As a young man, I recall watching fishing shows on TV and reading through magazines, trying to take in as much information as possible to help me catch more fish. I was always enthralled with the personalities; Jimmy Houston, Bill Dance, Hank Parker and the late, great Jose Wejebe. But, I’m a Minnesota boy, and there were no television shows that really touched on ice fishing. So, my eyes focused on magazines and personalities like the Lindners, who were and still are a wealth of knowledge. I always dreamed that I could someday become a professional fisherman or someone with influence in the fishing industry. Now, as an adult, and a father of two, I look to my kids for inspiration and new strategies. Kids truly are our link to the past, as well as the future, and kids teach us about humility, and remind us to have fun. I still hold a place in my heart for the aforementioned anglers and what I learned from them, but I’m a much bigger fan of the kids taking over our sport these days.
Technology Evolution
Presently, kids have so much access to information; YouTube, internet fishing forums, social media, television, streaming apps, etc. They don’t have to wait for Saturday morning to watch their favorite angler; they can simply punch their name into the Google machine and select any of the thousands of results. Fishing shows have evolved, too. There are more fishing shows online than there are on television. Kids don’t have to wait for their favorite magazine to show up in the mail once a month, they can have it sent to their inbox via online subscription.
Access to information is easier than it ever has been, and kids are learning things at a much faster pace. This has caused a revolution in ice fishing, as many youth don’t need the help of their parents like I did as a kid. My son can carry a rod, his Vexilar and a K-Drill out, drill his own holes, and fish with ease. In my day, I’m not sure if I could’ve even lifted my dad’s old auger, known how to start it, or figured out how deep I was fishing. Now, there’s an app or a piece of equipment for that.
Participation and Influence
As the sport has grown and more youth have started participating in ice fishing related events, the influence has shifted. Honestly, I’ll listen to a product review from a kid’s mouth and believe it much more readily than I will from an adult. Kids don’t filter their words and fluff anything. What you see is what you get, and what you hear is generally pure. Young anglers like Cole Bechtold, Jack Johnson, Jake Todd, Logan Sathre and Tate Breuer can be found at ice fishing shows all over the Midwest, in photos online and on their YouTube channels. You’ll find them walking around, talking to other anglers, giving advice on their favorite pieces of equipment and most importantly, they’ll be interacting with other young anglers. Kids gravitate toward one another, and when one of the young guns working a show is standing there handing out stickers or towels, every kid that walks by is sure to stop to chat and get some free goodies. Any one of those kids might be the next one working at shows or talking about fishing on YouTube. At the very least, they’ll become or remain interested in the sport. The more young anglers that we can attract to the sport, the better.
These young guns truly understand what’s going on, too. It’s not about slinging products or pushing the newest and greatest gear. They truly want to share their passion with others in their age group, and they want other kids to learn what they have through the outdoors. I’ve even heard some of them talking about selective harvest and conservation. The future sounds so much more appealing when I hear youngsters talk about conservation. It gives me hope that future generations will have a shot at experiencing nature the way that I have.
Recruitment and Retention
Recruitment and retention are things that are easy to understand, but the reasoning behind them is somewhat tough to comprehend. As an angler, you might see more and more anglers on the body of water you fish each year, but that doesn’t mean that the entire ice belt is following the same trend. For example, only about 27% of Minnesotans carry fishing licenses. This number is about 5% lower than it was in 2000. We’re losing anglers, and we’re failing to bring new anglers in and retain them. Part of this has to do with the loss of many baby boomers, but with the leaps and bounds in technology, and the general growth of the industry, we need to do a better job of recruiting new anglers. The kids of today are the key to making this happen. If your daughter likes to fish, encourage her to invite a friend on the next adventure. If that friend enjoys it, word will spread, and other kids will want to try their hand at this great sport as well.
Where to Start
If you’ve never mentored a new angler, there are tons of resources available to you. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has a certified mentor list, and any of the people on that list will surely help if you’re in need or have any questions. The Take-a-Kid Fishing program has been around forever, and will hopefully live on well beyond my years. Any of the volunteers in the Take-a-Kid Fishing program could surely help you out with equipment, and answer questions. Despite the fact that Take-a-Kid Fishing is summer related, you’d be hard-pressed to find a volunteer who doesn’t ice fish. MinnAqua is another program that could help. A simple search on the internet will yield piles of good information.
Incentive programs and junior ice fishing teams are starting to show up, encouraging youth to get out fishing, and to send in photos for a chance at a day of fame on social media or in print media. The Outdoor News’ Junior Pro Team program and Clam Outdoors’ Junior Ice Team are two that come to mind. Junior Ice Team is a group of young anglers that aid the adult Ice Team at sport shows around the country. The organization also encourages anglers to send in stories or photos of catches, so that they can be featured alongside some of today’s top ice anglers.
Many schools in the Midwest are offering fishing programs, and many communities are offering programs through Community Education. High school fishing teams are becoming very popular, and are a great way to get a youngster into fishing.
The opportunities are endless, and when it comes down to it, something as simple as taking your child, or taking someone else’s child who has parents that aren’t the outdoorsy type, are the stones that can lead them down the path to a life filled with fishing adventures.
Keeping it Simple
My kids are a little bit hardcore. They have caught their share of fish, and have had plenty of days when I took them to easy bites with small fish. They don’t enjoy that like they once did. Now, they want to catch the big ones, and will gladly pass on a numbers bite to chase something with a little more tug. However, if you’re taking a new angler out, you’re going to want to concentrate on making it the best experience possible.
Be sure that you have the right equipment, lots of snacks and drinks, an alternative source of entertainment (tablet, cell phone, frisbee, underwater camera), good conditions, and if at all possible, be on a good bite. Out of all of those things, I would honestly say that equipment is the most important factor. Good boots and/or clothing are important. If a kid has subpar boots or gloves and their fingers or toes get cold, the adventure is over. If a kid says that they want to be done for the day. Be done. Always have hand and foot warmers along, and lots of them. This can make or break a trip with younger kids, especially.
Also, don’t take a new angler out to a less-than-stellar bite. Wait until you’ve got a good panfish bite going, or the perch are really going nuts. Let them enjoy themselves on that first adventure. The enjoyment will keep them coming back, and eventually they will be hooked.
The Future is Bright
Within a growing sport that has seen so many advances in technology and gear, during a time of social media and online videos, there are more opportunities for youngsters to be seen and heard. A lot of young men and women are taking advantage of this, and have already started what could turn into a great career in the fishing industry. More importantly, they are having fun, and doing what they truly enjoy. Hearing how passionate they are when they speak, and seeing the genuine smiles when they hold up a fish are priceless. The kids seem to have a grip on what they need to do, and there are a lot of young guns doing some heavy lifting. Now, as adults, we need to be sure that we’re doing our part to get even more of today’s kids involved. If everyone reading this can introduce one or two youngsters to ice fishing this season, we’ll be moving in the right direction.
— Matthew J. Breuer runs Northcountry Guide Service & Promotions in Bemidji, Minnesota.
