Family Fishing Education Opportunities Offered for Texans this Spring

AUSTIN – Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is partnering with Fishing’s Future and the George H.W. Bush Vamos A Pescar Education Fund to provide fishing education opportunities for families in Houston and the Rio Grande Valley.

Fishing’s Future is a national angling educational organization based in

Texas with more than 17 years of experience and expertise in teaching families how to fish and spend time in the great outdoors.

The program kicked off in February and will continue through August with activities including in-person family fishing events. This year the program will continue working directly with families through community organizations.

The program will conduct 18 activities in the Houston and Rio Grande Valley area to educate 20 families from the basics of fishing through advanced techniques, Catch, Care, and Cook it, Boater Education, Surf and Pier fishing, online Family Networking, How to Shop and more.

Fishing’s Future will also expand reach in these areas by establishing two new chapters to conduct family fish camps and other outreach activities for the next five years. All equipment and expertise needed for families to have a successful fishing event will be provided. Some events will include fish cleaning and cooking.

“Hooking up with TPWD and The Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation on the George H. W. Bush Vamos A Pescar Educational Fund Grant is a perfect partnership for Fishing’s Future,” said Michael Scherer, program director of Fishing’s Future.  “Our three organizations are dedicated to increasing the educational knowledge of both young and old. TPWD is staffed with the sharpest minds — their staff brings real-life science and research into play.”

The goals of the program include building fishing knowledge, skills and abilities of participating families from Texas metro areas to ultimately increase participation in fishing. In addition, the program strengthens family bonds and Texans’ connections to the outdoors and fisheries resources.

“This grant helps to foster the development of relationships between families to build a sense of community, better serve local organizations and help their families get outdoors and enjoy State and Community Parks,” added Scherer. “It also helps teach environmental stewardship and Increases awareness for the protection, conservation and restoration of our Nation’s aquatic natural resources.”

For those wanting to support these important efforts, Fishing’s Future will conduct angler education instructor trainings. Increasing the number of certified angler education instructors, especially those who are bilingual or with Spanish as their primary language, will generate opportunities for the program to make a greater impact across Texas.

“We are excited to partner with Fishing’s Future to offer the George H.W. Bush Vamos A Pescar program and connect families with fishing and the outdoors across Texas,” said Jason Mercer, TPWD R3 Coordinator Fishing and Boating. “This effort provides so many excellent opportunities for families to participate in fishing, develop their fishing skills and knowledge, and of course spend quality time as a family.

For more information on George H.W. Bush Vamos A Pescar Education Fund and educational programs, or to participate, visit www.FishingsFuture.org.