Captain Greg Karch of Learn 2 Fish With Us and the National Professional Anglers Association held a fishing clinic for the third graders of Westside Elementary on the afternoon of March 31st.  Captain Greg has been hosting Fishing Basic seminars for Westside Elementary for the last eleven years.  Westside Elementary is located in Kimberly, Wisconsin.

Eight-nine third graders learned about the equipment and skills needed to begin fishing, through an interactive Fishing Basics seminar.  Fishing Basics taught students; safety while fishing, spin cast and spinning fishing combos, how to cast safely and accurately, knots, fish identification, live and artificial bait, aquatic invasive species, logging fishing trips, conservation and so much more.  After the seminar many students had questions for Captain Greg such as; ‘What’s your biggest fish you caught?? and “What’s your favorite fish to fish for?’ and so many more. 

At the end of the fishing clinic students learned they would receive a NPAA Future Angler shirt and a fishing educational book thanks to the National Professional Anglers Association, Future Angler Foundation and Learn 2 Fish Were the third graders excited!!  Captain Greg got writer’s cramp signing the shirts and hats for so many of the students.

Captain Greg drove eighty miles through a blizzard to attend the 4H Family Day at Dodgeland Middle School, located in Juneau, Wisconsin to teach fishing.  Captain Greg Certified Angler Educator of Learn 2 Fish With Us and NPAA member #138 has never canceled an event he said he would attend.  

Families learned to fish by attending the ‘Fishing Basics’ seminar, which educated them on the skills and equipment needed to begin fishing.  ‘Fishing Basics’ is a hands-on interactive seminar that demonstrates the equipment and skills, and has youth come up and work with Captain Greg to utilize the equipment and do the skill.  This way their peer group feels good that they can also do the skill or utilize the equipment.  Topics include; safety while fishing, spin cast and spinning fishing combos, casting safely and accurately, basic fishing presentations, knots, fish identification, parts of a fish, live and artificial bait and aquatic invasive species and so much more.  

Thanks to the National Professional Anglers Association and Learn 2 Fish With Us youth attending the seminars received the following; spin cast fishing combo, a NPAA Future Pro Shirt, along with a fishing educational book.

On Tuesday, March 21st, it may have been a cold dreary day outside but, Captain Greg Karch of Learn 2 Fish With Us and National Professional Anglers Association (NPAA) had fun inside teaching fourth graders the Fishing Basics.  Captain Greg hosted two Fishing Basics seminars at Omro Elementary for over seventy students where they learned about the equipment and skills needed to begin fishing through the interactive seminar!!  They learned; safety while fishing, spin cast and spinning fishing combos, how to cast safely and accurately, simple fishing presentations, how to tie the Clinch and Palomar knot, fish identification, live and artificial bait, aquatic invasive species and so much more. 

This was the second year of Learn 2 Fish With Us hosting fishing seminars at Omro Elementary.  Dave, the principle along with the teachers of Omro Elementary were so happy to have us back as they feel we have a fun and educational program.

Thanks to the National Professional Anglers Association, Shakespeare, Mercury Marine and Learn 2 Fish With Us, each student received a NPAA Future Pro Shirt and fishing educational book. 

Thank you Madison Fishing Expo for your donation to support our 2023 Fishing Clinics!! We so appreciate the support and know together we are making a difference!!

Thank you Dave’s Musky Club for the very generous donation to support our 2023 Fishing Clinics!! We so appreciate the support over the last 14 years and know together we are making a difference!!

Captain Greg, Certified Angler Educator of Learn 2 Fish With Us and NPAA member #138 along with Karen Karch NPAA member #121 hosted two seminars at the Milwaukee Sport Show, and did they pack the seminar room!!

The first seminar, ‘Fishing Basics’, was held on Saturday, March 11^th and it was packed!!  ‘Fishing Basics’ educated youth, families and adults to all the skills and equipment needed to begin fishing.  Topics include; safety while fishing, spin cast and spinning fishing combos, casting safely and accurately, basic fishing presentations, knots, fish identification, parts of a fish, live and artificial bait and aquatic invasive species and so much more.  

The second seminar, ‘Beyond The Basics’ was held on Sunday, March 12^th to another full house!!  ‘Beyond The Basics’ seminar is built upon the ‘Fishing Basic’ skills and equipment and educates attendees on: bait caster and line counter reels, jigs and plastics, crankbaits, crawler harnesses, jigging and trolling presentations, how a graph works, maps, filleting a fish and cooking fish.

