On the day of one of the biggest snow storms of the year in Wisconsin, Learn 2 Fish With Us volunteers 4-wheeled across town in several inches of snow to attend the Fox Cities Kidz Expo on Saturday April 14th in Appleton at the 2nd annual Fox Cities Expo.  Though attendance was lighter than expected due to the driving snow and wind, hundreds of kids and their families still managed to make their way to the event and got lots of casting time at the Learn2FishWithUs indoor “pond.”

This event had everything for the kids, but believe it or not, fishing still lured kids over to see what kind of fun could be had fishing for our Backyard Bass indoors.  With instruction from our hardy volunteers, the youth learned the three basics of fishing that Captain Greg always likes to teach: always look behind before casting, cast over your shoulder utilizing the ten o-clock / two o-clock overhand casting method, and set the hook.

Many youth improved after instruction along with lots of casting practice since lines were shorter due to the snowstorm.  After the youth casted a couple times, you could hear FISH ON, as Learn 2 Fish With Us as they hooked into our Backyard Bass!!  While youth waited in line they learned about safety while fishing, different knots that could be tied and how tie them, along with fish identification.

We look forward to attending this wonderful event again next year!

On Friday, April 13th the third graders of Westside Elementary learned about all the skills and equipment needed to fish.  Westside Elementary is located in Kimberly, Wisconsin.  This has been the sixth year that Learn 2 Fish With Us has hosted a fishing clinic for Westside Elementary.  Captain Greg always looks forward to hosting a fishing clinic for Westside as they are always excited and engaged. During the fishing clinic Captain Greg would ask for volunteers to learn the skills hands on and you should have seen all the hands that were raised.  Thanks to the National Professional Anglers Association each of the youth received a Future Pro Shirt!!

On Thursday, March 15th, Learn 2 Fish With Us educated Grand Kids and Grand Parents at the  Winnebago County University of Wisconsin-Extension.  The evening started out with everyone enjoying meal together and talking about what they wanted to learn about fishing.  After the meal Captain Greg presented a shorted Fishing Basics seminar to educate the grandkids and grandparents on the fishing equipment and skills.  After the seminar the grandkids and grandparents were spilt up into four groups to attend the different hands on stations.  Station one, they learned how to cast with a spin cast and spinning fishing combo.  Station two, consisted of learning how to tie a Palomar and Clinch knot.  Station three, they learned how to identify fish along with understand what bait to use and where they can be found,  Station four, youth assembled a Shakespeare fishing combo with a bobber, sinker and hook so they would be already to go fishing!!  Captain Greg would like to thank his volunteers Tim, Larry and Karen for their help!!

Learn 2 Fish With Us and Captain Greg held two fishing seminars at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Sport Show.  Seminars were held on Friday, March 9th and Saturday March 10th.  Youth learned all the skills and equipment needed to fish though the Fishing Basic’s seminar.  On Friday, youth attending the seminar received a Plano Stowaway filled with tackle such as Tru-Turn hooks, Northland jigs, sinkers and a bobber, everything needed to fish!!  On Saturday youth attending the seminar received a Shakespeare fishing combo thanks to Learn 2 Fish With Us sponsors.

Learn 2 Fish With Us kicked off their 2018 fishing clinic season at the Wisconsin Fishing Expo which was held in Madison, Wisconsin at the Alliant Energy Center.   Learn 2 Fish With Us hosted three Fishing Basics seminars on Saturday, February 24th and Sunday, February 25th.  Fishing Basics seminar teach attendee’s on all the skills and equipment needed to fish.  The Wisconsin Fishing Expo moved us to a larger room which was needed as we have ninety-one youth and over one hundred parents at our first clinic.

Thanks to our sponsors attendee’s to our first clinic received a Shakespeare Fishing Combo.  The second clinic, youth received a Plano stowaway that was filled with Northland jigs, Tru-Turn hooks, sinkers and a bobber.  The third seminar youth received a NPAA Future Pro shirt.

We had so many youth and parents that stayed after the seminar to learn more on the skills.  We would like to thank the Wisconsin Fishing Expo for having us back for the seventh year I a row.

