Sportfishing


Fishing is an easy outdoor activity that is fun for the entire family providing more than the catch. Remember, the activity is called fishing, not catching. Fishing can involve exploring a different world at the water’s edge, kicking back in the shade and enjoying company while the bait soaks, dipping your toes in the water and watching the sun set, and many more relaxing and rewarding experiences just by being there. Fishing can be inexpensive and accessible with abundant city, county, and state public waterways available. Don’t snub the ‘Snoopy’ rod and a can of kernel corn. Kids under the age of 17 are not required to have a Texas fishing license. Texas state parks do not require fishing licenses within their boundaries making it easy to get you hooked.

The 4-H Sportfishing Program provides all of this with a positive youth development atmosphere. Adult leader training creates local mentors to share the knowledge, experience, and tradition with youth involved in the project. As with all projects within the 4-H Natural Resources Program, Sportfishing will help establish the stewardship of our resources necessary to insure strong future leadership.

Trainings

Two day training will offer a diverse exposure to curricula, resources, and techniques available to lead youth through the Sportfishing project. During the training the participants will receive certification as Instructors in the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Angler Education program. This certification does not obligate the recipient to provide courses to the public. However, the certification does allow them to provide basic Angler Education training and certification to the youth they lead. The Angler Education Program is a high quality basic introduction to fishing providing a variety of resources for the instructor which can be acquired free of charge. The training will be interactive and offer a combination of indoor and outdoor activities and exposure. Come prepared to spend time in the classroom and at the water’s edge learning how to share your enthusiasm about our natural resources with your local youth. The agenda will cover all day on Saturday and Sunday morning until noon. Saturday noon and supper meals will be provided and are included in the registration. Registration for this event is completed online via 4-H Connect. Any actively enrolled Adult Volunteer Leader, Extension employee, or senior 4-H youth is eligible for this training. Actively enrolled youth who have reached age 14 by September 1 of the current 4-H year may participate in a training as an Assistant Leader Candidate. Please see the Assistant Leader section below for more information on Assistant Leader eligibility and training.

  • Sportfishing Project Leader  Training – TBD

Don’t forget that fish and other aquatic creatures are wildlife as well. A variety of adult leader trainings are scheduled throughout the 4-H year that will provide excellent background and knowledge enhancement for anyone leading a wildlife project. Please see the Wildlife website for more information about the Wildlife project and related activities.

  • Wildlife Project Leader Training-TBD
  • Hunting & Wildlife Leader Training–2013 Detailed Information Document Coming Soon
    February 2-3, 2013–College Station, TX
    Hunting & Wildlife Shooting Sports Discipline, no other disciplines offered.
    Registration on 4-H Connect
    Registration Open December 1-30, 2012, $50/Coach, Leader or Assistant Coach Candidate. $0/Extension Employee
    Late Registration December 31, 2012-January 6, 2013, $75
    See the Wildlife website (link) for more information.

Wildlife Habitat Education Program (WHEP) adult leader trainings offer opportunities to gain in depth information into the WHEP project and learn ways to enhance a 4-H Wildlife or Sportfishing project. Please see the WHEP website for more information about the WHEP project and related activities.

  • WHEP Project Leader Trainings-TBD
  • WHEP Practice Contest-Kerrville, TX
    November 17, 2012
    Registration Open September 24–October 21 on 4-H Connect for youth and adult participants.
    $12/Participant (Adult or Youth)
  • WHEP Practice Contest-Leon County, TX
    Date TBD (February 2013)
    Registration TBD on 4-H Connect
    $TBD/Participant
  • Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo WHEP Contest-T&M Ranch, Richmond, TX
    March 9, 2013
    Registration via HLSR Registration through your County Extension Office
    Registration dates and cost TBA with HLSR Event Information
    Contest ecoregion will be Prairie Brushland
  • State WHEP Contest-Brazos County, TX
    June 15-16, 2013
    Registration Open April 15-May 19, 2013—$15/Participant
    Late Registration May 20-26, 2013—$30/Participant
    Contest ecoregion will be Urban/Southeast Mixed

Assistant Leader Training

The 4-H Natural Resources Program offers Assistant Leader training in the Sportfishing Project, the Wildlife Project, and the Wildlife Habitat Education Program (WHEP) Project. Assistant Leader training is for those youth who will assist an Adult Volunteer Leader or County Extension Employee with leadership of a Sportfishing, Wildlife, or WHEP project in their county. This is a great opportunity for enthusiastic senior 4-H’ers who are passionate about Natural Resources to develop leadership skills, expand their knowledge, and share that knowledge with others. To become an Assistant Leader, youth should register for and attend the appropriate project area leader training. An Assistant Leader candidate must be accompanied to training either by a previously trained adult or an adult participating in the same training. Youth must be 14 years of age or older by September 1 of current 4-H year to be eligible for training. An Assistant Leader can be upgraded to full Adult Sportfishing, Wildlife, or WHEP Leader with no additional training once a youth has aged out of the 4-H program and has been approved as a 4-H Adult Volunteer Leader (minimum 18 years of age, minimum 21 years of age to chaperone youth on overnight activities).

Family Fishing Weekends

On several weekends throughout the year at various locations across the state the Texas 4-H Natural Resources Program will coordinate fun and relaxing fishing weekends with activities and fishing opportunities for all ages. In addition to fishing, optional education sessions will be offered at designated times covering basic and advanced topics related to fishing and aquatic science. Registration information and event details will be posted as they become available.

*Please note: this event is in the early planning stages. Detailed information will be posted and distributed when it becomes available.

  • Family Fishing Weekends—TBD

Sportfishing Quizbowl 

This will be a team event for all 4-H ages (Junior, Intermediate, Senior), and will follow general 4-H Quizbowl rules, procedures, and setup. Topics covered will include: Sportfishing Methods & Equipment, Aquatic Ecology, Aquatic Species Identification, Laws and Regulations, and Safety and Ethics. See the detailed event information for a list of learning resources.

*Please note: this event is in the early planning stages. Detailed information will be posted and distributed when it becomes available.

  • Sportfishing Quizbowl—TBD 

Related Activities & Events

  • Roundup Wildlife Challenge-Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
    June 13, 2013
    Registration on 4-H Connect via general Roundup Registration
    Registration Open April 10-May 10, 2013—$TBA/Participant
    Late Registration May 11-24, 2013—$TBA/Participant
    See the Wildlife website  and the Roundup website for more information
  • Outdoor Challenge Camp-Texas 4-H Conference Center, Brownwood, TX
    June 23-27, 2013
    Registration Open April 29-May 26, 2013—$TBD/Participant
    Late Registration May 27-June 2, 2013—$TBD/Participant
    See the Outdoor Challenge website for more information
  • Outdoor Challenge-Texas 4-H Conference Center, Brownwood, TX
    June 29-30, 2013
    Registration Open May 6-June 2, 2013—$TBD/Participant
    Late Registration June 3-9, 2013—$TBD/Participant
    See the Outdoor Challenge website for more information
  • Burdett & Son Outdoor Adventure Shop Summer Hunter Education Camp, 2013 dates TBD, youth ages 14-17, For information visit: http://www.burdettandson.com/ or 979-695-2807
  • Texas Chapter of the Wildlife Society Wildlife Conservation Camp—July 14-20, 2013 at Welder Wildlife Refuge, Sinton, TX

Contact Information

Mr. Larry Hysmith
Extension Program Specialist
4180 S Highway 6 S
College Station, TX 77845
Phone: 979-845-1214
Email: tx4hnaturalresources@tamu.edu

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