Thanks to the National Professional Anglers Association and Learn 2 Fish With Us youth attending the seminars received the following; Shakespeare fishing combo, mini tackle box with tackle or a NPAA Future Pro Shirt, along with a fishing educational book.

Once a pro fisherman, Sports Show presenter now casts for new anglers

Paul A. Smith

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

In the early 2000s Greg Karch of Oshkosh was a case study in burning the candle at both ends.

Not only was he working full-time as an IT developer but he was simultaneously pursuing a mostly weekend passion as a pro walleye angler on several tournament circuits.

To top it off, with the encouragement of his employer, Thrivent, a financial services company with an operations center in Appleton, Karch also was an active volunteer in the community.

He was such a standout on work at Harbor House (a domestic abuse shelter in Appleton) and on Thrivent Builds projects (constructing housing) that in 2009 Karch was awarded the company’s volunteer of the year award.

The 501(c)3 non-profit organization teaches fishing through seminars at sports shows, schools and other sites.

Its motto is: “Educate. Inspire. Fish on!”

 

Greg Karch will present seminars at the Sports Show on Fishing Basics and Beyond the Basics

Karch grew up in Brookfield and had a friend who he often fished with in area parks and lakes, including Minooka Park in Waukesha.

“I was fortunate to have grown up in a family that supported fishing and I had access to it,” said Karch, 59. “But I know many, many kids don’t have it that way and I wanted to create an organization that could help teach fishing and provide resources to new anglers.”

Karch will bring his top programs to the 2023 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Sports Show. On Saturday he’ll present his “Fishing Basics” seminar and on Sunday “Beyond the Basics.”

In addition to education, the clinics offer free tackle to the first 75 attendees under the age of 16.

Now in its 82nd year, the show is the Midwest’s longest-running gathering of fishing, hunting and boating products, travel destinations, activities and entertainment.

Karch, now retired from Thrivent, said his mission is to help get as many kids as possible into the outdoors by fishing.

 

Fishing has a major economic impact in United States

About 35.8 million Americans age 16 and older went fishing in 2016, while 11.5 million hunted and 86 million watched wildlife, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation. The survey is conducted every five years; the 2021 report has not been released.

Therefore in 2016, 14% of Americans 16 years of age or older fished, 4% hunted and 34% participated in wildlife watching, according to the USFWS.

In what is widely perceived as a positive development, the number of anglers in the 2016 nationwide survey was up 8% from the previous work in 2011.

Not only do anglers purchase state licenses and stamps that help fund habitat improvement projects, improve boat ramps and public access and support fish stocking programs, but activity in the sport is a major economic force. Anglers spent $46.1 billion in direct expenditures on fishing in 2016, according to the USFWS.  Fishing license sales in Wisconsin have shown some fluctuations, including a spike during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, but have averaged 1.3 million a year over the last two decades, according to the Department of Natural Resources.

 

 

 

Karch said he has hosted 350 fishing clinics and worked with about 80,000 youth and adults since 2007.  

“I was a IT developer so I had to break things down and put things together,” Karch said. “I feel like we have a good formula for teaching fishing and we’re excited to share it.”

“There’s nothing better for me than to help start a new angler on their path to fishing,” Karch said. “It’s more rewarding than any tournament trophy could ever be.”

Sports Show dates, times and ticket information

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Sports Show runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.

Tickets are available online for $10 at jssportsshow.com or for $12 at the door. Youth tickets (ages 6-17) are $5 online or at the door. Children 5 years old and younger are admitted free. Active-duty military, veterans and first responders are admitted free every day with valid ID or credentials. Reduced admission for seniors (55+), $8 at the door on Thursday, with valid ID. Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts in uniform get in free on Sunday.

For more information about the show, including details about vendor updates, stage schedules and more, visit the show website or follow on Facebook (facebook.com/JSSportsShow) and Twitter (twitter.com/mjssportsshow).

Captain Greg, Learn 2 Fish With Us, National Professional Anglers Association (NPAA) and the Wisconsin Fishing Expo have partnered for the last eleven years to bring youth and fishing education to the Wisconsin Fishing Expo!!  Thanks to Learn 2 Fish With Us and NPAA members Karen Karch #121 and Greg Karch #138 for hosting three seminars this past weekend to educate youth and adults to the great sport of fishing.  The first Fishing Basics seminar was Captain Greg’s and Learn 2 Fish With Us, three hundredth and fortieth fishing clinic since their inception in 2009. 

