash to work. The Federal Aid in Sportfish Restoration Act or better known as the Dingell/Johnson Act was signed into being in 1950 by President Truman. The Dingell/Johnson Act has been updated and revised eleven times since then, but is an active bill and helps all fishermen in the United States. This Federal law enacted excise taxes on most items of fishing tackle, fish finders, trolling motors, boats and motor boat engines, and import taxes on these same items brought in from foreign countries.
The tax money is collected by the Federal government and then is redistributed back to our state governments. Each state is required to develop comprehensive fish and wildlife resource management plans to be eligible for this tax money.
The Act gives specific guidelines for how it can be spent. Things like acquisition and improvement of sport fish habitat, stocking of fish, research into fishery resource problems, surveys and inventories of sport fish populations, and acquisition and development of access facilities for public use and to improve access to public waters. It directs states to use some of the money to promote boating safety through programs and training platforms.
This is only a partial list of things that are paid for in our local areas through this federally implemented tax. End result is, the cash we spend on our fishing gear, tackle, boats and all the equipment needed to go to the water and catch fish, returns money back to us and is used to improve our local fisheries and access to those fisheries.
This is winter and there is more than likely a fishing sport show within driving distance of where you live. In that show, will be local business with booths, presenting their wares. Attend these shows, see what is new and patronage these businesses. Replace old equipment, purchase that rod and reel you always wanted and know that your money is going to come full circle and be used to improve fishing in our own back yard.
At least, this is what I am going to tell my wife. Honey, I have to spend some money, the other fisherman are relying on me to do it!
Have fun out there.