Go to School, Join a Club!

Many of you were aware of and participated in our Take ‘Em Fishing challenge this past year.  Obviously, this was another way to encourage more folks, new folks, to discover angling and get hooked on it (pun intended).  Recruitment of new anglers is important for the sake of the sport and for the sake of our fisheries resources!

I have also always been a proponent of fishing organizations as a great way for anglers to meet other anglers and learn from them.  Wanna take your fishing to the next level?  Join a club!  Nebraska has a number of excellent fishing organizations.  Let me give you some new examples. . . .

The past couple of years I have spent an evening speaking to a fly-fishing class here at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln.  During that class, I ramble about the variety of fishing opportunities we have in Nebraska, a variety of species that can be caught on a fly rod.  I try to throw in some tips on fly-fishing, aquatic ecology, etc., etc. during my time with that class.

Anywho, Eric Einspahr heads up that class and has pointed out to me that there are some fishing-related clubs at the university in which students can get involved.  One of them is the newly-formed UNL Fly Fishing Club.  Another is the Husker Bass Anglers.  Also on the bass side of things, Creighton has a bass team, as well as Mid-Plains Community College in North Platte.

These clubs are a great way for college-age anglers to stay motivated and involved in the sport through their busy college years.  We also know that college students are often exploring new opportunities and interests, so it is a great opportunity to get them involved outdoor recreation, especially fishing.  Incorporation of youth into our sport and fishing organizations is another great benefit!

If you happen to be in college, I hope you can get involved in one of those clubs, or maybe you can get one started at your school?  For those of us who are way too old to be in school, might your fishing organization be able to partner with a college or university club?  They could use the encouragement and support, and let’s face it, you could use the youth and enthusiasm!