Today's Feature Fishing Report: "A Fish First Approach" Youth Angling and Outdoor Programs

Gary Korsgaden dropped us a line to share news about the message he'll be sharing with students at upcoming school conservation events this season. Korsgaden's segment, “A Fish First Approach,” focuses on fishing stewardship and helping youngsters understand how their actions on the water affect the resource.

Korsgaden, "The program includes bussing students to our outdoor learning site in the Ashby area. Schools participating include West Central, Alexandria, Elbow Lake, and other Alexandria area schools. Each year we reach 600 to 700 kids, giving them hands on experiences that connect them directly to the outdoors. We use community fishing piers as well as private land generously offered by local landowners. We want them to know the local opportunities available to them."

“Our conservation education goes well beyond fishing. Another program, “Oh Deer,” teaches students about the relationship between game, food sources, and habitat so they can clearly understand how wildlife survives and thrives. We also emphasize outdoor opportunities close to nature walks, shed hunts, and simple activities that don’t require expensive equipment.

Hunter safety instruction is another key part of our outreach. We explain why regulated harvest is essential for healthy game populations and how responsible hunters play a vital role in conservation. We bring in different instructors who are experts in their fields to give students accurate, practical information.

Throughout all our programs, we stress that outdoor opportunities should be available to everyone, regardless of financial situation. We exclude no one. Our goal is to show kids that the outdoors belongs to them too, and that they can participate at any level.

We even include wild game cooking sessions to help students understand the full circle of ethical harvest and responsible use of natural resources. Here is a primer parents can read and share with their kids.

A Fish First Approach for the Alexandria Lakes Area — Gary Korsgaden

The Alexandria area has always taken pride in raising the next generation of anglers. That’s why Minnesota’s move to a year round catch and release bass season deserves a closer look from all of us who care about the future of our lakes. Waters like Miltona, Ida, Carlos, and the Le Homme Dieu Chain now see bass pressure during months when those fish once had natural breaks from angling. Add in the rapid spread of forward facing sonar, and today’s young anglers are growing up in a fishing world that looks very different from the one many of us learned in.

Local youth programs, community events, and family focused fishing traditions have always emphasized respect for the resource. That’s one of the strengths of the Alexandria area. But with a season that now stretches across all 12 months, we have an opportunity and responsibility to teach young anglers what a fish first mindset really means.

Anyone who has watched a smallmouth guard a nest on Miltona or Ida in late May understands how vulnerable they are. Smallmouth on Miltona and the smaller but present population on Ida now face more pressure with a year round season. Pull that male off the bed, even briefly, and panfish move in immediately. The Minnesota DNR reports that bass populations remain stable, and that’s encouraging. But stability doesn’t erase the fact that individual nests and individual fish matter, especially on lakes where the same fish may be caught repeatedly throughout the year. These are exactly the kinds of lessons young anglers need to see modeled by adults.

Forward facing sonar adds another layer. It’s an impressive tool, but it also makes it easier to target individual fish with a level of precision that simply didn’t exist a decade ago. On lakes like Carlos or the Le Homme Dieu Chain, suspended smallmouth that were once difficult to locate can now be tracked and caught with remarkable consistency. Technology isn’t the problem, how we teach the next generation to use it is.

If we want our kids and grandkids to enjoy the same quality of fishing we’ve had, we need to lead by example. Respect the spawn. Handle fish quickly and gently. Use technology responsibly. Support tournaments and youth events that prioritize fish health. And recognize when a lake or a fish needs a break.

The Alexandria area is home to some of Minnesota’s best fisheries. Protecting them starts with the lessons we pass on. Gary Korsgaden, Park Rapids, Minnesota

---