The new “Go Fish, Alabama!” program recently rolled out by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) holds fishing events in public fishing lakes, state parks and local lakes in or near metropolitan areas.
Centerpiece of the program is the “Go Fish, Alabama!” trailer, which acts as a rolling billboard for the program as well as carrying the equipment to provide participants with a start in angling.
Kasie McKee of the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) Division says the program not only teaches recreational fishing, but also encourages conservation.
“By purchasing a fishing license, you become an active participant in conservation before ever stepping foot outdoors. Your fishing license and purchases of fishing equipment and boat fuel provide funds for conservation efforts across Alabama. These funds are critical to ongoing education, research, and management of Alabama’s aquatic resources and providing funds for boating access. The Sport Fish Restoration Program is one of the most successful user-pay, user-benefits programs.”
The program also encourages ethical angling, safety on the water, keeping waterways clean and supporting conservation laws.
According to ADCNR lead writer David Rainer, the program starts at the most basic level, explaining the differences between spincast, spinning and baitcasting reels, lines, methods of casting, setting the drag, tying basic fishing knots, choosing hook sizes to match bait and species and lots more.
After the instruction, attendees get to choose their fishing tackle for a 20-minute session of casting instruction and practice. A plastic practice plug is tied on the line, and attendees cast toward plastic fish targets that can be snagged and reeled in. The novice anglers then go fishing to try their new skills.
The program also covers ways to prepare fish for cooking, including filleting, skinning, gutting and scaling. He emphasized safety when using a sharp fillet knife and discussed how delicious freshly caught fish can be when cleaned and cooked properly.
Justin Grider, WFF’s R3 Coordinator, explained the goal of the campaign.
“The idea was to teach folks who didn’t have the opportunity to learn about fishing growing up,” Grider said. “We’ve done some grassroots marketing. We’ve traveled to some of the towns close to events. We’ve set up the trailer to do some ‘meet and greets’ and interacted with people who might benefit from the program. We’ve been marketing on social media and trying to get the news about the opportunity spread by word of mouth.
“Our goal when somebody attends an event is to provide the skills they need to replicate the experience on their own. We want them to learn to fish, learn the basic principles so they can do that on their own after the event.”
Grider said the program is geared toward adults and families and not particularly at youths.
“If we teach the parents to fish, it’s more likely the kids will get involved,” he said. “There are lots of existing youth programs, and youth programs are great. But there is a niche for these adults who haven’t had the opportunity and are interested in learning. We intend to fill that niche with the ‘Go Fish, Alabama!’ Program.”
The next “Go Fish, Alabama!” event is scheduled for Saturday, June 5, at Cosby Lake Park at 6275 Old Springville Road in Pinson.
Here’s the rest of the 2021 schedule:
- Saturday, June 12, at Van de Graaff Park, 3231 Robert Cardinal Airport Rd., Northport, Alabama
- Saturday June 19, at Oak Mountain State Park, 200 Terrace Drive, Pelham, Alabama
- Saturday, June 26, at Tricentennial Park, 2121 Lake Drive, Mobile, Alabama
- Friday, July 16, at E.W. Shell Fisheries Center, 2101 North College St., Auburn, Alabama
- Saturday, July 17, at Lee County Public Fishing Lake, 321 Lee Rd. 808, Opelika, Alabama
- Friday, July 23, at Tricentennial Park, 2121 Lake Drive, Mobile, Alabama
- Friday, August 27, at Pike County Public Fishing Lake, 200 Pike County Lake Rd., Troy, Alabama
- Saturday, August 28, at Dale County Public Fishing Lake, 861 Myrtle Drive, Ozark, Alabama
- Saturday, September 18, at Madison County Public Fishing Lake, 2501 County Lake Rd., Gurley, Alabama
Visit https://www.outdooralabama.com/GoFishAlabama to register for an event and to find out the latest details.
The Link LonkMay 30, 2021 at 02:01PM
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“Go Fish, Alabama!” program welcomes beginning anglers - AL.com
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