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!!

Learn 2 Fish With Us and our volunteers educated youth on vital skills needed to begin fishing during The Big Event, which was held Saturday, October 8th at Heritage Hills State Park in Green Bay, Wisconsin.   Captain Greg Karch and his crew taught youth how to cast safely and accurately, fish identification and how to tie a Clinch and Palomar knot.  All skills that are so vital when fishing as a family.   You should of seen and heard the excitement when a youth would catch a Backyard Bass!!

Thanks to Off Shore Tackle Company, National Professional Anglers Association and Future Angler Foundation youth received coolers and Future Pro shirts!!  They were all excited!!

The Big Event is a Fundraiser for Encompass, a non-profit early education care center for children, which promotes a healthy body and healthy mind.  Learn 2 Fish With Us so believes fishing does this for all ages!! 

The Kaukauna High School Fishing Team educated youth and families to the fishing skills of casting and tying a Palomar and Clinch knot, during the Fox Waterway Cleanup event.  The Fox Waterway Cleanup  event was held on September 24th, at Thousand Islands, which is located in  Kaukauna, Wisconsin.  Learn 2 Fish With Us borrowed their equipment to the Kaukauna High School Fishing Team so they could provide this great education.  Learn 2 Fish With Us is always looking for groups to partner with, to host fishing education. 

Thanks to  National Professional Anglers Association and Future Angler Foundation youth received Future Pro shirt.

The Fox Waterway Cleanup is held each fall to cleanup all around the Fox River waterway.

If you are looking for ways to help Learn 2 Fish With Us, but can’t find the time to make it to an event.  No problem!!  Contact Captain Greg, as there are many ways you can help. For many big events, Captain Greg needs help rigging fishing combos with a hook, sinker and bobber.  These fishing combos are given to the youth to use at the event and to then take home after the event.  Captain Greg, will drop off everything needed to accomplish the task.  You will have as long as you need, and once completed, Captain Greg will pick up.  This is a great way to volunteer around your busy schedule.

Just recently Bill and his dad Dennis, assisted by rigging fifty fishing combos and placing one thousand Learn 2 Fish With Us labels on our fishing educational book.

Thanks so much Bill and Dennis for your help!!

Today Captain Greg of Learn 2 Fish With Us was on the Wisconsin DNR trawler where they were doing a study on the Lake Winnebago young of the year.  The day started of bright and early where Captain Greg met the Wisconsin DNR Crew and the other three volunteers helping out.  Today’s mission was to trawl in nine different areas.  A trawl consisted of putting the net into the water and then pulling for around five minutes.  After five minutes the net was pulled up and dumped on a counting table.  First the adult walleye, sauger, white bass, perch, crappie, bluegills and catfish were put into a tank where they were measured, recorded and released.  Next carp, quillback and suckers were counted, recorded and released.  The final step was to count the young of the year where each species was counted and recorded.  Looks like a lot of trout perch are in the system.  What a fun and knowledgeable experience!!