Many organizations
have programs to help get kids started fishing. It is important for the sport, it is important for the future of fishing,
it is important for parents, but it is most important for the kids.
You can get good information on the net about
organizations that can help get kids to start fishing. Contests are popular ways to get kids into
fishing and there are several. Casting Kids is a casting contest sponsored by BASS, Zebco and others and they are held
by bass clubs throughout the nation and also at BASS tournaments. The national champion
is invited to the BASS Master's Classic.
Zebco, along with Wal-Mart has an annual
Kids All-American Fishing Derby "Big Fish" Contest, which is a nationwide contest kids can enter to win prizes and
recognition.
Project F.I.S.H. is a mentor based sportfishing education
program administrated through the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at Michigan State University. They have trained 200
adult mentors and worked with nearly 12,000 kids!
Young Ethical Anglers - YEA - has several programs to
get kids involved in fishing rather than activities that are dangerous to them.
Hooked on Fishing, Not Drugs is Zebco's
effort to reach kids. Although they try to sell things along with training kids, they do make a good effort
on this and Casting Kids.
