Why go fishing? Getting ready takes time. You might get a hook in your finger. Line gets tangled. So why fish when you can simply go to the market and buy all the fish you want?
For one thing, it's a great way - and excuse - to be outdoors. For another, it creates family togetherness, builds both fine and gross motor skills while casting and knot tying, and promotes problem-solving and rewards creative approaches and critcal thinking. It's also a way to go places, to see new rivers, ponds, streams and all that Mother Nature has provided. Fishing is something everyone can do no matter what your race or social background. This sport also reduces stress and promotes the development of self-esteem as youngsters master the skill and experience success.
Fishing isn't an expensive sport and there are programs all over to help teach the necessary skills. There are also books for the novice and experienced angler. So, if you haven't tried it, do it now. You'll be happy you did!
You're out there on the boat trying to catch a tasty fish. Suddenly nature calls. What to do? Before Shewee, you'd have to do a jig until you reached shore to relieve yourself. Now there's Shewee to save you time, effort and embarassment - - because, with this product, you can stand and pee! No more uncomfortable squatting, unhygienic toilets, embarrassing bare bottoms, getting touched by poison ivy -- because this is a stylish, ergonomically designed, molded plastic funnel, just 7 inches long. Introduced in Europe, Shewee allows you to go everywhere -- in the woods, on a boat, or any other private, legal location without squatting, splashing or baring your bottom. And, if you have minor incontinence concerns, this will keep you safe when away from home.
Available for $11.95 online at www.sheweeusa.com and at outdoor retailers throughout the UK, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, USA and Poland.
You’ve given in, forked over hard earned cash to become the proud owner of an iPhone™, nano, classic or touch, but in a world of uncertainty one wrong move can mean the end, protect your device with rugged and now semi-rugged cases from OtterBox!
Looking for something sleek, sexy and slim fit with semi-rugged protection for your busy, on-the-go lifestyle, then check out the Defender™ Series. Living an untamed active lifestyle and need the most rugged case available? The Armor™ Series is a perfect fit. Order one at http://www.otterbox.com.
Pick your Poison . . .
&• Defender™ Series: Slim, yet rugged, stylish, yet protective, these semi-rugged cases satisfy the need for protection without compromising style. Coined as a “skin on steroids,” these cases offer complete user interaction in an attractive design. Bring on your active lifestyle! A hi-impact polycarbonate shell snaps together to safeguard the device and a completely interactive, scratch-resistant, polycarbonate membrane protects screens and ClickWheels. Finally, a silicone skin wraps over the case to provide additional protection from drops, bumps and shock. Available for the iPhone, nano, classic and touch.*
&• Armor™ Series: Ready for any adventure no matter what Mother Nature brings! This fully rugged line of interactive cases safeguards from rain, dust, dirt, drops and other mishaps. With a fully rugged polycarbonate shell and impact-absorbing rubber inside the case to cradle the device, iPods and iPhones can now handle drops, splashes or bumps with ease. Clickwheels and screens remain completely interactive and protected by a thin, scratch-resistant, hi-impact polycarbonate membrane. Available for the iPhone, nano, classic and touch, the Armor™ series protects devices so you can take your technology virtually anywhere, rain or shine!**
As experts in Apple® iPod protection, Otter Products, LLC. offers a variety of cases for any iPod, iPhone or technology enthusiast. For more information call 888-695-8820 or visitwww.otterbox.com.
*Note: The OtterBox for iPod and iPhone Defender™ Series cases are NOT waterproof and are not intended to protect against water intrusion.
**Note: While OtterBox for iPod or iPhone Armor™ Series are great for surface swimming, snorkeling and active sports, the cases are NOT adapted to withstand pressures experienced by scuba diving. Using the incorrect case may cause leaking. Otter Products is not responsible for personal property when used in the incorrect case. For more details, see our warranty&• Armor™ Series:enture no matter what Mother Nature brings! This fully rugged line of interactive cases safeguards from rain, dust, dirt, drops and other mishaps. With a fully rugged polycarbonate shell and impact-absorbing rubber inside the case to cradle the device, iPods and iPhones can now handle drops, splashes or bumps with ease. Clickwheels and screens remain completely interactive and protected by a thin, scratch-resistant, hi-impact polycarbonate membrane. Available for the iPhone, nano, classic and touch, the Armor™ series protects devices so you can take your technology virtually anywhere, rain or shine!**
As experts in Apple® iPod protection, Otter Products, LLC. offers a variety of cases for any iPod, iPhone or technology enthusiast. For more information call 888-695-8820 or visitwww.otterbox.com.
The Future Fisherman Foundation is taking dramatic steps to grow angling participation through a unique new partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and Boys and Girls Clubs located throughout the United States. (Web site www.futurefisherman.org). The Future Fisherman Foundation is the fishing recruitment and education arm of the American Sportfishing Association, the sportfishing industry’s trade association (web site www.asafishing.org).
“Young people in Boys and Girls Clubs across the country are eager to participate in new activities” said James Burch, deputy director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance. “Learning how to fish will give many kids new opportunities to get outside and enjoy their communities in a way they never knew they could. At the same time, Club members will be introduced to a strong prevention curriculum that further enforces the missions of local Clubs.”
Under its agreement with DOJ, the foundation will train local law enforcement and local Boys and Girls Clubs leaders from across the country to work in tandem to teach angling skills to young people in participating Boys and Girls Clubs. Participating clubs will use the foundation’s Hooked on Fishing, Not on Drugs® (HOFNOD) fishing education curriculum, giving each participant dozens of hours of in-depth fishing skills development through hands on fishing expeditions.
