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Looking out for the kids
It’s one thing to talk about young people being the future of a sport, but quite another to do something about it.
Today we acknowledge several Northeast Ohio anglers who are doing way more than their fair share to make sure children and teens have an opportunity to experience the joy and fulfillment that fishing can deliver.
They include pro walleye angler Sammy Cappelli of Poland, the members of the Cleveland Chapter of Muskies Inc., Harry Emmerling of East Liverpool and Greg Haymaker, the adviser for a group of Cleveland-area city kids known as Prime Time Junior Bass Anglers.
Certainly there are hundreds, if not thousands, of local anglers who work to show children the ins and outs of fishing. They are unsung heroes whose enthusiasm for fishing helps perpetuate the angling culture. We salute them all.
Some, naturally, take it to the next level – going beyond introducing their own children, nieces and nephews, and neighbor kids. Folks such as Chris DePaola of Austintown, Cappelli, Haymaker and Emmerling dedicate hours on top of their bread-winning jobs and own fishing time to guide the upcoming generation of anglers.
DePaola, for instance, is a member of the dedicated anglers who comprise the Cleveland Chapter of Muskies Inc. As the name implies, the club is for those whose worlds rock around muskie fishing. But they also work tirelessly to make fishing fun for kids.
The muskie club will be hosting a Kids Fishing Derby June 4 at Lake Milton State Park’s Meshel Picnic Area from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bait will be provided.
That same day, children of all ages may participate in the annual Kids Fish ’n Fun Day at Evans Lake at Calla Road just east of South Avenue. It is staged each year in conjunction with the Muransky Companies Bass Classic, benefiting the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley.
Retailer Fin Feather & Fur Outfitters in Boardman is providing goodies for all Kids Fish ’n Fun Day participants, and the United Way staff and Aqua Ohio personnel will be serving Wedgewood Pizza, hot dogs and other refreshments.
Volunteer help will be coming from groups of teens who fish under the guidance of Haymaker and Emmerling. In addition to assisting at the kids event, Haymaker’s Prime Time Junior Bass Anglers and Emmerling’s high school bass anglers are volunteering as marshals to help score the Bass Classic June 4 on Evans and Pine lakes.
Cappelli, meanwhile, will be home just a few days from a big national walleye tournament in Escanaba, Mich., when he rolls out his Outdoor Education Day Fishing Station May 27 at Springfield Local Intermediate School.
The walleye pro will present a fishing seminar at the school pond, joining the outdoor education program a science teacher in the Springfield Local schools has organized for several years.
“Kids don’t remember their best day of watching TV, but they remember a great day of fishing,” Cappelli said. “Hopefully this will spark a desire for fishing in children who may never have had the opportunity before.”
Cappelli is a pro not only on the fishing side, but in angling education. He’s a regular presenter of walleye seminars at such places as Les’ Bait at Berlin Reservoir and Joe Sofchek’s Mosquito Lake Marina.
With efforts such as those of Cappelli, DePaola, Haymaker, Emmerling and many more, a new generation of young people will have the opportunity to whet their angling appetites for a lifetime of enjoyment.