TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE TEXAS ANGLER EDUCATION PROGRAM Reel Lines Issue Number 31 4200 Smith School Road • Austin, Texas 78744 January 2012 New & Fishing Memories Noteworthy KAREn MARKS – Aquatic Education Manager Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes … As you may be aware, the Angler Education Program has undergone some staff changes since this Recently there has been a string of Facebook past summer. posts on the Angler Education wall about creating fishing memories for young and On December 9, I was offered and accepted old alike. At the beginning of each Angler the position of Aquatic Education Manager. Education instructor classes I teach, I always ask, “Do you remember when you By early spring we hope to fill the Houston caught your first fish?” Aquatic Education Specialist position vacated by Kevin Cunningham. We would like to bid I caught my first fish, a perch, (okay, a warm farewell to Kevin, who shared his Steve! I know it’s really a sunfish) at passion and knowledge of fishing with the my Great Uncle Smitty’s lake house Aquatic Education Program and volunteers. near Jonestown, Texas. I was prob- My brother and me fishing in Port Aransas We wish him the best of luck in his new ably about five or six years old and position with the Boater Education Program, oh so proud of that catch. My Uncle and are grateful he will remain a part of the Otto used to take my brother and me fishing, too. TPWD family. I remember one time when he took us to this big covered dock on the lake with a big square opening in the center where you would lean In September, we welcomed our newest against the railing and drop your line straight down. Aquatic Education staff member, Cappy Smith. You may have known her when she My mom occasionally took us to Port Aransas for summer vacation. We fished off the public worked with Co-Op grants or with State piers, and once we went out on the Scat Cat, a charter fishing party boat. On one of those Parks. Read more about what she is doing trips to the coast we stayed at the Tarpon Inn. I’m currently reading Glory of the Silver King: on page 9. The Golden Age of Tarpon Fishing, by Hart Stilwell, and learned that President Franklin D. Roosevelt stayed there in 1937 when he was visiting Port Aransas on a fishing trip. The numbers are in! In spite of the eco- nomic downturn, state budget cuts, and When our kids were young, my husband and I took family vacations with our good friends declining fishing license sales, the Aquatic to their vacation home in El Tordo, Mexico (on the Gulf of Mexico coast just north of Education program experienced an excep- Tampico). The 16-hour drive from Austin was rewarded with relaxing days spent fishing or tional year. Read more about that on page hanging out on the beach. Some days we would boat upstream on the river; other days, 20. Thank YOU for making our program a we would boat over to the beach and fish in the surf or off the new jetty. We fished and great success and for sharing your passion feasted on reds, specks and snook. In the spring, the families would put on an Easter egg of fishing with others. hunt and a fishing tournament for all the kids. 17005 Seek and Find: Five instructor ID#s are When I went back to school I knew that I wanted to study biology, but was undecided buried in the newsletter! If it’s your number about what field. I looked at the course catalog and picked out the biology electives that let us know and we’ll send you a surprise! interested me. The majority of the courses fell under the Aquatic Biology degree plan. My Contact any of the Aquatic Education staff favorite courses were Aquatic Biology – learning about and collecting macroinvertebrates; if you find your number!!! (Continued on page 2) (Continued on page 2) 2 Reel Lines New & Noteworthy COnTInUED FROM FROnT PAGE need a new Aquatic Education Program nametag? Or how about a Larry Condra’s fishing class at the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman handful of Invasive Species wallet cards to hand out at your next workshop in navasota, and she helped staff teach at Project WILD angler education event? Contact Genevieve at genevieve.lung@ and Angler Ed classes throughout the state. tpwd.state.tx.us to order these free items. Please help us support fishing and TPWD. State Parks were especially It’s trout fishing time! Check out the latest trout stockings and tips hard hit with drought, wildlfires and decreased visitation. There are for catching them at www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/ three simple things you can do -- visit a state park, buy and encourage management/stocking/trout_stocking.phtml others to purchase a fishing license, or look for the new $5 donation opportunity when you renew your automobile license tags. For more Earlier this fall, our Puerto Rican colleague Vilmarie Roman visited information and to help spread the word visit www.texasstateparks. Texas and Florida to work on her English skills and swap teaching org/spreadtheword. techniques. In Puerto Rico she is the Project WILD and Aquatic Educa- tion Program Manager. While visiting Texas, she sat in on Area Chief Remember, Life’s better outside. Fishing Memories, continued Ornithology – I Every once in a while, I’ll borrow my niece or nephew and take them became a fishing. But these days my stringer is mostly filled with plastic Backyard “birder,” and Bass, as I help others learn to teach fishing. Icthyology (the While working at TPWD, I’ve learned even more including how to study of fish). tie a proper Palomar knot, and how to fly fish (with the help of the Much to my Fredericksburg Fly Fishing club.) Ann taught me how to write up dismay, on lesson plans. Steve taught me the “Art of Squigglies” and Kevin the first day (“we’re not leaving until you catch a fish, Karen!”) taught me how of the Icthyol- to rig for saltwater fishing off the jetty. He also taught me about the ogy class, the angler’s tradition of kissing fish for good luck! Kissing fish for good luck professor Fishing is one of the top three gateway activities to connect people to announced “you will not learn about fishing in this class.” What? This the outdoors. So looking back, I guess fishing has always been part class proved to be one of my most challenging courses. Maybe it was of my life and was a gateway to my love of the outdoors, and to my because I was taking 17 hours that semester or maybe it was trying education and career. I am honored to accept the position of Aquatic to learn to identify fish by looking at 30-year-old specimens in formal- Education Manager and look forward to maintaining the program dehyde. Although it was challenging, it was fun, and I learned a lot. momentum. The most memorable field trip was an all-night trip electrofishing on Canyon Lake – where my group sat in a leaking, sinking, metal boat More than just teaching fishing, we are helping others to make during a thunderstorm (hmmm, is it safe to be in a metal boat, on memories. I look forward to making many new fishing memories with the water, during a thunderstorm?). our staff and with all of you, our volunteers. COMMISSION Executive Director TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT MISSION STATEMENT T. Dan Friedkin, Chairman FOR MORE INFORMATION Carter P. Smith “To manage and conserve the natural and cultural Houston All inquiries: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, resources of Texas and to provide hunting, fishing Editors Ralph H. Duggins, Vice-Chairman 4200 Smith School Rd., Austin, TX 78744, Steve Campbell Fort Worth and outdoor recreation opportunities for the use and telephone (800) 792-1112 toll free, Karen Marks enjoyment of present and future generations.” Antonio Falcon, M.D. Rio Grande City or (512) 389-4800 or visit our Web site for Karen J. Hixon San Antonio Dan Allen Hughes, Jr. Beeville You may view this publication through the TPWD Web site. If you detailed information about TPWD programs: Bill Jones Austin wish to have your name and address removed from the printed www.tpwd.state.tx.us Margaret Martin Boerne version mail distribution list, please notify us by completing a request S. Reed Morian Houston ©2012 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department PWD BR K0700-162 (1/12) form at www.tpwd.state.tx.us/enews/. Once verified, we will notify Dick Scott Wimberley In accordance with Texas State Depository Law, this publication is available at the you by e-mail when a new version of your selected newsletter is Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries. Lee M. Bass, Chairman-Emeritus posted at www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsletters Fort Worth TPWD receives federal assistance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other federal agencies. TPWD is therefore subject to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, in addition to state anti-discrimination laws. TPWD will comply with state and federal laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, age, sex or disability. If you believe that you have been discriminated against in any TPWD program, activity or event, you may contact the U.S.