With a 20 year track record of success, the award-winning HOFNOD curriculum marries angling skills development with teaching good life choices to young people. Participating communities will use local law enforcement officers to mentor youths using angling as the conduit to foster healthy relationships with their peers, family members and other adults.
“The lessons kids learn through HOFNOD not only help them relate to their instructors, but to parents, teachers and each other in ways they never knew,” says Doug Darr, State Aquatic Educator for Alabama.
This new program is good news to many manufacturers and retailers who are concerned about declining participation among youth. The effort is funded primarily by sources outside the sportfishing industry, therefore reaching a community not traditionally touched by fishing education while not competing with other existing angling recruitment efforts.
“When trying to get young people excited about angling, there is often too much focus on fishing for prized species in exotic locations,” said Mike Bolinder, the foundation’s executive director. “This new partnership will show young people they have all the tools and skills they need to go fishing in their own communities.”
The clubs selected for the pilot year of the Future Fisherman Foundation’s grant program for 2007 are: Boys & Girls Clubs of the South Bay, Harbor City, CA; Boys & Girls Club of Pomona Valley, Pomona, CA; East Los Angeles Boys & Girls Club, Los Angeles, CA; Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington, Silver Spring, MD; Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities, St. Paul, MN; Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi, Jackson, MS; Boys & Girls Clubs of Sanford Lee Co., Sanford, NC; Boys & Girls Clubs of the Three Affiliated Tribes, New Town, ND; Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV; and Boys & Girls Clubs of Green Country, Pryor, OK.
Members of the sportfishing community are encouraged to get involved in this program. For ways you can become involved, contact Anne Danielski, Future Fisherman Foundation National Programs coordinator, at (703) 519-9691, x254, or e-mail to adanielski@asafishing.org. You can also check web site www.futurefisherman.org.
The Future Fisherman Foundation is the fishing recruitment and education arm of the American Sportfishing Association, the sportfishing industry’s trade association. The Future Fisherman Foundation unites the sportfishing industry with a nationwide network of state outdoor educators, national conservation groups, and youth organizations, offering a variety of fishing and boating programs, equipment, and services to community groups and schools across the country. These efforts help people of all ages have safe and enjoyable fishing experiences that foster conservation ethics.
The Boat Owners Association of The United States has reviewed its insurance claim files and reports the following six most common mistakes made when winterizing a boat:
1. Failure to drain the engine block: Surprisingly, it's the balmy states of California, Florida, Texas, Alabama and Georgia where boaters are most likely to have freeze-related damage to engine blocks - and it routinely occurs to boats stored ashore. Water retains heat longer than air so boats left in the slip are less susceptible to sudden freezing.
2. Failure to drain water from sea strainer: Like an engine, the seawater strainer must be winterized or residual water could freeze and rupture the watertight seal. Sometimes you don't know it's damaged until spring launching and water begins to trickle in.
3. Failure to close seacocks: For boats left in the water, leaving seacocks open over the winter is like going on extended vacation without locking the house. If a thru-hull cannot be closed the vessel must be stored ashore - the sole exception are cockpit drains. Heavy snow loads can also force your boat under, allowing water to enter through hulls normally well above the water line.
4. Clogged petcocks: Engine cooling system petcocks clogged by rust or other debris can prevent water from fully draining. If it's plugged, try using a coat hanger to clear the blockage or use the engine's intake hose to flush anti-freeze through the system.
5. Leaving open boats in the water over winter: Boats with large open cockpits or low freeboard can easily go under by accumulated snow. Always store them ashore.
6. Using bimini covers as winter storage covers: A cover that protects the crew from the sun does a lousy job protecting the boat from freezing rain and snow. Unlike a bonafide winter cover, biminis tend to rip apart and age prematurely by the effects of winter weather.
BoatU.S. - Boat Owners Association of The United States - is the nation's leading advocate for recreational boaters providing its 670,000 members with a wide array of consumer services including a group-rate marine insurance program that insures nearly a quarter million boats; the largest fleet of more than 500 towing assistance vessels; discounts on fuel, slips, and repairs at over 835 Cooperating Marinas; boat financing; and a subscription to BoatU.S. Magazine, the most widely read boating publication in the U.S. For membership information visit http://www.BoatUS.com or call 800-395-2628.
For a free copy of the BoatU.S. Winterizing Guide full of tips to help you prepare your vessel for the winter, go to BoatUS.com/Seaworthy and click on "Winterizing Your Boat," or call 800-283-2883.
An estimated 13 million kids fished (age 16 and under) in 2000 . . .down from 14.8 million in 1995.
85 percent of kids report being interested in fishing: 50 percent are very interested.
58 percent of kids have fished in the past year.
76f percent of teens own an MP3 player.
82 percent of kids are online by seventh grade.
Kids spend 44 hours a week with TV, computers and video games.
Fishing before age 11 positively affects the way kids will think about and treat the environment in adulthood.
Connecting to family is a primary reason for going fishing.
88 percent of avid anglers over age 35 were introduced to fishing by dad; only 12 percent of avid anglers under 35 were introduced to fishing by dad.
90 percent of avid anglers went fishing for the first time before age 10.
Fishing is not just a guy's sport; fully 1/3 of all anglers are women.
More women went fishing in 2004 than went running or jogging.
39 percent of all women have fished in the past two years.
Connecting to family is a primary reason for going fishing.
Recreational anglers fish an average of 18 days a year.
Most sought after fish -- black bass.
84 percent of fishing days are spent in freshwater; 16 percent in saltwater.
Approximately 72 percent of all anglers age 16 and over live in urban areas; 28 percent live in rural communities.
Over a year, the average angler spends $134 on fishing tackle and other equipment; $331 on trip-related goods and services; and $102 on transportation.
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