Compliments of Mosquito Creek Outdoors, Apopka Florida
As my life progresses, my deepening passion for angling and the outdoors delivers me to newer and higher levels of appreciation each time I wet a line, and I refer to this development as "Lefty's Hierarchy of Anglers". In the forward of Captain Rodney Smith's book, "Catching Made Easy", angling guru and icon Lefty Kreh describes the three levels of angling progression.
Keynote speaker Captain Rodney Smith kicks of the event with a conservation message.
When we start fishing, we have a minimal amount of tackle, we are starving for information, and we are eager to learn how to improve our success on the water. We also observed and listened very closely to the advice and instruction of others, and we enjoy sharing what we learned with others.
At the second level of angling, we have a huge amount of tackle, we have developed good skills and our success rate has improved, but we are very secretive about how and where we catch fish. We are reluctant to listen to others because we thing we know it all, and we share very little information with others.
At the third level of angling, we use a minimal amount of tackle, and we have become very successful in catching fish. We have developing a genuine passion for the sport and the resources. We have very few secrets, we are eager to share our knowledge and experience with others, and we enjoy teaching others about the value of the sport and the fishery.
Captain Rodney takes his message of conservation to the casting pond.
I am pleased to announce that more and more anglers are reaching the third level of Lefty's Hierarchy of Angling, which was evident this past Saturday at the Kids Fishing Clinic at Mosquito Creek Outdoors in Apopka, Florida. The JAKES event was sponsor by The National Wild Turkey Federation, Mosquito Creek Outdoors, Coastal Angler Magazine, Anglers for Conservation, and a good number of passionate angling volunteers, as we introduces over sixty kids to fishing and the value of our angling resources and our environment.
Kirt Dunaway President of the Orlando Kayak Club teaches knots.As a life long Florida angler and a professional fishing guide I have witnessed first hand the increased pressure on our fishery and our natural resources as more and more users learn to enjoy what living in Florida is all about. I have seen reckless development destroy most of our shoreline habitat, unchecked runoff pollute our waters, and ungrateful anglers destroy habitat through wasteful and destructive behaviors. If we do not change our ways and the attitudes of others, we will lose our valued fisheries all together. It does my heart good to see so many organizations and volunteers pulling together sharing their passion for our outdoor resources with our youth and others. We are extremely blessed by what Mother Nature has provided, and our leadership can make an enormous difference in shaping the attitudes and behaviors of others.
Our youngest instructor Anna Macinnis displays her big bass used by her and her father Paul Macinnis in the Angler's Safety Station.
Captain Chris Myers of Central Florida Sight Fishing Charters and D.O.A. Lures teaches casting techniques.
Thomas DiBartolo of Anglers Legacy and Keith Lisenby of the Internet Anglers and Shrimpers Association (IASS) teach tackle selection and rigging.
After completing the program each participant walked away with a new fishing rod and reel, a tackle box, and a whole new prospective on angling and the value of our delicate resources.
On behalf of Dianne and Paul Faircloth owners of Mosquito Creek Outdoors in Apopka Florida, and Anglers for Conservation, I would like to thank all of our sponsors and volunteers for making this event and the Hook Kids on Fishing programs a tremendous success.
Future Hook Kids on Fishing events:
March 29 - Palm Bay: To register contact the Palm Bay Recreational Department 321-952-3441.
April 19 - Melbourne: To register contact the Melbourne Leisure Services 321-255-4608.
If your or your organization would like to support these events by volunteering, please contact me and I will point you in the right direction, or you can call Coastal Angler Magazine at 321-777-2773.
Events and Seminars
April 18, 19, 20 Melbourne: Mosquito Creek Outdoors Angler's Improvement Clinics held in conjunction with the Coastal Angler Magazine Boating and Fishing Expo at the Melbourne Auditorium. Both Captain Chris Myers and myself will be conducting clinics throughout the event, so if you have any questions about tackle selection, rigging, or anything else just stop by our booth and ask. It is the perfect opportunity to learn from the pros. Additional sponsors for the clinics are: RipTide Lures, D.O.A. Lures, Woodies Rattles, Tti-Blakemore Fishing Group, and Daichi Bleeding bait Hooks.
As always, if you have any questions or need more information, please contact me.
Good luck and good fishing,
Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
http://www.irl-fishing.com
407-366-8085 landline
407-416-1187 on the water
866-790-8081 toll free
President, Angler for Conservation AFC
Board Member of the Florida Guides Association FGA
Board Member of Indian River Guides Association IRGA
Board Member of the Florida Outdoor Writers Association FOWA
Book a charter, and let's go fishing.
Visit http://www.mosquitocreekoutdoors.com for all of your outdoor adventure needs, its Where the Adventure Begins!
