The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism (KDWPT) held a Fish Kansas Instructor Workshop on Saturday, February 20^th at the Flint Hills Technical College in Emporia, Kansas. In conjunction with fishing’s future, participants were given basic skill sets and knowledge for introducing children and their families to the sport of fishing.

Instructor certification was held through the KDWPT Angler Education program, and participants successfully completing the three hour course and passing a background check will be able to volunteer to teach fishing and aquatic education.

The workshop, instructed by Kansas Master Instructors and the KDWPT aquatic education coordinator, David Breth, explored fishing basics; types of reels and fishing poles, how to adjust a reel’s drag system, knot tying, safety, and appropriate handling of fish, as well as exploring how to create a curriculum for teaching fishing to youth. Breth educated participants on the condition of fishing in Kansas, reporting Kansas is currently showing a downward trend in number of Kansans fishing, at 12%. The goal of the KDWPT angler education program is to increase awareness and appreciation of Kansas’ angling opportunities and to increase respect for Kansas’ natural heritage.

Present at the workshop was fishing’s future founder, Shane Wilson, who discussed the value of the organization in assisting the KDWPT with meeting its goal. The mission of fishing’s future is to reconnect children to nature, improve child-family bonds, teach environmental stewardship, and increase participation in recreational angling. According to Wilson; the fishing’s future logo, two letter “f’s” that create a fish, represent the belief in “family forever.” According to Breth, with the support of fishing’s future, the KDWPT has been able to grow its workforce from only 17 biologists statewide to 250 certified volunteers who contributed 3,600 volunteer hours in 2014 at 170 different events.

Over 60 participants from around Kansas attended the instructor workshop. Many organizations had representatives at the event, including Friends of the Kaw,  Flint Hills Bass Club of Topeka, Kansas Wildscape, Newton Parks and Recreation, Kansas Wildlife Federation, the state coordinator of fishing’s future Chapters of Kansas, and three organizations representing disabled veterans; Heroes on the Water, Wounded Warriors United, and Patriot Outdoor Adventures.

To learn more about fishing opportunities in the state of Kansas, visit the KDWPT website: http://ksoutdoors.com/Fishing.