Despite the deep-sixed economy, some guides and charter captains report an increase in trips booked so far this year.

"We're swamped," said Dan Kelly of Buckets Charters in Erie. "I usually run 140 trips a year and we've booked that many already. It's unbelievable."

Kelly said he cut back on promoting his business last winter because he assumed the economy would take a toll, but just the opposite has occurred. As head of the Port Erie Captains Association, he has seen reservations rise for other charter companies, too.

"Anybody who's decent is busy," said Kelly, who is now chartering for smallmouth bass and steelhead in Pennsylvania waters. Kelly also fishes for walleyes out of Port Clinton, Ohio, until the end of May, when he switches to Pennsylvania.

Keith Unkefer of Pooh Bear Charters in Marblehead, Ohio, said he's up 20 bookings over 2008.

"Last year, I saw an 18 percent drop, so this increase is nice," he said. "It helps that fuel prices are down at the marina pumps, but I think it's more that people are scheduling close to home. We do a lot of corporate stuff, a lot of island trips to Put-in-Bay, and those are up. Corporate folks tell us they're working hard to cultivate clients."

Not all corporations are booking more trips, though.

"We normally take clients on 80 to 90 charters a year, but we're cutting back significantly this year because of the economy," said Ed Althof of Loesel-Schaaf Insurance Agency in Erie, which has a large Pittsburgh clientele. "But I've referred folks to Ciao Charters, the company we use, so clients who would otherwise go with me can instead go with their families."

Dave Farmer of Marblehead-based Trolling Eye Charters reported 10 more bookings than last spring.

"With the economy not so great, people would rather go 100 miles to fish than 600 miles," he said. "Instead of heading to Maine or North Carolina, they're chartering on Erie because it's cheaper. $110 a person isn't bad for a day's entertainment."

Neither is $30 for half a day of perch fishing on the Erie-based head boat Edward John, which launched its fifth season yesterday. Fo r folks who buy a $375 season pass -- $350 for seniors -- it's an even greater bargain. Retired banker Roy Dunn of Moon took 42 trips on his season pass last summer.

"Considering the cost of gas and what you'd pay for minnows at a bait store, you can't beat it," said Dunn, who rents a furnished apartment in Erie for the summer at $480 a month, and goes cycling and bird watching on Presque Isle Bay.

Edward John captain John Nekeloff said he didn't raise prices this year. Although the wholesale cost of minnows went from $8 to $10 a pound, gas prices went down.

"We're seeing a moderate increase in bookings this year," he said. "About 80 percent of my customers are from Pittsburgh and they book anywhere from two to four trips."

The Maryland Office of Tourism, which markets Deep Creek Lake, Ocean City and the Chesapeake Bay to Pennsylvanians, has changed its regional sales pitech to "Pretty.Close."

"People are fatigued by the economic doom and gloom, but they're trading down, not out," said tourism office spokesman Liz Fitzsimmons. "They're trading the [flight] to Disneyland for a drive to Baltimore."

Not everyone sees the great outdoors as recession-proof.

Fred Davoli of Lunker Guide Service on Raystown Lake said the fishing has been good but business appears to be staying about the same. Tim Grace of Striper Guide Service on Raystown Lake has seen a slight decline in the number of bookings for his four boats, although he said it is too early to judge how the season will pan out.

"One guy who has fished with us twice a summer for the past nine years told us he won't be back this year, because his business went bust," Grace said. "He said, 'I can't think about fishing for the next two years until I get my business back on track.' "