With a 5-year-old son of my own, introducing the joy of fishing to tomorrow’s anglers is extremely important to me. I quickly learned that one’s expectations and goals must change dramatically when adding a child into the fishing equation, but the rewards increase exponentially once they land a fish and that huge grin takes over their face!
From making fishing trips more about having fun than catching, to making the young angler the center of the experience, a lot goes into ensuring a positive first fishing experience, which will hopefully plant the seed for many years of enjoyment. Further, in today’s modern age, documenting an angler’s first catch is even easier than ever. From cell phones that take great pictures, to high-quality waterproof digital cameras that fit into your pocket, it is almost too easy to capture the moment.
Following in the popularity of last year’s inaugural program, we have once again teamed up with our good friends at Steiger Craft boats to offer the 2018 Youth Angler Showcase. Starting back in June, we began showcasing that next generation of young men and women, boys and girls, who are out there getting it done this season. Fresh or salt, boat or shore, we’re looking for the very best photos to share with readers of The Fisherman Magazine.
But we need your help to make this a success and to help put those smiles on tomorrow’s anglers today.
Capture the excitement of your child on camera while fishing, catching, even releasing, and email over to us at [email protected]. We will select some of the very best photos to publish in the weekly gallery and online at www.TheFisherman.com. And as a token of our appreciation, kids who have their photos featured in The Fisherman will be sent a t-shirt and collection of fishing books from The Fisherman Library.
Do kids still read books? Of course they do, when the books are all about fishing!
Youth angler must be 18 or under, and a photo release form (available online under the Youth Angler Showcase tab at www.TheFisherman.com) must also be submitted with those photos in order to run. Prints and printed copy of the release can be sent to Youth Angler Showcase, 14 Ramsey Rd, Shirley, NY 11967, or again by emailing both photo and release form to [email protected]. And be sure to let us know which edition – New England, Long Island/Metro New York, or New Jersey/Delaware Bay – you read. Hey, just like those tournament kids out there, our regional editors are a bit competitive too; there’s a crab cake and flounder lunch on the line to see which of our editions gets the most submissions!
Would be great too to see some of those local high school fishing clubs getting involved; we’d love to share some of those competitive shots coming in to the Youth Angler Showcase this season – perhaps challenge one another to see who gets the glory, the t-shirt and the books (Don’t worry, there’s no quiz involved!).
Fishing is an amazing way for kids to enjoy the great outdoors and have a fun and rewarding day with family and friends; you can put down the cellphone long enough to get a rod and reel in their hand, but keep it close at hand to snap that award-winning shot for The Fisherman Magazine.
And if you need help with emailing it or sharing later on Facebook, ask your kid for help!
