Youth – Conservation

Fishing is Fun! in Nebraska 2024 Tournament Results

The Nebraska Walleye Association Kids Fishing Clinics Charity, Inc. sponsored four tournaments for the 2024 season. They were held at Sherman Reservoir, Harlan County Reservoir, Lewis & Clark Reservoir, and Lake McConaughy which are all in Nebraska.

These tournaments are a ‘tournament within a tournament’, as they are held during a Nebraska Walleye Association member tournament weekend. The only entry required to fish in these tournaments is to be entered in the NWA Tournament and to volunteer at the kid’s fishing clinic held at the tournament site.

At these four tournament location clinics this year, 104 kids learned how to fish from the 26 tournament anglers that participated. Along with numerous other volunteers, this allowed for a ‘one for one’ incredible teaching environment.

The kids learned about knot tying, bait/lures, fish id, casting, invasive species, and water safety. Each one was given a certificate, a bag full of goodies, along with a rod/reel combo. Shirts provided by the National Professional Anglers Association (NPAA), the Future Anglers Foundation (FAF), and the Nebraska Walleye Association (NWA) were also given to all of the kids. All FREE!!

Totally different types of fisheries and weather patterns presented challenges for the tournament teams and on all days the winning teams used different presentations to overcome that.

#	Names	Sherman	Harlan	L & C	Lake MAC	TOTAL
1	Waldron/Waldron	96	92	105	93	386
2	JD Baker/Joslyn	98	99	69	103	369
3	Hettler/Hunke	75	103	94	88	360
4	Stender/Stender	95	95	81	84	355
5	C. Baker/Wadas	77	78	97	91	343
6	Smutny/Smutny	89	86	86	15	276
7	M. Archer/Archer	0	90	85	100	275
8	Dembowski/Owens	15	74	98	0	187
9	Freese/McShane	0	72	76	0	148
10	Woerth/Boettcher	15	0	82	0	97
11	Domeier/Domeier	0	79	0	0	79
12	B Shada/Verba	0	0	75	0	75
13	Murray/Croner	0	0	0	15	15

Congratulations to these teams and they will be offered the opportunity to fish in the June 19-21, 2025, Bass Pro Shops/ Cabela’s NTC set for Lake Francis Case, Pickstown, SD.

This organization is a 501 (c) (3) public charity that promotes fishing education and conservation in Nebraska to over 2000 youth annually. Fishing is Fun! is the catch phrase used to conduct 15-20 kids fishing clinics across the state: including special needs clinics. Each participant receives hands on fishing instruction from state certified volunteers and is given a free rod/reel/tackle box combination to take home for fishing.

https://www.nebraskawalleye.com/fishing-is-fun-3/

https://www.facebook.com/NebraskaWalleyeAssociation

A big thanks to all who make: Fishing is Fun! in Nebraska.

Rich McShane, President-NWA Fishing is Fun!