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By Al McGuckin
With more than $600,000 in prize winnings to his credit, Team Toyota angler Brandon Lester has proven himself to be one of America’s most accomplished young professional bass anglers. The Tennessean is also one heck of a family man, and was gracious enough to lend some advice to parents who soon might be taking their children fishing for the first time.
Fishing license and life vests
A lot of families overlook the fact adults who are handling a rod and reel are required to have a fishing license -- even if fishing is simply a brief part of your family camping trip or picnic.
“Don’t be intimidated by buying a license,” says Lester. “Most states offer a 1-day or 3-day license versus a full year to save new anglers money. And you can nearly always get a license over the phone with a fast Google search for the state fishing license sales center and phone number for wherever you plan to fish,” he explains.
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PRADCO Report
PRADCO Outdoor Brands, a leading manufacturer and marketer of fishing and hunting brands and products, is dedicating resources to serve the medical communities in Alabama, Arkansas and Oklahoma (home states of most PRADCO employees and their families) with donations of much-needed medical equipment.
At PRADCO Fishing, engineers have designed and formulated products that are currently being manufactured to give away to area hospitals, clinics and nursing homes. Tooling and molds for all products were created in PRADCO Fishing’s tool room. The specific products being manufactured for donation are face shields, frames and hand sanitizer. There is a big need at hospitals and clinics for these items. The frames are being molded out of XT plastic material. The face shields are being formed out of plastic sheets. The frames and shields were designed in a collaborative effort with personnel at Baptist Health in Fort Smith.
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Carhartt Report
Carhartt, America's most trusted workwear brand, announced this week that itís joining in the effort to supply the brave men and women working on the frontline with the gowns and masks they need to protect themselves.
On Monday, April 6, Carhartt will begin producing 50,000 medical gowns, and on April 20, the company will begin manufacturing 2.5 million masks. As long as these critical items are in short supply, Carhartt will continue to assist in production.
"Serving and answering the call during times of need has always been an integral part of Carhartt's history and it's why consumers have trusted us to have their back for more than 130 years," said Mark Valade, Chief Executive Officer at Carhartt. "We are humbled and honored to help all the essential workers serving and protecting us right now."
Associates from Carhartt's manufacturing facilities have proudly volunteered to produce these items and the company will continue to compensate them for their important contribution to the effort to support the nation's need for medical personal protective equipment.
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Lew’s High School Grant Program is now taking applications for the 2020 season.
Lew’s will strive to put quality rods and reels in the hands of high school aged anglers across the country through their ever-popular High School Grant Program. The intent of this program is to foster and motivate the growth of the sport through these four key objectives.
- Growing the sport of recreational fishing
- Showcasing high school fishing as a valued educational activity
- Elevating the visibility of youth fishing in the local community
- Instilling conservation awareness through best practices
There are three levels of grant awards that are based on the size of the club, club activity, and a willingness to promote the sport as well as conservation and the Keep America Fishing initiative.
This program has skyrocketed in popularity with last year’s grant cycle awarding 140 grants to schools in 25 different states. It provides a great way for schools to put quality rods and reels in the hands of young anglers. The High School Grant Program is administered for Lew’s by the Future Fisherman Foundation, a 501(C)3 non-profit whose mission is to “Ensure the Future of Fishing.”
Interested applicants can apply at either the Lews.com website.
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HR Report
Henry Repeating Arms President and Owner, Anthony Imperato, first learned of 3-year-old Sadie Kreinbrink a few months after she was diagnosed with Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma, a malignant childhood tumor requiring 66 weeks of chemotherapy treatment. When Sadie’s mother reached out to Henry Repeating Arms, Imperato immediately offered assistance through Henry’s Guns For Great Causes program, a charitable arm of the American firearms manufacturer focused on raising money for families of sick children and other worthy causes through the sale of customized limited edition rifles.
A few months later, a heart-wrenching photo of 4-year-old Beckett Burge of Princeton, TX went viral. The photo, taken by Beckett’s mother, shows Beckett hunched over a toilet sick from his chemotherapy and being comforted by his sister. As it pulled at heartstrings across the country it also caught the attention of Imperato. Henry Repeating Arms reached out to the mother, Kaitlin Burge, and offered to create and donate a series of rifles that would be sold to raise money for Beckett’s treatment.