This past week volunteers helped assemble four hundred Plano tackle boxes with miscellaneous tackle.  The tackle box a Plano Stowaway was filled with Northland Tackle Company 1/8 and 1/16 ounce jigs, Tru-Turn Hooks, sinkers and bobbers that were donated by local AIS programs.  Thanks to Plano, Northland Tackle Company, Tru-Turn Hooks and the local AIS groups for their generous donations.  Thanks to MadWraps for donating the Learn 2 Fish With Us stickers.  We would also like to give a big thank you to the volunteers that gave up their lunch time to help out.  These tackle boxes will be handed out to youth attending 2018 fishing clinics and will have a nice mix of tackle needed when they go fishing!!!

The Badger Sportsman Magazine and Learn 2 Fish With Us hosted a day of fishing and education for the Oshkosh Boys & Girls Club.  The event was held on August 15^th at Menominee Park in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.  The day started out with the youth being split into two groups.  One group stayed behind and was taught about all the skills and equipment needed to go fishing by Learn 2 Fish With Us Angler Educator and NPAA member #138, Greg Karch.  The youth learned everything from safety while fishing, spinning and spin cast fishing combos, how to cast and set the hook, different fishing presentations, how to tie a Palomar and Clinch knot, fish identification, live and artificial bait and the AIS message of ‘Clean Drain Dry’.  The other group of youth went fishing on lake Winnebago from boats.  When the kids returned they were excited to talk about the different fish they caught and the fun they had on the water thanks to Art, Chase and Steve from the Badger Sportsman Magazine.  The youth caught walleye, sheephead, white bass, perch and were proud to show off their catch.

The youth then flipped stations and the youth that learned about fishing and were excited it was their turn to go fishing and utilize some of the newly learned skills. Greg was amazed what the youth learned while fishing, especially from the youth that had never fished.  At noon, it was time for all the youth to return and learn how to fillet fish.  They were excited!!  After the days catch was  filleted, it was time for a Good Ole Fish Fry!!  All the youth tried the fish and many of them had seconds and even thirds!!  It was then time for the youth to leave, but before this happened a group picture was taken and Learn 2 Fish With Us had presented each youth with a Shakespeare fishing combo so they continue their journey of fishing.

Greg would like thank his and Learn 2 Fish With Us sponsor’s: National Professional Anglers Association, Dave’s Musky Club, Shakespeare, Badger Sportsman Magazine, Thrivent Financial, Writing By Design LLC, James & Rosanne Keller Family Foundation, Mercury, Triton Boats, Future Angler Foundation, The Boat Doc, Berkley, Off Shore Tackle Company, Plano, Frabill, Northland Tackle, TTI Blakemore Fishing Group, Maui Jim, Mad Wraps LLC and The Reel Shot.

Is your group looking for a fishing clinic in 2018, send an email to Greg at CaptainGreg@Learn2FishWithUs.com and he will get in contact with you.

Learn 2 Fish With Us attended Get Up And Go!!! Days which was held in Appleton, Wisconsin at the Timber Rattler stadium on Saturday August 5th!!  This event was held by Public Broadcast Television to get kids out doing activities.  Captain Greg and Karen Karch taught youth how to cast utilizing Backyard Bass.  You should have seen the line of youth as each of them wanted the opportunity to catch a Backyard Bass!!!  Besides casting the youth and families also learned about fish identification, knots and more.   Thanks to the great weather there was a huge turnout of youth and families.

Each youth went home with a fishing related prize thank to Learn 2 Fish With Us sponsors!!!

Learn 2 Fish With Us attended Farm Technology Days which was held at a farm in Kewaunee, Wisconsin.  This year Farm Technology Days was held from July 11th through July 13th.  Learn 2 Fish With Us had a Fishing Educational Booth in the 4H area of Farm Tech Days.  Thanks to the Genskow family for hosting the Learn 2 Fish With Us fishing educational booth.  The day started out with the Genskow’s setting up Lakes Shakespeare which is 30 x 40 foot tarp that resembles a lake and it was stocked with plenty of Backyard Bass for the catching.  The youth were taught how to cast at Lake Shakespeare were they were taught about casting over their shoulder, using the 10 o’clock to 2 o’clock method along with always looking behind them so they do not hook anyone.  The Fishing Educational Booth also included education on fish identification, knots and more.

Thanks to the National Professional Anglers Association and Learn 2 Fish With Us sponsors of the kids received a fishing related item!!!  Learn 2 Fish With Us has attended Farm Technology Days for the last six years where we have worked with thousands of youth!!!  Farm Technology Days thanks for having us in the 4H area and for the additional volunteers.  Thanks Genskow family for your help at the event!!