Jackson: Some progress in getting young anglers started
I'm coming clean with you. I have made another mistake as a result of my endless quest to find the good and bad elements within the fishing tackle industry.
Right now the fishing tackle companies and their top-level corporate officers are attending the annual gathering of the brethren. This confab is called ICAST, the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing. ICAST takes its cues from the American Sportfishing Association, formerly known American Fishing Tackle Manufacturers Association.
It's almost like dealing with the federal government, with all the alphabet soup agencies along with their various abbreviated, bureaucratic identifications.
But as I said, I am coming clean with you. Things in general have gotten a tad better.
Some of the tackle giants have been quietly switching gears, so to speak, and have redesigned kids tackle so a child can actually make a cast beyond 5 feet.
Custom Rod maker Jim Grandt filled me in about the turnaround marketing strategy now embraced by some of the bigger tackle companies. And these new moves, which have been under way for a few years, will translate into an easier job for mom and dad to introduce kids to the sport. Even though a child may ask for a cartoon-character rod and reel, there are other choices.
Grandt reported Johnson Fishing continues to make their famous Johnson Country Mile pre-spooled reel, loaded with either 6- or 8-pound test mono.
Abu Garcia, part of the Pure Fishing Group, makes a Mike Iaconelli, 6 foot, 2-piece spin-cast combo (rod and reel) with 6-pound line already on the reel. It's called the "Ike Dude Spincast Rig."
Shakespeare, another member of the Pure Fishing group, has also offered the company's own kid's version with light line as well.
I have been at odds with some of the giants for years because these companies would embrace the chance to sell cartoon character rod and reels loaded with 10-pound ropelike mono, which never gave a child a fair shot at making a long cast, whether in a boat or from shore.
Grandt noted that he's been donating rods to the Illinois Conservation Foundation with a total of 50 so far, helping to educate the kids about the gear and outdoors. He also said this program he started with the ICF is a major milestone, and he will continue to donate quality USA made rods for Illinois youth.
Grandt agreed with my general premise, saying "if the kids fish with a lot better equipment, they will enjoy the sport and outdoors even more so. That in itself can be possibly a life-changing experience - to have them hang on to the moments in the outdoors."
Antique tackle collector Dan Basore and I joined forces to help nudge the tackle industry even further so as to give parents more choices for better equipment so children will truly enjoy this sport.
Grandt and I have had many discussions sharing similar thoughts following a raft of emails I've received from adults wanting to buy the good stuff for their kids instead of the usual junk found on the shelves of the giant discount stores.
It's been a long time coming.
Fishing report:
• Chain O' Lakes largemouth bass have continued to respond to spinnerbaits and big shiners on Channel Lake and Lake Catherine. But look for the bigger bass on the inside weed edges. Because of the heavy rainfall in the area, faster current is bringing walleyes in and through the Route 12 bridge in Fox Lake. Bluegill action on Pistakee Lake is excellent in 6 feet of water.
• Deep Lake bass, crappie and big bluegills a]seem to be drawing the attention of a lot of anglers.
• Bangs Lake bass action is very good, especially during night hours. The biggest issue is with mosquitoes.
• Contact Mike Jackson at angler88@comcast.net, catch his radio show 7-9 a.m. Sundays on WGCO 1590-AM (live-streamed at www.1590WCGO.com) and get more content at www.mikejacksonoutdoors.com.