FISHING CLUB WINS MUD HOLE CUSTOM ROD CLASS

By completing conservation projects, the Chambers High School fishing team recently earned a private, in-person custom rod building class with Mud Hole Custom Tackle. They were the winning team in FWC’s School Fishing Club Conservation Project Competition and completed six projects including cleaning up and building monofilament recycling bins for their local waterbodies to win the grand prize.

All student anglers participating in the FWC’s 2022-23 School Fishing Club Program were required to complete at least one conservation project to qualify for funding associated with the program. Prizes were offered by Mud Hole, Toadfish and Pure Fishing to encourage teams to complete multiple conservation initiatives. The competition awarded points per club participation in a variety of conservationminded activities aimed at reducing the impacts of plastic pollution.

“Congratulations to these young anglers for their dedication to conservation,” said Tom Graef, FWC’s Freshwater Fisheries director. “They are making a difference by leading the way for the next generation of anglers with these creative conservation projects.”

Punta Gorda Middle School won the second-place prize, and A. Crawford Mosley High School won the third-place prize.

“Supporting youth education is so important to our mission at Mud Hole Custom Tackle,” said Anthony Youmans, Mud Hole’s Education Program Director. “We’re honored to contribute the grand prize in this year’s competition and are always supportive of FWC’s efforts to lead conservation projects here in Florida, our home state.”

Mud Hole Custom Tackle, based in Oviedo, is the world’s largest supplier of rod building and tackle crafting goods and instruction. From rod building and repairing, to fly tying and lure building, Mud Hole is the leading e-retailer and mail order supplier to hobbyists, small manufacturers and large OEMs, worldwide. Offering a superior shopping experience at mudhole.com, rapid fulfillment, stellar customer service, and world class online content and instruction, Mud Hole Custom Tackle is the trusted source for the rod building and tackle crafting community.

FWC’s School Fishing Club Program welcomed 38 new and 14 returning student angling clubs in Florida to the program last year, supported by the Division of Marine Fisheries Management, the Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management, and the Florida Youth Conservation Centers Network. The clubs committed to complete the provided FWC curriculum and at least one conservation project. Club mentors provided support and hands-on training in knot tying and fishing gear assembly, as well as assistance with the clubs’ local events to increase student anglers’ confidence in the sport of fishing.

Information about the 2023-24 School Fishing Club Program will be announced later this summer.

For more information, visit MyFWC.com/SFC. For more information about Mud Hole’s Education Program, visit mudhole.com/ pages/rod-building-for-education.

Touted as one of the best smallmouth fisheries in the east, the New River offers over 50 miles of fishable waters in the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. The myriad river access points allow you to wet a line for smallmouth bass, walleye, muskie, and more. Local guide services float these water providing access to sections of the river that are not accessible by land. With plenty of hiking and biking trails, ziplines, paddleboarding tours, whitewater rafting trips and more, there are outdoor opportunities for the whole family.