FISH ON! Certified Angling Instructor Volume 1 Issue 3 Winter/Spring 2019 In this issue: Ben s Tight Lines Fish Management Regional Reports CAI Discounts CAI News CAI Newsletter FISH ON! Is the CAI Newsletter providing information on training, upcoming events, introduction to new CAI s, and more. Have something interesting to share with group? Send it to pjperea@gmail.com Ben s Tight Lines I wish to thank each of you for sharing your skills as a CAI to our Scouting youth. As a CAI, you are our link to bringing Scouts the opportunity for experiencing fishing into their life. Fishing will enrich their enjoyment, their pride of accomplishment and provide them a sport, which can bring an activity for their family to do together. What a valuable gift for them and self-satisfaction to you as a CAI who gave them a start into an activity of a lifetime. We are starting a new year and looking to accomplish our goals via more new CAI courses, more presentations to Cub Scouts with an introduction to fishing, and more fishing programs for Scouts BSA and Venturers. We believe fishing is a Gateway for Girls into our Scouting Units. Whatever your scouting job is you can help to enhance the experience of our youth via fishing. We added over 25 new CAI course directors in the last two years through the CAI Director Conferences. We plan 4 to 5 more director courses throughout the country this year. This allows opportunities for you to step forth, take this course, and then commit to hold a course in your council. We will provide you with all the elements of how to get a course started, how to promote it, and will provide a full syllabus and power point slide pack to get you started. Upon you completing the director s course, you are better able to hold your own CAI course. We will make one of our experienced course directors coach you through your first course. This can add CAI s into your council and then you should start a fishing committee within the council focused on bringing quality fishing opportunities to the youth, improving the camp fisheries, and bringing quality fishing and fly fishing gear at highly discounted prices for successful fishing programs. We have now 47 qualified CAI Course Directors and to date only 24 have run a course. For those who have completed the director s course and not run a course I challenge you to do so this year. Make a New Year s Resolution and keep it. Remember we are here to help you and your council needs to have a group of fishing advocates, they probably do not know it but they would see great benefits in recruitment and retention. Thank you all and let us make 2019 the year of Fish-on for our Scouts. FISH ON! Ben Jelsema National BSA Outdoor Programs Committee Chairman, BSA National Fishing Subcommittee
Fisheries Management Aquatics Educators National Meeting In October, I got the chance to attend the National meeting for Aquatics Recreation Educator Association (AREA) meeting in Lake Tahoe, CA. I wanted to share some of the points of the 3-day meeting I brought back with me: I learned that there are Professional Fishing Educators. Some of the teaching techniques they used were easily translated to the Certified Angling Instructor program. They had a mat with fish habitat on it. I brought one back to show how to teach where to fish. They had a TFO fly fishing training rod called the Accelerator. IT creates a sense of timing for fly casting. https://tforods.com/practicetools/ That sportsmen (women and men) fund virtually all the conservation from hunting and fishing licenses. Without license fees and fishing taxes there is not funding to save the outdoors Every State and Territory has professional aquatics educators. They are passionate about saving the environment by getting more people fishing. BSA has a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with AREA to cooperate to help each other s mission. You should get to know the Aquatics Educator in your state. They are all friendly and very helpful creating fishing opportunities for your Scouts. * *most states will only be able to plant public waters. BSA properties are considered private water so, they cannot put fish on a BSA camp. Rick Kagawa Scout n Fish Please share your scout fishing photos with Scout n Fish!
CAI Regional Reports Central Region Michael Brand There are many great things about Scouting and Fishing, but the greatest is creating memories with people. I have a winter s worth of fresh fishing memories to carry me through to the upcoming spring. I hope that you and your Scouts do as well. At this time of the year, I like to give thanks and congratulate all those that #DARETODO,especially the Central Region Area Fishing Leads and their assembled teams of BSA Certified Angling Instructors, and BSA Angler Educators, Fishing/Fly Fishing/ and Fish & Wildlife Management Merit Badge Counselors, Summer Camp Program Counselors, fellow Scouters, family and friends who supported Central Region BSA Fishing Programs offered in 2018. GREAT JOB! I would like to thank Steve Klubertanz for his dedicated service as the Central Region Area 7 Fishing lead over the last 7 years. His dedication to the Scouts and Scouters, delivering quality angler education, activities, and support to the BSA Fishing Programs, and training BSA Certified Angling Instructors and BSA Angler Educators has been truly inspirational. Thank you Steve for a job well done! I would also like to introduce our newest Central Region Area 7 Fishing lead, Doug Lindsay, a long time Scouter and BSA Certified Angling Instructor / CAI Course Director. We look forward to working Doug in the coming Fishing Season and beyond. I am also very thankful for the opportunity to serve our youth with quality angling programs. Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, and Venturers and their families participated in quality fishing programs offered at the Unit, District, Council, and National levels. I believe our age and skill based angling programs provided many opportunities to gain knowledge, and put into action many tools and techniques. In the end, we have built a strong foundation for a lifetime hobby filled with enjoyment and fun, meant to be shared with families far into the future. Looking forward to 2019-2020: We are pleased to announce that the following training courses will be facilitated by the BSA National Fishing Committee, with a focus on providing enhancements to your BSA Fishing Programs. These courses will cover Cub Scout, Scout BSA, and Venturing Fishing Programs held at the Unit, District, and Council Level. We believe the course delivers an understanding of the Mission and Vision of Outdoor Programs-Fishing, assisting in your efforts to Deliver the Promise. You will learn age based and skill appropriate fishing tools and techniques for your Scouts, ranging from the Cane Pole to Fly Fishing. The course highlights best practices on content delivery, in both the classroom and the field. Course Graduates will become BSA Certified Angling Instructors (Training Code CS61). FISH ON! 2019 scheduled Central Region - Certified Angling Instructor Training Courses: Greater St. Louis Area Council - CR Area #3 - March 29-31 W.D. Boyce Council - CR Area #3 - April 12-14 Great Rivers Council - CR Area #5 - March 8-10 Mid Iowa Council - CR Area #5 - April 5-7 Anthony Wayne Council - CR Area #6 - April 12-14 Black Swamp Council - CR Area #6 - May 10-12 For additional details visit www.bsafishing.com If you would like to schedule a BSA Certified Angling Instructor Course in your Council please contact Central Region Outdoor Programs - Fishing Chairman Michael Brand Enhance your Recruitment and Retention programs through Fishing Council have an opportunity to utilize purchasing programs developed by quality fishing tackle manufacturers, Future Fisherman Foundation and BSA National Fishing Committee. To learn more about these purchasing program offerings contact your Area Fishing Lead today! Area #1 - John Woodhall Area #2 Dennis Festerling Area #3 Bob Quam Area #4 Ron Killian Area #5 Harold Kerns Area #6 James Ridgeway Area #7 Doug Lindsay
CAI Regional Reports Western Region Tim Beaty CAI Course Director Conference September 15-21, 2019 Philmont Training Center Cimmaron NM BSA Fishing Train the Trainer September 15-21, 2019 Philmont Training Center Cimmaron NM Northeast Region Jim Byrd CAI Courses New Birth of Freedom Council March 30-31, 2019 Hidden Valley Scout Reservation Patriot's Path Council May 17-19, 2019 Mt. Allamuchy Scout Reservation Southeast Region Bill Pepito CAI Course Old North State Council May 17-19, 2019 Cherokee Scout Reservation 3296 Boy Scout Camp Rd. Yanceyville, NC 27379 2018 Fishing, Fly Fishing and Fish & Wildlife Merit Badge Report Fishing, #23 overall, 24,688 merit badges earned Fish & Wildlife Management, #48 overall, 11,822 merit badges earned Fly Fishing, #89 overall, 4,873 merit badges earned Fishing Merit Badge Popularity From 1911-2018, #20 ranked overall 2,089,286 merit badges earned 2017 versus 2018 Merit Badges Earned Fishing merit badge increased 1.4 % Fly Fishing merit badge increased 6% Fish and Wildlife Management merit badge increased 1.8%
CAI Discounts The BSA National Fishing Subcommittee has been working closely with the outdoor industry to get our CAI instructors the gear necessary to get scouts fishing. Here are some of the discounts available exclusively to BSA CAI members:
CAI Discounts Tangle-FREE Telescopic Micro Pocket Combo Take it Anywhere! 30-inch Light Action Fiberglass Rod MICRO Spincast Reel Pre-Spooled 6-Pound line 4.1:1 Gear Ratio Adjustable Seat EVA Handle Single Rod Price - $19.99 Ten-Rod Price $165.00 ($16.50ea.) Twenty-Rod Price - $310.00 ($15.50ea.) PRICE INCLUDES SHIPPING
Fly-Fishing Show Success We had very positive first steps with the new program for Scouts in partnership with the Fly Fishing Show. First of all - my hearty thanks for the support from the gentlemen from the Committee - Doug Precourt and Tim Rosseien - for their onsite support of the program! And an extra note of thanks for the volunteers from FFI who supported a huge part of the program in their learning center. Though there is much room for growth and improvement, I m happy to report that we saw our first completed passport during the fly-fishing show season. Perhaps more important - and broadly encouraging - this first Scout to complete the program was a Cub... and (as pictured with me below) SHE left beaming! I hope you share in my excitement here - this young lady came without knowledge of the program... and left a proud angler! Scott Hunter In Memory of CAI Nicolas Nick Rodriguez Miralles March 17, 1961 ~ February 26, 2019 (age 57) Nicolas Nick Rodriguez 57, Gallitzin died February 26, 2019 at UPMC Altoona. Born March 17, 1961 in Cuba the son of Nicolas Rodriguez Ortiz and Miladys Miralles Salazar. Preceded in death by an infant son Nicolas Cisco in 1999 and his father Survived by his wife the former Roberta Knee whom he married October 1, 1994 at St. Patrick Church, Gallitzin, his daughter Marisa and son Jon both at home, his mother, sister Miladys Gonzalez, nephews, Ely, Manuel (Jennifer) and Daniel (Vanessa) Gonzalez all of Miami and numerous great nieces and nephews. Nick loved the beach and ocean, outdoors, fly fishing and was an avid reader. Volunteered with Boy Scouts Troop 2059 and Cub Scout Pack 2059. Social member of Gallitzin American Legion, Moose and Sportsmen Club. Member of Knights of Columbus and St. Demetrius Catholic Church, Gallitzin where Memorial Mass will be celebrated by the Rev. Albert Ledoux celebrant. The family suggest donations be made to Gallitzin Public Library, 411 Convent Street, Gallitzin, PA 16641 in Nick s memory. Contacts Ben Jelsma - ben@jelsema.cc Bill Pepito - billpepito@gmail.com Central Region - Michael R Brand Northeast Region - James Byrd Southern Region - Bill Pepito Western Region - Tim Beaty Resources BCAI - https://bcai.wildapricot.org/ BCAI Resources and Links https:// bcai.wildapricot.org/page-18062 Adaptive Outdoors http:// adaptiveoutdoorsman.com/ handicapfishing.html