By Ryan Kennedy
Well it’s August now, and that means each and every one of us has been hounded with advertisements and videos revolving around what the new hot item is in the bass fishing industry from ICAST in July. One thing in particular stuck out to me at the ICAST show, but it wasn’t a bait, a rod, a reel, or even a new technique. Simply put, the thing that stood out to me the most was the opportunities for young, upcoming anglers. As a young collegiate angler, I can look at what is available for bass fishermen in their middle and high school years and feel as if I’m old as dust.
It’s strange to think about it that way, but “back in my day” we didn’t have what is available now. As I progressed through my high school years, the high school fishing programs were just starting to take a strong hold in the industry. There wasn’t much support yet from large corporations, but you could tell that the program had a bright future. Well, the bright future for high school fishing is here. Companies in the fishing industry are supporting high school fishing to the fullest extent possible. Between financial support of fishing companies, product supply and discount, and the availability for an abundance of colleges offering fishing scholarships, every opportunity needed for a young angler to make a mark on the fishing industry is available.
Although a part of me wishes those same opportunities were as readily available for me when I was in high school, I am truly excited for the up and coming anglers to tackle this new period in the bass fishing industry. I hope to see all the opportunities utilized to their max potential and beyond. Just as the generation of sportsmen before me paved a way for me to get involved in the fishing industry, I would like to see the next generation of anglers coming through the high school program make a conscious effort to do the same.
The world of bass fishing is progressing every day to a bigger and brighter future. The generation rising through the ranks has the potential to be the most successful bunch yet. So, forget all the “Generation Z” thing. Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome “Generation Bass” to the fishing industry. God Bless and tight lines!