IGFA headquarters is location for August 27th kickoff of free Chevrolet/IGFA Kids Fishing clinic
DANIA BEACH, Fla. --- Most youngsters would love to fish. To help them learn and for those wanting skills to become better anglers, as well as stewards of the environment, Chevrolet and the IGFA are hosting seven Kids Fishing Clinics throughout the state of Florida this fall.
The August 27th kickoff event for the first Chevy/IGFA Kids Fishing Clinic will be held for youngsters of the greater Ft. Lauderdale area, at the International Game Fish Association’s Hall of Fame & Museum.
The clinics are for boys and girls 16-years and younger -- novice to advance anglers -- each accompanied by an adult. The IGFA Education and Junior Angler staff members will be conducting the seven clinics assisted by celebrities from the Chevrolet Florida Fishing Report seen each week on the Sunsports cable network.
“Kids clinics are a great outlet for families to bond and share time together in the enjoyment of the outdoors,” stated Tim Hudgens, southeast regional marketing manager for Chevrolet. “So many parents we talk with are trying to pull their kids away from the seclusions of their computers, electronic games and cell phones. The State of Florida is rich with so many ponds, lakes, rivers and shorelines to take a youngster fishing and spending quality time together. The clinics are free so we hope that these events will be a way to introduce families to fishing and the great outdoors.”
Mike Myatt, the IGFA’s corporate relations director said, “We’re fortunate to have Chevrolet as a conservation partner, which stresses family values and is so enthusiastically involved in youth activities such as fishing.”
Chevy/IGFA kids’ clinics loaded with free fishing gear and great learning tools
Each youngster will receive from Chevrolet and the IGFA an IGFA Junior Angler Club membership along with a free rod, reel and tackle box upon the completion of all four clinic stations.
The four learning stations are: ethical angler, equipment, knot tying and casting.
In the ethical angler class youngsters will learn how to properly measure a fish, how to use regulation guides, how to practice catch and release and the importance of committing to ethical angling practices.
While at the equipment station young anglers will learn the kind of gear required to go fishing including rods, reels, hooks, weights, baits and floats.
At the knot tying location novice anglers will become better skilled at a few common knots like the Palomar to help them get started in fishing. Advance anglers can try complicated knots like the Bimini Twist. Other knots anglers and parents can learn are: improved clinch, hangman’s, uni, blood, Albright, surgeon, double surgeon’s loop and the nail knot.
At the fourth station youngsters will learn the “safety circle” of casting with beginners gaining knowledge of the overhand cast while advance students learn sidearm and flip casting.
Some of the clinic locations around the state will also feature the IGFA touch tank. The touch tank will give young anglers an opportunity to gently handle live sea creatures such as crabs and seastars and learn more about their habitats found off the shores of Florida.
The cities and dates of the Chevy/IGFA Kids Fishing Clinics this fall are:
Ft. Lauderdale, Aug. 27, IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame & Museum at 10 a.m.
Orlando, Sept. 24, (for site location call IGFA or go to web site)
Tampa/St. Petersburg, Oct. 1, (for site location call IGFA or go to web site)
Jacksonville, Oct. 15, (for site location call IGFA or go to web site)
Ft. Myers, Nov. 5, (for site location call IGFA or go to web site)
Miami, Dec. 10, (for site location call IGFA or go to web site)
West Palm Beach, Dec. 17, (for site location call IGFA or go to web site)
The IGFA is located one mile south of the Ft. Lauderdale Airport, off I-95 (Griffin Road exit #23) next to Bass Pro Shops at 300 Gulf Stream Way, Dania Beach.
As a platinum sponsor Chevrolet is assisting the IGFA’s efforts in creating effective programs and initiatives to protect fisheries and natural resources.
To signup their youngsters in advance plus get more up-to-date information, parents should go to the home page of the IGFA web site www.igfa.org and click on the green Chevy/IGFA Kids Fishing Clinics heading at the top right of the page. Or call the IGFA Junior Angler coordinator Peter Gaube at 954-927-2628.
Founded in 1939, the IGFA is a not-for-profit organization committed to the conservation of game fish and promotion of responsible, ethical angling practices through science, education, rule making and record keeping. IGFA members are located in over 125 countries and territories. The IGFA welcomes visitors to its 60,000-sq.ft. interactive Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum at its headquarters in Dania Beach.
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