The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s (TPWD) Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC) in Athens is once again partnering with Fishing’s Future and the George H.W. Bush Vamos A Pescar Education Fund to provide convenient fishing education opportunities for families throughout Texas.
The program kicked off February 20 and continues through June with a variety of activities, including opportunities to participate online. The schedule features a total of 24 in-person family fishing events through June 25 in the greater metro areas of Houston, the Rio Grande Valley and Dallas-Fort Worth. All equipment and expertise needed for families to have a successful fishing event will be provided. Some events will include fish cleaning and cooking.
“Hooking up with the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center and Take Me Fishing on the George H. W. Bush Vamos A Pescar Educational Fund Grant is a perfect partnership for Fishing’s Future,” said Shane Wilson, CEO and founder of Fishing’s Future, a national angling educational organization based in Texas with more than 15 years of experience and expertise in teaching families how to fish and spend time in the great outdoors. “Our three organizations are dedicated to increasing the educational knowledge of both young and old. TFFC is staffed with the sharpest minds — their staff brings real-life science and research into play.”
The goals of the program include building fishing knowledge, skills and abilities of participating families from Texas metro areas to ultimately increase participation in fishing. In addition, the program intends to strengthen family bonds and Texans’ connections to the outdoors and fisheries resources.
“I hold to the fact that millions want to fish, but don’t know how,” Wilson said. “The Vamos A Pescar Grant functions to introduce and provide knowledge and instruction to increase interest in recreational fishing within the Hispanic population. My advice: If you want to learn how to fish and become a lifelong angler, this program is where you should start."
Families can learn new skills and prepare to go fishing on their own through live, virtual, one-hour workshops hosted by Fishing’s Future and TFFC. The nightly sessions take place Monday through Thursday, February 20 through June 22. Topics include fishing knots, lures and baits, rods/reels and casting, water safety, fishing regulations and fish habitats. Register for these free informative sessions on the Fishing’s Future Vamos A Pescar website.
Participants can also access free online instructional videos developed to provide information on topics ranging from cleaning and cooking fish to purchasing equipment.
For those wanting to support these important efforts, Fishing’s Future will conduct angler education instructor trainings. Increasing the number of certified angler education instructors, especially those who are bilingual or with Spanish as their primary language, will generate opportunities for the program to make a greater impact across Texas.
“We are excited to be partnering with Fishing’s Future to offer the George H.W. Bush Vamos A Pescar program and reach underserved families across Texas,” said Tom Lang, TPWD Inland Fisheries outreach director. “This effort provides so many excellent opportunities for families to participate in fishing, develop their fishing skills and knowledge, and of course spend quality time as a family. The utilization of in-person and virtual live workshops, video and other downloadable content also makes this a very convenient program that can be worked into busy family schedules.”
For more information on George H.W. Bush Vamos A Pescar Education Fund and educational programs, or to participate, visit <www.FishingsFuture.org>. To learn more about the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center, including programs, exhibits and activities available to visitors, check out the TFFC website.