Youth Education Report

Hooked on Fishing Team Leader Training is set for the weekend of April 21-23, 2023, at the Lighthouse Center for Natural Resource Education located in Waretown, NJ 08758 from Friday 6PM-Sunday 3PM.

There is a $60 non-refundable fee which covers meals, lodging, materials/supplies, and helps offset training costs. Please do not register if you cannot commit to the entire weekend.

To register, please complete the registration form which provides instructions on how to submit the required fee. Visit the NJ HOFNOD website to view a group near you.

The 8th Annual Hooked On Fishing – Not On Drugs Youth Fishing Challenge will be held on the weekend of June 3-4. Find details here on the NJ DEP site. Click here for registration form.

It’s show season. Look for our JCAA booth at hunting and fishing expos. Stop by the JCAA booth and learn about how you can help protect recreational fishing. Become a member volunteer or an associate member to support the voice of recreational anglers. Is recreational marine fishing getting better or worse? Let us know so we can do something about making saltwater fishing better for the future of fishing. Become a JCAA associate member today.

We received a request to support the River Rangers, Navesink Maritime Heritage Association with a presentation during the summer of 2023. If your club members are interested in volunteering to present a program about saltwater fishing, Please contact: Greg @ gkucharews@jcaa.org.

New Jersey's Opening Day of Trout Season this year is Saturday, April 8, and the Division of Fish and Wildlife will again be celebrating by hosting a special event at the Pequest Trout Hatchery in Oxford. The Division would be honored if Veterans and their families would join Division staff at the hatchery for a morning of camaraderie and fishing at the Pequest fishing education pond. Breakfast provided by the Summit Elks Lodge 1246. For more information or to register, visit this link. Space is limited so register early.

The State of New Jersey 32nd Annual Surf Fishing Tournament at IBSP is looking for volunteer judges to ride the beach during the tournament and verify the length of fish caught by contestants.

Volunteers that would like to be a part of the tournament and measure fish will receive a 2023 Judges hat and compensation for fuel on the beach. We already have some Play HOOK-e from PTSD veteran volunteers signed up to judge.

For details, please contact Ken Hollins, Judge Chairman to become a volunteer judge rugburnsbleed55@optimum.net or phone Gary Conk @ (609) 556-9241.

We would like to remind our physically challenged anglers that there is an area at OBA 1 with beach wheelchairs available. Anglers that are not able to walk in the sand can now get to the water and try surf fishing. The JCAA Youth Education Committee is helping novice and physically challenged anglers at the Governor's Surf Fishing Tournament. Downs Ford Toms River, NJ will assist physically challenged anglers with a NEW 2023 4x4 VIP vehicle to transport anglers that will be fishing the reserved area in front of OBA 1. Members of the Vietnam Veterans of America (Chapter 12) and volunteer anglers from various fishing clubs will also aid physically challenged anglers.

If you know a disabled veteran or angler that would like to fish the tournament, please phone Greg K at 732-840-9197 or email gkucharews@jcaa.org.

The Jersey Coast Anglers Youth Education Committee is encouraging high school students to participate at the Island Beach State Park 32nd Annual Surf Fishing Tournament. High school teams are already gearing up for the tournament five students per team plus a high school representative must accompany each high school team. If you know a school team that would like to register for this event, please email Karen Byrne at karen.byrne@dep.nj.gov.

Please visit the JCAA Website for updates and don’t forget to register for the Free NJ Saltwater Recreational Registry Program.

NJ Fish & Wildlife's Sedge Island Natural Resource Education Center is offering two overnight programs this summer for students interested in exploring the salt marsh through hands-on activities.

Sedge Island Field Experience, July 17-19, 2023, is open for students going into 7 - 9 grade in September 2023. Application deadline is Friday, March 31.

Sedge Island Field and Research Experience, July 20-22, 2023, is for students going into 10-12 grade in September 2023. Application deadline is Monday, May 1.