Fishing seminars are a hit with kids and parents alike

Walleye pros spread the fishing gospel at Walmart FLW Walleye Tour events

FLW Walleye pros Rich Zachowski (foreground), Dustin Kjelden (middle), Eric Olson (on stage) and Mark Courts (back to camera) sign autographs after the kids fishing seminar at Lake Erie. Pro anglers are hosting seminars at every tour stop this season. Anglers: Mark Courts, Dustin Kjelden, Eric Olson, Richard Zachowski.

June 4, 2009 • Vince Meyer • Archives

You hear it at every weigh-in. “There goes the future of our sport right there,” the tournament director says as a pro angler and his son or daughter exit the stage.

Expanding on that theme, nine FLW Outdoors walleye pros, along with FLW Walleye Tour Director Sonny Reynolds and the National Professional Anglers Association (NPAA), are hosting learn-to-fish seminars at every tour stop this season. Kids learn the basics of fishing and get free tackle and autographs.

The seminars are a hit with more than the kids, too.

“The parents think it’s awesome that we take the time to talk to their kids and give them a bunch of free stuff to go fishing with,” said Rich Zachowski, the FLW walleye pro who heads the team.

The program began more than two years ago. Today industry support comes from Northland Tackle, Fin-Tech, Lindy/Little Joe, Berkley, Rapala, JT Custom Tackle, Navionics, Ranger, Evinrude and Walmart. Zachowski has kicked in $100 of his own. Gary Speicher, a co-angler who won the FLW Walleye Tour’s most recent tournament on the Mississippi River, has donated $300. For the coming tournament on Leech Lake, the U.S. Forest Service has contributed $750 for rods and reels.

But support for the program has been harder to get this year due to the poor economy, Zachowski said.

“We’re always looking for donations,” he said. “The NPAA is nonprofit, so all donations made to them can be used for a tax write-off.”

Seminars take place on the FLW stage before the final weigh-in at the local Walmart. After the pro host explains the basics of fishing, the kids can climb into his boat and look around. Later, autographs are signed. Seminars end with a drawing for a Hot Map Explorer chip from Navionics.

Along with Zachowski, pros who voluntarily host seminars this year include Eric Olson, Jason Przekurat, Scott Allar, Dustin Kjelden, Pat Neu, Mark Courts, Paul Meleen and Joe Whitten.

Last year 130 kids attended the seminar at the Cass Lake tournament. Zachowski said he hopes the upcoming Leech Lake event has a similar turnout. Two events are scheduled: June 7 from 5-7 p.m. at Walker City Park and June 13 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. at Northern Lights Casino prior to the final weigh-in.