need some info to help high school fisherman

[Jerry Rapp]

 a lot of good comments.  I will say that most, say 96%, of the HS and college anglers think that they can be good enough to go "Pro"  I know when I was studying for my engineering degree back in the late 70's there was no way I could have done their fishing schedule.  But times change.  Or I was a slow learner, which I still am.  Putting your kid into bass fishing through high school and college bass fishing can't hurt.  Lots of parents want their kids to be the next great baseball, basketball, football, soccer player.  They spend many, many thousands doing that.   Bottom line is 99% won't ever reach their dreams, and they better have a good educational background to get through life.

[Longball22]

I'll go ahead and lighten things up.  I'm with Wrench about putting them in 14' jon boats.  This is what I want the race to the weigh in to look like:

I think a high school kid might find this more fun than riding around in a 50k bass boat.

[Codywskeeter1521]

i'm probably the youngest here or close too it. I never had the opportunity to fish in school. Learned everything from my grandpa. Fish Derby's often not in dept and pay my bills and happy married with 2 great kids. I did play college baseball not every kid will have that opportunity. Most won't to be honest. Here's my point fishing young ,old ,ugly ,heavy set it doesn't matter you can compete at fishing and feel you have a chance. Now can you say that about baseball football ect. No usually the kid with the god giving talent plays. Fishing you work hard and practice you never know you could win yourself a opportunity to fish in college. You can't say that about other sports. Working hard will only get you so fair.. 

 As to the sport I think high school fishing teaches the kids responsibility it's more then 50k boats and trucks. I'm here to tell you that our sport as we know it wasn't looking good till this came along. ( God knows alittle compitaion with youth today isn't a bad thing) On top of that teaching our youth C&R and livewell care ect.. just giving the kids a opportunity to compete in something. I know personally this will last a lifetime for these kids playing high school football ect. No just aces and pains later in life. 

I think we get so caught up on the look what he has or look what she has ect. We forget the point. These kids are spending time outdoors not in front of a TV or phone. Learning the love and respect that we have now. Folks seenin young men and women on our lakes fishing should make us all happy. If it's a weekend with my kids on the water or these high schoolers or college kids fishing Derby's. Let's not loose sight of the love we have and how we gained that love if it was spending every chance in a 16 foot v bottom with my grandpa fishing wolley or in a 50k bass boat we all love this sport and these kids are the future ansThese kids will have that same love that probably wouldn't of without the opportunity to fish in school. 

 

Nitro I'll be on the water tomorrow feel free to message me I'll give u any info I gather to help these kids have a awesome weekend on the water and the opportunity to win some scholarship money.. 

 Thanks Cody. 

   

[Larry Eby]

I suppose the kids need to earn the ability to fish out of a glass sled? Age 10, slip on a pair of wet tennis shoes with gravel in them to help run a trotline at 0200. Seine bait in the dark, bubbles running up the jeans. Tie drop lines on the main line without terminal tackle. Guide others down the river with an old paddle and 3 horse lightwin. Learn how to skin pelts leaving the lashes, nose and ears intact. Earned skills? Right of passage? I didn't know it was redneck before it was called redneck. It was what we did. Times have changed.

I'm in the process of teaching my youngest son how to operate and behave in a bass boat. Not a wooden float boat. He has the desire to learn, and I'm going to educate him. These boats are dangerous and I'm teaching him safety first. We take it for granted what we have. It's better to have them in a boat than running off chasing negative goals.

[Champ188]

16 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

And you can't say that it's about giving them something to do besides smoke dope and drink.... because nothing will make them want a bong hit and a shot of whiskey like a hard butt whoppin' in a fishing tournament.

If losing a fishing tournament makes a kid want to turn to dope and booze, he/she has deeper issues. Same goes for adults, for that matter.

Losing can be disheartening and may even seem earth-shaking for a kid, but that's where parents and coaches have to step up and help him/her see that losing sometimes is a fact of life and point them in the healthy way of taking what they can learn from it and leaving the rest behind.

Maybe participation trophies have a place in early-childhood sports but there comes a time BEFORE ADULTHOOD for them to discover that score is kept in real life and they won't always be the winner. Some learn this on the football field, basketball court, baseball diamond. Others learn it in or nonsporting extracurricular activities. And now, some can learn it aboard a bass boat --- glitter sled or a JohnnyCraft flatbottom.

Again, I see this high school fishing thing as very positive, as long as someone is there to point the kids in the right direction and not let them become disillusioned about everyone making it as a pro.

[Flysmallie]

15 hours ago, Champ188 said:

So, while appearing glamorous to impressionable youngsters, the opportunities to make a living as a tournament pro are slim and getting slimmer.

So True.

I know a lot of the kids on the fishing team at our high school. I haven't talked to a single one that thinks they can be a pro or really would even consider fishing tournaments after they graduate. I know of one that has received a scholarship. That's pretty cool right there, get a scholarship for fishing. Hell yeah. They don't have their sights set on the Bassmaster Classic. They have them set on hanging out with their friends, being part of a team, and just having some fun. I think it would be ignorant not to encourage them to fish. If we are going to have golf teams and tennis teams and archery teams then I sure as hell think we need fishing teams. And I'm a bit confused why anyone on a fishing forum would be against it for any reason. 

[DADAKOTA]

I love the concept and surely wish I'd of had the chance to fish competitively in high school and college.Nothing wrong with these kids having a dream.  If their dream is being a bass pro and they don't make it they will at least know how to fish better than the majority of the population.

[fishinwrench]

Just to be clear, I never said they should stop immediately, or that nobody should offer up their truck, boat and insurance to help them if they wanted to.  Fishing for any reason you choose is what I'm all about.   I just personally don't care to help support it and offered up my reasons why.  

If a kid wants to fish he will fish, he shouldn't need an "event" with all heavy expenses covered to motivate him to do so.    A more important lesson (if we can call it that) is that fishing isn't, and shouldn't be, about expensive boats, electronics, and far away trips.   And it darn sure isn't about competition.   

Introducing a young person to fishing is great, but after that you need to step aside and let them seek out information on their own and practice what they want when they want.   Why aren't all these HS anglers on here reading and trying to learn stuff?   And if they are then freakin' speak up !    This is a thread about THEM, where are they?   Has anyone informed these young anglers that there are places online where they can interact with other fishermen and gain valuable knowledge?   

[Hughesy]

2 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

And if they are then freakin' speak up !

They are probably afraid to. Introducing a young person to fishing and the stepping aside is not my idea of teaching. I thank God my Dad and Grandpa didn't introduce me to fishing and then stepped aside and said "it all yours now". They gave me all the help they could. Teaching me different knots, where fish live and how they react to certain conditions and so on. It made the fishing experience that much better. It made me want to learn more. In today's world, I'm sure the kids know of many websites to learn about fishing and I'd bet they visit them quite often. And this thread is not about them. It was about helping them. The title of the thread is "need some info to HELP high school fisherman"

[fishinwrench]

Right.  And my point is if a HS fisherman wants help then let THEM ask for it.  If one comes to me (and a couple have) then I helped them.  Helped them substantially I think. 

They don't need you asking anyone to help you help them.  I think they are bigger, stronger, and wiser than you are giving them credit for.   Did they ask YOU for help, or did someone ask you for help to help them?  That sounds crazy but I think you get the meaning.