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Posted

Interesting.

 

Whatever happened to, "Give a man a fish, and he eats for a day; teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime." Too bad our outdoor programs are usually among the first to take the hit.

Posted

I don't know Mike, what did happen to teach a man to fish?

 

John Loebach and his crew of fly rodders are donating their time teaching, ronk is donating his time to help teach fly fishing with Orvis as he has done in the past with TU, Mike Clifford is doing yeoman service with Sgt. Tommy's kids, plus all of those hardworking ISA members who help Rich with lessons at Hunting & Fishing days out at Silver lake.

 

Where have you been?

 

With all of your knowledge, you could be bringing another generation of anglers and stream stewards to the water. When are we going to see you at the head of the class teaching anything to anybody?

 

Joseph

Posted

Joseph,

 

For the last 3 years I have been in Davis 20 miles northwest of Rockford. I did a demo of a fly at the ISA tie in at Gander Mountain last year. I am really humbled by your assessment of my knowledge. That may encourage me to step up when the club does something out this way.

 

As for the topic of your original post, do you think it is a good thing or a bad thing for the state to cut the $375,000 or so Chicago program? Can volunteers pick it all up?

Posted

Interesting discussion.

Since I came on board with the ISA, we have been at the forefront as an organization in teaching the next generation a thing or two about fishing and casting skills.

It started with 25 kids at Monee Reservoir, and since that time we have provided our blood, sweat and tears towards the only casting platform at the Illinois State Fair (untold tens of thousands), Hunting and Fishing Days (30,000 or so on a weekend) hosting casting instruction and fishing for all ages, the largest outdoors show in the state (Midwest?) with the Chicagoland/Rosemont show...and of course Sgt. Tommy's Kids Fishing Day (This Saturday!) going on 5 years running.

 

Myself and others will be proud of these accomplishments and cherish each and every memory as long as we live.

Those memories include several scorching hot days in the field that approached and surpassed 100 degrees, rain and near-monsoons and tornadoes and of course glorious, spectacular sunny days.

Hopefully some were intrigued enough to continue the sport due to the sharing we provided.

Posted

My initial reaction was to be against the cut to this program but after doing some cursory research, I'm not so sure. No one I have talked to seems to know much about it, it pales in comparison to the program that Bob Long, Jr. used to run: Mayor Daley's Kids fishing program.

 

Do I think NGOs can pick up the slack? maybe but an organization like the ISA and TU need many more volunteers. More volunteers are needed to address needs, come up with the right product for the right market.

 

Too few folks are constantly counted on to do the heavy lifting. Volunteers are not born, they're made. Step up...help out.

 

Joseph

Guest rich mc
Posted

i have followed the urban fishing program for many years. the rod loaner program was a good move in the beginning but the equipment didnt hold up. mkes one wonder if the idnr gave out $500 to 100 clubs to do a fishing program thats only 50,000.but that is just money, clubs and the members do it because they want to pass it on. in these money straped times the state must do what they have to. rich

Posted

When it comes to volunteer programs, we can take a lesson from hospitals. Typically they have a small paid staff to co-ordinate the efforts of volunteers. I am just guessing but for each paid hour they probably get 100 or more volunteer hours. Call that the multiplier. That is why I am against cutting programs like the Chicago program. They can serve as stable focal points for volunteer efforts. So I am for both government sponsored programs and volunteer efforts.

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