Fishing 4 Reel Outdoors Meet Local Youth to Promote Love of Fishing as Passtime or Profession

Fishing 4 Reel – Staff Photo by Jake Depew

On Friday, November 8, Jefferson County’s Ruritan Park was home to a gathering of several local children, all of whom came out to learn about one of the most popular sports and pastimes in the world: fishing. Fishing 4 Reel, a for-profit organization comprised of professional anglers founded by Maliek Carrington, hosted the gathering, giving the local children the chance to meet real professionals, ask any questions, and receive expert mentorship. On the national scale, F4R provides opportunities for individual anglers and small fishing associations to receive the benefits of joining a national association, all while allowing the members to retain their individuality and autonomy: with a special interest in making sure those who may only have time to hit the lake on the weekends enjoy the benefits as well. For local communities, F4R focuses primarily on at-risk children, providing them with a fun pastime or competitive sport, helping the children have a more balanced life and paving a road that leads away from any future lifestyle troubles. The event, headed by Carrington, himself, was exceptionally well-received, with children overjoyed with the fact that they were receiving professional instruction in a sport they saw other adults engaging in passionately. The event was not merely instructional, however. True to their cause, the anglers explained the value and fun of fishing, as well, making it clear that fishing could be anything from an enjoyable pastime to a full profession, and that is was an activity the children could engage in with friends and family for their entire lives. If the broad smiles, laughter, and cheers are any indication, it is likely that Jefferson County has just received a slew of future anglers.