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Koep’s Walleye Challenge Youth Fishing Clinic

 Sep 23rd, 2015 by OutdoorsFIRST 

Modified Sep 23rd, 2015 at 12:00 AM

NPAA Members Nate Gilkey # 956, Nancy Koep # 323 and Joe Bricko put on a fishing clinic after the weigh-ins for the Koep’s Walleye Challenge on Lake Minnewaska on September 12th. 26 eager kids showed up for the clinic.

It stared with Koep going over fish identification and showing kids different types of fish that they had to identify. She also touched on what type of lure would be the best to use for that specific fish.

 
After that, Nate Gilkey talked to all the kids about the importance of life jackets. Gilkey showed them how to wear them properly and also how to make sure you have the right size on. He got a few kids from the audience to demonstrate the right way and the wrong ways to wear a life jacket. 
Then Joe Bricko was up and talked about invasive species. He had a cup from the bottom of the lake, caught during the tournament, that was full of zebra mussels. Many of the kids had
never seen them before, so it was very helpful for Bricko in explaining to the kids what zebra mussels and other kinds of invasive species do to a lake. He also talked with everyone about the importance of Clean, Drain and Dry.
Joe Bricko decided to filet a walleye for the kids and have them watch. “The kids loved it,” said Koep, “I had to keep telling the kid to back up and give Joe space.” Bricko not only showed them how to fillet a fish, but also went over the inside of the fish and asked the kids to identify body parts. Once that was over, the kids were able to get their fishing rods, water bottles, and fish identification books.

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