Hoffman teen hooked on bass fishing
Jonathan Barzacchini of Hoffman Estates looked every bit the tournament fisherman last week when he met with residents at Sunrise, a senior living community in Schaumburg.
With a PowerPoint presentation behind him and a rod and reel in hand, he described the most common fish found in Illinois: the white crappie; black crappie; largemouth bass; bluegill; hybrid striped bass; and yellow perch.
Barzacchini went on to explain their natural habitats and where to find them, as well as their feeding behavior and the types of equipment it takes to catch them.
“It's so exciting,” quipped resident Theresa Flood, “just so I don't have to touch any fish.”
Turns out, the fishing seminar is an extension of Barzacchini's weekly video blog that airs live Friday night on the Internet, as well as how-to lessons on YouTube and an extensive website — fishingthemidwest.info — and Facebook page.
All this, and he's only a freshman in high school.
“I just love to fish,” says Barzacchini, where at St. Viator High School in Arlington Heights he is an alternate to the school's bass fishing team, which qualified last week for the state tournament.
Barzacchini figures he was 4 when he got hooked.
As a toddler, he and his dad would go to the annual fishing derby hosted by the Hoffman Estates Chamber of Commerce. It takes place every June on South Ridge Lake, which is stocked with tagged fish and offers prizes for those who reel them in.
With the number of fish stocked in the lake each year, it provides a wellspring of fish for anglers the rest of the year, long after the derby is over.
It has become one of Barzacchini's favorite places to fish, and he films many of his videos there.
Beyond his educational efforts, Barzacchini fishes competitively nearly every weekend in junior tournaments with the Maple Bassmasters club. Just last month, he placed second in a tournament on the Chicago River, and he looks forward to the state qualifier later this month.
But taking his love of fishing to area senior communities is a new effort for him. Sure, he gets service hours at school for doing it, but he says it's a labor of love.
“I used to spend a lot of time with my great-grandmother,” Barzacchini says, “so this is an audience I'm comfortable with.”
Besides Sunrise, he lined up seminars at Friendship Village in Schaumburg and the Lutheran Home in Arlington Heights.
On May 28, he will follow up his presentation with Sunrise residents when he accompanies them to the lake at Harper College to fish.
Lauren Young, Sunrise activities director, says it will be the second time her residents will have fished at Harper, although this time they will have the equivalent of a fishing guide.
“We're thrilled to have him,” Young said. “He's quite knowledgeable.”