We could certainly use some of those fresh faces, but with the barrier to entry multiple thousands of dollars, our economic woes won’t lend itself to any uptick in fly fishermen. Too bad, we could’ve used the votes.

Subsistence fishing is a torrid growth industry in Asia, what with the decline in worldwide markets, burgeoning layoffs, and plenty of folks with extra time on their hands.

“In the past, the number of anglers would usually be in the single digits on weekdays, but now they turn up in hordes and pack both sides of the river,” says Lin, forced to take unpaid leave by his employer, a memory chip vendor.

I expect we’ll see something similar, especially in urban waters with high population density, straining what few wardens remain on the payroll even further – and increasing the frustration level of regular anglers.