Captain Greg introduced his new seminar ‘Beyond The Basics’ during the Wisconsin Fishing Expo.  Beyond The Basics seminar was created so youth that attended previous Fishing Basics seminars had another seminar to build their tool box with more advanced equipment and fishing skills education.

Greg and Karen hosted two ‘Fishing Basics’ seminars during the show which educated youth, families and adults to all the skills and equipment need to begin fishing.  ‘Fishing Basics’ educates attendees on; safety while fishing, spin cast and spinning fishing combos, casting safely and accurately, basic fishing presentations, knots, fish identification, parts of a fish, live and artificial bait and aquatic invasive species and so much more.  ‘Beyond The Basics’ seminar is built upon the ‘Fishing Basic’ skills and equipment and educates attendees on: bait caster and line counter reels, jigs and plastics, crankbaits, crawler harnesses, jigging and trolling presentations, how a graph works, maps, filleting a fish and cooking fish.

Thanks to the National Professional Anglers Association and Learn 2 Fish With Us youth attending the seminars received one of the following; Shakespeare fishing combo, mini tackle box with tackle or a NPAA Future Pro Shirt, along with a fishing educational book.

Captain Greg Karch and Learn 2 Fish With Us hosted a record setting forty-three fishing clinics in 2022, educating over five thousand youth to the great sport of fishing.  Learn 2 Fishing With Us fishing clinics were hosted for schools all across Wisconsin, YMCA’s, Boys & Girls Clubs, Wounded Warrior families, United States Forest Service, Sport Shows, State and local parks, Scouts and so many more organizations across Wisconsin and Upper Michigan.  What an accomplishment for the both of them!! 

Captain Greg founded Learn 2 Fish With Us in 2009 and has been averaging about thirty fishing clinics a year since its inception. All Learn 2 Fish With Us fishing clinics are FREE to the organizations they work with. 

When an organization contacts Learn 2 Fish With Us, Captain Greg will work with them to determine the best fishing clinic setup for them.  A fishing clinic will always start out with a fishing seminar, which will provide education on the skills and equipment needed to begin or advanced in fishing.  If there is additional time, youth will attend hands on education stations which would consist of casting and knot tying.  If water is nearby, or they want to take a field trip, youth will go fishing from shore with Captain Greg and Learn 2 Fish With Us volunteers.

Learn 2 Fish With Us host three different seminars.  The first seminar is ‘Fishing Basics’ which educates youth, families and adults to all the skills and equipment need to begin fishing.  ‘Fishing Basics’ educates attendees on; safety while fishing, spin cast and spinning fishing combos, casting safely and accurately, basic fishing presentations, knots, fish identification, parts of a fish, live and artificial bait and aquatic invasive species and so much more.  

The second seminar is ‘Advanced Fishing’ which allows youth and adults to build upon the fishing education learned in the ‘Fishing Basic’ seminar.  Attendees will learn about advanced skills and equipment such as: bait caster and line counter reels, advanced fishing presentations of jigging / casting / trolling, jigs and plastics, crankbaits, how a graph works, fish marks, maps, filleting a fish and cooking of the fish.

The third seminar is ‘Ice Fishing Basics’ which educates youth, families and adults to all the skills and equipment need to begin ice fishing.  ‘Ice Fishing Basics’ educates attendees on; safety while ice fishing, augers, ice fishing combos, ice fishing jigs and spoons, tip ups, tip downs, knots, fish identification, live and artificial bait and aquatic invasive species.

Learn 2 Fish With Us has hosted fishing clinics in the following states: Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska and New York.

Greg would like thank his and Learn 2 Fish With Us sponsor’s which include: National Professional Anglers Association, Shakespeare, Pioneer Marina, Mercury Marine, Berkley, Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund, The Boat Doc, Lake Poygan Sportsmen’s Club, Dave’s Musky Club, Off Shore Tackle Company, Strehlow’s, Northland Tackle, TTI Blakemore Fishing Group, Maui Jim, Mad Wraps and the Future Angler Foundation.

With ice fishing starting here in Wisconsin make sure to check out our Educational Videos page where you will find videos on the different ice fishing equipment and skills needed to ice fish.  You will also have videos on our ice fishing trips!!