Page 14 - 2021 MAR/APR Outdoor Oklahoma Magazine

starting with a rooster tail. It’s versatile there are various wintertime angling Fail to permit mistakes. Don’t let the
and has a successful hook-set rate due to a opportunities. The Wildlife Department student do anything wrong. Interfere
rear treble hook that stays horizontal when stocks trout at designated fishing sites with anything the student does that
retrieved. It’s an excellent spring and fall lure across the state, including Dolese Park might not succeed.
for all pond species because, at a medium Pond in Oklahoma City and Veteran’s Park Breach confidentiality. Share your
retrieve speed, it usually avoids hazards by Pond in Jenks. student’s confidences with others, talk behind
staying in the middle of the water column. his or her back, and don’t keep promises.
It’s easy to sense a strike, and the tension
from the retrieve is usually enough to set the HOW TO FAIL AS A MENTOR
hook, making it the perfect starter lure for a RESOURCES
new angler. Real mentoring isn’t. It’s more than
Another good starter lure is a one-eighth advising, more than coaching, more Fishing Resources Webpage: The
ounce black or orange beetle spinner. than giving instructions. It means taking Wildlife Department’s Fishing R3
These two lures introduce the basic responsibility for the learning of another Coordinator Skylar St.Yves has created a
principles needed when anglers begin to and making a commitment to that Fishing Resources page on the ODWC
explore larger bodies of water with heavier person’s growth and development. website. It started as a way to keep anglers
crankbaits and spinners. They teach new All of this makes it easy to fail as a up-to-date with relevant˜ fishing tips/
anglers how to really set a hook on a striking mentor. Here are things you should do if content. Since then, the webpage has
fish. There’s something instinctual about you want to kill a mentoring relationship, been blossoming˜into a one-stop shop for
feeling the tug against the tension of a according to the experts: Oklahoma anglers. Coming this spring
steadily retrieved line and setting the hook. Lecture your student a lot. Instead will be a˜“Build Your Next Fishing Trip”
of listening, talk continually. Instead of function. It will allow anglers to search for
helping a student learn from a situation, public access points, find bait/tackle shops,
IMPORTANCE OF CONSISTENCY force the student to do things your way. locate places to stay, and much more!
Tell war stories. Emphasize all the A great place for mentors to visit is
Introducing someone new to fishing is important things you’ve done, all the the “Beginning Angler Tips” section at
easy. Creating a fisherman is a challenge. battles you’ve won, and all the results www.wildlifedepartment.com/fishing/
Research shows that creating new you’ve achieved. Don’t let the student’s beginning-angler-tips. You’ll find plenty of
anglers doesn’t happen with a “one and experiences interfere with your own. In addition to searching through˜content
done” approach. One fishing experience Criticize everything. Tear the student provided on the Fishing Resources webpage,
alone will not recruit a new angler; rather down at every opportunity and never be anglers are encouraged to reach out to
it’s the quality and frequency of fishing satisfied with anything he or she does. St.Yves directly if they have fishing-related
experiences that will make a difference. Withhold any praise or recognition. questions. His contact information is at the
Takeaway: The chance of creating Fail to allocate time. Let other bottom of the Fishing Resources webpage.
lifelong anglers increases with repeated priorities take precedence on your Oklahoma Fishing in the Schools
angling experiences and contacts. personal agenda and only give a student Manual: This is the instruction book used by
For angling mentors to be most effective, fleeting attention. many state schools that offer the Oklahoma
they should engage in a series of learning
steps with hands-on experience. Quality
multiple contacts between mentors AnDReA CReWs/ODWC
and students are effective in building
confidence and recruiting anglers. This
strategy allows students to develop the
needed skills that will then allow them to
continue the activity on their own.
Sometimes roadblocks pop up. What if
you latch onto a student during the winter
months? It’s important to know how your
student will perceive the experience. It
might pay greater dividends to put off a
first fishing trip. Winter’s cold weather
conditions and longer wait times between
bites can be turnoffs for those just getting
started with fishing.
But if your student is hyped up and
understands the necessity of being patient, Serving as a fishing mentor and creating a new angler brings many rewards.

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