Anglers as Rolemodels Needs Your Help!

Don’t skip over this post… this one is the most important ones you’ll read here in awhile.

As many of you know we have the annual ARM (Anglers as Role Models) event coming up on July 30th. At this event we work in conjuction with Big Brothers & Big Sisters of MN and WI to take youths and their “Big” out for a day of fishing, education and instruction. The events of the day are highly laid back and the kids always have a blast going for boat rides, catching any fish that bites and learning more about our fisheries and recreational opporuntities that exist for them as anglers.

These are kids that have little to no chance of EVER being exposed to fishing. ARM has found sponsors to donate new rods and reels for every child. Tackle boxes full of crankbaits, line, hooks and sinkers. We have pizza coming from Dominoes and treats from Kemps.

But we’re short boaters! At present we have 35 “confirmed” kids planning on attending and we have 14 registered volunteer boaters.

Houston, we have a problem! We need your help. You need not be a professional guide. You need not have a 20 foot boat with a 200 hp motor. What you do need is the willingness to invest a single day of your time to share your love of fishing and the outdoors with a child and their “Big” (chaperone) that likely has never caught a fish, been on a boat ride or seen the beauty of the Mississippi River.

If you can help, please reply here. The event starts at 8 AM on Friday and will end around 4 PM.

You may not catch a monster walleye but you will go home at the end of the day feeling that if for only one day, you made a difference.

I fished this event last year for the first time and it was one of the highlights of 2003 for me. It is a really good time and personally rewarding. Unfortuately, do to a business commitment I can’t fish the event but I encourage others to do so.

We had a great time catching just about every species of fish. James, Dustin, Dee Zee and others do a great job of showing you where they are biting so you don’t really have to know the river. I encourage anyone who is thinking about doing this, please do. I really hate to miss it

Anyone else? We’re not at our goal yet. We need more boaters!

Some things you won’t need to worry about if you volunteer to be a boater:

1) – The kids being anything other than fantastically well behaved! Remember, these youngsters don’t get the chance to get out on major WAY COOL events like this one and they tend to be a little awed by the experience. They do of course have their “Big” chaperone along should some thing every happen but I’ve never heard of or seen anything but lots o’ laughs and big smiles.

2) – Feel any pressure to catch a bunch of fish. Take our word for it, a white bass is as good as a carp is as good as a walleye to these youngsters.

3) – You need not know the river like the back of your hand. The area chosen doesn’t have any wingdams to worry about or shallow channels to navigate. Dustin Stewart and I will be on-hand in the AM to give out info regarding productive locations and techniques.

4) – You don’t need to have a big, hi-powered rig to show these kids a great time. One of our repeat volunteers takes kids out a short litte run in a jon boat to fish carp… and the kids have a BALL tussling with these strong fighting fish.

5) – You need not have fishing gear for the kids. We supply all that and we kick in all the pizza, pop and ice ream treats you can eat as well.

If this sounds easy, it is. It’s laid back. Lots of fun. And all for the greatest cause I can think of… giving children the chance to fall in love with fishing!

See ya’ there?