High School Fishing – A Varsity Sport?

Yes, it can happen in your state! And it has already happened in Illinois and it is gaining momentum in other states.
 
So what does it take to get High School fishing approved as a sport? Well as you can imagine that answer varies from state to state.
 
Let’s start with Illinois; probably the most significant thing that led to the formation of HS Fishing in this state is that the right guy in the right place decided to make it happen!
That person was a gentleman named Dave Gannaway who is an avid outdoorsman and also is a director in the Illinois High School Association. (IHSA) This organization governs all of the HS sports and activities within the state including things like HS Football, Basketball, Wrestling, Baseball and Track tournaments and playoffs.
 
Mr. Gannaway, along with a few other key people first solicited schools that belong to the IHSA to see if there truly was an interest in bringing fishing in as an approved school activity. Once the interest was there they then put together a presentation for the IHSA board showing that potential interest and also how they would intend to support an effort to bring this project forward.
 
The Illinois Bass Federation along with other organizations and a few key sponsors readily volunteered to support the project with boats and instruction which was a big step in making all of this happen.
 
In other states a different approach is underway. South Carolina used a cooperative effort between the South Carolina Bass Federation and the Aquatic Resource Director for the SC DNR to get things started in that state.
 
They currently have gained approval from the South Carolina League (Similar to the IHSA in Illinois) that if they can attract 16 member schools to join the TBF Student Angler Federation (SAF) and form a school fishing club that they will host a State Tournament for those schools this coming year.
 
One of the big benefits of this is method is that all of the participating members become SAF members which entitles them to insurance coverage for the anglers and the club along with its participating volunteers. The SAF also has a host of other benefits for the Student Anglers who participate.
  
In Virginia the movement has begun under the guidance of FLW National Guard Pro Team Angler Doc McGee and Virginia State Youth Director Tim Mick.
Their approach has been to get a couple of schools started in the SAF and they are now working with a league of private schools within the state to get things rolling.
 
There are similar efforts underway in Alabama and North Carolina through their High School Athletic Associations to bring these programs forward.
 
 
If you’re interested in getting competitive fishing started in your state here are a couple of helpful hints.
 
  1. Contact someone at your states DNR or Fish & Game agency within the Dept. of Aquatic Education and ask if they would be willing to support this effort with you. They often have contacts directly within a state Dept. of Education. This is a big step as you will need to gain as much support as you can from every possible source to make this happen.
  2. Once you have that support your next step is to find a contact within your state High School Athletic Association that is willing to discuss your proposal. It is at this meeting where you can layout your plan on how many students you feel you can impact and also how the program can be supported. This is why having your DNR or Fish & Game behind you is so important. They have many contacts and resources available along with some potential funding to make something like this happen. 
  3. When you get an audience with one of these organizations be prepared. The more facts, figures and support that you can bring to this meeting the better your chance for success.
 
As always The Bass Federation is here to help you in anyway that we can. If you have any questions or ideas on how to get started please contact National Youth Director Mark Gintert at: mark@bassfederation.com

Utah Bass Federation Ready to Assist Utah Division of Wildlife in Improving Fishing in State

Greetings from the great State of Utah! This is Walt Maldonado, Conservation Director for the Utah Bass Federation, giving you the state of the State of Utah. The economy has put a damper in all things related to fishing. License sales have leveled off and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources has introduced programs to help increase fishing opportunities, youth involvement and surveying anglers to see what is it that they would like to see that would get them back fishing. Past president George Sommer and I are members of all the major committees that make decisions on fishing in Utah. George and I have made it a priority to get to know personally the managers and biologist that work for the DWR and make sure they understand that we the Utah Bass Federation are ready to help whenever and where ever we are needed. This philosophy has worked for both groups and created a working relationship that has flourished for 10 years. Managers and biologist attend our Federation meetings and let us know first what the problem is and how we can work together to resolve it. I feel keeping the communication line open is the key to making our concerns and those of the DWR upfront and that way problems are solved quickly and both groups become part of the solution and not part of the problem.

