News

Angler Education Certification in southeast Kansas

Angler Education Certification prepares folks to teach fishing techniques in Kansas.

Fishing's Future LogoFish Kansas Logo

KDWP&T Logo

The Kansas Dept. of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) is having an upcoming class designed to certify future angler educators. The class will be held December 6 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Greenbush Camp and RetreatCenter, 947 W 47 Hwy, Girard, KS66743. There is no cost to attend but the class will be limited to the first 40 registrants. Lunch will be provided.

Apart from becoming certified, participants will also be given valuable information regarding working with children, sample curriculums, and tips for preparing a class or clinic. Other subjects covered in the four-hour class include current fishing regulations, species identification, fishing ethics, equipment, knot-tying, casting, fish habitat, aquatic nuisance species, and conservation practices.

The Program, in its first year and a half, has certified 230 Angler Education Instructors including nearly 100 Kansas school teachers.  In 2014 Angler Ed Instructors and KDWPT employees held 135 events that ranged from fishing derbies and casting events to community outreach and aquatic education in the schools. The events reached 60,000 participants. Certified instructors have donated 1,100 hours of their time to this successful program.  These volunteer hours translate not only to a public awareness and appreciation of natural resources but to money reimbursed back to Kansas for aquatic education supplies (fishing poles, lures, fish trading cards, etc.) and towards enhancing the state’s fisheries’ resources.

Kansas offers some of the best public fishing opportunities in the nation, and we think this is a great way for anglers to pass on their passion for fishing to those who may have yet to experience Kansas fishing.

Anglers interested in registering for the December 6 class must sign up by visiting www.fishingsfuture.org and clicking “upcoming events,” then “Kansas Angler Education Training Program.”

For more information, contact Fishing’s Future coordinator Kevin Reich at [email protected] or by phone at (785)577-6921.