Originally Posted by
CL SmooV
Its posts like these (thanks capoisok) that reassure me that I made the absolute best choice of moving to AZ back in 2013. Born and raised in LA, went to USC, had family, friends, and connections from all walks of life. Why leave? My FISHING! I need it in my life. Unabated. Now....AZ isn't the greatest option, I KNOW. 7 years in, and I can write a dissertation on AZ's shortcomings. However, I was sold on AZ without a doubt when I went fishing for the first time with a friend at Canyon Lake here in AZ after moving out here, APR of 2014. It was nearly sundown, we caught a ton of fish, and I asked him, "hey don't we have to be off the lake before sundown?" and "won't the ranger ticket your truck?". He looked at me like I had asked him to sleep with his wife! He looked at me like he wanted to fight me on the boat. He replied, "why the **** would we leave the lake when some of the best fishing is about to begin". Soooooo, I explained the whole CA get off the lake by sunset rule I grew up fishing by. He couldn't believe it. Shocked. Baffled. I'm proud to be from CA. But when he said that CA is a ****** up state for an outdoorsman-- I agreed one million percent with him. He went on to say we can ******* "LIVE" on this lake and fish for a solid year if we opted to. Fishing License and and an annual Tonto Parking pass is all ya need. Imagine, growing up fishing Castaic like me as a kid and always wishing you could fish lonnngggerrrr, when you saw that sun starting to descend past the dam???? Experiencing decades of "get your *** off the lake and out the parking lot" drive-bys from the sheriffs and wardens at CA lakes. It was at this moment, on Canyon Lake in AZ, on APR of 2014, that ******* dreams DO come true. The sacrifices/shortcomings of living in AZ are blown away to mars when comparing the angling experience to what I've known prior in CA. It has been ALL worth it. Haven't looked back. Fishing is supposed to be a Stress Reliever, not a Stressor.
I say this to hopefully inspire someone who loves fishing as much as me. Believe this, if you are tired of the way CA treats you as a fisherman, bliss is right next door. You deserve better.