Leisure Value Systems and Recreational Specialization: The Case of Trout Fishermen

A conceptual framework of trout fishermen is developed around the concept “recreational specialization.” This refers to a continuum of behavior from the general to the specialized. It is reflected by equipment, skills used, and preferences for specific recreation setting. Two hundred sixty-three on-site interviews with fishermen in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, supplemented by participant observation, yielded four types. They range from sportsmen with minimal interest and skill in the sport to those highly committed and, specialized members of a leisure social world. Resulting propositions are: (1) Fishermen tend to become more specialized over time, (2) the most specialized comprise a leisure subculture with unique minority recreationist values, (3) increased specialization implies a shift from fish consumption to preservation and emphasis on the activity's nature and setting, and (4) as specialization increases, dependency on particular resource types increases. Management implications of these propositions are discussed.