In 2009 Utah’s major fishing concern was the threat of invasive species. Keeping the quagga mussel out of Lake Powell and all of our other waters has been a big undertaking. With the introductions verified in Lake Havasu and Lake Mead to the south, Utah implemented a proactive program that includes d ocumentation, boat inspection and boat cleaning procedures that so far have worked. But more needs to be done, most biologist feel it is not if but when the quagga will arrive. We must be diligent and be as proactive as we can which is more productive than trying to eradicate them if they become entrenched in any of our waters. The Federation has helped get the word out to anglers, boaters and boat dealers to encourage them to be concerned about this problem and let them know what devastation invasive species can cause on their favorite waters Everything possible must be done to keep Utah’s waterways from this!

Our next biggest issue is illegal fish introductions. We have a number of armchair biologists who feel they must introduce fish species into their favorite waters without thinking what the introduction will do. They fail to realize how many millions of dollars it cost to get a fishery up and going. And once the fishery is established and productive, how many more millions of dollars it will cost to treat the water with rotenone and kill the fishery to eliminate the unwanted species. With Utah having both the Colorado and Green rivers flowing though the state, we are restricted by the Endangered Species Act to where certain fish species can be introduced. Walleye have become our biggest concern and the most popular fish to illegally introduce. The Utah Bass Federation has funded a $1000.00 reward for information leading to a conviction for anyone caught illegally introducing fish into waters that they don’t belong in.

Around the TBF Youth Newsletter – December 2009

This week I had the great opportunity to visit Maryville Middle School in Maryville Tennessee. They are the first Student Angler Federation school club that we have in the state of Tennessee and boy have they got it right!

This school is almost a picture postcard of what we envisioned when we set out to build the SAF across the country. Mr. David Clark and his 28 student anglers have set up this club in near perfect fashion and they are off and running in the Volunteer state!

At almost every meeting they have a speaker come talk to their club about fishing or something related to fishing. This week besides myself,  they had WBT pro angler Heather Broom speak  to the group about her experiences as a female angler on the Women’s Pro Tour and what it takes to land a successful sponsorship deal.

To date they have also had a club tournament and we’re planning some things with them for the upcoming FLW Tour/ TBF National Championship events.

 Keep an eye on this club in the future as I’m sure Mr. Clark and his group are “Going Places” through fishing!!!

We also have two additional schools in East Tennessee on board. The Oliver Springs High School under the direction of Ms. Rice and a program at Farragut High School are all up and underway.

Since they have three schools within that state underway we’ll be assisting them in organizing their first SAF State tournament this spring!

On another note the end of the year has quickly come upon us and it’s time to get all of your rosters and dues for the 2010 season in. Remember that if you’re interested in applying for the State Youth Merchandise Package you have three requirements.

The first is to fill out an application which is available in our Youth Downloads section of our web site. The second is to get all of your youth club rosters in by 12/31 and the third is to get all of your clubs dues in by 12/31.

Please note that we have held the Premium Youth membership cost at $25 for this year which makes that membership an even greater value than before!

An exciting new feature is also available for 2010, this year you can select to receive your FLW magazine electronically!! There are two great reasons for doing this. The first is that it is very good for the environment when we don’t have to use natural resources to manufacture the magazine and then dispose of it when we are finished.

The second is that the FLW has agreed to increase our membership rebate for those who choose the electronic version as it saves them the additional manufacturing cost. Since it is saving them money they are sharing the savings with the TBF.

It’s that very rebate money that helps the TBF fund our Youth, Conservation, and National Fishing Events so please choose the electronic option if possible!

Please have a great Holiday Season and don’t forget to take a kid fishing today!

Mark Gintert

Tennessee 2010 Habitat Projects

The Tennessee Bass Federation plans to make 2010 a banner year for habitat projects. In addition to our usual upland work, the 2010 emphasis will be on main stream reservoirs with three large projects planned across the state.

The Standing Tree Project (as described in the TBF proposed project list) will be implemented on Kentucky Lake in West Tennessee, Chickamauga Lake in Middle Tennessee, and a yet undetermined lake in East Tennessee. The intent of our proposed project is to install on each of the three lakes one thousand trees per site near a primary black bass spawning area. These project sites were selected from suggested GPS coordinates provided by local anglers concerned with improving angling on their respective impoundments. Additionally, Standing Tree Project leaders will provide local participating groups with assistance and guidance on the proper way to install trees to best create additional nursery habitat.

The Tennessee Bass Federation’s proposed 2010 Habitat Projects will provide additional aquatic habitat, bolster the aging reservoirs, and improve black bass recruitment in the state of Tennessee.

Carl Guffey

Tennessee TBF State

Conservation Director