If you haven't been fishing for a few years, expect to get a letter in the mail telling you about all that you've been missing out on.

The Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation has been traveling around and signing up states to participate in its effort to re-enlist lapsed anglers.

So far, 17 states, including Utah, have committed. The foundation would like to sign up at least 10 more states.

The foundation is a "nonprofit organization established in 1998 to increase participation in recreational angling and boating. RBFF helps people discover, share and protect the legacy of boating and fishing through national outreach programs including the Take Me Fishing campaign and Anglers' Legacy," its news release says.

It has two objectives:

• Get those who haven't fished in recent years back on the waters with rod and sunscreen in hand.

• Increase license sales.

A few years back, Utah was one of only a few states showing gains in fishing license sales. Then came the drought years and sales dropped.

This was compounded by the fact that three of Utah's fish hatcheries came down with whirling disease.

The hit on Utah's fishermen wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been, mainly because the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources was able to increase the number of fish it raised and released, thanks in part to the remodeling of the Kamas Hatchery, and more recently the Whiterocks and Fountain Green hatchery.

The DWR grew and planted about 1 million pounds of fish last year.

Who knows why people give up on fishing. After all, getting outdoors is the reason to fish, and catching a fish is simply a bonus.

I can't imagine it coming down to the cost of a license. A fishing license, good for 365 day of angling from date of purchased, is only $26, which is far less than a single tank of gas these days.

Take home a couple of good-size trout for diner and the license is paid for.

The DWR has also gone after and solved another problem — access.

The complaint has been, and still is among some, that the good fishing is simply too far away . . . Strawberry, Scofield, Lake Powell and even Deer Creek and Rockport.

Under an aggressive urban fishing program, there are now more than 45 waters regularly planted when possible that are located within city limits.

Willow Pond in Murray, for example, gets regular doses of rainbow trout, bluegill and very large catfish during the spring, summer and fall.

There are also ponds in Bountiful, Riverton, Herriman, Farmington and Kaysville, to mention just a few.

In a matter of minutes, a person can be casting a worm or fly and stand a good chance of hooking a fish.

Other states that have joined the reintroduction effort are Nevada, Pennsylvania, Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri, Louisiana, Nebraska and Texas, to name a few.

This will be the first direct mail marketing program directed at what are being called "lapsed" anglers.

Of course, if all you're worried about is catching a fish or two, then maybe getting back into fishing isn't so attractive. But if getting out and enjoying the outdoors once again is a priority, then read the letter, dust off the old rod and reel, buy a license and go after the bonus.

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E-mail: grass@desnews.com