Fishing in Rivers of America

[Train Nut]

Just an idea... Wouldn't it be cool if they stocked the ROA with fish again and allowed fishing on TSI? I know they did it in the early days and discontinued it due to guests leaving stinky, dead fish in the lockers and trashcans. They could have a specific area where you could rent fishing poles and gear and have CMs there to assist guests (set up poles, take fish off hook, etc...). They could have a catch and release policy where you couldn't take the fish, but had to put it back in to the river. I know my 12 year old son would love it. I also don't know what the logistics are with all of the stuff in the river, like Fantasmic. What does everyone think?

[Speedway]

Yah, it's a good idea if it was kept to Tom Sawyer Island. It would add charm to the island, and it is another 'attraction', if you will.

[Mickey'sGirl]

Just an idea... Wouldn't it be cool if they stocked the ROA with fish again and allowed fishing on TSI? I know they did it in the early days and discontinued it due to guests leaving stinky, dead fish in the lockers and trashcans.

Hummmm.... this is new to me. Never knew they did that. How long ago was that??

[GrimmGreen]

might be cool , though i'm not sure about the catch and release , my arch nemesis PETA might have a field day with that one , after you catch it , a cast member should take it over to the hungry bear , and then you can have it for lunch...ha ha ha

[Crazy Larry]

The water is pretty nasty.
I wouldn't want to swim in it, let alone fish in it.

[Disney Wrassler]

The problem they had through was that to many people left the fish on the hot ground and it began to stink up the place. On top of that we all know that many pranksters would not put the fish in the water and would probably hide it in rides and such. I don't think it would be a good idea. It looks good written on paper, but that's it really.

[Disney Wrassler]

might be cool , though i'm not sure about the catch and release , my arch nemesis PETA might have a field day with that one , after you catch it , a cast member should take it over to the hungry bear , and then you can have it for lunch...ha ha ha

If PETA complains about how fishing tortures fish, then they need to study the fishes anatomy a bit more. Their mouths have little nerves in them so it's not like they will be in much pain when on a hook.

But that Catch and eat @ the Hungry Bear is a really good idea.

[Circarama]

Hummmm.... this is new to me. Never knew they did that. How long ago was that??

Back when they opened TSI on June 16, 1956.

[ExJungleSkipper95]

Love the idea, but there are a few flaws that I see

1) Fishing is VERY time consuming. How long will a guest try to catch a fish before a CM needs to tell him "Excuse me sir, you haven't caught anything for over an hour. It's time to give it up"

2)Let's say you allow 20 people to fish at a time. How long do you imagine the que would be for that? I shudder to think.

3)Animal rights activists would protest the inhumane treatment of the fish.

4) Besides AP holders, who would want to spend their time trying to catch a fish instead of going on rides?

5) The liability for something like that is huge. Remember....the park needs to protect the guests from THEMSELVES.

6) All that fishing line would end up in the river, causing problems with the duck population in the park. Ducks would get tangled, strangled etc...

7) The river smells bad enough.....we don't need to add a fishy scent.

I think you get my point

[DonDuck]

Now, if they put in some animatronic fish, everyone's happy.

[GrimmGreen]

If PETA complains about how fishing tortures fish, then they need to study the fishes anatomy a bit more. Their mouths have little nerves in them so it's not like they will be in much pain when on a hook.

But that Catch and eat @ the Hungry Bear is a really good idea.

oh , dont even get me started on PETA , i make it a habit not to say i "hate" anyone , but i really really really almost to the point of hating , really dislike that group of people... i could go on for days...

[ghoofie]

Fish Fry on the Mark Twain !!

[nish221]

Now, if they put in some animatronic fish, everyone's happy.

I was about to jive in and say "Great Idea, almost impossible to deal w/ the
consequences", but I think you have a great point... really.... WDI could design
some kind of "animatronic" fish, restrict fishing to the "ol' fish'n hole" and
let people try to catch them w/ simulated hooks (more like magnets).

Once you catch one, you get a sticker or something.... they "throw" the
"fish" back.

5 min max or something for group. The "catch-ability" can be dialed in
by the range of the fish from the "hook".

Basically a fancy version of the fish catching game.

[pussnboots]

If PETA complains about how fishing tortures fish, then they need to study the fishes anatomy a bit more. Their mouths have little nerves in them so it's not like they will be in much pain when on a hook.

I'm not a PETA member either, but that's one of the most persistent urban myths ever. Study after study has pointed out that there are certainly plenty of nerve endings and that fish respond to stimuli as well as any other vertebrate. The only thing that's debated is of course whether animals experience the psychological state that we know as pain, having no neocortex. But that old story about fish being numb around the mouth is right up there with the Loch Ness Monster.

[RobotMirror]

.....we all know that many pranksters would not put the fish in the water and would probably hide it in rides and such. I don't think it would be a good idea. ...

Ha ha ha ha ha! Spot the rotting fish on the ride! I can see it now. Maybe they can catch and release them into It's a Small World. That might make that ride more fun.

Seriously, this is a great point. That is the problem with fishing as an activity ... where do you put the fish afterwards... in a locker?